Springtime Photo Challenge

[Tristan]

It's time for a photo contest!  This one's completely random, but since it's getting warm and the sun is shining, it's time to dust off your cameras and get some pics.  Maybe there will even be a prize.

Anyone want to add any criteria?  I'm just thinking of buses with sprouting plants and trees or something, but...anyone want to make it interesting?  Feel free to post your suggestions and we'll start the contest on Wednesday.

[Tritransit Area]

"On street" pictures ONLY.  No pictures at the Metrorail Stations or major bus terminals.

[WMATAGMOAGH]

My suggestions are these:

1.  Allow non-DC area entries
2.  Consider photos taken in recent weeks, even before the contest was announced, to count, but I would also set a limit on how far back one can go with a submission
3.  I like the no terminal rule suggestion

[79MetroExtraMD]

Sweet. I mainly take my pics while en route. Now as for major terminals, is Shirlington out of the question?

[aznboy4305]

I'll second WMATAGMOAGH's first suggestion of allowing non-DC area entries. However, I believe the criteria should be set so that one must go out to *seek* these pictures, as opposed to being able to dig up previously taken pictures that just so happen to "meet" the requirements.

[aznboy4305]

That being said...

Perhaps including at least one of the following elements:
1. Trees in blossom
2. Water (Natural or Artificial)

[MetroLinerXLZ]

I third WMATAGMOAGH's idea of allowing non-D.C. area transit into this, as well as everyone needing to go forth and get the pictures, rather than dig up a photo.

However, I would like to include statues/monuments into the "required elements" criteria.

[Tristan]

Ken, I'll put your point out to vote, but if anyone has any objections, comment only if you've been to or seen Shirlington Station.  I'm torn on the issue myself because it isn't really a place where a bunch of buses would be sitting around (so it's still a challenge, except for ART buses), and it's kind of in a neighborhood ... but at the same time, I can't think of many really outstanding shots that we'd miss if we banned Shirlington, but I'm not the expert on that.  It's open for discussion for and against, however.

aznboy, I agree with you on that because the idea is to get more photography going...but, I think it's fair to say maybe back to mid-March (any objection)?  But definitely not before that.  Your other two points I would count more as suggestions than requirements. <-- I thought this because I didn't want to exclude places like downtown Washington, but then.....maybe we *should* add that to the list of banned places because we have seen a lot from there ("Downtown" does not necessarily include attempts to squeeze some of the Smithsonian's buildings or the Capitol/White House/etc in, just not office buildings).

In terms of non-DC entries, we'll allow it but vote separately.  I might make it two separate contests even, because i don't want good DC photos to get shut out by a bunch of photos from other places.  We'll have a separate "Beyond the Beltway" photo contest since the demand is there for such a thing.

Between Monuments, Trees or Flower Beds, and Water, I think we have enough options to make requirements out of your suggestions.  We'll also have a bonus "Name that Location" contest for non-photographers pulled out of the entries...so don't say where the pics came from.

[Tritransit Area]

Ken, I'll put your point out to vote, but if anyone has any objections, comment only if you've been to or seen Shirlington Station.  I'm torn on the issue myself because it isn't really a place where a bunch of buses would be sitting around (so it's still a challenge, except for ART buses), and it's kind of in a neighborhood ... but at the same time, I can't think of many really outstanding shots that we'd miss if we banned Shirlington, but I'm not the expert on that.  It's open for discussion for and against, however.

I'd honestly am less than thrilled with the idea, simply for the fact that it falls into the "place with a lot of different buses and routes serving the same place".  That's why I'd frown against photos there as well as malls, etc.  Of course, one could easily make such a case for photos along roads like Georgia Ave, so I'm curious to see what others think.

aznboy, I agree with you on that because the idea is to get more photography going...but, I think it's fair to say maybe back to mid-March (any objection)?  But definitely not before that. 

How about simply "Spring 2010", from March 20th on?

[Tristan]

Good idea on the dates, Brando.  Since spring effectively ends here today by May 1, it'd probably work to run this through the end of April.

[WMATAGMOAGH]

Requiring monuments seems a bit burdensome to me.  I also don't think Downtown DC ought to be banned.

Ray:  My suggestion on allowing back entries was simply to encompass all of this spring, since we are already into April and chances become more limited as time goes on. 

March 20 seems like a good cutoff date to me.  If the other cutoff is May 1, perhaps we should get until May 8 to make submissions?  I also think there should be a limit on the number of submissions so people can't just submit every photo they take.

I haven't been to Shirlington, but it seems to me that we could make the requirement be that photos must be of vehicles in a public ROW (eliminating all shopping malls, Metro stations, etc.) and cannot be an established layover point for any route.

[aznboy4305]

I say ban shots in Shirlington terminal itself, but allow buses on approach/departing Shirlington.

[rideonrulez]

I think this is a good idea...I'm in!! But I'll wait until you guys finish your back and forth with the rules...

[Tristan]

@wmatagm, monuments would be one of three options under azn's proposal.

[WayneNYC]

I think I'll get in too.  I like the idea so far, especially the shooting at terminals, Metro stations etc.  I've always been a fan of what I call "action" shots.  To me action shots are of transit vehicles on the road doing their thing.