Christmas Card contest?

[HeartofSteel]

I thought this would be really fun to do on the forum. It would be along the lines of taking pictures or your horse(s) and/or animals for a christmas card. You could put hats/scarves/ribbon/ect... on them and you could also photoshop your other animals in if needed or put them in another background.You would make it festive and happy, you could also put text on it. It would just need to be like what the front would be of a card, so mainly a picture. What would everyone think of this? I would be willing to organize it if there is enough people interested.
Wbay has a very good idea posted below

[WashingtonBay]

Personally, I think if it's art it's art, whether you have photographed, photoshopped, drawn or copied it. We use photoshop to make our cards, and draw the hats.

If those without Photoshop want an equal playing ground, maybe better would be to have two categories of competition. One for 'natural' pictures with no Photoshop alterations of the image (beyond cropping and correcting exposure) and one for cards, either photographed or drawn, with artificial artistic embellishment.

[HeartofSteel]

Good idea WB!! I like that idea alot! So yes, one for "natural" and one for "enhanced"

[WashingtonBay]

Open judging with a poll, you think?

Will we have a generous benefactor who offers a prize I wonder? :)

[Jump The Moon]

Oooh :) This sounds fun, I'll start my *rubbish* entry, lol.

[doc_western]

ohh! i like this idea :) :)
when would the deadline be?

[FoxFireEMT]

OOOO I have no talent what-so-ever! Guess I'll be watching from the side lines with my flag in the air that says "Go Team" :cheers:This is me cheering you all on:popcorn: and enjoying the sights!

LOL

[sugarsgirl]

Sounds fun! Hopefully I can get a chance to make one!

[cloedoll]

I stink at CHristmas cards, but would be ufn to try!!!

[HeartofSteel]

So how should we do it? Have a poll for judging or have judges?

[WashingtonBay]

I think we should do a poll. Everyone gets a vote. :)

[HeartofSteel]

Ok, that sounds good. I'll try to have all the rules and everything figured out soon. Ideas on prizes or anything?

[WashingtonBay]

One thing I think of... there should probably be a common size for all the pictures so we're not trying to evaluate pictures that are all different sizes. Since our albums resize pictures to 600, that would be a good arbitrary measurement.

[WashingtonBay]

There could only be prizes if someone wants to step forward and offer one.

I don't think we can at the moment.

[PoniesRock101]

aww...what a great idea! i think i'll have to doodle one! the current computer i have doesnt have photoshop!

[HeartofSteel]

So size of 600? How should I word that for the rules?

[HeartofSteel]

Wbay: Should we have a category from hand drawn/painted as well?

[WashingtonBay]

I'll let you decide how many categories. It's your contest :)

I can see how it could work to have three.... Drawn (either by hand or on computer) Photo Enhanced, and Natural (untouched) Photography

[HeartofSteel]

I think three would be best.
If anyone has any ideas about prizes please PM me.
Rules should be out by the 22nd

[HeartofSteel]

If anyone has suggestions feel free to let me know!

[PoniesRock101]

just out of curiousity are you gonna allow to enter more than one category?

[shynbvs]

I think we should do a poll. Everyone gets a vote. :)

i like that idea. i can't wait to see what everyone comes up with!

[HeartofSteel]

just out of curiousity are you gonna allow to enter more than one category?

I don't see why not. You would only be allowed one per category

[Dakota Sunrise]

I think it's a great idea! Sounds like fun!:D

A few comments and questions:

I definately like the idea of having seperate categories, because otherwise it wouldn't seem very fair. Some of you guys have amazing photo shopping skills, but mine (for example) would be natural.

*When is the deadline?
*Is more than one entry allowed? (Like two per catagory or something?)
*Does the picture have to be taken by you? (Meaning if you dressed up the horses and yourself, etc, but used the camera timer or your mother to snap the pic, is that still allowed?)
*Do you have to write Christmasy text on it if you enter your pic in the natural category?
*How will they be judged? The idea of a poll is pretty good instead of having actual designated judges, but how would it work? Can everybody vote, except the contestants? (Because you can't have people voting for themselves, lol:p.)

[HeartofSteel]

Lizzy, very good questions. I will answer them and I will also include them in the rules.

*When is the deadline? The deadline will be Sunday the 21st of December. I think that is enough time.
*Is more than one entry allowed? You will be allowed to enter one in each category.
*Does the picture have to be taken by you? (Meaning if you dressed up the horses and yourself, etc, but used the camera timer or your mother to snap the pic, is that still allowed?) As long as it's your horse and animals its fine.
*Do you have to write Christmasy text on it if you enter your pic in the natural category? Nope text is optional in any category
*How will they be judged? The idea of a poll is pretty good instead of having actual designated judges, but how would it work? Can everybody vote, except the contestants? I think the contestants should be allowed to vote as well. Just not for there own.

[Dakota Sunrise]

sounds good.:) I can't wait to take the pictures!

[cloedoll]

I would word it as desired image size 600px by 600px or something close to that. Something like that, hehe. Also, I know you'll be making a new thread, but for voting (which I think should be by poll) create an entire new thread on the deadline or whatever including all of the pictures in your original post then of course the poll. If that made sense...? Ha ha. xD

[HeartofSteel]

This is just a proof read of the rules, if you think anything needs added or changed please let me know my mind was drawing blanks.

There will be three categories
Natural (untouched)
Hand Drawn/Painted (either by hand or the computer)
Enhanced/Photoshopped

Rules:
1) The horse(s) and/or animals in the Natural and Enhanced/Photoshopped have to be owned by you or your family members. You aren’t not required to have taken the picture as long as it is your animals. In the Hand Drawn/Painted category they do not have to be your own.
2) You are allowed to enter one per category.
3) Text is optional in category.
4) Desired image size is 600px by 600px. It will be easier to judge if they are all relatively the same size.
5) The images will be judged by everyone who would like to vote, through a poll. The contestants will be aloud to vote but not for their own image(s).
6) The deadline for the images to be submitted will be Sunday, December 21st.
7) The images will be open for judging for for one week the closing voting date is Sunday, December 28th.
8) The images will need to be emailed to me no later than Sunday, December 21st. I will need the images ahead of time so I will be able to make the poll with the correct names and corresponding images.
Images can be sent as an attachment to:
EqstrnChick525@msn.com

[WashingtonBay]

I think this sounds good to me too. - I'm not sure there will be any way to prevent people from voting for their own in the poll. I might just leave that up to people's own choosing. Maybe it will mean all the participants will at least get one vote :)

No big deal really.

[HeartofSteel]

I didn't think there was a way for people to not to vote for their own but I figured maybe if I said that they would vote for someone else and even if they do vote for their own there is enough other people that one vote shouldn't matter to much.
Is there a way to close the poll when the date closes for voting?

[WashingtonBay]

Ooop - a couple of other thoughts.

Two weeks is a long time to leave the judging open. I'd rethink and go a week at the longest. A few days is probably plenty. I think everyone who will want to vote will be at least that active.

And I would say you don't have to have taken the photo as long as you appear in it, and it was not taken by a professional photographer.

[WashingtonBay]

Is there a way to close the poll when the date closes for voting?

Yup. :)

[HeartofSteel]

Ok yes a week should be plenty.
I don't think they need to be in the photo unless they want to, they don't have to have taken the photo as long as its there own animals.