2008 Official Photography Contest Weekly TOPICS and RULES

Welcome to this year's list! It has been a great year! Through this date, we have had over 1100 entries. Thanks to all of your participation over the last year. I enjoy seeing all of your photos and still enjoy doing these contests.

And thanks to all of you for your imput. Because of it, I have been able to make a few changes. I have tweaked some things, and left others alone.

I am putting the topics on now because I wanted to get them up before some of you went on your annual pilgrimage to The World for this festive holiday season so that those of you who are going can start to get some great photos for next year.

This upcoming year, just like last year, I have once again gone with some of the old stand by topics (Epcot, Night Time, etc) but I've also added some of the new topics that were such a success last year (Pixar, Comic Relief) and I've included quite a few new topics...some of which came straight from you!

Now on to the changes. This year, I will be discontinuing what was started a few years ago for the summer contests. Instead of there only being 3 contests in the months of June, July, and August with those contests lasting for 10 days each, we will be going back to our regular schedule of one contest a week. For me, it was too much of a hassle to have the contests last 10 days. I have the time to put these contests out weekly in the summer, so they will continue to be put out that way.

The other change I have decided to go with is something that I have been wrestling with for months. It has been a very tough decision. I'm still not 100% sold on the idea, however, I thought I would give it a try. I am going to change the sizing of the images. You will now be allowed to have the size run up to 800x600. However, this will be reassessed at the end of next year, so if I find it's not working or get too many complaints, it will go back to 700x525.

I however, did not decide to allow for any type of photo manipulation. This is not a photo editing contest, this is a photo taking contest. Therefore, my rules on this still stand. Watermarks, cropping, and size adjustments are the only things that can be done. You all spoke on the issue and I went with the majority on the matter. I'm sorry if that disappoints some of you, but this is the way things are going to be. As best said by Speck, the person whom I took the contests over from:

Speck76 said:

[There is no photo editing b/c it helps to] Keep more people on a level playing field.......most people can take a picture with different degrees of success, but not everyone is an expect at photo-editing.

We are looking for the best photograph, not the best editing job.

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Mostly though the contests will be run the way that they always have been. I hope that you all have as much fun with these contests as I do though. That is the main purpose. So without further ado, I present this year's Topics! :sohappy:


*This calendar will be ever-changing, and is a work-in-progress, but as of right now, this is it.*

January
4-10 Live entertainment (non-character) contestShoot a picture of your favorite live entertainment (streetmosphere or whatnot)
11-17 Main Street USA photo contest Pictures must be taken in and of Main Street USA. Pictures of the castle will NOT be accepted
18-24 Monorail contest The monorail at WDW, DL, or TDL are acceptable as subjects
25-31 The Little Things This contest is for all the little details that makes Disney, Disney.


February
1-7 World Showcase Photo Contest Picture must be taken in and of part of Epcot's World Showcase
8-14 Valentine's Day contest Share a picture that shows "love" in the Disney parks
15-21 Disney Princesses Any photo taken of any Disney Princess will be accepted
22-28 Merchandise photo contest Disney always sets up cute displays and everybody takes a picture at some point.
29-3/6 Best Queue Line Photo Any photo in any queue line will be accepted

March
7-13 Pooh and Friends Contest Anything related to Pooh, or any of Pooh's friends will be accepted
14-20 Hidden Mickeys Photograph your favorite hidden Mickey. The photo must be of an "official" Hidden Mickey
21-27 Asia Any photo taken in Asia at Animal Kingdom will be accepted
28-4/3 Indoor Photos must be taken inside, of anything Disney related

April
4-10 Kids in the Kingdom This contest is especially for those that like to take photos of their (or someone else's) children
11-17 Tomorrowland Picures must be take in and of Tomorrowland
18-24 Pixar Like it or loathe it, Pixar is Disney now. Any photo of something Pixar related will be accepted.
25-5/1 Animal Kingdom Photos must be in and of Disney's Animal Kingdom

May
2-8 Disney Hollywood Studios Photos must be taken in and of Disney Hollywood Studios
9-15 Flower & Tree Contest The gardens of the Disney parks and resorts is the theme
16-22 Comic Relief This contest is to focus on the funnier side of Disney. Any picture that has something comical in it can be entered.
23-29 Future World Any photo taken in Future Wold will be applicable
30-6/5 Rides Photograph your favorite ride

June
6-12 Adventureland Adventureland in any of the Disney parks will be applicable
13-19 Relax, You're on Vacation photograph something that shows “relaxation”
20-26 The Architecture of Disney Photos should include architectural elements seen on Disney property.
27-7/3 Celebrate America, Disney style What goes better together than Disney and America? This contest combines the two

July
4-10 Fireworks Firework photographs are the theme
11-17 Parades Photos of any Disney parade will be accepted
18-24 Water Any photo of water will qualify
25-31 Family Fun Photos showing people having fun

August
1-7 Any Character Photo Any character's photo will be applicable
8-14 Signage This contest revolves around the signs of the Disney resort
15-21 Fantasyland Fantasyland in any of the Disney parks will be applicable.
22-28 Disney Icons Photos must be focused on a Disney Park Icon
29-9/4 Happiness Photo Contest This contest is more abstract. Anything that conveys the emotion of happiness is acceptable


September
5-11 Downtown Disney Any photo taken of any subject in Downtown Disney will be accepted
12-18 Nighttime Photo Contest Photos must be taken at night of anything on Disney property
19-25 Cast Member Appreciation Photos should be of cast members making “magic“
26-10/2 The Magic Kingdom Any photo taken inside the Magic Kingom will be accepted

October
3-9 EPCOT Photos must be taken from inside Epcot
10-16 Restaurants Any photo taken in a restaurant will suffice
17-23 Resorts Photography Contest Any photo taken at a Disney hotel will qualify
24-30 Disney Special Events Any photo taken at a Pirates and Princess Party, Mickey's Not So Scary or Mickey's Very Merry Christmas parties will be accepted.
31-11/6 Disney Villains This contest is self-explanatory. It is based of the villains of Disney

November
7-13 Where the Magic Lives Any photograph that shows the “Disney Magic”
14-20 Live Animals Contest This contest is for any live animal found in a Disney park
21-27 Food & Drink Photos can be taken in any restaurant on property or of any food and/or drink at a restaurant.
28-12/4 WDW Mountains Photos must include any of the WDW mountain ranges


December
5-11 Mickey Mouse Photo Contest M-I-C K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E is this week‘s theme
12-18 Your Favorite Disney Picture Pick the picture that you like the best
19-1/1/08 Christmas in the Resorts Photos must be related to Christmas at the Disney resorts
19-1/1/08 Christmas in the Parks Photos must be related to Christmas in any of the Disney parks

Official Contest Rules

Contests will run from Friday-Thursday 11:59pm PACIFIC TIME, submissions after this time will not be included. An individual thread will be created for each contest.

1 submission per member, per contest. Once you post your picture, you can not replace it. You can not re-use the same entry in multiple contests.

Pictures can be taken with any type of camera (film or digital)

Pictures can not be altered in any way, except to adjust size, crop, or add your own personal watermark. This is a photography contest, not a photo-editing contest.

Please resize pictures to be no larger than 800x600 OR 600X800

Please do not attach the photo to your post. Upload it to the WDWMagic photo album, or your own personal site and link the photo. If you use your own site, you are responsible to ensure the photo is viewable at all times (and not subject to bandwidth limitations).

Pictures can be taken at any time for any contest (if you visited in April of 2002, you can use those pictures for any contest that interests you).

Pictures must be taken by the member submitting the entry, and not by a family member or by a cast member (meaning you physically have to take the entry. CM are of course allowed to enter their own photos)

Voting will begin within a day or two of the contest's end.
If 20 or less people participated, 1 poll will be posted, and it will be open for 6 days.
If more than 20 entries exist, the entries will be divided into similar-sized groups, and will be listed in the order that they were submitted. The preliminary polls will be open for 4 days. The top 3 entries (and entries with votes equal to the third place entry in the SAME poll) from each preliminary poll will advance to a final poll, which will remain open for 3 days.

No breaking of park rules or common etiquette to take your pictures. (no accessing restricted areas, no flash photography on attractions which do not allow it....stuff like that)

The overall subject of the contest is "Disney". Although some contests are specific to areas of Walt Disney World, anything "Disney related" can be taken for other contests, including, but not limited to, other Disney parks. For contests like the "Adventureland photo contest", any Disney park's Adventureland would be accepted.

Let me just say, because I don't think we say it enough -
THANK YOU NIBBS, FOR ALL THE EFFORT YOU CONTINUALLY PUT INTO THIS!

:sohappy::sohappy:

k.hunter30 said:

Let me just say, because I don't think we say it enough -
THANK YOU NIBBS, FOR ALL THE EFFORT YOU CONTINUALLY PUT INTO THIS!

:sohappy::sohappy:

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I second that! I also must say reading through the topics, I think you have done a GREAT job with this year's. You really are doing great work with these contests!!!

The list looks great Nibbs! These contests are so fun and they have given me alot of ideas and help in taking better photos.
Thanks for all the hard work that you put into them.:wave:

Looks great! Thanks for your hard work! :sohappy:

One comment:
the restaurants/food and drink.
Since they are two separate contests, should next years "food and drink" week exclude pictures that are simply in restaurants, and specifically require food/drink (since there was some confusion last week)

sissa216 said:

Looks great! Thanks for your hard work! :sohappy:

One comment:
the restaurants/food and drink.
Since they are two separate contests, should next years "food and drink" week exclude pictures that are simply in restaurants, and specifically require food/drink (since there was some confusion last week)

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Thanks guys for all of your comments.

On to your question. The food and drink contest next year just has to be of food and/or drink or someone eating that food or drink. It can be taken in a restaurant or not. (Only stipulation is that it must be taken on property.) The restaurant contest is specifically for restaurants. It can be taken outside (the "storefront" area) or inside the restaurant...however food in not necessary in that contest.

Thank you Nibbs for all your effort in these contests!! :sohappy: :kiss:

I really like the Little Things topic, and yay for the new pic size!

No Wand Removal Pic Contest???:lookaroun
:ROFLOL:

Thanks for all the work that you do Nibbs.

And the contests for next year look great!

Thank you Nibbs for putting these contests together. It is great fun! I can't wait to go and take pictures!!

great themes for the contests. you have given me some ideas for our scrapbooking forums (if you don't mind me borrowing some of them).

Nicole220 said:

Thank you Nibbs for all your effort in these contests!! :sohappy: :kiss:

I really like the Little Things topic, and yay for the new pic size!

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You really don't want to know how I came up with that contest. :lookaroun :lol:

JML42691 said:

No Wand Removal Pic Contest???:lookaroun
:ROFLOL:

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:ROFLOL:

eagles said:

great themes for the contests. you have given me some ideas for our scrapbooking forums (if you don't mind me borrowing some of them).

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Thanks and not at all!

And thank you all for the support! :wave:

A family member of mine got a new camera that has an effect where it will only make a certain color show as that color, and the rest of the picture will appear in black and white. Would photos that have effects like these (B & W and Black & White & color) be allowed in the contest (they might break the photo editing rules), because although they are edited, they are edited by the camera when it the photo is taken, so this is why I am questioning it. This just came to mind, and my camera has some other color effects that make a great photo.

Thanks for all your hard work Nibbs!

Thanks Nibbs. Even though I have yet to submit a photo, I always look forward to your contests to see what others have submitted. Someday I'll get smart enough to participate.