**MAY CONTEST WINNER: CONGRATULATIONS, BLUE_IN_AK!!!!**

[JeffR]

It was a nail-biter, but only for the host. Blue_In_AK led pretty much wire to wire with the wonderful, beautifully composed Independence Mine, and finished with 43 votes and 32% of the votes cast. Can't wait to see what you come up with on your impending trip, Blue. If you're taking requests, more sunsets would be a welcome sight.

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

Taking second, with 23 votes and 17% of the vote, was Robb with Trespassing, a witty and ironic take on the contest theme.

:woohoo: :woohoo:

Third was a heartfelt tribute by Whoa_Nelly to a beloved friend: Twilight For The Old Man: Flip at 17, with 13 votes and 10% of the vote.

:woohoo:

And the rest of the Final 10:

Lincoln's Grave by regnaD kciN (11 votes, 8%)

tied at 10 votes, 7%: Potting Shed by alfredo and Photographs & Memories by bvar22

tied at 9 votes, 7%: Put Out to Pasture by RadFemFL and Tulum by priller

tied at 4 votes, 3%: Rock Run Gears by CC and Four by F.Gordon

:toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast:

Congratulations to the winner, the other finalists, and the incredible submissions which didn't make it out of the Prelims. The theme was a great one, and the creativity and range of the interpretations proved once again what amazing talent the Photography Group can boast.
:grouphug:

The Lounge congratulatory thread is here.

A million thanks to F.Gordon, regnaD kciN, intheflow, CC and Blue_In_AK for your help! I can't imagine a novice host has ever had better advice than I have this month.

:patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot:

[regnaD kciN]

1. Yay, Blue!!!

:toast: :applause: :party: :yourock: :toast: :applause: :party: :yourock: :toast: :applause: :party: :yourock: :toast: :applause: :party: :yourock:

For those who haven't been keeping count, Blue_in_AK now becomes only the third multiple winner in contest history (after RagingInMiami and GOPFighter).

:toast: :applause: :party: :yourock: :toast: :applause: :party: :yourock: :toast: :applause: :party: :yourock: :toast: :applause: :party: :yourock:

(So, when do you start taking suggestions for next month's topic? ;-) )

[Blue_In_AK]

4. Taking suggestions

here http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=280x15957 now.

[Blue_In_AK]

5. Where is GOPFighter, anyway?

We haven't seen him around in a while, have we?

[regnaD kciN]

15. He submitted a photo for the February contest...

...a night-shot of Monaco for "Absence of Color."

I can't remember if he's submitted anything else since he last won a year ago.

[Whoa_Nelly]

2. WTG, Blue_In_AK!!

Congrats!!!

And a BIG heartfelt THANK YOU to JeffR...for everything!

[JeffR]

9. That GIF is hypnotic!

Thanks!:loveya:

[Blue_In_AK]

3. Thank you, JeffR, and everybody else

in this wonderful PhotoGroup. You guys have taught me everything I know, and that's the truth. JeffR, I promise I'll be taking sunset shots on this trip, and probably a couple hours later, sunrises, too. :) (Maybe I'll just sleep all day and take pictures all night.)

[F.Gordon]

6. Blue, you're starting to dominate these things

If you aren't winning you're usually near the top. Excellent photo and well deserved. At least we know that you can't win June. :)

I think all of the entries deserved to be in the finals. It was that very good of a group of photos.

[Immad2]

7. Congratulations Blue_In_AK! Excellent photos from everyone. A big THANKS

To JeffR for a great contest!:toast: :bounce: :thumbsup: :yourock: :woohoo: :applause:

[RagingInMiami]

8. Excellent shot, Blue

As a Florida flatlander, I can only say that it reminds me of the Thunder Mountain Railroad ride at Disney World, always one of my favorite rides.

But much more authentic. Much more dangerous. Much older. Congratulations to you and the other winners. So how many contests have you won so far?

[Blue_In_AK]

10. I see the resemblance.

:) I think I've just won two -- the glacier for strength and this one for something old. My bleeding hearts last summer came in second, but I ran the contest the next month because Algomas, with his yellow flower growing out of the desert, got TSed right after the contest. I think that makes it seem like I've won more times than I actually have.

It's just dumb luck really.

[intheflow]

11. Nothing dumb about your luck, Blue!

In fact, nothing lucky about it all (as opposed to my one winning shot of Ben on Spin Cycle which really was a total fluke of photography). Your composition and subject were breathtaking this month. Well done!
:applause:

And I agree with F.Gordon--I'm so glad you won't be able to enter next month's context. Give the resto of us a chance! LOL!
:loveya:

[regnaD kciN]

16. "Ben" wasn't lucky, either...

BTW, I was a little surprised to browse the smugmug gallery, and find that photo in its original color version, which I had not seen before. You did a very good job with the black-and-white conversion, something I always find tricky.

[intheflow]

17. Shh! You'll give away all my secrets!

:rofl:

I also have not had much luck with b&w conversions, mostly because I think I shoot with a certain dependence on color. Most of what I shoot just doesn't lend itself to b&w conversion. I can't remember when or why I converted Ben, but he really was one of the rare instances where the conversion was better than the original, imo.

[regnaD kciN]

13. Not dumb luck at all...

...besides, there were at least a couple of other contests last year where your entry should have won. (I won't mention them, so as not to offend the eventual winners, but they were both times when I decided that no one else had a chance once you had posted your entry, and was surprised/disgusted when the Lounge Lizards didn't agree.)

[CC]

14. Congrats Blue

And no dumb luck to it at all. First you have to "see" the pic then you have to actually capture it.

[alfredo]

12. Kudos!!! Fantastic picture.

Even before I saw the others, I knew it was the picture to beat.