Photo Calendar - an announcement

[blueraven95]

I hope everyone is now enjoying their 2011 calendar! I can't tell you how happy I am with it, and with the previous few years versions. Despite the work, I've loved putting together each one, and seeing what you guys come up with. I am so proud that we've been able to make it happen.

Having said that, I'm not going to be able to host the calendar again for this coming 2012 year, no matter how much I may want to. I'm going to be working on my thesis for my master's degree, and putting in applications for PhD programs, all while working full-time, and I just don't have the extra time for the calendar. As it was, I felt really bad about how long it took me to get this past year's calendar out the door. Just finding time to visit the Photo group has gotten hard (and I really miss you guys).

If anyone is interested in taking over, I would be happy to advise in any way I can. So please, let me know if you are interested. If no one is, I completely understand - it is a lot of work - and I will be fine for it to go into retirement for now. I really feel like we've put together a spectacular product over the past few years.

[Mira]

1. Oh Blueraven95 - that is a loss for us and for DU - and I cannot pretend

to know the amount of work it has been - but I surely can imagine it.

You did a magnificent job for the couple of years I've known about it, I am so grateful for your dedication in spite of difficult odds.

I hope someone who feels capable to take it over and who has the time to devote to it will materialize. I will try to keep this kicked a bit hoping that we can find a successor. I have family members and one friend who look forward to the calendar:) other than myself.

Thank you so much for your huge contribution.

[dixiegrrrrl]

5. Ahem..I wonder if we can "nominate" someone.

[alfredo]

2. Thanks for your hard work. BTW, my wife loves the calendar.

She has it in the kitchen.

[blueraven95]

3. Kicking for anyone who missed this

:hi:

[Mira]

4. Kick! Isn't there anyone willing and able to take this over?

I would do it but I simply don't know how.
Maybe two people could share the work?
I think it would be a shame to let our calendars disappear.

[MissHoneychurch]

6. Mira, maybe we could join forces

and do it together?

I am sure blueraven would let us know all her secrets.

But then again I love seeing my pictures in the calendar and being responsible for the calendar would mean I couldn't enter :dilemma:

[Mira]

7. Honestly:

I don't shrink from much, MissHoneychurch, but I think this one is too daunting.

I don't even understand the principle on how she did this, nor the off site voting place she used, none of it looks like I could do it.

If you feel you can be the leader in this, I can follow, or get out of the way.
Meaning I can be an assistant, but not the person in charge.

[Solly Mack]

8. I'm happy to see you!

Kinda worried a bit about you and others with some of the flooding we have had. :)

[blueraven95]

9. I'd be happy to advise

The biggest issue at this point (besides all the normal work) is that there are fewer and fewer suitable off-site free polling places. That has been making it difficult. It may be time to change the way the calendar is judged - instead of a general voting, have a smaller group of judges. Something like that.

Anyway, if someone is interested, let me know.


Oh, and it's good to see you MissH, I was a bit worried about you. :hi:

[Mira]

10. I'm not sufficiently knowledgeable about what needs to be done,

I never even properly understood what you were doing and how you were doing it.

Using you for advice with a novice like myself would involve you so much it may seem your wish to step back from it is not respected.

My kicking this is in the hope of finding a person willing and ABLE.
I am only willing.

A monthly contest is the farthest my ability can stretch at this point.

[MissHoneychurch]

11. Let me think about it over the weekend

I'll give you an answer on Monday.

Thanks for your words. I am doing fine. Been busy with my life. :hi:

[Celebration]

12. I think it would be easier if it was really juried

By some outside photographers who didn't mind donating their time. I thought the voting format was awkward and hard to understand. And sometimes I couldn't tell how the photos would look bigger.

[blueraven95]

13. Honestly, I had always wanted to do that

Get three photographers from the group who would not submit, and let them see the submissions stripped of the artist's name. That seems to make a lot of sense to me - and would make the whole job much, much easier in the long run. If it was done that way - and I didn't have to do a ton of work getting the judges in line (maybe an assistant to do some of the legwork?) - I would probably still be up for running it.


:hi:

[MissHoneychurch]

14. I like that idea

:hi:

[Mira]

15. Do I see some hope for the survival of the Calendar? I think I do.

That was what I wanted to bring about. A discussion about simplification, and a way to keep the project alive without taxing one person to the max.

I'm glad that I was not the only one to be befuddled by the process (see Celebration's comment to that effect) and if we could find a way to make it very simple then I could help.
I do simple really well.

Would step one be to find willing judges?
Then a decision on the theme, which could be a poll not unlike our poll for monthly themes?
Then a submission of photos and the judges pick 12?


Maybe each photographer enters 2 of them?
Though I'm poking about clueless about the process, I think though it should be salvageable as a fund raising project for DU, and a fun project for us in general.

Thanks, Blueraven95 for the discussion, and if something comes of it I will either help, or consider my work done on at least trying to not let the calendar disappear quietly into the night.

[blueraven95]

16. I could see this working.

There are a couple people I would personally like to ask to be judges - let me check with them first. But if anyone is interested in judging, let me know. Ideally, I'd like to ask one or two DU'ers I know who are photographers but who aren't super active in the Photo group, to get an outside viewpoint, and then either two or three Photo groupers - so either a total of 3 or 5, in the end. What do people think of that?

If we did it that way, I would definitely appreciate the limit to submissions - 2 sounds about perfect at this point. We really do get a lot of submissions (which is great!) but it does get overwhelming.

If we do a poll theme, which I'm not adverse too, I reserve right of final approval - simply because if I hate a theme, then it's just painful to sort through tons of photos showing it...(not saying that's happened here, though!). I had been toying of using a color as a theme - perhaps blue - so that each photo should have a blue accent, for example. It would be interesting to have that visual theme. And, of course, I'll choose the cover, as always.

What do people think of this as a plan? Anyone interested in helping out with some of the minutia? Or judging?

[Mira]

17. I am happy now. And maybe you are, too.

This sounds like the beginnings of a re-structuring that was necessary to keep a good thing going, and retain an excellent administrator of it.

I won't volunteer to judge but I will be happy to follow instructions and do leg work as assigned.

[MissHoneychurch]

18. Have we come to a conclusion?

Maybe we need to throw the idea out into the open sea for the photography group to discuss. What do you think?

[Mira]

19. As I read it Blueraven95 said she would see if

she herself could ask some people to be judges. Then she asked for assistance should this come to pass, and I offered.
I think she could do a lot better than with my help, but my offer stands unless a well deserved better helper shows up and volunteers as well.

Bottom line: I think we are waiting for her to lay the groundwork.