November contest theme: Silhouettes

Wonderful! Silhouettes is one of my favorite subjects. This will be an especially fun month.

What purpose does the caveat of having the photo taken in November serve? It doesn't make the photo any better, instead, you create an unnecessary obstacle. Will you lift this caveat?

Hi, Anon,

It's a twist that some of the regulars on here have suggested as a way to get us photographers out shooting fresh stuff rather than sitting in front of our computers looking through old photo files. Some would like to see it as a rule every month, but I've opted to simply try it from time to time. I think this is just the second time we've used this rule. Give it a try.

Hi - Does it have to be a silhouette of a person? Or just a silhouette?

Ah, good question, C -- sorry I wasn't clearer. No, it doesn't have to be of a person -- any silhouette will do.

I like the restriction that the photo be taken this month. I'm as guilty as anybody, going thru my old shots looking for something to enter, and I don't think that's the purpose of this forum. When people have a goal, this will drive them to get out and shoot.
I'm sure you'll get some grumbling, Teresa, but I'm on your side. ;-)

Some of my most poorly exposed photos turned out to be great silhouette shots.
It will be fun to actually try to create one.

I appreciate the "take this month" rule for the reason Teresa states: taking pictures is more the point than looking through files. I'd been bemoaning the fact that I tend to wander with my camera, snapping whatever catches my eye. The monthly rule gives me a purpose ... although I still plan to wander.

I'll add that the "taken this month" rule also levels the playing field a bit. Some people have many, many years of photos to look through to fit the theme, while others may have just taken up photography. This rule is the equalizer. Good luck everybody!!!

I'm trying to find all the photos that were submitted for this month's contest. Are they on the boston.com website?

Hmmm ... it appears to me that there are quite a few photos currently entered into this competition that do not qualify with the "Must be taken this month" stipulation.

I don't think that these RAW photographers read the November Theme Contest rules through its entirety.

Just a thought, but you may want to re-emphasize this rule to the readership while there is still time for them to submit a photo that qualifies.

Not yet, Paula ... we won't build our full-screen galleries to show off the entrants until later in the month. Meanwhile, you can see them by searching on the tags in Flickr. Here's a link:

http://www.flickr.com/search/?z=e&w=all&q=boston.com+contest+november2009+silhouettes&m=tags

I'm fairly new to photography. After doing a little traveling, my interest in photography has grown. I took a great shot with a silhouette while I was in Jamaica. I took a few other great shots with silhouettes on the California coast. The bright ocean sunsets in those locations make for great silhouettes.

Unfortunately, these were taken in September and October. If The Globe wants to cover another trip, I would be glad to take one of those photos again.

:j = tongue in cheek

this looks like fun!

I like the rule of having the photo taken in the month of the shoot. It keeps things fresh and usually takes into account the changing seasons. Seeing a bunch of silhouettes from the beach this summer will make me depressed about going into winter!

I also agree that the taken-this-month rule is a good one that helps level the playing field and gets people out there thinking about their photographs and thinking creatively, rather than searching back through old files. I'm sure many long-time photographers have something in their files for each and every contest, but that's really no fun for the rest of us.

I'd like to see this rule made permanent. It gets photographers out and shooting on a routine basis; forcing them to revisit old ideas with a fresh state of mind. Moreover, a good shot will only expand one's portfolio for the better.

These contests should not be about what have you done previously that meets this month's theme; that's lazy. It should be about what can you do this month (inspired by the monthly theme) to help yourself improve as a photographer.

I, too, really like the this-month rule. I've noticed in just the 6 months I've been participating that some people have submitted the same photos in multiple challenges -- and while I completely love it that they're proud of their photos, I don't think it makes it interesting and fresh. Each month I get excited and passionate about the challenge ahead, and it really has helped me to become a better photographer.

This is the first time I've tried to enter, and I did have to set up a new Flickr account to do it. I'm finding my photo doesn't show up in the tag search, and in fact very few new photos have been added since the 23rd when using the search. You do acknowledge in the directions that it might take up to 2 weeks for photos of new users to show up in the search, so that seems to mean a lot of entries - anything by a new account holder after the 16th - might not be included in what's reviewed. Is there any way to provide a link to entered photos that just aren't showing up in the Tag search?

I have to agree, I think the "shot this month" rule should be permanent. When I first saw the theme, I thought "Great! I've got a bunch of them" and started organizing the silhouette themed images. After I chose the one to submit, I saw the rule was being implemented just for this month and was kind of annoyed as I have some pretty good ones shot previously. So, I started shooting some more this month and it really was fun. So, please, from now on, maintain the consistency of the Shot This Month rule and make us get off our butts and be creative.