CT, go for it!! You too, jeanner!!!

Thanks CT for reminding me! FTM mentioned this last winter and I had forgotten about it.

I think you should enter, you never know what the judges are looking for. The winner of the 2006 GBBC photo contest is not the picture that I would have picked - it was a good picture but there were others that caught my eye more. But they obviously liked it the best and that's what counts. FTM had some great shots from her trip too, I hope she reads this.

SO anyway, I uploaded one picture and with my slow upload speeds it took forever. It returned me to another screen but I never got confirmation that the file transfer was successful and no email confirmation. So now I don't know for sure if it made it or not. Anyone else try? Did you get confirmation?

National Geographic is having a contest, too! I thought of you when I read about it, Jean. :)

I'm trying to upload a (2.5MB, unedited) pic to the Parade site now. We'll see how this goes....still loading after many moons....

After all that, I got sent to another page, prompting me to re-sign in - no email, nothing.

I hope you all have better luck than I'm having!

Brenda

Here is a link that might be useful: NG photo contest

You have to join Parade online which does not cost anything and you click no to any of the buttons asking if you want this or that. I joined and then uploaded two of my photos. I've not received any annoying emails as a result of joining (so far anyway). There is no need to purchase anything and as long as you are careful to click no to the few radio buttons you should be OK. They will own your photos once you submit them however.

CT, after you uploaded did you get any messages that the photo was received? All I got was a blank page .....

Did you check out the previous winners on the NG site? SOme pretty interesting photos there -

I did not get confirmation which IS annoying! I guess if I win I'll know! LOL

I definitely joined the Parade site before uploading the pic. It showed I was still logged in when I returned to see if there were any indications that I'd successfully uploaded the one image. Nada, just like you ladies. :D

Jean, I agree! That one of the solar eclipse is incredible! Among others. Don't think I'd have a chance in Hades for that contest. LOL

Brenda

The solar eclipse is not a photo I liked and what is with the preponderance of Eastern European winners I might add? What??? Did NG have a boner for Hungary and the Czech Republic last year?

I am so mad at myself - ackkkk!!! I waited too long to enter my dragonfly picture, I thought I still had today to enter. Oh well - maybe next year :^(

Wow, I didn't notice it was over so soon! Poor Jean! :(

Brenda

Yes - I have that dragonfly - the green one from the rear view as my wallpaper. It is a stunning photo in all respects. I looked through your bird photos Jean and a fair number of favorites in there too. The cardinal in the snow, the sparrows, the hawk in the juniper, the blue jay and the red-bellied woodpecker, not to mention about a zillion others! Ack!

I love Jean's angry robin! LOL I think that's the one, anyway. And of course, Papa Smurf! :)

Brenda

The picture that I entered first was a waterfall taken with my old Nikon Coolpix. I was still debating what else to enter, I thought waterfalls would be a pretty common entry so I was thinking the dragonfly had a little better chance. I also liked this head shot of the blue dasher.

{{gwi:172667}}

I must say though that the damselflies are my favorite odonata. I had fun this summer photographing them - I had hoped to get out to some of the lakes to find more but never made it past my own pond and the creek. They are a bit more of a challenge than the dragonflies due to their small size but if you are patient you can get pretty close to them.

Here are some of my favorites from this summer ...

This is an american rubyspot, their coloring looks more like it's been drawn on ...

{{gwi:172668}}

Here is a blue-fronted dancer ...

{{gwi:172669}}

An eastern forktail that was just developing it's color - I have a whole series showing the color development but haven't had time to process them....

{{gwi:172670}}

An ebony jewelwing ... they look like butterflies when they fly across the water ...

{{gwi:172671}}

And a mating pair of double-striped bluets ....

{{gwi:172672}}

WOW!

OMG - Jean those photographs, all of them are stunning. My two favorites are the Ebony Jewelwing and American Rubyspot if I had to pick, but all are fantastic. The one you wanted to enter is comical in it's expression if you can say an insect has an expression:-) Also, their body and legs remind of those alien pods in War of the Worlds.

With a short written essay about saving wetlands I think the Nature Conservancy would have to take note.

Ohhhhhh, WOW, Jean!!! Those little spiky (hairy?) legs fascinate me to no end! Let alone the colors! You could do a whole book on them!

Just think of all the photos you could have uploaded if their site had been a little more dial-up friendly. That's a limitation which has them missing out on one of the best photographers I've ever seen.

Brenda

Ah shucks, who needs a contest when you've got such sweet friends? I just want to say that "Thanks" for the support and tolerance of my obsession.

So what did everyone else submit??????

Yes please!! Show me, show me!!

jeanner, that american rubyspot looks like it just came off Mother Nature's assembly line! What a fine chrome finish!

The only one I tried to submit was a close-up of a {{gwi:172666}} at Point Cabrillo Light Station. I couldn't help but hug it. :D

It was FUN to enter, but I know my limitations. LOL

Brenda

Close up of snake, amphibian and a flower. I entitled them and a short 2 paragraph essay on their connection to the natural world that requires saving by the Conservancy. I didn't have any decent photos of birds unfortunately.

Jean - when I share some of your photos with my friends and family I get all kinds of remarks like glorius, she should do this professionally, wonderful, stunning, outstanding, beautiful, remarkable, the best I've seen....