Calendar contest

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 8:53 pm

Thank you all for your wonderful submissions for January and February. We will be sorting through all of the pics and will announce the winners very shortly. And all of your submissions will be eligible for future months as well.

Meanwhile, please continue to snap 'em up and send 'em in! There is another monthly prize on the line, and you all have proven that you have the talent to turn in outstanding entries. That, or the dogs are making you all look good

.

This month we will not have a specific theme, so do whatever flips your switch. I would love to have a suitable March page by February 28th at 6:00 EST when this month's contest ends.

Thanks again and keep up the good work!

Rob

gunner · Post by **gunner** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 6:58 am

I guess I'm kinda of confused on these monthly photo contests.
Was there an original photo contest for December?.... Results?
Is there a monthly theme or is it for photos of the dogs actually taken that month?
Should we all start looking for Leprechaun costumes to be dressing the pups in? Maybe lapping up green beer....

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 11:46 am

OK, so I proposed a monthly picture contest in order to possibly create an annual calendar to benefit gundogforum.com (if things work out). If you haven't read the rules yet, you can view the original thread here:
viewtopic.php?f=69&t=16259

This month we will not have a specific theme, so do whatever flips your switch.

Does that clear it up for you?

h.q.s · Post by **h.q.s** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 11:48 am

You got a a Jan and Feb winner yet??

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 12:24 pm

I have it down to about 5 or 6 that I really like. I am awaiting input from the guys I recruited to help me before I make a final decision. I am hoping to have it done within the next couple days.

Thanks,
Rob

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 8:35 am

I am terribly sorry for the delay, but I wanted to make sure I got the input I was looking for before making a final decision. After much deliberation, I am happy to announce the winner for January:

And February:

Several other of your shots are awesome as well. Once the marketing firm I work with has finished laying out the calendar I will be in contact with some of you for permission to include your photos. And some of you have awesome pics that maybe didn't meet the exact theme we were looking for in Jan/Feb, but are being considered for other months.

Anyway, thanks to all that submitted pics and please, please, please keep all of those awesome shots coming in. Less than 3 weeks until we have to pick another winner! Dirtysteve and cjuve: please check your PM so I can get you your prizes.

Rob

h.q.s · Post by **h.q.s** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 9:07 am

congrats!! That's really awesome!

Chicken Dog · Post by **Chicken Dog** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 9:52 am

Where should we post pictures for March contest. If this is the right place I would like to submit this picture.

Can't appreciate the picture at that size. Try this.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 9:54 am

This is the right place. And great photo!

Rob

Chicken Dog · Post by **Chicken Dog** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 10:04 am

Chicken Dog wrote:Where should we post pictures for March contest. If this is the right place I would like to submit this picture.

Can't appreciate the picture at that size. Try this.

If you look close you can see Saliva between the tounge and roof of mouth.

Is this too big?

BoJack · Post by **BoJack** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 10:35 am

Congrats to the winners!

dlfl · Post by **dlfl** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 10:48 am

cjuve · Post by **cjuve** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 11:00 am

Thank you for selecting my photo!

Caleb

Post by **Sharon** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 11:21 am

You deserved it bud. A great picture. Congrats.

vzkennels · Post by **vzkennels** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 11:27 am

Congrats to the winners!!

This is pretty COOL Buddy at the top of January my birthday month & I bred him!!

I will have me one of those calenders.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 12:45 pm

There were so many quality pics that it made the selection process very, very difficult. No matter which two we chose, there were going to be several GREAT shots left out. I am hoping to include many of them in smaller sizes in the calendar as well. And some of them may show up in later, more appropriate months.

I didn't know we had so many shutterbugs out there. The bar has been set pretty high so keep snapping! There are still 10 months left to fill and 10 monthly prizes to be given away.

Rob

Dirtysteve · Post by **Dirtysteve** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 1:01 pm

Thanks guys that was fun and congrats Cjuve. When you posted that pic I had a feeling it was a winner!
I'm excited to see all the new entries for the next month.

nj gsp · Post by **nj gsp** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 2:23 pm

Gee, I thought we were going to get to vote...

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 2:50 pm

Gee, I thought we were going to get to vote...

You can. Just win one of the months or fork over some sponsorship cash

.

Don · Post by **Don** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 3:52 pm

Boy there were a lot of good photo's, picking one a month seem's impossible to me. Congrat's to the two winner's, great stuff. I think there's enough good one's to fill a calender right now; maybe two!

EddieF · Post by **EddieF** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 7:54 pm

Congrats to the winners, those are two stunning photos! (And beautiful dogs as well!)

Great job Rob on running the contest!

demi · Post by **demi** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 6:18 pm

Congratulations to the winners! Totally awesome pictures. I could look at either pic all day long, and certainly a glance at a calendar with these pics would bring a smile. Great job, Rob and crew.

h.q.s · Post by **h.q.s** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 6:35 pm

Zeb

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 6:38 pm

Lantz,

I think that is your best shot so far. Really good work.

Rob

Gridiron and Grouse · Post by **Gridiron and Grouse** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 7:21 pm

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 8:10 pm

I would like to add another clarification. There are many photos that may be included as smaller photos on the calendar in a given month, but we will not choose those until closer to publishing. We will only include one photo per dog in the calendar (no matter how spectacular) and I would not want to preclude someone from winning a monthly "cover" by choosing the smaller pictures now.

Please do keep them rolling in - not many submissions for March thus far.

Thanks,
Rob

snips · Post by **snips** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 8:20 pm

prairiefirepointers · Post by **prairiefirepointers** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 8:32 pm

WHO'S POINTING WHO?

h.q.s · Post by **h.q.s** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 8:32 pm

A question just got me thinking, what will we do for the cover??

Just the best shot between the 12 months??

Just wondering.

EddieF · Post by **EddieF** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 8:40 pm

h.q.s wrote:A question just got me thinking, what will we do for the cover??

Just the best shot between the 12 months??

Just wondering.

Good question. Maybe since we'll only have 12 to pick from, we could do a poll here on the forum where everyone could vote for which one of the 12 makes the cover shot? Just an idea.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 8:51 pm

Pfp: very funny shot.

That is a good question about the cover. I guess I had just envisioned the gundogforum logo or something simple like that, but you have raised an interesting question. I will ask the firm who is laying it out and my co-conspirators

what they think.

Post by **Sharon** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 8:58 pm

prairiefirepointers wrote:WHO'S POINTING WHO?

Terrific pic. Great looking dog.

prairiefirepointers · Post by **prairiefirepointers** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 9:09 pm

Thanks!

That's a pup I sent to cali (he's about 9 months old there) and my customer keeps sending me phenomenal pics of him. So, I can't take credit for the pic... Just the dog.

HMiller · Post by **HMiller** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 9:49 pm

I just thought this photo was fun!

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 9:53 pm

HMiller:

You put peanut butter on the nose to get that shot, didn't you?

This is why I decided to do this whole thing - so we could all see some great shots of each others' dogs.

Rob

dlfl · Post by **dlfl** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 9:46 am

birddogsunlimited · Post by **birddogsunlimited** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 2:16 pm

BoJack · Post by **BoJack** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 3:34 pm

prairie.
Tha's a Good One!! Ha ha.Show Down at the OK Coral.There can only be one winner,I'm bettin' on the dog.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 5:53 pm

BDU:

This is one of the ones that I really like that could wind up as a smaller picture or later monthly cover.

griffgirl · Post by **griffgirl** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 4:19 am

Aaahhh....How about a bearded dog

griffgirl · Post by **griffgirl** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 4:23 am

Or maybe my new little guy.......well not so little anymore.

prairiefirepointers · Post by **prairiefirepointers** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 6:53 am

TEAMWORK

romeo212000 · Post by **romeo212000** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 8:47 pm

What do you guys think of my girls? Been doing a lot of training the last two weeks to get ready for this upcoming trial season. Took some picture while we were at it.

Post by **Sharon** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 9:51 pm

[quote

[/quote]

My favourite

Post by **Sharon** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 9:52 pm

romeo212000 wrote:What do you guys think of my girls? Been doing a lot of training the last two weeks to get ready for this upcoming trial season. Took some picture while we were at it.

Nice looking dogs. I'm jealous. We're still in snow and water up here. probably no real training until the end of March.

DGFavor · Post by **DGFavor** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 11:53 pm

Great stuff folks! Great selections for last month - right on!

Here's a couple from the closing moments of the Mearns quail season.

"Doc":

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 7:21 pm

Great shots!

Here are a few of the Williams family from earlier today. I did not want to start a new thread and I don't mind a gratuitous bump of the calendar contest every once in awhile

.

Everyone please keep posting your shots, they are all so much fun! Another monthly winner will be decided within a few weeks.

Rob

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 7:26 pm

By the way, how do you guys keep your photobucket images at such high resolution? If I don't dramatically downsize mine it always displays them off-center, as if the right side is cropped off.

Just curious.

Rob

DGFavor · Post by **DGFavor** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 7:35 pm

Haha!! Right on Rob! Your little boy has got the look I like to see in a hunting partner man!! "Hugs?? I don't need no stinkin' hugs!!"

I don't know what other folks do Rob but for all the pics I post to the web, I first diminish the resolution to 72ppi since that's all ya' need for good web rez and makes it hard for folks to do much with the pic if they "steal" it (typically requires 200+ppi for decent prints - I do my prints at 300ppi). I then resize it typically to be 700 pixels or less in both heighth/width dimension although I've noticed most folks have bigger monitors anymore so have upped my widths occasionally to 800 pixels. Photobucket seems to manage those dimensions OK and gets 'em on the web OK. Of course alot has to do with the original picture and how well the frame/sensor was filled with the subject. If the subject is a little puppy captured with just a few pixels in a corner of the picture, then cropped, resized, it may never have good resolution. I shoot all my images RAW which gives alot more info/pixels to work with - I can retrieve a bird in flight captured in a small portion of the image and still have decent rez/pixels to work with at 100% crop.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:53 pm

Thanks DG. You have no idea how right on you are about my boy - the pictures never fully convey how ornery he truly is. My little girl is as sweet and obedient as they come. But he is the spice. 1/2 isn't all that bad, I guess. My life would be much less interesting and fulfilled without him!

Thanks for the input on web pics as well. I shoot my pics in RAW nearly all the time also. I have until now managed with the cheapo software that came with my low-level Canon DSLR for editing, etc. I admittedly have never learned how to really process pics the right way. But I recently switched to a Vista machine and it has (or perhaps I should say I have) a compatibility issue with my software.

So that was a long way to say that I am finally ready to try and learn a little bit more. Do you have a recommendation for good beginner software that I should consider? A particular version of photoshop or some alternative? I am sure Tim has some thoughts on this as well. And please, take it easy on the noob

. I would just like to become a little more proficient.

Thanks again,
Rob