TOTM, why not Bi monthly, or weekly?...

Discussion in 'General Reef Topics' started by Todd_Sails, Apr 10, 2014.

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  1. Av8Bluewater

    Av8Bluewater Giant Squid

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    Very true. I have some serious camera gear and my aquarium pics are mediocre at best. I don't have a true 1:1 macro lens but do have extension tubes and older macro lens that won't get close enough.
     
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  3. Av8Bluewater

    Av8Bluewater Giant Squid

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    Yeah, TOTM should simply be a beautiful and stable reef that people admire and learn from. Not a tank where someone with a 6 month old tank goes out and buys 3K worth of corals that they didn't grow on their own. Not that they necessarily need to grow them all to be TOTM but I think it takes more time to prove you can keep a successful reef.

    I have seen some that were just plain junky around the tank. I think they were just trying to make an effort to not always give it to the big expensive tanks and have some variety so it's not always an SPS tank.
    One could certainly argue that a great photographer can make the system look better than it really is but I think some really nice photos always makes the TOTM article more enjoyable. It's simply a part of the competition to "win". I'm not saying all those nice macro shots should be necessary to win but some nice all around photos seem necessary for all to see why the TOTM is the TOTM. I also like the way they write a little about how they run their reef. I've learned a lot from those reefs.

    I think if you want to award a TOTM it needs to truly be a nice system. If the population base on 3Reef can support it that's great. If not maybe start with a Tank of the quarter. As long as it is kept as a prize that is well respected the prestige will be there to draw in outsiders. In other words it may bring in some more 3Reef supporters.

    So I think I'll nominate Todd for the first 3reef TOTM!
    :third::beer::clapping:
     
  4. oldfishkeeper

    oldfishkeeper Giant Squid

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    I second that nomination!!
     
  5. Todd_Sails

    Todd_Sails Giant Squid

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    So, I'm reading thru your post, get to the bottom paragraph,- Wow, I'm floored! Thanks for the compliment. ;D

    Mindy- I mean this in a really positive way- you must have been a cheerleader! A really good one too!
     
  6. Todd_Sails

    Todd_Sails Giant Squid

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  7. oldfishkeeper

    oldfishkeeper Giant Squid

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    never a cheerleader - maybe I missed my calling lol
     
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  9. mikejrice

    mikejrice 3reef Affiliate

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    Photo contests sound great!
     
  10. zesty

    zesty Sailfin Tang

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    I like the idea of fun contests. I think if there were some fun categories thrown in there from time to time it would expand the participants.
    For example, your photo must come from your phone or tablet, no point shoot/dslr or something.
    Or you could get super specific, "Your photo must have been taken from the time the contest starts, not before (and be yours) of your favorite clean up crew inhabitant. this requires people to not sit around collecting photos and could spark some new pictures, new ideas, etc...

    Just throwing a couple of my ideas out there.
     
  11. gcarroll

    gcarroll Zoanthid

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    Great ideas. I would even like to see videos from time to time.
     
  12. zesty

    zesty Sailfin Tang

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    I browse Gizmodo enough to see some of their shooting challenges. While it's not particular to reef, some of the challenges can present ideas for different contests we could have here.

    Shooting challenge News, Videos, Reviews and Gossip - Gizmodo

    One I thought of just by looking was to have a "Top Down" challenge, where all the pictures must be taken from the top down.