For those who are wanting to submit images for publications... This was an image that national Wildlife held for three years (out of a submission of 120 images). This is not exactly "artistic" or "well composed", but it is an image that illustrates acid rain conditions and how it affects growth of trees in the area (in this case, Mt. Mitchell, NC). If you look at the growth rings of the cross section, you'll notice that in the last 15 years or so, the growth of the tree has been stunted - the rings are much closer together. (This image was never published, but has been a good example of an image that illustrates a story. Bottom line, if you're looking to get published in the major mags - an image that tells a story in itself will do much better than just "pretty photography".

Good point, Wolfie, about knowing your Market. Shooting for money is often much different than shooting for fun. And stock photography is exactly that, stock; it may sit idle for a long time, and then finally get used. [I only had one class once in plant biology...] Looks like a gradual lessening starting about 50 years before the tree was cut, with something really changing the last 25 years? Does one expect constant diameter growth rate? May be just normal for this kind of tree? What I think is really interesting are the two unusually wide rings right before things start to diminish...]

Yes... the SUBJECT is important... Unluckily many people often forget it... and shoot perfect photos to "ghost" subject... or artificial useless subject. Under my point of view, that is only experimentation, and the real photo comes in only when there is a real subject expressing something.