Hi there, all you Photo Forum people... :)
Long time, no post and no word from me...
...I was once a quite active member to Renderosity, and also to this forum. Painstaking and sometimes quite boring work for a specialisation thesis on Clinical Biochemistry, and an obsessive mind for producing "hand-made" fractals (or, "fractaloids") as a spare time computerized recreational activity take me away from producing something photographic...or "scanographic"...
Yet, I try to regularly follow the Forum and the Gallery for photography.

So, I took a look at all the entries for November's theme "Simple Shapes"......and was a little surprised to see that the "intermediate" entries were more successful in general than the "advanced" entries..!
Now, no offending...just my humble, open and sincere opinion... :)
Surely, I'd like to congratulate all the participants. Yet, may I please express my special congrats to PunkClown and Maygen..? Those works are especially successful, and hope it was possible to vote for both of them...

Now, maybe it shouldn't be my task to offer an idea about the monthly contests (I even do not own a camera..!), but would it do any good to accept a small portfolio (say, a portfolio of 3 or so photos) from each contest participant for the monthly themes..? By this way, the "continuity in achievement" at approaching to the monthly theme and at the application of personal techniques and styles may become a valuable challenge in itself for evaluating the entries, and the entrants. Given the relatively small number of participants nearly each month, it wouldn't be of much burden for the Render (or, the Forum...or...) to bare with small portfolios...
Well, this was yet another humble opinion...

So far, so good...and best regards and salutations to you all... :)

That's an interesting idea...can you be more specific ? Do you mean 3 or so works as entries for the monthly contest, or just like to see how someone got to his/her idea ? Btw, thanks for insulting our work ;) Anyway nice to see you're back

Hi! waving I'm pretty new here, - and haven't met you before! I'd like to say that I appreciate your idea about a "portofolio" in the contest. It might be difficult to achieve though, if you look at the number of contestant. I guess we're generally busy people. At least I entered MY picture because I'm not a professional photographer. I don't have time to make a 3 different picture entry a month. (I think! ;) Britt

Hi again dorkusal! Thankyou for your compliment! Perhaps one day I could maybe approach the skill of people such as Alpha (Not false modesty, just knowing my limits...and the limits of my equipment!) Have you completed your thesis yet?

Hi, Rork1973...

The basic idea is this: every entrant may enter to the contest with a portfolio made up of a defined number (or, maybe less and equal to a defined number) of photos, where every photo deals with that months particular theme.
Thus, for example, one entrant may choose one simple shape and work with it using different angles, different lighting, etc., and another entrant may choose, say, 3 different simple shapes and work with them in ways of his/her own photographic choice.
So, every entrant produces a work in series that is made up of "less and equal to a defined number" of photos.
Such a work would probably be more definitive of that person's approach to the theme, usage of technique(s) chosen by him/her...
For example, when looking at PunkClown's work, after finishing to evaluate that image, I immediately start to ask for......variations...
And, this also applies to Maygen's, Alpha's or other entrants' works.
I hope I was able to tell what I mean... :)

Well, this took so long, and given the fact that I have time, let me reply to brittmccary and PunkClown seperately

Hi there, Britt...
It's nice to meet you too, thank you...
As far as I remember, never had the chance to comment on your work, so let me admit here that I like your photography, and follow through your works in the Forum (You do not post to the Photo Gallery, do you..?).
When I first post my message about the "portfolio" idea, I also thought about the "busy-ness" problem, as it surely is not just me who is busy with his/her own life.
Yet, I forgot to write this down at the first message.
Yet again, a portfolio of "less and equal to a defined number of photos" may solve the problem as any entrant may produce the number of photos that he/she is able to...
But, maybe this still may create a burden upon the contestants, the moderators, the viewers, and Render itself, I do not know...
Well, see you... :)

Dear PunkClown...
Nope, unfortunately not, and the thesis will probably take another 1-1.5 months to complete... :)

Well, Rork1973, sorry for having missed the whole discussion about December's theme... ...But, you've already offered an idea there which matches the idea of preparing a portfolio... :)

Oh, by the way Dorkusal, I forgot to mention that I liked the portfolio idea...busy life schedules or not, it may give us an oppurtunity to stretch ourselves creatively a bit more....Good luck with the thesis. ;-)>

Hi Doruksal, I agree with you 100% about the work shown in the contest. I went into the advance category because I new PunkClown and Maygen would kick my ass (alpha hadn't posted yet). Plus, I thought it was unfare to post 4x5 images in intermediate some might see that as an unfare advantage (I don't). I really enjoyed all the work done but Maygen's image is my person favorite of all categories. Just one great pic to stare at. I don't mind the portfolio idea but I wouldn't for every contest. It would be good once in awhile though. Nice to see words by you again.

Count me in then Alpha! (I hope I'm not getting in too deep...how many images do you suggest we're looking at?) Oh...and Visitor42, LOL ~I would never kick your ass...(but I might spank it, if you like that kind of thing) ;-)>

Well, I'd also like to be counted too... I think I'll manage......to lay my hands on......a camera......soon... :)