For the Record…

I never disqualified photoshopped images from the Desert Spear ARC Contest. While the rules lawyers in the comments thread have a fair point that my original and very brief  instructions for the contest did not include a provision for it, my intent was always to be as admissive as possible with this contest, so that everyone could participate in a free and fun atmosphere. I anticipated that a few entries would include some fun with photoshop, and was cool with it. The kid at warding camp was adorable, and you all know it.

So if you submitted an entry, photoshopped or not, it counts.

That said, I am taking the judging very seriously, and am giving more weight to the photos that required great effort to produce. So the hypothetical person actually standing on the Great Wall of China with my book would trump a photoshopped simulation of the same event, even if the view was better. I am also giving weight for creativity, humor, emotional power, symbolism, etc.  Lots of things. My head is full of weights.

I honestly still haven’t decided who will win tonight. There were so many fantastic entries, I am blown away by it. I have it down to under ten finalists who all have good arguments for why they should win, and two or three that I am seriously leaning towards. I am thinking about posting those images and my internal dialogue about them later, but I need to spend a few hours working on The Daylight War first. We’ll see if I have time. If not, I’ll do it tomorrow after I get back from Fedexing out the rush prize.

But even after that, this contest isn’t over by a long shot. All the finalists (and everyone, really) will still be in the running to win more prizes, but beware! Lots of fans are out there planning shots to take over the holidays as they travel. Even now, Chantal is packing a copy of The Painted Man and her camera for a trip to Africa…

Posted on December 18, 2009 at 5:06 pm by PeatB
Filed under Contests, Desert Spear, Fan Art, Fans, Musings
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