Re: Gomberg #3

["James Purchase" <jpurch@interlog.com>]

>Anyone who thinks we are having a tank contest is seriously mistaken.  In a
>tank contest tanks are judged.   We are thinking of having a PHOTO contest,
>where photos are judged.  And since it is the electronic version of the
>photo that is being judged, the creation of the electronic version should
>be under the control of the submittor (else he/she can claim that a
>converter screwed them up).

>Given all this, what is wrong with doctoring?   I have a clown loach snap
>showing a java fern leaf with a black hole in it.   I fixed the hole, since
>it tended to draw your attention from the fish, which was the whole point
>of the picture.   Nothing wrong with that.   Tropica illustrates their
>catalog with drawings so that by lying they can tell the truth.   It is
>just a different form.

Dave, what's wrong with you tonight? You on downers or something? Your first
three contributing posts were _all_ depressing and of little merit or
substance. Frankly, from someone of your stature in the hobby, I would have
expected a more positive attitude...

Nobody (other than you) described this as a _tank_ contest. I envisioned an
_aquascaping_ competition, conducted electronically via the WWW. That
automatically necessitates photography as an integral part of the contest.
There is _no_ conflict at all between what I initially thought of and what
the rest of us are actively discussing and planning for here. The sole
change that has been made to my original concept was the inclusion of prints
and slides in the contest - made following Karen's carefully worded and
thoughtful comments about those AGA members who are not online.

If your Java fern has black holes in the leaves , you aren't that shit hot
of an aquatic gardener in the first place, so I doubt that your aquascaping
skills are to die for either - so don't sweat it Dave, doctor your photos
all you wish - they are unlikely to win anyway. The judges can always
exercise their editorial control and cut them from consideration should your
efforts at reconstructive surgery not be successeful.

Now, let's get back to making constructive comments....

James Purchase
Toronto