Long Lurker Message

["David VanderWall" <dvanderwall@uswest.net>]

James, All,

Thanks for allowing me to be a part of this.  The Internet ... whaddya gonna
do?  It is still growing all around us.

>I can see that the vast majority of you are playing "lurker".

Sorry, James.  I don't have the chance to read my personal email as often as
I'd like.  I'm going to respond to what I can now.  I can see you're willing
to entertain some additional thoughts.

I'll try to be breif, but it's not likely.

Responding to your first agenda post:  (Remember that? <g> )
A.  True.  Hopefully more of a showcase than a competition, for right now,
actually.

B.  "Entries are to be limited to images of Freshwater Planted Aquariums.
Ponds
and Marine Aquariums are excluded."

You folks are still talking about this.  A planted tank should be mandatory.
Most of them will be freshwater, and if you can grow plants elsewhere then
that's great too.  That would, initially, bring it to any container where
the observer (the camera) can see under the water level, right?  That
virtually eliminates ponds -- or if you have that kind of setup then I want
to see it.

This brings me to my next point, which is one that has been discussed, but
wasn't part of the original agenda and ought to have been.  There should not
be submissions of _professional aquariums_.  Professional photographers
should not be kept out of this showcase/contest any more than a computer
professional should.  But the aquarium (or paludarium) should be kept and
maintained in the home.  I kinda thought that was the idea here.  If the
idea is to gather some really cool digital images of aquascapes from across
the planet, then this should definitely be a showcase and not a competition.

C.  (Sponsorship) I don't know anything about this.  It would be nice if an
organization could sponsor an online showcase/competition.  I think the
organization would have to go out on a limb for right now and hope the event
attracted some attention, especially in the future.  It seems there is the
people power here to organize this no matter what.

D.  (Name) Is it too late?  I like (not featured in the original lineup)
"AGA Internet Aquascaping Showcase and Competiton"

What would be special about this "contest" is that we are getting together
as a result of the Internet, organizing it via the Internet, and publishing
it via the Internet.  Anything beyond that is icing.  The AGA can't sponsor
a contest that _may_ exclude some of its members?  What if one of those
members is a judge?  Does that mean the contest won't be sponsored since
judges must not participate?  I know I'm being difficult here, but this
thing is probably going to happen almost exclusively on the Internet.

E.  (Image Formats) I think this has been hashed out:  no limits on digital
images, photographic mediums need to be defined and adhered to based on
availability of equipment to convert those mediums to digital images.

F.  (Submissions) I don't think you all are talking about this right now,
but I just want to say that I think a "submission" should consist of a
single aquascape.  Maybe more than one can be entered, but the focus should
be on the ability to design and maintain an aquascaped environment, no
matter what the style.  I do agree that "container" size is important and
should be grouped into classes.  5 images should be enough.

I'll just give some additional comments:

>Given the fact that we might not _have_ that many submissions, and this is
>our first time at this, I think that the simpler we keep this the better.

Yup.  Publicity will be the hard part.  But I think there could be quite a
few submissions -- certainly enough to make it interesting.

Karren said:
>Do the fish (if any) used in the tank add to the concept?
>
>Do they appear healthy, established (as opposed to babies) and
well-maintained?
>
>IMO, if fish are used they should add to the theme or concept, not be
>tossed in willy nilly.

I have some fry in my 55 gal. right now, but you probably wouldn't be able
to see them in a photograph.  :-)

"Mike G." said:
...and call for a vote.  (Much like you did
when you gave choices for names and set a deadline to enter the vote).

I agree here, too, even if I can't read my email very often.


Sorry for the long post.


Good night,

Dave VanderWall
Minneapolis, MN


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