I might agree with that assessment Dave, if it were not for the finger wagging smiley. However it was intended it has been received by me with offence. Time will tell if he is big enough to clarify his posting was intended to be humour, issue a retraction, and/or apologise...
I apologise wholeheartedly for having used the word cheat, you obviously did not cheat as it was not specifically in the rules. Perhaps the rule that reads:
All entries must be new photos, taken within the time frame of the comp.
Should read:
All entries must be new
images, taken within the time frame of the comp.
So as I said I withdraw the cheat remark!
But as for entering into the spirit of the competition I think it sucks, yes there is no real prize to be won at the end of the week, but the idea of the competition in the first place was to encourage creative thought based around a theme within a limited time period, to see what you could come up with in that time.
I have been very disappointed with the attitude of some to this theme, especially those who chose ways to circumvent the spirit of the competition is some way, and for the judge to actually commend one of them is just a further indication of where this competition is headed, whilst I accept it is a very good shot it has no realistic relationship to the theme at all, in the style of the well known art critic Jim Royle, 'freestyle interpretation, my arse!'
I also think that the number of individuals entering has reduced, by people thinking that the challenge has become devalued, the standard of entries has declined somewhat from the early weeks and I believe that this has been in somepart due to some of the entrants entering more than one entry of almost exactly the same subject, instead of using their option of three entries to submit different ideas, all this does is imply that the author does not know or have the conviction of which their best image is and is leaving it for the judge to decide. Sometimes 'Less is More' the option of having three images is not a minimum entry or even a requirement.
So for the next theme
glass, and as I will not be entering anymore of these challanges, please let me offer some suggestions, if you do not have the time or inclination to try to take some different images, perhaps you could take a picture of one of your framed images, in fact CrazyJay's bottle picture would be ideal for this as it is closer to that topic than this one. Once you have framed your print and rephotographed it, perhaps you could then place it in different settings and do the same again to give you your maximum three entries.
If you are away for the week on a beach, take a picture of the sand, as at some time in the future it may well become glass if it happens to become subjected to enough heat.
Finally, may I offer my congratulations to the winning images, not all as I would have chosed but that is the perogative and choice of the judge, and as in all competitions (whether seen as a fun thing or not) his decision is final.
Good luck all with your future challenges.
lighten up
thanks TBY! I honestly thought we would get more entries for this than we did, but well done every one that did enter, especially Jennyb and who? as well as crazyjay, who's outside th ebox entries I particulaly liked 
