First of all I have to say that I always look forwards to our yearly Photo contests. Just to be part of it is most enjoyable for me.
I do however have a suggestion for next year: Would it please be possible to give Orchids their own category? After all we are talking about the second largest plant family here just counting species, and then we have in addition thousands of hybrids. It should not be included in Tropicals where as of now pictures of Orchids have to stand next to pictures of Cacti, tuberous plants like Begonias, Vines and Macros, ( Macros - perhaps some reluctant exceptions here, if they are Orchids) which actually have their own category after all.
Please consider it?

I think the more categories, the better. Ditch the monetary prizes, let it just be a visual extravaganza. Come up with some new categories - fall color, winter interest, heck how about blue flowers. Just have fun with it.

I think I disagree. If categories are not reasonably defined ( as in Tropicals or Macro ) one will be looking at a totally misunderstood mix. It is easier to post into the appropriate category when you know where things are supposed to go, no?
Perhaps one should consider that this a global site and what a North American might call a Winter color or scene is maybe just a touch different from one in Brazil, etc etc. In the same breath - natives/ wildflowers are never totally clear to me for the same reason. And so on.

As near as I can tell, there wasn't a single macro in the tropical category.

This hoya of mine is one of the tighter shots in the category and it's nowhere near macro. If it were, it would only include just a bit more than a single flower of that particular cluster.


I'm not sure what you're seeing.

Really? I counted about 8-10 macros. Which proves my point, it probably is not as clear exactly what the definition of a macro is. (see the thread about it too)

edited - So I should call them close-ups then? My bad....

Macros and close ups aside, I totally agree that orchids should have their own category. I think the Tropicals category is way too broad. Just my opinion.

Yeah, the whole "macro" thing is kind of a jackpot.

And then, it seems that people really enjoy seeing a fairly-detailed shot of a single blossom. Depending on the plant, that can run right into macro territory itself without much trouble.

For the record, I like more categories rather than fewer.

Also, by way of observation... no matter HOW good the description of a category is, people are going to screw up - either through ignorance (like I have a few times) or just plain human stupidity (I put a day lily into lilies this year - even though I knew better). So...to not get too wound up about it, I just expect that 80% or so of the people will get stuff right...and that's just going to be good enough.

The people who run the site really do have their hands full - and the contest seems to come off well-ish each year. And I have to suspect that, in the big picture, it's not the squeakiest wheel or hottest iron in the fire.

Good fun, though.