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After a continuous run of almost a decade, contest participation has gotten extremely low. See Contest is definitely dead. Now what? for more, and for possible next steps to revitalize it.

Also, you may instead want to check out the new Photo Competition on the main site! See also the Meta post, New Photo Contest.

This is the place to submit and vote on photos to be featured on the the main site. This contest should showcase your best quality work, demonstrating at least moderate skill with a camera and a general understanding of the artistic aspects of photography. Remember, the selected photo will be displayed on our main site header for a week. Submit something that you and the members of our site will want to look at and admire for seven days! This contest is for the community to choose what they LIKE (not what they dislike), so downvotes aren't allowed — see below for more.

Contest Format

Starting in December 2012, this contest follows a new perpetual format with continuously-rolling voting. Submit and vote on photos whenever you like. Every Monday (give or take; it's done by hand when site moderators have a spare moment), the top-voted image will be selected as the winner, and:

Then, the contest will continue with the remaining photos in the thread.

(Note that the themed photo contest will work on a different scheme.)

Voting Rules

  • Vote up as many images as you like.

  • Make sure to look at the "active" tab for this question to see new submissions.

  • Up votes only! Do NOT vote down your competitors! If you don't like an image, don't vote. (If you notice a downvote on an entry, make a note in a comment, and that will be taken into account when the weekly winner is selected.)

  • When you vote, consider the small size primarily, even if a larger image is linked. This contest's primary function is to select a header image, and we need the winners to be successful at that size.

Submitter Rules

  • Showcase your best work in any genre of photography by providing your image inline in an answer.

  • You may enter one photo per week. This is on the honor system, but abuse will eventually earn a strong talking-to.

  • Don't re-enter the same photo. Since the contest is continual, there's no need. You may withdraw an image from the contest at any time by deleting the answer.

  • You may edit your entry to fix problems or to add missing information, but don't switch the photo itself for a different one, or make gratuitous edits simply to "bump" the entry.

  • Images must be 210 px high and up to 375 px wide. This is the requirement for the header. Please feel free to provide a link to a larger version, but as explained above, the primary focus is on the header image.

  • For the same reason, images must be in landscape orientation.

  • Images must not contain any artificially added borders, watermarks, or decorations of any kind.

  • Do not use this as a forum for photo critique. Use chat instead, or ask a specific question about your image on the main site.

  • The submitted image must conform to this site's content license, cc-wiki with attribution required. If you're not comfortable with that, this isn't the contest for you.

Submitter notes

Be patient! This contest is relatively obscure, and it takes a while for images to accumulate votes. It's normal for really excellent images to have only one or two upvotes even after a time. The format of the contest should let them rise to the top eventually.

Feel free to include a concise description that explains the image, the emotions behind it, and so on, and perhaps some explanation of gear and exposure settings. This site is a collaboration for teaching and learning, so it's great to know those things — but it's not required for the contest.

When we get up and running with featuring these photos on the blog, this will provide the opportunity to go into more depth and to engage in conversation about your work.

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    \$\begingroup\$ As with all past contests, I'd like to stress the up-vote only policy. Let's keep our contest cordial. This is not a place for critique or a forum within which to express dislike, choose what you like, have fun, and let the contest roll! \$\endgroup\$
    – jrista Mod
    Commented Dec 4, 2012 at 22:22
  • 2
    \$\begingroup\$ See also: Regarding ties. Regarding image size/shape/orientation. \$\endgroup\$
    – jrista Mod
    Commented Jan 8, 2013 at 1:53
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ Please use this thread for discussion of what we should do about the PotW contest threads going forward. I agree that there are issues involved with a single everlasting thread, and we should be open to suggestions. \$\endgroup\$
    – jrista Mod
    Commented Apr 8, 2014 at 0:16
  • \$\begingroup\$ I suspect very few people are digging down to the bottom - based on dates and my past upvotes on other pictures and where they are in the heap now. A link to the entry page may help (or may exist and I've missed it). Something like ENTRIES START AT BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE - HAVE A LOOK \$\endgroup\$
    – Russell McMahon
    Commented Oct 9, 2014 at 13:27
  • 5
    \$\begingroup\$ @RussellMcMahon It does say Make sure to look at the "active" tab for this question to see new submissions. which is like that but better. :) \$\endgroup\$
    – mattdm
    Commented Oct 9, 2014 at 13:33

468 Answers 468

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Head First

Head First

Right on the edge of the field, behind our house on a bright sunny day.

Canon EOS 60D, Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM, ISO 100, 100mm, f/5.6, 1/500s, 0 ev

Larger version on flickr

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"Spring is sprung"

enter image description here

Larger version here

In the Southern hemisphere it's Spring-time - on most days anyway :-). Sony A77

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enter image description here

Larger

On Facebook

In album Last Train to Shuanglong - randomish selection of street photography over 2+ weeks while working in outer-central Shenzhen.

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Not at the level of the other photos but here's a spider :)

enter image description here

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Sunset at Santiago

enter image description here

See the original

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Curious hawk (kite?) peeks at the excited human below:

enter image description here

Original (or as close it gets) on Google Photos

  • Camera: Nikon D5300 with 18-55 mm VR lens
  • Aperture: f/5.6
  • Exposure: 1/1600
  • Focal length: 52 mm
  • ISO: 400
  • Taken in Sameer hill, Mumbai, India.
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enter image description here

Larger Version: Here

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Quicksilver

A grey heron - most of the time due to their colour they tend to blend into the background, or be darker than the background; this is an effort to emulate a more egret-like appearance of glowing white against dark, by catching a slightly backlit heron against a backdrop of dark trees, and making the most of the contrast.

Higher-res view and more info on Deviantart: http://fav.me/da2rfvl

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Garden by the Bay

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Pangong Lake Camps, Ladakh, India

Pangong Lake Camps, Ladakh, India Canon 750d, Samyang 14mm, 90s shutter

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Morning Lights

It's a morning light entering the city

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Taken with a Canon SL1

enter image description here

full size and some more from that day

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Bonboniere blues

enter image description here

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Your photos are always classy! Are they right out of the camera (excluding cropping, EV and white balance) or color-graded? \$\endgroup\$
    – Nandakumar Edamana
    Commented Jun 15, 2017 at 12:22
  • \$\begingroup\$ Hi there Nandakumar! Sorry for reacting so late, but I only now saw your comment. Thanks for the compliment! It's always nice to get one. To answer your question: On some pictures (though the one above, taken in our living room, after removing all other things from the table, when the sun shone wonderfully on the blue glass, represents good what there was to see) I play a bit with the contrast and color. To give the image a little extra than representing reality (though every picture is abstract). I played heavily in the picture with the dark clouds. Very dramatic!!! I'm looking out to you! \$\endgroup\$
    – Deschele Schilder
    Commented Jun 17, 2017 at 0:19
  • \$\begingroup\$ Of courses the pictures are important even though they've had a little bit touch-up. Maybe you could share the links to the originals of at least one or two pics so that those who believe in 'get it in the camera' people can understand their real photographic quality? \$\endgroup\$
    – Nandakumar Edamana
    Commented Jun 17, 2017 at 5:39
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"Gaps"

enter image description here

f/1.8, iso 400, 1/10 sec, 3400k wb. 6/23/17.

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enter image description here

This is a winter view of Lake Michigan from Gillson Park after a recent snowfall. I used my Samsung Note 4 phone to take the photo using auto setting.

SM-N910T f/2.21/5964.6mmISO40

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Mtk

Montauk
aug 2017

full version

Phase One P40+
Mamiya 35mm
ISO 100
ƒ/6.3
1/1600
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  • \$\begingroup\$ man, your flickr account is superb! \$\endgroup\$
    – watchme
    Commented Jun 15, 2018 at 7:08
  • \$\begingroup\$ @watchme thank you! \$\endgroup\$
    – charlie137
    Commented Jun 15, 2018 at 16:19
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Memories

The original can be found here.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Note that someone voted this down. Downvoter, please see the contest rules written in the post above. (I'm going to make a meaningless edit to the post so that you can, if you want, remove your downvote.) \$\endgroup\$
    – mattdm
    Commented Jan 2, 2013 at 3:24
  • \$\begingroup\$ @mattdm Thank you for noticing! \$\endgroup\$
    – Bram Vanroy
    Commented Jan 2, 2013 at 9:51
  • \$\begingroup\$ purposefully upvoting to undo the downvote. \$\endgroup\$
    – Paul Cezanne
    Commented Oct 30, 2013 at 13:32
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    \$\begingroup\$ A downvote is still there. \$\endgroup\$
    – EKons
    Commented Jul 3, 2018 at 13:42
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Fairy Iris

Larger here on 500px

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    \$\begingroup\$ Same iris as here? meta.photo.stackexchange.com/a/4085/4892 \$\endgroup\$
    – dpollitt
    Commented Sep 17, 2013 at 1:34
  • \$\begingroup\$ @dpollitt same bush, but different flowers. Although I admit it does look very similar. \$\endgroup\$
    – damned truths
    Commented Sep 17, 2013 at 6:39
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Flower buds

Flower

Camera: Canon EOS 600D,Lens: EF40mm f/2.8 STM, Shutter Speed: 1/1000, Aperture: 2.8, ISO: 100

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    \$\begingroup\$ A week is 7 days. That much we should wait before posting another photo into the contest. \$\endgroup\$
    – Esa Paulasto
    Commented Jan 6, 2014 at 15:57
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Esa Paulasto i thought as per the contest rule every monday starts the week. am right or not? \$\endgroup\$
    – RGA
    Commented Jan 7, 2014 at 4:40
  • \$\begingroup\$ if i am wrong i will delete my post. \$\endgroup\$
    – RGA
    Commented Jan 7, 2014 at 4:52
  • \$\begingroup\$ It's a little ambiguous. My personal take is to be relaxed about it and as long as you're not really taking advantage of the system, not worry too much. \$\endgroup\$
    – mattdm
    Commented Jan 9, 2014 at 19:11
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Frosty Bath

Polar bird bath

Larger version here

It was -16F when I took this through our kitchen window.

Nikon D5300, using a Nikkor 18-200 lens.

Post-processing in Snapseed for iPad: I lightened the shadows a bit; the birds were a little dark against the snow.

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    \$\begingroup\$ I love it!!!!!! \$\endgroup\$
    – Bala
    Commented Jan 12, 2014 at 9:57
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    \$\begingroup\$ Thank you! I'm amazed the heated bird bath held up in those temperatures. \$\endgroup\$
    – Twitchly
    Commented Jan 14, 2014 at 18:24
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enter image description here

flickr

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Winter lake

Winter lake

Down by the lake a sunny winter day, just a couple of weeks ago. Now the snow is all gone. Strange winter this year.

Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Lens: Canon EF 24-70 mm f/2.8 L USM
Focal length: 34 mm
Aperture: 8
Shutter time: 1/320 s
ISO: 100

Larger image

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Where is it in Sweden? \$\endgroup\$
    – Wok
    Commented Mar 12, 2014 at 14:05
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Wok: It's in Gammelby, Västmanland. maps.google.com/maps/… \$\endgroup\$
    – Guffa
    Commented Mar 12, 2014 at 15:18
11
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To Build or Not to Build... That is the question :)

enter image description here

    Canon EOS 450D
    Canon 100mm F2.8 Macro USM
    ISO-100
    F/10
    4s
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enter image description here

Flickr Link

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enter image description here

Apple snail

Camera: Nikon D5100
Lens: Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

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  • \$\begingroup\$ The rules have changed. You do need it to be 210px tall, however, you no longer need it to be 375px wide. It can be up to 375px wide. \$\endgroup\$
    – Cullub
    Commented Feb 28, 2015 at 14:34
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Evening at Fish Creek

enter image description here

  • Fujifilm X-E1
  • 10-24mm 1:4 @ 10mm
  • ISO200 - f/22 - 1/10sec

link to larger version

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enter image description here

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A girl running - candid shot

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  • \$\begingroup\$ This still does not conform to the requirements. It must be exactly 210 px tall. It is currently 205. \$\endgroup\$
    – AJ Henderson Mod
    Commented Mar 9, 2018 at 16:07
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Verstappen sparking through Abbey

Verstappen sparking through Abbey

Taken at Abbey Corner (turn one) during Qualifying at the British Grand Prix 2018 at Silverstone. The Red Bull cars (this one being driven by Max Verstappen) were very low to the ground through the high speed corner, with the friction throwing up lots of sparks.

Shot with my Canon EOS 1300D, exposure 1/2000 sec.

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The evening at Ponte Vechchio, Florence, Italy - (2019-05-01)

Ponte Vechchio

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