NORTH AMERICA vs. EUROPE PHOTO CONTEST

Vance Wood

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Old Mr. Crow aka Carl Bergstrom wrote a pretty good guide on how to photo bonsai on the BT site. I think there is a pretty good one on AoB as well. Bonsai are difficult there are a number of difficult and unique problems working against you in this area making excelent photos difficult.
 

Boondock

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I observe that you are the instigator of the said forum fights. I am guessing that you can’t handle the truth or the answers.

Thank you for your opinions, but this is more than an opinion. I do not believe I have instigated a forum fight. Could you please provide a link? I assure you I can handle it.

From my observations of your posts, I have learnt that you like to hide behind a pseudonym on over 30 sites, you have a grudge on AoB and KoB for not letting you be a member and to top it off you don’t like someone one of the editors there.

Hide? Actually, I am a member of 39 forums. All using the same name. From Beer making/homebrewing to Vivariums. I like forums, and I gain a tremendous amount of information and knowledge from them. The forums that you are refering to, are the only ones that requires legal names, and I am much too honest to register using a name like John Doe, or Bill Smith. I have no grudge against them. As a matter of fact, I wish AOB the best. In none of these forums that I belong, is there a constantly bickering group of people fighting another group of constantly bickering group of people OVER NOTHING ! Bonsai must bring out the worst in people. Even the forum I belong to that covers American Politics is more friendly.

But that’s just my opinion.Jon

Thats right, its an opinion. Not a subtle. veiled, defensive posturing attack.

I am relativley new to bonsai. But I have been shooting large format, black and white photography for over 20 years. My 8X10 camera equipment and my hand processing of film and paper produces images like no other photography equipment can do (at the moment with the limitations of common digital cams). I would like to enter a photo-bonsai contest. But like several people here have mentioned. I do not have the trees.
 
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John Hill

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I have been reading these posts and boy it is kinda of embarrassing to the bonsai community. I know that there are some fantastic bonsai here in the states and I know there are fantastic bonsai in Europe also.
I think this so called contest (but I would like to think of it as a bonsai show and not a competition) is a great way for all to see the great trees out there from both countries. This contest should be looked on as an excellent lesson to all that grow these little trees! I myself and I am sure a lot others love to see great pictures of great bonsai and think of it as that and not as My bonsai is better then yours!! This is one way to see these trees that one might not get the chance to see in every day life.
So guys get over the negative things that is keeping you in seeing bonsai as it should be. Bonsai is supposed to bring peace not bickering and fighting among each other. We are ALL in the same art and we should ALL be civil and bring this great art to the forefront.
This is just my feelings right now!

A Friend in bonsai
John
 

irene_b

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I have been reading these posts and boy it is kinda of embarrassing to the bonsai community. I know that there are some fantastic bonsai here in the states and I know there are fantastic bonsai in Europe also.
I think this so called contest (but I would like to think of it as a bonsai show and not a competition) is a great way for all to see the great trees out there from both countries. This contest should be looked on as an excellent lesson to all that grow these little trees! I myself and I am sure a lot others love to see great pictures of great bonsai and think of it as that and not as My bonsai is better then yours!! This is one way to see these trees that one might not get the chance to see in every day life.
So guys get over the negative things that is keeping you in seeing bonsai as it should be. Bonsai is supposed to bring peace not bickering and fighting among each other. We are ALL in the same art and we should ALL be civil and bring this great art to the forefront.
This is just my feelings right now!

A Friend in bonsai
John



Mine as well!
Borderless Bonsai!
Ageless Bonsai!
Irene
 
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I would like to say thanks to all those who commented here on the contest, there were some great suggestions which we incorporated into it and even amended the rules for some.

Thank you for taking the time to participate,


Will
 

Vance Wood

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I also hope those who made suggestions will take the time to enter. I know that there are a lot that are thinking, or saying, I don't have trees good enough to stand up against the competition. Me too. But I'm going to enter just to say I did. You can't win if you don't play.

The biggest disappointment I can imagine are those who sit on the sidelines, criticizing the contest so that they can justify to themselves a reason not to enter----that's sad.
 

Graydon

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I also hope those who made suggestions will take the time to enter. I know that there are a lot that are thinking, or saying, I don't have trees good enough to stand up against the competition. Me too. But I'm going to enter just to say I did. You can't win if you don't play.

The biggest disappointment I can imagine are those who sit on the sidelines, criticizing the contest so that they can justify to themselves a reason not to enter----that's sad.

I hear what you are saying Vance but there is a class of us who are not criticizing the contest and don't have nice enough trees to enter. I can hope we will sit on the sidelines and appreciate the trees entered. No bashing, no badmouthing just learning and perhaps some envy.

As far as your trees not being good enough - well... please. I respect your self deprecating point of view but your trees are way up here...












and mine are down here. Give me a few years or so.
 

Vance Wood

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I hear what you are saying Vance but there is a class of us who are not criticizing the contest and don't have nice enough trees to enter. I can hope we will sit on the sidelines and appreciate the trees entered. No bashing, no badmouthing just learning and perhaps some envy.

As far as your trees not being good enough - well... please. I respect your self deprecating point of view but your trees are way up here...












and mine are down here. Give me a few years or so.

Seriously, I think my trees might make the also ran category but that's the best I hope to achieve at this point. I thank you for your opinion of them. Kind words are few and far between any more. For the more serious point. Perhaps your trees are not ready yet, but you are looking forward to the contest and learning from it. That is the way it should be, I sure wish there were something like this happening when I was first starting out. You think this one is a learning experience, wait till you see what comes next!

Back then I could not get enough input about bonsai. I read every book, article and news paper account I could find. Sadly though, there are a few who hope the contest will fail or they can find fault with it or both, and are working to make that happen. For these people I am very sad, what a waste of effort, time and energy. If you love bonsai? To paraphrase a slogan from my youth: "Make Bonsai not war".
 
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Robert Steven has joined Min Hsuan Lo and Budi Sulistyo in the judging pool.

Will

[edit - I accidentally deleted this earlier and had to repost.]
 
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With less than 8 hours left before the deadline for submissions is upon us, we are still receiving some excellent entries from both regions.

The judges certainly have a difficult task in front of them with so many quality world class entries!

Thanks to all who entered and to all who supported this contest, including Bnut for allowing this announcement on this forum.


Will
 
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The results are posted and the contest was a success!

Congratulations Walter! And also congratulations are due to Al Keppler who placed in the top 30 North American entries, twice I believe!

The complete list of winners can be seen at http://www.artofbonsai.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=62

So without looking, did North America defeat Europe?

Thanks Bnut for allowing this announcement here, it is most appreciated.



Will
 

bretts

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I think Europe must have come out in front.
 

Tachigi

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As I predicted from the on set....Europe

Congrats Al on the Trident and Pyracantha you made us proud :)
 
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bretts

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I would be interested if it was so close if say the average score of the top twenty from each division was averaged out to give a score for each country.
I think this would give a fairer result to wich country was producing the best bonsai if this is the answer we are after.
I reckon there were many more top qaulity trees from Europe.
 

BonsaiWes

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Anyone know if this Melvin Goldstein from the contest is the same Melvin Goldstein working/writing with the Tibetan Research Center?
 
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