I very much like the number 20. It has beautiful colors.

Hi Dana, There is absolutely nothing tweaked about the photo. The exclamation points are from grandparents, all voting once so there is nothing awry with the world, just a nice large supportive family.

I took that picture and if you want to look up Crater Lake I think you will find that, that blue is very real in nature.

I've been to Crater Lake and it is breath-taking! You just wish you could convey with a picture how gorgeous it is. The lake is like glass and reflects the sky. I think Josh captured it as close as you can without seeing it in person. Great job, Josh.

'What is art' is a timeless question, isn't it? This is not an art contest nor is it an artisitc photography contest. It's simply an invitation for Patch readers to share their photos and to vote on which one they think is best.

We also invite and encourage artists to post their work and accomplishments. Simply click on "announce something to everyone" which you will find under the big green "Contribute" headline toward the bottom of every Patch home page.

I know that some of my own favorite photos are "lousy" tehnically but they are among the ones I've taken that I treasure the most because of the memories they bring back or the emotions they evoke.

For the more art-oriented, please feel invited and welcome to upload announcements about art exhibitions and classes in the events section.

EVERYONE is welcome, invited and encouraged to post photos in our weekly Picture of the Week galleries, whether they are first time photogrpahers or skilled, trained artists.

"Art is the elimination of the unnecessary." --P. Picasso

I fail to see how a "contest" that's is flawed in it's judging is celebrating anything but underhandedness. I am embarrassed now to have been a part of it. I expected more from my community and it's moderator. Clearly, popularity is trumping talent. If I was to vote I would have picked several submissions ahead of mine due to their artistic merits. Like the butterfly picture. Like the Ferris wheel picture. Like many others that involve great composition, color, focus, subject matter and technique.

We are suprised, shocked even, when the internet isn't fair and unbiased?

*rolls eyes*

It's the best of, and worst of, the internet. Anonymity allows one to express one's deepest, often darkest thoughts, to see what sticks or sucks...but it allows these popularity contests, in which someone pads their own ego by voting for themselves, or promoting themselves...

I mean, this is almost as bad as that dog competition (which was one of the most pathetic things I've read on the internet, ever).

Put your photos up, and ignore the nonsense about the polls. People who care about photography will be easy to distinguish from the trolls....