Jeff, I read your complaint, both here and in the competition section.
If people find Nathan's photo the best so be it.

Believe me it is better to come second in these competitions than first anyway - coming first brings not only choosing the topic, but judging at the end of the week, providing critique on all the entries, which is a lot of work.

It seems odd to me that you complain about these competitions when you have not entered them, and do not seem to have bothered to find out how they work. If your complaint were valid I really believe it would have been picked up before now. It is pure coincidence that Nathan's fine photos won as they did.

You haven't exactly been wildly active since joining, either here or in the gallery so I can't see why you are getting so upset.

It leaks where it joins the house. Always has done, and always will - we've had it "fixed" numerous times and it still leaks in heavy downpours, especially when the wind is in a certain direction. It is a right royal PIA.

Chucking it down here now, and really dark.

Not only was the picture poorly faked, he used one from a forum member the idiot.

Thunder rumbling in the distance here. Due yet another massive storm.
Friday night was spectacular, yesterday was a pain - my flat roof leaked again, and now another one on it's way .

The weekly competition, which started here on the forum before there was a gallery has always worked thus:
The winner of the week chooses the topic for the next week, and at the end of the week judges the entries. They are not allowed to enter themselves. It is very fair, and has never given any problems.

I don't quite understand your complaint.

Welcome to the forum btw.

Dammit

The sun hasn't stopped shining here. 35C here yesterday, slightly cooler today at 31 right now, no significant rain for along time. Smoking bans in all the woods.
Thunderstorms and potential flooding forecast for this evening, but not enough rain to actually make a difference.
I am not complaining, but a little cooler would be nicer.

I replied to this post. I don't enter because I don't want to win. No point in entering if you don't want to win.

A competition where the "prize" is a bit less onerous and intimidating would perhaps get me entering.

Looks a bit like a Spanish flag to me .

Lovely photo!

For that photo I used an anglepoise type lamp with a halogen bulb in it. Could just as easily have been a normal bulb though.
Flash can be used but you need to be careful with the position so you don't light up too much of the picture.
Get some black card from a shop, or a cheap black sheet even, or visit your local market and see if you can find some dark material, fleece or velvet would be good - if you are converting to B/W it doesn't even have to be black, just dark.

Edit - just use whatever lighting you have around initially, no need to buy special lights for it. Even an overhead light can be used by carefully placing the subject.