Congrats to Sambo - Most POTW's 2003-2009

[RTaylor]

I decided to go through all the forum announcements for Photo of the Week winners and tally them up to see who won the most POTW's since joining Bytephoto during the years 2003 through the end of 2009.

It turns out our long time and still participating member Sambo / Sam has won 18 POTW's since he joined Bytephoto on January 6th, 2006.

YeeHa!!! as Sam would say


Would love to see which photo you choose to place on canvas

We've decided that for all those wins, Sam deserves a prize.

Sam has won a 16x24 gallery wrapped canvas from Canvas on Demand.

(Sam, I'll be sending you your free voucher soon via email)
Here is a list of the top 25 winners during the years 2003-2009

#	Member Name	POTW's Wins 2003- 2009
1	Sambo	18
2	Buddy4344	13
3	KHedquist	10
4	Autumnsky	9
5	Bluesky	9
6	CindyLea	7
7	Matt C	7
8	Northbeach	7
9	ROstoski	7
10	ALadyforty	6
11	Ellen	6
12	RTaylor (formerly rct4905)	6
13	djoyobison	6
14	Skeuos	6
15	Richilino	5
16	Bytethis	5
17	DRHangar	5
18	Kaelmike	5
19	TCJohnson	5
20	JoeMc	4
21	Shaggydoo	4
22	Wynndg	4
23	Rrdjserv	4
24	eye_c	4
25	Famjad21	4

[RTaylor]

here are some of the congrats to Sam

http://www.bytephoto.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=105217

[RTaylor]

fyi to all :wink:

Ruth,
I tried to post the reply below to thank all for the congratulation, but I think it is too long to post. can you please see that it goes out to the members?
__________________________________________________ _______________
WOW this is one great way to start a week off. I had no idea that I had gotten lucky that many times. I still remember my first finalist (Run Bella, Run!). It was a thrill beyond words. It is still a great honor and a thrill to be selected as a finalist and be judged by your peers. It has taken some time to form my thoughts for a reply.

I would like to say that this site is unique among photo sharing/contests sites in that it is more about photographers helping, encouraging, mentoring, and patting each other on the back every week than it is prize winning. I am absolutely certain that my photography would not be at the level it is today without the dedicated members of Bytephoto. So many folks have supported me on this journey. Suzan commented on my first entry, and she was so critical I was NOT very pleased. But when I stepped back and looked harder at the photo, I realized she was right. More entries brought more critiques. Ellen, Joe, Ruth, Andrew, Darrin, and a host of others helped me along with gentle nudges. Some folks were more direct with their critiques, like Buddy, Carolyn, Sheila (northbeach), and Kevin. While the critiques often stung, I found myself shooting photos with their critiques in mind. While taking photos I would often hear in my head Buddy, (“More to the right, use those lines, compose!), Carolyn (“Hyperfocal distance!, use the aperture!), Sheila (“Move that stick, it distracts me!), and Kevin (“What are you thinking! What’s your point?). And you know what? My photos got better! Now my wife is a member, so we are competitors. But like all the other members, we support and help each other, we just do it in person.

So a huge thank you to all of the members of Byte, old dogs and new. You helped me through cancer, subsequent surgery and recovery, and depression by taking time to look at my entries, commenting, applauding, scolding and supporting me.

Another big thanks to Ruth for resurrecting the site and growing it to new heights. Byte is healthy and thriving again due to her and Steve’s hard work. We would all be much poorer if Byte had ceased to exist.

I would like to apologize for not being as active as I know I should be. A heavy work schedule at my “real” job takes much of my time. We are starting to grow our portrait business to help support our “artsy” photography, and that take LOTS of time. It’s very time consuming sorting through 400 -500 photos (our hit to miss ratio is not the best) for the keepers, processing them, burning DVDs etc. Plus I am constantly trying to work to improve my portrait photography. I don’t have much time to comment/critique, so I don’t feel comfortable entering the weekly contest for y’all to critique my work. However, Ruth has proven to be a great motivator. Also while writing this post I realized how much I owe Byte and it’s members. It is time to give back.

Thanks again to all of the folks through the years, as well as the new (and VERY talented) members for all of your critiques and support. But most of all, thank you for your friendship.

Happy Shooting,

Sam
________________
Thanks!
__________________
It is never to late to be what you might have been. -George Eliot
Tallman Photography