First I'd like to point out the links on the lefthand side of the journal, specifically the "submit" one. It has all of our rules and guidelines about submissions and you may want to reread them when submitting to ensure you're submitting your best possible photo!

There was a time in this club (before ~sky3blu3 and I took over) that deviants whose submissions were rejected weren't notified. The original Admin asked members if they would like be notified and I guess the general consesus was yes. Either way me and Skye have been sending out notifications to let you guys know either way. But here's where the problem lies: people whose submissions get rejected get upset at us, have a bit of a fit, and leave. I do love being Admin of a club and I so badly want to see this one succeed and become a place to find great work and great photographers, but in order to do that we cannot accept every single thing sent to us. I feel like crap every time I reject a submission but I feel like I'm doing a disservice to those whose work really is stunning if it is put up alongside photos that could be executed much better. A lot of people joined this group having found it through a thread I started in thumbshares. Pretty much anyone who posted was encouraged to join the club unless I know that absolutely none of their works would be accepted, in which case I just thanked them for sharing their stuff with us and encouraged them to check out our gallery. The problem lies with people who may have posted oodles of thumbs and when I saw one that would be accepted, they figured it meant all of their work was good enough. And when they get rejected... they get mad and leave. I try hard to be as tactful as I possibly can, pointing out where the photographer could improve and suggesting some works from their gallery that would be accepted so that they know better what we're looking for, but this doesn't always work for everyone.

Perhaps I am just too critical of the work that is submitted, but there are even photos I've taken which I would not upload to the club because I don't feel they're anything too special. In other words they aren't stunning, they aren't of interested to any other members, and so they certainly do not meet our guidelines.

So we must ask ourselves: would we rather have a club where anyone who submits anything gets accepted, we end up with a gallery flooded with submissions that are just crud, but at least everyone gets to feel all warm and fuzzy and like a great photographer... or are we selective about what we upload, and hold our members to higher standards to improve their craft and get better. Imagine submitting twice and getting rejected, reading up on some photography techniques and then taking more photos, and then the next time being accepted. Would that not be a good feeling, to know you've visably improved?

I want this club to be taken seriously by it's members and the rest of the dA community. And in order to do that I have to take it seriously myself.

you all,
=selizabeth