2007 Picture of the Month Poll - Suggestions

[Mandy]

I should think that a 50-year-old picture contest would be more like a treasure hunt! In my mind, committee members should be allowed to search high and low for such a treasure and they should not be limited to photos posted on the forums nor photos posted within a certain time frame.

[ysbel]

Since some committee members have expressed concern about the workload of getting pictures for more than one poll a month, have we thought of having one or two polls once a season rather than once a month?

I imagine keeping with the seasonal calendar can provide a theme of its own. For example for winter 2007 (Jan-Mar), I imagine we could have one very nice formal poll with all the great winter events taking place (New Years, etc) . An informal poll could cover little princesses making their first snowman pics or any other winterfun frolick.

Then we could do a historical themed poll every once in awhile just to keep things fresh. I think though it will be a challenge for some committees to pick a historical pic once a month or even once a season.

[RhapsodyBrat]

that's what i have suggested in my post earlier, to do the themed polls quarterly or twice a year. or per season, as you suggest too.

[MoonlightRhapsody]

Originally Posted by Marengo

The cute childrens-poll doesn't have to be held each month, or doesn't have to include each royal house. The issue is that of the 12 polls we held 9 (I think) were won by kids, and this month a child will probably win to. Voters clearly appreciate the small children, but this might be a bit frustrating for people who represent 'child-less' royal families.

So considering this preference of the voters for small childrten, one poll for kids and one for the rest would make the competition a bit more 'fair'.

No kidding! We've had a dry spell for Sweden's PoM because we didn't have any weddings OR kids! We even tried to pull the "Aww" factor with romantic moments but that didn't have the same impact as cute little kiddies. *Sigh*

[The Watcher]

Is it not possible to have a normal Picture of the Month in February, April, June, August, October and December about the pictures of the last two months. And in January, March, May, July, September and November a Picture Poll with a special theme (also with old pictures)

In that case the committee members do not have more workload, all royal houses have a chance to win and the pictures in the Picture of the Months poll are even more beautiful (because the committee can choose for pictures of the last two months. That's not necessary for countries like Spain or Denmark, but better for Luxemburg or Belgium for example.)

[Little_star]

How about limiting the number of children photos. Say, each house can noly have 3 per year. After all, most Royal houses tend to release photos around the same time (Christmas, Summer, Easter etc).

The only other thing I find irritating is that sometimes it seems people just vote for their favourite Royal. While that cannot be stopped, I hope people relaise that it's not a popularity contest. Alot of time and effort goes into choosing a photos, so it's a big shame when certain houses win just because they are popular.

[Avalon]

It could work if all committees agreed to have the kid pictures on the same month. Otherwise if country A has kid picture in January, country B in February, country C in March, then A again in April... the pictures with childre will simply have no competition.

And the committees can hardly agree on specific dates, simply because we don't know beforehand when the children will make an 'appearance'.

[MoonlightRhapsody]

I like the themed plan for the PoM. It's just very difficult for countries like mine who don't have kids or weddings. Don't get me wrong, I love all the kids' pictures, but given a choice between a very nice picture with a romantic/sweet theme versus a picture with a child, the child picture would win hands down. We just can't compete! Trust me, even a cutie dog can't win!
The "pictures from the past" sounds like a very good idea, too! It would be a lot of fun to dig back to the not-so-recent past and post some of the timeless pictures.

[Elspeth]

I'm sure Sweden will be getting its share of weddings sooner or later; those three siblings aren't going to stay single for ever. And a Crown Princess bride is something most other countries don't have. Then they'll start producing babies, and it's all the other countries that'll have to resort to cute dogs!

However, while you're waiting for all the excitement, I do feel your pain. We're in much the same situation in the UK, what with Lady Louise being all but invisible and none of the other senior royals having cute toddlers.

[dazzling]

I like the idea of the picture contest but sometimes I think people choose pictures that include the children because the children are cute and I don’t blame them. But I do understand why its not possible to have the children pictures all at once, but maybe if we can dig up old pictures and post them at ones of them or even specify a certain event ex. Wedding, christening, national day, family portrait etc, instead of having a mix of things.

[LaChicaMadrilena]

Personally I like the idea of the formal and informal forums. But then again there's a problem: we will have 3 new babies in 3 reigning monarchies, what means 3 more or less formal presentations (all of them in April and/or May) and within a few months the christenings (I don't think they will coincidate with each other; Dutch babies are usually babtised much later than the Spanish, for example). The christening, a religious ceremony with the Kings and other noble guests hardly can be called "informal", so it's pretty sure to say that at least in 2-4 months the "formal" poll will be won by cute babies again. So what do you thing about putting even those formal pics of the kids to the 2nd poll? So that it would be "informal" + dedicated to all events related with kids?

I also liked the idea of (historical or not) themed polls for time to time

[ysbel]

Thanks everybody for your suggestions. Take a look at the new format for the Picture of the Month 2007 polls in this thread here.