Hello all you wonderful members!  I am proud to FINALLY announce our next BIG contest, our Sea Animal Portraits Competition!  This is going to be a cool contest that I think all will enjoy and is open to both photographers and artists! So without further ado here is what the entry rules will be:

- The entry will be one per member and must be a portrait-style or close-up of any kind of sea animal.  Sea animals can include pinnepeds (seals, walrus, etc) and cetacea (whales, dolphins, etc.) you can also include something completely unusual like a sea cucumber or a crab it really doesn't matter, so long as it's some kind of animal that lives in the sea. Remember this is both for photos AND artwork, both digital and traditional accepted.

- If you have something already in the group (no Featured folder please) that you'd like to submit to the contest then please remove the item from the group and then resubmit it to the "Sea Animal Portraits Contest" folder.  This is far easier for us then searching around for it and moving it ourselves.

- Please make sure that all rules of the group are followed when submitting your entry.  For examples no humans are permitted in any submissions, do not use DA watermarks (personal sigs that do not distract the image are OK, I understand the need for security of some kind), and if you are submitting a photo please make sure it has good focus, proper exposure, etc.  See our front page for all of our rules.

- Please do not submit to our "Group Donors" folder, the contest is for members only and if you're not a member, well, then join us!  I will be making a special folder simply called "Sea Animal Portraits Contest" for you to submit to.

- All who enter must VOTE at the time the voting journal is announced (TBA). If you do not vote, you will be disqualified.

- You will have 30 days to enter, starting from date of this journal. A timer will be put up on our front page which will show you have much time is left and it will also provide a link to the contest journal for all the information you need.
If at any time you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact me directly via note, leave a comment on this journal, or contact the group's admin. We are all happy to help you in any way we can.

And now enough with all the rules, here's the real fun part you want to hear about:

PRIZES!!!

EDIT- ADDED PRIZES as of 8/18

Moderator is offering a feature and llamas!

The following affiliates have contacted me and are offering features: , (they do a "Winner's Package"), , , , , (and llamas), , , , , , (as well as personal feature from Founder ,

As of 8/19 the following 2 affiliates have responded and are offering these prizes: offers 50 to be distributed among winners. is offering features, llamas, and 100 to 1st place winner, 50 to 2nd and 3rd, and 10 to honorable mentions!

We also have members (also llamas), and now also offering features! I'm really very thankful when members offer prizes this is a very sweet thing to do so thank you so very much!

By the way this affiliate seems like a very cool group indeed, they have offered to promote and feature winners of this contest so give them a look, why don't you?

From your Founder


1st place winner- 800 and BIG feature (be sure you have a gallery with alot of animal pictures/art so I can do a proper feature if you enter this contest)
2nd place winner- 400 and mini feature
3rd place winner- 200 and mini feature
3  honorable mentions- 10 each


From your Co-Founder


A personal feature from her and a feature from the group

From your Co-Founder  


A feature and a

From your Moderator


A feature from as well as 100 to 1st place winner and 50 to both 2nd and 3rd place winners!

Prizes can be added at ANY TIME so this journal will be updated as we (hopefully) hear from our affiliates about what they can offer!

So go ahead and enter, I can't WAIT to see what you've got in store for us!