well thats a shame, as i have a cracker from donnington park today...never mind                                                                                                                                                                             

Think someone shud take a pic at Ecclefeckin myself                                                                                                                                                                              

I had the same problem Shooter,  took loads of photos of my bike by name places,  while touring Scotland, but as i was on my own travelling could not get me and the name place and bike all in same picture,  Matt decided that they could not go into the comp.  so he removed them. His lose  I guess he might have had more intesting photos and some more  people taking part,   

rules are rules, and i can't change them half way through the competition... it would be unfair on those who had gone out of their way to get tripods setup etc.   There will be more competitions to come though... maybe the funniest photo or something.   Problem is, if your photo doesn't have YOU on it, how do we know it's YOUR photo???                                                                                                                                                                             

Matt,   I dont have tripod or know how to use one, and it was the last thing i would want to carry, on my bike with a load of camping gear, and as you clearly pointed out the rules were rules,  in 5 emails to you sent me,  and also told me there was no way any off my phots would win,  I decided i would not enter the comp,   The fact everyone clearly would know it was my bike, as it is in loads of other pictures on this web site with me with me next to it.  I would not go to the effort of taking photos of other peoples bikes,  next to sign posts.  whats the point in that.                                                                                                                                                                                       

i had a little gorilla tripod, u can stand or clamp it to anything!  Even a lamp post or tree, its really small...   Or just go out riding one sunday with a friend. Plan the route well in advance like those who got all A-Z did.   Some people had lots more than just 4 or 5 photos deleted, and they'd been round europe to get them!                                                                                                                                                                             

Matt,  I am happy you have a gorilla tripod,  .  I dont have one, but if  you would like to run a comp for one,  please do......    I have tried to offer you some constructive criticism to why I personally feel that you didn’t not get a good response to what is a great competition.  You have openly admitted that  you had to delete lots of photos, which were entered,  I tried to put over as I ride most places on my own it was impossible,  get the photo with bike and me and sign post.  Sorry I do not own a tripod and I am not about to rush out and buy one; Due to my personnel situation I don’t have a lot of free time to spend riding around collecting photos with mates.there may be a lot of other members in same situation and that is why  not many entered.  perhaps you can take into account my views ,    I was explaining my reason for not entering the comp.                                                                                                                                                                             

  Copied from the comp' page: Main Objective: Get photographs showing place names starting with A to Z   Where does it say 'main objective: get photos showing place names starting with A - Z, with you in the photo?'                                                                                                                                                                                   

Where does it say 'main objective: get photos showing place names starting with A - Z, with you in the photo?'     and a bike,,,                                                                                                                                                                                

  Puds read the part underneath the Bridgestone logo it says   'How do I Win?'   and underneath it states Main Objective: Get photographs showing place names starting with A to Z                                                                                                                                                                              

i had started get the A to Z,  and would have got them all but got told  i had to have picture of me and the a bike,   which i tried to explain to matt that i could not do as a solo rider,  so i gave up entering the comp.  

  Hopefully the next competition will be one more folk can/want to join in and the wording / comp' rules will be clearer.                                                                                                                                                                              

i agree puds even if i had child free time being single and not having any bikey mates in the same town as me i felt a bit excluded, its really good to organise a comp but i dont feel this was accessable to many members, it needed time (tricky when you work more than full time and have kids) photographer or tripod and loads of petrol its all a bit eliteist if you ask me, single mums have no chance we need to come up with some different ideas for the next one

Matt, us being in the photo is no more proof that it is our photo than not being in it.  LOL.   Possibly less so in fact as there is no proof that it was taken with my camera, could be a picture someone else took on their camera and sent me.  I have  a few like that.  If I'm not in the picture but my bike is, and it's in the middle of nowhere with no one else around then it's pretty likely to be one of my pictures.   I went through the photos from my last 5 or 6 big trips to see if I could make a-z, missed out Q & Z.  However from around 5,000 photos the total number that have me, the bike and a sign in is 1!  That was taken by some guys using my camera that rode with me from Chicago to the Wisconsin Illinois border and then turned back when I was riding all 50 states in 2005.  There is also one more which I wasn't going to enter as it was the infamous Area 51 mailbox which UFO theorists know all about in North Eastern Nevada.   Anyway, a suggestion that may work easily for future comps is one stolen from when I did the Round Britain Rally.  For that you download a sheet which for less than a quid we could each get laminated.  On it will say BM Photo Contest 2009 or some such with a big logo.  Take photo with your bike and whatever else might be needed and the laminated sheet in the photo.  That way  solo riders can snap away as normal without getting someone else to take the picture or have to use a tripod etc.                                                                                                                                                                             

Shooter that is a great idea,   I would have been more than happy to have put something on my bike,  so it could be identified.  I really wanted to enter this comp,  but after Matt removed the first 5 pictures I had upload saying I need to have me and  any bike in the pitcure,  I gave up.  I have enough problems  just get a photo, let alone setting up a tripod and the timer on a camera.  lol.   The comp  was a great idea, and i really could do with a new set of tyres  :-( Next time  maybe,,,,                                                                                                                                                                             

i agree with puds on this one...as most of us can be recognised by our bikes......like at bike meets how many times have we said...oh so snd so is here theres his/hers bike....if youcan id the bike whats wrong with entereing the photo...after all if i go on a ride out on my own, the last thing i think about is taking camera equipment out with me, but whilst out if i see something that makes a good photo then i will put my bike next to the scene on click the camera

I'd just like to add a slight twist on this one... SV_Shell and I took a set of A-Z photos in France on our Hols in April... however, we "forgot" to get the bike in lots of them, so the photos were not of any use. However, we had great fun (Sometimes blistering sun, wet at times, hail at times, floods at times) getting all the shots, and we had some great laughs at some of the names and our favourites such as "Squiffiec" and "Yffiniac". So personally, I'd like to thank Matt for the comp, because we'd have not done the silly miles, found some cracking roads, and picnic'd at some lovely french villages if it hadn't been for the competition. I say "Bring on the next one..."                                                                                                                                                                              

  I second that Ian.   Thank you Matt... I had a great birthday no matter what the weather  (as some have no doubt seen on my facebook pics I looked rather bedraggled at times). Roaming round France (thankfully with the gel seat on the bandit) was fantastic & some of the roads that Ian's sat nav took us down ... well lets just say I never realised Garmin programmed a sense of humour into their sat navs !!!   Next time I will have my own pics to add to any comp that you may be holding                                                                                                                                                                              

OH STOP COMPLAINING!!!!! I asked everyone in the forum for their ideas for a competition.  Then I worked out some rules and guidelines which I thought would make it fair. It's our first competition, there will be more to come.  I have to learn from each competition, as I have with this.  Next time put forward some suggestions and help put the whole thing together. U think you've been hard done by having a few pics removed?  I spent MONTHS designing and planning the friggin thing and all I get as thanks is complaints and moans moans moans!! Do you know how much time and effort it took to get Bridgestone to finally cough up the prizes?  A LOT of emails, phone calls, etc. The few of you complaining are driving me mad.  I've never known such an ungrateful bunch. The rules are clear on EVERY PAGE OF THE COMPETITION!  If you can't be bothered to read them, after I've spent months making the competition, then you don't deserve to join. For those who DID bother to read the competition info (not just the heading) but couldn't enter, I'm sorry you couldn't enter for whatever reasons.  Feel free to give me ideas on the next competition rather than keeping quiet.  This was the only feasible idea I was given when I asked for suggestions from you all in the forum. So, see THE VERY FIRST LINE, under "what?"...http://www.bikermatch.co.uk/sites/bm/competitions/place...y/info.asp"What: Photography competition involving you, your bike and places" Same page, under "What photos are accepted?""Photos must include...Yourself (Your profile on Biker Match must have photos of you to confirm)Motorbike (Your bike or anyone else's)A sign showing a place name (Any town's 'Welcome' sign, a pub's name sign, etc)" Then when you go to upload the photos, in bold letters...http://www.bikermatch.co.uk/sites/bm/competitions/place...photos.asp"1) All photos must have in them - yourself, a bike, a place name.4) Other people can be in the photo - but you have to be in it at least!" I couldn't make it more obvious if I sent everyone a personal letter to their home address! Shooter, the idea was that you wouldn't already have photos so that you'd go out to take them.  Using historical photos that you took years ago is cheating  :-)  The aim was to get you all out and about during the summer on your bikes ENJOYING the competition.  And where were you with your ideas when we were planning the competition?  I've never done anything like this before so would have valued such input. Thank-you Shell and Mr P, I'm glad you enjoyed yourself.  That was the idea. The tyres are just a bonus, the whole point was to get people out and about. And I'm sorry if some people feel the competition is elitist, but next you will be complaining that a BIKE is required for the competitions excluding those who can't afford a damn bike! I'm not planning any more competitions from now on, it's over to you all in the community.  Do what you like.  I'll write the website and support your competition in whatever technical way I can.  But just like the friendlies rally I don't wanna get involved.  The stress isn't worth it, especially when so many people complain.  Sorry.                                                                                                                                                                             

In my case I thought there's no point me entering this comp as I probably wouldn't get round enough places and I'm not sure my little bike would really benefit from Bridgestones.... but it didn't bother me.   I'm hoping that there will be a competition that I can enter sometime in the future, maybe one that we can organise ourselves, get some votes and try an raise a prize or two, unless Matt could do that for us, but untill then..no worries!   I reckon Matts done a good job getting this organised, there has been a lot of corresponding back and forth and alot of planning which I guess, just gets taken for granted.   Good Luck to all those who've entered.. and for those that want more, get your thinking caps on.