Small Change To Submission Guidelines

Hi All—

It’s been too calm around here for a while, so you know what means. Time to shoot the dart into the beehive and see what happens!

I’m exaggerating … :)

I added a new item to the list of guidelines, specs, and suggestions regarding submitting to this site, which can be found on the Submission Guidelines page. I just added this in the #9 spot on the list:

9. Lastly, I reserve the right to REMOVE UGLY FRAMES that are ruining otherwise beautiful pictures. For three years, I have written to people first before doing this, but I don’t have time anymore. Consider this akin to an editor taking your beautiful prose and polishing it like a diamond. I have written about this several times on the site.

That doesn’t mean I’m going to remove every frame on every picture: sometimes they work well as an element of composition. Most of the time, however, they simply distract the eye, pulling it out of the image. If you want a frame on your picture, print it and frame it.

Now, I’m sure some people will take umbrage at this, just as they do when I write and suggest a better way to approach the apping of a picture they have submitted. To them, I say: “My father was a very successful writer, editor, and film maker, who once told me,’Knox, never argue with an editor: it’s like arguing with an umpire.'”

In all seriousness, my reason for removing frames is that most of the time, they detract from the image. I can only think of one time where I was wrong and the picture was better with the [film sprocket] frame. I put it back of course.

—Knox