The Art of Bonsai Project

I agree Mike, but if you, I or anyone knows of someone who has world class bonsai they should make it their mission to see they are entered, even if their trees are better than your trees, my trees, any-one's tree, even if it means you, me or someone has to take and post the pictures for them.
Dorthy: I am 61 years old and probably one of the oldest flatulent emissions doing bonsai today; at least that I know of personally. I learned how to go digital, how to work with a computer and how important good photos are to the art of Bonsai. Digital photography has become pretty simple and talk about cheap once you get past the equipment. I have a hard time buying the Old School argument that I am too old to learn this and that and everything else.

Vance, only 61??!! I'll turn 74 next month! A true flatus antiqua am I!!!
Mike

Mike's idea is excellent and what my club has done in the past. The Treasure Coast Bonsai Society had a tree photo night specifically to photograph trees for entering into the 2007 Walt Disney Epcot exhibit competition. The session was so successful over half the trees on the display this year will be from the Treasure Coast Club. All it takes is a little planning and a little caring. Caring on the part of the photographer and caring on the part of the exhibitor. I think the caring part is where many fall short.
In a effort to improve the photography of my trees I am setting up a "studio" in my garage and intend to invite my club members over to photograph their trees if desired. Hopefully the photos will look decent.
Not knowing how to use or having access to a digital camera still remains a poor excuse for not entering a competition.

Actually you don't need a digital camera either. A half way decent 35mm will do, provided the lighting is good and the focus sound. Once the film is exposed it can be processed and loaded onto a CD disc in JPEG format and downloaded from there. So still there is no real excuse other than laziness. Really; if you have the trees or know of someone who does, be a help--- or ask for help. This is a case where "Just Say NO" does not do the job.

The plot is thickening - some great trees are being entered.
So far with limited samples submitted I'd hazard an observation - it seems the North American trees are much more stylistically diverse. The European trees are good but seem similar stylewise. Of course only 8 trees from Europe have entered so far.
This competition may open some eyes all around the world.
Keep them coming!!!

You do have a point there, Rob. However, only trees from Italy were submited as european entries. It is natural that they are stylistically similar.
The british, the germans, the dutch and the austrians haven't yet come to play. I would expect some very good entries from the czecks and the polish too. And we also must leave some room for the surprises that might stem from other less bonsaistically known european countries.
...and lets not forget the array of style that a certain Austrian artist living near Munich can bring to the contest.
I believe (or better, I hope...) that in the end the style of the trees from both regions will be similarly diverse.
Pedro

I think that the delay in seing more European trees right now comes from the fact that their trees are barely coming out of winter dormancy, whereas in many parts of the US they are already in full swing.
Hopefully they will start coming in the month ahead.

For my part, I am waiting for the trees to develop their new leaves after winter dormancy, and preparing them for the contest (trimming leaves, correcting smaller branches, developing surface mosses i.e.) before entering the contest. The preparation of my bonsai begins some months before an exhibition in order to time it right. In this case, I wait for the best possible time to take the photographs, when the bonsai is presented at its best.
So I enter the contest later, when the trees are ready to show.

Regards
Morten Albek

Also,we have not seen the top trees from the States yet.I believe we will
get some great bonsai material in that will surprise all of us.
We need to keep motivating these artists to enter their trees,that's what
I think.
-dorothy

I think that the old hotly debated topic of European Artists being superior to North American Artists will finally see its end, with photographic proof that will be impossible to argue against.
The old excuses of different styles, different inspirations, and different species will no longer hold weight. The best artists will shine through the fog of words usually put forth whenever this debate is had.
As it stands now, North America has well over seven times the number of entries than Europe does and if the entries to date were scored today, Europe would no doubt be the clear winner by a landslide, in my opinion.

Will
(Edited to remove my nationalistic desires on a international forum, thanks Bruce)

Will says:
"As it stands now, North America has well over seven times the number of entries than Europe does and if the entries to date were scored today, Europe would no doubt be the clear winner by a landslide, in my opinion."
I came in after working on some trees, and read this. Sounds like our side is finito. Oh well.
Mike

Will said it was his opinion and we all know about those - everyone has one. I don't think it would be a landslide at all. And as they say on election day night - only a small percent of the precincts have reported in :) As spring progresses I expect that there will be a lot more entrants and that the sample sizes become statistically significant. Hopefully Will's attempt at reverse psychology doesn't dry up entrants. Meanwhile, I hope to enjoy the real purpose of the competiton - to see and enjoy photos of trees from the various regions.

Mike,
I am very much hoping to be wrong (I often am on such predictions) and please do not let my statement above discourage you in any way. Next week, the tables may very well be turned and I could be eating crow (wouldn't be the first time).
Also remember, I am not a judge, we have some of the best artists in the world judging this contest, they are far more qualified to score these remarkable entries than I could ever hope to be. They, of course, are refraining from making any comments in this thread for obvious reasons, but I am sure they have been watching the entries with a critical eye.
Rob called it right when he exposed my attempt at reverse psychology, it's hard to slide anything past that guy. He was also correctly stated that the real purpose of the competition is "to see and enjoy photos of trees from the various regions."
Above all else, this contest creates an opportunity to see some of the best trees in the world from these regions, that alone means more than any scores or national pride. We already have entries that are not seen often, if at all on the Internet and I fully expect many more of these entries as well.
One other thing, I really think we are going to be quite surprised before the contest is over, not only by the quality of entries, but by some of the entrants themselves.

Will

By the way, if there is any doubt about the intention of Will's "reverse psychology comments", I am pretty sure he meant something like this:
"Hey guys (North Americans), we are seing some really great European entries, threatening to blow us away, so let's show them that we are no pushovers".
It's all in good fun.

As of today we have recieved 57 North American entries and 13 European entries. I have five more North American entries to post today.
With a month left to enter, the contest is starting to heat up.
Good luck to all,

Will