@jamtaylor and @dek First of all get well soon jam. Second I'm a little disturbed by the controversy in the judging this week. People do understand the meaning of judgement call right? The fact that if we let everybody involved in the competitions judge we would likely have as many varied results as people judging.

I didn't have entries in this challenge because of the lack of autumn colors this time of year in my geographic area. That aside I would hate to see the photo challenge sunk by complaints about the judging. I'm certain this contest and the judging takes a lot of time and effort. I hope the community will echo me in thanking both of you for your time.

As for the interpretations used by the winning photos, I for one am glad interpretations are welcomed and rewarded. If we got 250 pictures of leaves on the ground or in trees that would be a rather stolid (strict) interpretation of "Autumn Foliage".

When it comes to these challenges I think the photographer should lean on "the exception proves the rule." The real sense of that phrase is in that the rules spell out what's allowed. The call for "autumn foliage" can be checked against. Would it be OK to submit a portrait with autumn foliage in it? Check! Because portraits were not specified in the criteria. So on so forth.

Please use your heads everybody. Autumn foliage could be artistically interpreted so many ways. I had half a mind to go to a crafts store and lay out some of the decorative leaves since we don't have fall colors where I live. That too wasn't specified against and I would feel slighted if disqualified for not being real foliage.

Let's not let this controversy hijack the creativity which makes this photo challenge such a special endeavor.

Steem on!