Thanks bigdaddy and nattfodd. Nattfodd, I am not sure how much slower you wanted the shutter speed. By my evaluation the water is blurred about as much as I wanted it to be.

I stopped posting here a while back because the rating system is so terribly out of whack with reality. This photograph, which has recieved in my opinion exceptionally low ratings, was one of the most popular I ever posted on my blog and I have had numerous requests for prints. But here, the collective tells me it is barely relevant, has little impact, was poorly composed, has shitty technique, and is overall just a touch better than average.

Well, I have given WS a lot of myself since joining some time back. I have rated (never gave a 1 to anyone and can count the 2's on two hands) and commented a lot. I have participated in the discussion groups. From the beginning I found the rating system unpalatable, but this is the last time. I am outta here. Taking my ball and bat an going home.

@forgingahead: I don't really know if having a longer shutter speed would have solved it, but I'm distracted by the reflection on the left on the frozen plant. Perhaps simply opening more would have resulted in the effect I am wanting (but hey, it's your photo).

Also, I hope it's not because of my comment that you're quitting WS...

nattfodd: not at all. My distaste for this site has a long history. I liked parts of it and have been an active participant in its development over at the google group discussion. But I fundamentally dislike any rating system that does not factor in the entire context of the photograph. While I really disagree with your negative comment about the shutter speed on this shot, I respect your opinion and your willingness to state it openly. No, it is not comments that drove me away. It is senseless rating. Brandon and others on this site argue that even with a relatively small nmber of ratings we are able to ascertain what they call the "collective subjective." I call that sophistry. I do not think we learn anything at all from anonymous ratings except that different people look at photographs differently. For example, you have just had a picture featured on this site. Personally I did not like that picture very much. I rated it pretty much threes across the board. Well obviously others thought differently. And that seems my major and never ending experience with Weekly Shots. My pictures, regardless of how well they have been recieved by others, inevitably get blasted here and quite often pictures that I find average seem to rise to the top.

I have been here since March and I have tried to be open-minded. I have tried to influence in the discussion group. But in the end, it is just not the site for me. It's really as simple as that.