It’s been a while (you’ll have to go back to Contest Corner Challenge #73 to find the last time), but Spicoli finally picked up his twelfth CCC win with his fantastically creative entry “Ventos Tempus.” You can browse through the CCC#92 Photo Gallery to see who took each photograph, and the final voting results (Carl’s entry got over 22% of the votes) in the voting thread in the forums (we keep the voting private until a winner has been announced, of course).

The contest was again sponsored by our friends at DayMen Photo Marketing (an innovative manufacturer and distributor of high quality imaging products and accessories) and Acme Made (best known for incorporating innovative textiles and materials with contemporary styling to produce attractive bags, cases and sleeves for laptops, eReaders, smart phones, and digital cameras). Since Carl is, of course, a Premiere Member, he will receive an Acme Made Laptop Sleeve or an Acme Made Kindle Hardback Folio case.

Make sure to drop by the award thread to see a larger version of the winning photograph, and to congratulate Carl on his twelfth CCC win (and someone ask him how he set up the shot - it’s pretty interesting).

If you've been around the Corner for any length of time, you're well familiar with our Friday afternoon tradition of posting up a photographer interview. One week we meet a photographer from SmugMug in a series called "SmugMug Corner" (obviously), and on alternate Friday's, we get to know one of our own from the Corner a little better in a series we call "Corner Member Close Up." This week, we meet Carl Chalupa - known around the Internets as "Chiller" and known around the Corner as Spicoli. Either way, he's known for being a "little too into Halloween," but that only adds to his photographic prowess. He won Photograph of the Month honors (back in April 2006), and ELEVEN Contest Corner Challenges. He's pushing 7,000 posts here on the Corner, is ever improving and always willing to comment and critique. Needless to say, he's a huge asset to the Corner. I know you want to know more about him and browse through more than two dozen of his favorite photographs... keep reading - it's all below.

We’ve just announced the winner of the 73rd Contest Corner Challenge. That means, over the past almost-six years, we’ve run over six dozen Contest Corner Challenges. And from those 73 contests, Spicoli (Carl) has won eleven of those - that’s 15%!! You heard read that right, Carl won Contest Corner Challenge #73: April Showers… with his photograph “Flower Drops” (pictured right), marking his 11th CCC win. And he’s not even a “professional” photographer; he’s got a day job, and just takes photographs for fun - just a regular ol’ amateur photographer (albeit a fantastic one).

You can check out Carl’s winning photograph in the CCC#73: April Showers… Photo Gallery, and see the final voting results (Carl’s photo received almost 22% of the votes from 21 qualifying entries) in the CCC#73 voting thread. Then, make sure to stop by the award thread to congratulate Carl on yet another CCC victory.

The contest was sponsored by our good friends at Daymen Photo Marketing, who have awarded Carl with a Lowepro Camera bag for his victory (he also picks up some extra PhotographyCorner Pens).

Congratulations on your eleventh win, Carl!! Next one makes an even dozen!

Although there weren’t many entries, Contest Corner Challenge #70: Shopping didn’t fail to deliver some fantastic photographs. With 9 entries, the reigning Contest Corner Challenge Champion Carl Chalupa (aka Spicoli) picked up his TENTH CCC victory with his photograph titled “The Christmas Rush.”

Garnering almost 40% of the votes (check out the final voting results here), and his first CCC win in almost 2 years, Carl finally hit double digits running away with CCC#70. Since Carl is obviously a Premiere Member, he picks himself up a Lowepro Nova 180 AW camera bag courtesy of Daymen Photo Marketing.

Check out the 9 entries in the CCC#70: Shopping Photo Gallery, and be sure to congratulate Carl on his tenth CCC win in the award thread.

While I’m still technically on vacation, I’m now back from my week of internet exhile (I was on Mayne Island off the coast of British Columbia, Canada - no internet access). I promised my wife (and myself) that I wouldn’t work too much while on vacation, so I’m trying to get the essentials done, and I’ll start on the catch-up process when I get back to the office at the beginning of August. This, however, couldn’t wait. I always hand out the bling in the middle of the month before the Corner Newsletter goes out. This month, the newsletter will be late going out (in case you hadn’t noticed), so the bling is late too. There’s only 1 person receiving bling this month, and it’s none other than our Contest Corner Challenge machine: Spicoli, reaching the 5,000 post milestone with a grand total of NINE Contest Corner Challenge wins… Wow. Thanks to everyone who continues to contribute to the Corner, and congratulations to Carl who is receiving the award below.

Think back. Think way, way back. All the way back to Contest Corner Challenge #34: Product Placement (yeah, I realize that was back in June of 2007). Remember now? Carl (aka Spicoli) won (not that the fact that he won particularly narrows it down all that well) with a shot (to the right) of an Aquafina water bottle in front of a waterfall. Beautiful photograph, right? In fact, it was so good, BottedWaterWorld Magazine contacted me shortly after the contest was over…

I’m trying not to sound like a broken record here, but Spicoli has won Contest Corner Challenge #45: Musical Visualizations. This marks his NINTH (yes, 9th!!!) CCC victory, giving him a full one-fifth of the CCC’s since we started them 3+ years ago.

While the contest may have been called CCC#40: Trick or Treat, I kid you not, Spicoli has won again. This makes a total of 8 (yes EIGHT) CCC wins for Carl. That means he’s now won 20% of the CCC’s on the site. Is anyone else going to step up and dethrone him?

…Guess. Seriously. Close your eyes and think to yourself “Who won Contest Corner Challenge #39: Bring on the Night?”

• I’ll give you a hint. The winner is a “he.”

• Another hint? He’s Canadian.

• Still need a hint? He is way too into Halloween.

• Last hint: This is his seventh CCC win.

I’m beginning to feel like I’m repeating myself over and over again, but Carl has pulled off another CCC win, easily taking Contest Corner Challenge #34: Product Placement with his photograph titled Aquafina “The Taste of Purity”.

Spicoli has won his FOURTH Contest Corner Challenge. Yes, you heard me right, the winner of Contest Corner Challenge #30: In the Water was Toronto’s very own Carl Chalupa.