Please look at this post delineating the basic requirements of having an observation considered to become the Observation of the Month (Criteria).
Beyond the basic criteria, there are a few things which we take into consideration and which makes the observation more "usable" that are not listed. I came to this realization through a single insight, when considering which observation to use, I kept coming back to the same users. The reason that this was happening was not that they are better observations, but rather that they are more "usable" in the context that we post them.
So, here are a couple of additional suggestions, in order to make your observation more likely to be used as the header in a project (not just the Observation of the Month).
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SIZE matters: The projects on iNaturalist have a featured image. This image needs to be a certain size which is 760x320 pixels.
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Orientation: Note that the size is much wider than it is tall, hence the best way to take at least one of your observation pictures is in landscape format, or if you take it in portrait format make sure that there is a lot of space framing the subject (do this either way to make it more likely to get your picture used)
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Location: An editor of an umbrella project cannot see the location if it has been obscured. Unless you have a reason to do so, please do not obscure your observation.
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In Situ: At least one of your observation pictures should be taken, if possible, with the mushroom in it's natural state in the ground (or "in situ"). It is recommended to have measurements and tags in observations, but the observation is less likely to be used if at least one of the pictures does NOT have any of that.
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First Picture: Although many people find it easier to make the first observation picture the one that best identifies the mushroom, you do not need to do so. It is better, once you have satisfactorily identified the mushroom, to make your first picture the MOST INTERESTING photo. Many people, including myself, sometimes fall into the trap of judging the rest of your observation by looking at the first photo.
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Put your observations in projects: Don't forget to put your wonderful observations into projects. The umbrella project ONLY takes observations that have been put into either the of the official NYMS projects (https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/fungi-of-nyc-new-york-mycological-society or https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/fungi-beyond-nyc-new-york-mycological-society)
- More is better: The more observations you make, the more likely that one of your observations will be used (with your permission of course). So go out there and observe!
Remember that using Photoshop we can make the picture as large as we need it, so sometimes a picture farther away, and in focus is better.
I probably have missed some things, but if you follow your instincts, the rules on the criteria page and these suggestions, your observation may be the next one featured on the New York Mycological Society's Observation of the Month umbrella project!
