Serious WPO Question

I have an important WPO matter that I would like advice on. Two people from other places have said that the WPO site and the Macro Contest site look freaky or like a hoax. One said the WPO site is not professional.

As WPO is a work in progress and I value the opinions of all of you, I would like your thoughts. Are the sites cartoonish? Do they look that bad? What could I do to improve them?

Now for another question. When I built WPO in my mind it was not meant to be competitive with PPA or similar pro sites. My goal was to give serious, aspiring photographers a solid place to go to improve their abilities and to mingle with pros. This is still what I would like to see WPO be. I don’t want the corporate stuffed-shirt approach. Who cares if you have won an award in Boston or sold a print for $400? Okay, they matter, but my point is this: our photographers should be judged on their intent, interest, and desire—not on their cash deposits as a pro photographer.

Maybe I should put a spin on WPO to indicate that we are Renegades with a Cause. This could be serious photographers who shoot for great results without the peer pressure of my lens is longer than yours.

I have good gear now, but when I was working mainstream photography I had semi-pro gear (Canon A-1s and Canon lenses, but not F-1s or L lenses). Owning the equipment is only a portion of what is required to create fantastic photos.

Please advise me of your opinions for how I can make WPO better and larger for all of us.

Thank you.

Dodge