I think random shots are fine if your just looking to participate. But as firewood said, the winners put some thought into thier photos. I can tell you one thing, a great camera isnt nessasary for a decient picture. Every photo i have submitted has been a crappy out of date cell phone picture. Lighting, position, and location are the most important things in a photo. Wether you plan on winning or not, I personally just like seeing people participating.