- Hello I’m wondering if and why this does not count as a scenic view, safe for pedestrians, a good place to socialize and promote getting outside? It’s a community bench along the lakeside sidewalk at my apartment complex.
- Title: Legacy Waterview Bench
- Description and Supporting Information: A community bench on the waters edge / Community bench at Legacy apartments along the lakes edge. Plenty of ducks, water birds, and great views. Great place to stop and relax for a moment!
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Welcome to the forums 
Scenic views can be hard to get accepted by reviewers, partly because until recently (maybe two years ago), natural features were an explicit rejection reason.
Having an anchor - this bench - is a very good start. Without an anchor, it is even harder. If there are lots of other benches nearby, that is a negative.
If you want to post the full details of the submission, you might get some clearer advice.
That’s a lovely photo. I would recommend emphasizing the viewpoint over the bench, for example “Lake Whatever Scenic Viewpoint” and using the bench only as an anchor for the wayspot.
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Hello and thank you for your recommendations! I’m brand new to submitting wayspots so still learning. What Im understanding is the “anchor” being the bench but the view should be the main point/Title? There is only one other bench that is not currently a wayspot, however there are two “waterfront cooking areas” along the path but they are a good distance away, deeper into the complex. I know you said to supply more information about the submission and the only things I can think of that I didn’t cover is the tags; I put “bench” & “waterfront”.
I looked through some other posts about benches and scenic spots and it looks like I would just need to sell it as a viewpoint rather than just the bench if I wanted to try again. With this information and based on the pictures would you say it’s worth appealing and trying as a viewpoint?
Either appeal or resubmit. It depends on if you have lots of submission slots or nothing else to appeal.
For scenic views, an anchor very helpful. When you have one, usually a bench, it is normally best to make the view the focus or, as a minimum, call it something like 'Bench overlooking view towards xxxx". This acknowledges the bench but makes it more about the view. It also tells the reviewer that although the photo is of a bench, this isn’t all it is.
The bench is still important, as it is a great way to enjoy the view.
My first bench-with-a-view submission had a title of “Stone Seat above Llyn Ffynnon-y-gwas looking towards Yr Wyddfa”. The main photo was actually just of the stone seat, but for the supporting photo I went behind it (as you did). That one had an amazing view.
A more recent one (prepped but not submitted), I have again taken a photo of the seat but gone behind it again for the supporting photo (which involved clambering over a gate and using wide-angle to include the bench due to it nestling up against a dry-stone wall and being nearly invisible.
Other people may focus more on the view in the main photo. YMMV.
The “anchor” is an identifiable physical location that can be used to represent a large area as a wayspot. Basically, you want to put the pin in a place that both reviewers and players can find.
A post was merged into an existing topic: How to get a waystop accepted
Hello, I did submit an appeal because I think this is a good spot. Here is what I said in my appeal.
“I would like to change the title to Crystal Lake Viewpoint. I believe the focus should be the view and not the bench. The viewpoint has a perfect sight of the sunrise over our two complexes, and is always host to a variety of admirable wildlife such as ducks, herons, turtles, and fish. I believe the bench to be a good anchor point and there is also a bike rack adjacent to it. There is a waterview picnic area that has a grill, however it is a good distance away from this area and does not offer the best views, so I would not consider this a duplicate. I can retake pictures if necessary. Thank you!”
Please let me know your thoughts and if my appeal was appropriately worded, I tried to make it as descriptive and professional as possible!