That makes sense, Crazymike. Something Prince Rupert-ish, but not some Prince Rupert cliché. Not an eagle, totem pole, or a rainbow 
A nice subtle photo-based banner at the top would be ok, especially if it could be changed easily.
Yeah that’s kind of what I was driving at. Avoid the standard stuff. I also like the idea of being able to change it out fairly easily as there are lots of budding photog’s in these forums and it might be nice to feature someone’s work if they come up with something great.
Yea. Absolutely. Of course, there are many ways of having a rotating header/banner that changes at the user-defined interval (Once a day, twice a day, each time the page is loaded, etc). 
Actually, with a rotating header, perhaps local photo-nuts could submit new ones for this site. What a way to get involved?..
So here’s something you could think about as well… Maybe re-think the layout of the front page? Right now the focus is on the recent topics and that works well, but I’d like to have a bigger “what’s new” box or area… where stuff could be highlighted, etc. Something like a miniblog.
Also, I want a pony for my birthday.
… Or a portal of sorts? Handy for those who enter a site and know where they’re going and for those new/er, who want to see “what’s up”, without being daunted by the site’s entire content, all at once.
Yeah, maybe a place that you could highlight 3 or 4 current topics or conversations.
Gosh, you know, you might want to consider, at some point, a move to Drupal. Not only is it superior in many ways to so many other CMS’s out there, but you’d be able to expand, without added confusion, HTMF. Then the forums, portal (and whatever else) would be a cinch. Anyhow. That’s another discussion, another thread, another time. hehe.
Ok Mig, here you go, put them in the closet until the big day…
Hey nauticalpixel, where did you go?
We’d like to know a little bit about you for our files
We’d like to help you learn to help yourself.
Look around you all you see are sympathetic eyes,
Stroll around the grounds until you feel at home.
Oh, Where have you gone, Nautical pixel guy,
Our forum turns it’s lonely eyes to you.
What’s that you say, Mrs. Robinson
Nautical pixel guy has left and gone away?
Hey hey hey.