Shay, I know it's a lot of work, but will you be providing feedback for those of us that didn't get through? It seems to me like we need it more than those who did!
Emily
I will, later tonight most likely. I need a chunk of uninterrupted time.
Creator of Dgrin's "Last Photographer Standing" contest
"Failure is feedback. And feedback is the breakfast of champions." - fortune cookie
I would and do now, I made the mistake of taking this approach in the past, because you get a selection of opinions, it tends to water down your own, puttings seeds of doubt in your mind where previously there were none.
I now realise that I discounted some of the better pictures I'd taken due to feedback received from the forum.
Charlie, I have to say I agree with you that while the photos chosen were beautiful for the most part, I did not feel that they either expressed Joy or Sorrow nor did they evoke that feeling in me.
I had a lot more typed in, but it just sounds like whining and sour grapes.... Suffice it to say that I agree with you and know exactly where you're coming from.
Thanks goodness for that, whilst I derive some enjoyment from being contrary, it does get a little lonely at times.
I know what you mean about the sour grapes, push past it (I don't care who I upset anymore, life's too short.) If you have an opinion or feel wronged, post, it all adds to the debate.
I agree whole heartedly! Despite the dashing of hopes on a biweekly basis, the challenges still remain my main inspiration for shooting and I've already got a great collection of shots!
I'm caught up in the idea that qualifying for a SF will provide some validation for me as a photographer and prove that I've actually grown.
Elaine,
Anyone taking a trip through your galleries would tell you that you have no reason to feel poorly about your photography. You do not need to qualify for an SF in order to have confidence in your work. You might approach round 8 in a different way by totally shying away from posting some choices for review. No matter how it comes out, I'd guess you'll feel better about your own work for having done that.
I would and do now, I made the mistake of taking this approach in the past, because you get a selection of opinions, it tends to water down your own, puttings seeds of doubt in your mind where previously there were none.
I now realise that I discounted some of the better pictures I'd taken due to feedback received from the forum.
Charlie
Here's my take:
If you post to photos for opinions and the forum favorite is not the same as yours I think the right answer is to take both opinions seriously. It is possible, but unliklely, that both shots are clear winners, so the the sensible conclusion is that neither is a clear winner. When you are in that situation, second guessing the particular judging pool to determine which is the better entry is hopeless. If you have time, the best answer is to keep shooting until you do have a clear winner. Otherwise, flip a coin, hope for the best and move on to the next round.
Thanks goodness for that, whilst I derive some enjoyment from being contrary, it does get a little lonely at times.
I know what you mean about the sour grapes, push past it (I don't care who I upset anymore, life's too short.) If you have an opinion or feel wronged, post, it all adds to the debate.
Charlie
...and I have to say I totally agree with you. I, too had a crying child (7weeks old so they were real tears) but when I looked at it I thought that is sadness not sorrow.....how does a 7 week old or young child know sorrow?
We had 2 weddings ....hopefully a joyous experience, a child in a diaper and sandals screaming with joy playing in a fountain, the umbrella maker, the joy the little soccer players were exhibiting and then 2 little girls with hair covering their faces so you cannot tell what their expressions were joy or sorrow.....go figure the selection.
It is not crying out sour grapes but rather crying out after seven rounds....joy/happiness or sorrow/sadness, enter the best photograph that we think will meet the topic or try to figure out the judges??
Elaine,
Anyone taking a trip through your galleries would tell you that you have no reason to feel poorly about your photography. You do not need to qualify for an SF in order to have confidence in your work. You might approach round 8 in a different way by totally shying away from posting some choices for review. No matter how it comes out, I'd guess you'll feel better about your own work for having done that.
Thank you, and you are right. I should not need to qualify for an SF in order to have confidence in my work. If I can see improvement and enjoy making photos and those near and dear to me can see it and enjoy my work, then I am a successful photographer...chronicler of my family and times.
If I do enter #8, I probably won't solicit opinions before I enter. Even if 20 people told me they thought my pic was a contender, it really wouldn't matter. It would be nice to hear and all, but as far as LPS goes, the few people on the judges panel will be making that decision, and I have no real idea what they are bringing to the table as far as theme interpretation. So, if I choose to enter, I'd better enter something I like, that moves me, and not take it personally if it doesn't move those few judges.
When I held one of the honorable judge's seats, my first criteria was whether or not it fit one of the themes. I went with fairly traditional definitions of the themes, and then I looked at the photos to see what moved me. Along with that, I considered the technical aspects. There were certainly photos I liked better on their own merit that I did not include in my top 10 because to me, they did not fit a theme as strongly as another one. I don't know how all the other judges have decided to operate, but it's quite clear that theme interpretation and what moves people make for some very broad results!
This all brings me back to what inspires me to shoot on a regular basis. Documenting for my family? Yes. Sharing bits of my life with others? Yes. Giving my family and friends joy by taking their photos? Yes. Attempting to capture beauty around me? Yes. Improving my skills and techniques so I can do the first four things better? Yes. And that's where LPS and DGrin fit in for me...improving skills and techniques. A small portion of that could include shooting for a themed contest, but since I want to enter an "inspired" photo in a contest, I need to keep shooting what's important to me, theme worthy or not. It's fun to keep the themes in mind, but I don't always have the time to seek something out that specific. Since I got my best result so far by entering a photo I took before I had a chance to read the themes, I think I will stick to that path for now.
Apologies for being so verbose.
Elaine
Comments and constructive critique always welcome!
Lps7 Winners...congratulations...
What a great catagory...made everyone think...not as many entries as LPS6...
Congratulations to the advancers...and to everyone else that chose to exercise their minds and entertain us with some very clever shots...
Some that I picked didn't get into the top ten...but, they are still my favorites...so, for those of you who didn't get top 10...it's all opinion.
Shay...thanks for your feed back last time...and I'm looking forward to it again. I take every bit of advice like a hot tip at the track.
Remember, no one may want you to take pictures, but they all want to see them. Educate yourself like you'll live forever and live like you'll die tomorrow.
When I held one of the honorable judge's seats, my first criteria was whether or not it fit one of the themes. I went with fairly traditional definitions of the themes, and then I looked at the photos to see what moved me. Along with that, I considered the technical aspects. There were certainly photos I liked better on their own merit that I did not include in my top 10 because to me, they did not fit a theme as strongly as another one. I don't know how all the other judges have decided to operate, but it's quite clear that theme interpretation and what moves people make for some very broad results!
...and I have to say I totally agree with you. I, too had a crying child (7weeks old so they were real tears) but when I looked at it I thought that is sadness not sorrow.....how does a 7 week old or young child know sorrow?
Maureen
Quite, but there you go, those are the vagaries of the Dgrin LPS competition.
If a young child cannot know sorrow, then he certainly cannot know joy--right? When is the magical age when their emotions start to count for something deep and true?
This is not an objective game. It was never intended as such. Emotions are all relative to the person feeling them. How can anyone--with any degree of accuracy--qualify another's interpretation of emotion?
I think others have mentioned this, but it was my understanding that the goal was to evoke either sorrow or joy in the viewer. Therefore their would not be a need for a 7-week old to feel sorrow in order to compy with the rules - only that the viewer, upon seeing the unhappy 7-week old feel sorrow.
I think others have mentioned this, but it was my understanding that the goal was to evoke either sorrow or joy in the viewer. Therefore their would not be a need for a 7-week old to feel sorrow in order to compy with the rules - only that the viewer, upon seeing the unhappy 7-week old feel sorrow.
Were that the case, and I'm not sure it is, would you not require some sort of context to feel sorrow rather than simply sympathy or empathy? After all sorrow is normally associated with loss or bereavement, a child crying, with no context would give no indication of this.
For me context is they key, as demonstrated in Nikolai's image.
Hmmm sometimes, I wonder how a child feels sorrow.
When a child is still to young to experience and/or know the concept that entails such a broad view of "Sorrow".
Most children visually and and behaviorally express their emotions as they have no concept of "definitions"
So in reality it comes down to what "knowing" adults perceive when viewing the moment, and how we interpret it.
I thought this contest was to bring out the juices of the photographer in Creativity, Composition, and Techs, all that is involved in being a great photographer?
Ok I'm a bit confused now with all of this after taking classes for all the technical aspects of photography, so I could understand the rules and break them artiscally, so that my photos would not be just considered "snapshots for the family album".
Just my opinion...
PS: Haven't some of the best photos posted here been badly critiqued due to Crop, Contrast, Not enough color too muted, Not enough or No focal point such as in panning images, No or wrong interpretation of the theme..so it is being said now that pictures were critiqued wrongly and now pictures are only being judged by what the judges "like"???
and I will add, YES "LIKE" does come into play, but should NOT come before theme interpretation, composition, quality and techs are looked at and judged, I mean this is a competition isn't it??
As I stated before, glad to see other thoughts relating to my previous thread entry
Have A GREAT Day everyone, this has been a FABULOUS Thread!! Love a Good Debate..
You're only as good as your next photo....
One day, I started writing, not knowing that I had chained myself for life to a noble but merciless master. When God hands you a gift, he also hands you a whip; and the whip is intended solely for self-flagellation...I'm here alone in my dark madness, all by myself with my deck of cards --- and, of course, the whip God gave me." Truman Capote
For me context is they key, as demonstrated in Nikolai's image.
I must totally thank Shay for this, since he pretty much suggested to involve the viewer to invoke the emotion, not just try to capture it.
In my case the viewer is an all-important and key part of a triangle.
An adult male sitting on a bed, and a few pieces of attire do no do much on their own. Only the viewer's mind makes the link and thus completes the picture.
Funny thing: I posted the image on another forum with primarily non-US (and mostly european) audience. Almost nobody "got" it, and I mean - at all
Speaking of "the eye of the beholder"...
From reading other feedback threads from previous rounds, there were photo's that were discounted or not selected for the sole purpose of it not fitting with the theme. But then other rounds there are photos that don't really fit the theme either but are in the top 10. I think what it all really boils down to, like it or not, is the personal taste of the judges. How else can the inconsistency be explained?
The analogy of being a professional photographer has been used before. If you had a client and the client said I want to see this or that theme in the photos, then that is your challenge: capture that theme in a way that will make the client happy. In the case of these contests, there are multiple judges, so there are multiple clients (with different tastes) for your ONE photo. Does your photo fit the theme? Depends on what judge you ask. So it's a crapshoot really.
Just enter a photo if you have the time and see what happens. After all it's a free contest - what do you have to lose? (don't say "time is money". Cameras are money. You spent a lot of money on a camera so you might as well use it)
Kids have not been taught yet by the world to mask any of their emotions, but there is no doubt in my mind that every emotion resides already in their souls in the very purest sense. It is only logical to me therefore that their expression of any emotion is of the purest kind. Why do we suppose then that they are the focus of practically every entry in the lot!? I admit how absolutely uncreatively methodical I can be. In that light, I wish I had been able to find an adult who came before me without an entirely flat face. The kids just plain ruled when I had the glass in my hand.
Even my own expressed opinions have changed, for I returned from three weeks abroad this weekend, and in the baggage claim was a serviceman returning home to his family. Had I had my camera out to record the scene, I would have had the most joyous image ever, in black and white, as sort of joy out of sadness, so you see....... I'll allow you all to imagine it for yourselves!
For future rounds, certainly if I sense that there be in the judges a level of magnetism toward vice, then I will make sure to never again enter a non-focal-point-panned-image-with-muted-and-subdued-color photo. I will prop myself up by remembering, from my Tri-X days, that I am only as bad as my last negative!
I don't want to fall out with you, but you've singularly failed to understand the point I'm making.
Furthermore, part of the reason I'm angry, is because once you've entered a competition and lost, it's difficult to criticise that competition without accusations of sour grapes.
I don't appreciate the ludicrous way in which the word 'interpretation' is bandied around in this competition and used as an excuse for entering images not related to the theme.
Charlie
No fall out - and no big deal either -- I do understand your point I just failed to acknowledge it - I will interpret this answer as a YES if you had placed, you would still be just as angry and mystified at the way the top 10 is picked by different tastes, opinions and yes even interpretations. Like I said the first time each of us is moved to think of an image in a different way.
As photographers or dare I say artists we all see things differently and that is what makes it all interesting, we don't all have the same views.
even the point you are trying to illicit is going to have differences of opinions and I do not have to agree or disagree with you to still appreciate your viewpoint and that you as an individual has an opinion that is just as important and valid as the rest of the groups opinions.
Like Shay mentioned please do not stay away for the sake of how a theme is played out. Shoot for yourself and stick to your ideas. that is how you will feel at peace with the contest. Knowing you did what you wanted not what you thought others wanted.
Our life experiences flavor our interpretations of the themes. I think it is unreasonable to expect judges to view every piece of art by dictionary definition alone. How boring would that be? One can look at (for instance) "Unfair" and see varying reasons as to why that child is crying. Could be just unhappy to many, could come across as a spoilt brat to others, but to a person whose parents divorced at an early age (and yes, children at that age are aware of missing parents) it would be a sorrowful situation indeed....is not divorce a loss to a child? So of course our experiences make my choice for the top ten different than yours!
This is pretty much what I was trying to say. Thanks for rounding it out.
As photographers or dare I say artists we all see things differently and that is what makes it all interesting, we don't all have the same views.
Like Shay mentioned please do not stay away for the sake of how a theme is played out. Shoot for yourself and stick to your ideas. that is how you will feel at peace with the contest. Knowing you did what you wanted not what you thought others wanted.
Kudos Sherstone, not everyone is going to agree all the time!!
I believe some famous professor once said this is how we differ from our four legged friends...The ability to think, and express...:D
I personally can't wait to see the next round of photos...It is going to be EXPLOSIVE...We might get to see another "Ballistic Blueberry" again (loved that shot) lol Then I can't wait to read the Feedback comments...(tee hee tee hee tee hee):ivar
Donna
You're only as good as your next photo....
One day, I started writing, not knowing that I had chained myself for life to a noble but merciless master. When God hands you a gift, he also hands you a whip; and the whip is intended solely for self-flagellation...I'm here alone in my dark madness, all by myself with my deck of cards --- and, of course, the whip God gave me." Truman Capote
Just enter a photo if you have the time and see what happens. After all it's a free contest - what do you have to lose? (don't say "time is money". Cameras are money. You spent a lot of money on a camera so you might as well use it)
The following is my personal feedback on all the entries:
Post# - Photog - Title
3 - m&m - The Summertime Pleasure
I am not a big watermelon eater, so there was not an immediate reaction for me upon seeing the melon, however, I would have enjoyed it more had the melon been faced better to the viewer, swap some of the space given to the background for more of the red melon flesh. The piece taken out is barely noticeable.
4 - menebo - The Eyes Have It
It feels too close to me as if I am in the child's personal space. A vertical crop keeping the left side might work better.
5 - Tentacion - Dear John......
I really like the concept, but the Dear John part of the letter needs to be more visible and readable for the viewer to quickly put the scene into context.
6 - f00sion - Joy or Sorrow?
This one makes me think. Well done. It is captivating and subtle.
7 - vandana - "Singing in the rain"
My first smile! And good job on the rain. I felt this one.
8 - Greensquared - Our Baby
This is another one of those subtle photos that made me stop and think. Some better composition would help add impact though. A lot of space is spent on the foreground, but it is the background that would give this photo more context. Perhaps a bit more horizontal separation between the background element as well, they line up on the left side as if they were one unit.
9 - pyroPrints.com - Can I have my bone back? PLEASE???
I am not a pet person, so perhaps this is my failing, but I can't see emotion here. Now had there been a bone in the foreground, that might combine with the title to make it work better for the pet challenged ;-)
10 - GREAPER - Another Exciting Day
Points for irony! But this is the farthest thing from an emotion for me.
11 - bfjr - Why you So Crabby?
Love the closeup. But a crab has even less emotion than a sleeping monkey hehehe. But it is a lovely photo otherwise.
12 - anwmn1 - It's Over
Love the selective focus work here. A 10:4 pano crop would be interesting and a good use of space here.
13 - pemmett - Umbrella Maker
Wonderful face! This is a great portrait. For me it didn't push into the level of joy for me though. But it was close. Great work.
14 - quark - Lost Comrades
I like the concept but the cemetery frame for me has too much grass space. Changing your angle to fill the frame with more grave markers would have more impact I think.
15 - HoofClix - Miss Wu Ling's Flight
Perfect!
16 - chertioga - flowers
It is a fun peekaboo shot, but I don't quite get it. There is something roundish in the background that is stealing my attention away, so do watch your backgrounds. If the concept were stronger for me, I might be too engaged to notice the background.
17 - tlee - Forever Gone
At first glance this comes across powerful. But the second glance doesn't show in the eyes for me the emotion of the face and hands. I like the lighting, but with the eyes not pulling their weight, I am left wanting to see the scene from further away and not so close.
18 - bgaras2001 - Remebered
This is interesting. When I scroll down to view the photo, at first I think I am seeing a movie poster for some chain gang cop movie or military drill sargent. It is only at the end do I see the the grave marker. The stance doesn't fit the scene for me. A shot from the front might have been more effective in letting the body communicate an emotion than from behind in this case.
19 - DRabbit - Father & Son
Two thing here I notice, the face seems to be communicating pain more than an emotion, not knowing the youngster, and secondly, the look into the camera is pulling me out of sympathetic feeling too. If he were looking at his father, there might be more of an emotional connection with the photo, more interaction.
20 - Swartzy - Beaming Delight
Love this one, and that tshirt is awesome! It just suffers by a fraction of a second bad timing for the position of the child's face. If I could see more of that happy face being happy, it would have work much better for me.
21 - jeffa - The Bag
Camera equipment has even less than emotion than a crab, though not by much hehehe. But be that as it is, product facing is important here. The upside down coken label, the haphazard neckstrap placement, and the quick release being visible all drag the photo down and make for an unpleasant product shot.
22 - JillG - A letter
Very nice setup, but here too, the letter carries the show to establish context for the supporting actors of the ring, photo, and heartbroken woman in the background. They all depend on the letter to quickly set the scene, and it being unreadable makes the shot not work for me.
23 - espinozzi - Sweet joy
Great reactions, a recessional is a great opportunity for emotional shots and you got a really good one here. One tip that makes these hit home even stronger is capturing that look when the bride and groom are looking at each other as they walk up that aisle. But this is very well done.
24 - LiquidAir - Air Rocket
Great expression! A vertical crop keeping the left side and stopping at or before the ear looks very nice and is also complementary to the direction of travel of the projectile.
25 - Elaine - Sand Angel
When it comes to action, go for full extension! It looks dynamic and tends to control motion blur too. Not saying motion blur is bad or undesirable here though. But full extension would have more pop and zaz.
26 - Janie - Remember
This photo says it all, but the impact is lessened with all the black background, consider a vertical crop that discards the left and right sides and the photo may feel more intimate.
27 - WildWally - All PACKED!!
Cropping would help this a little. Consider cropping some of the left and top of the photo. A view emphasizing where he has come seems to have more meaning than a view of where he is going. As is both coming and going are represented and the result visually is that he is going nowhere, and the lack of dynamics leave me a little flat.
28 - sherstone - Never too old for bubbles
Fun, intimate, and lovely. It just didn't cross the border into joy for me.
29 - Zanotti - LPS Joy
That is a nice catch! But I see mild surprise more than joy. I can't pinpoint why it is not doing much for me, but it's not doing much for me.
30 - nelsonstuff - "Our Little Pot Head"
Very cute. I would have liked to see the reaction when the pan came down more than the title pun though :-)
31 - MaxThompson - didn't need that...damm
Kind of cough between themes. I am not seeing or feeling the emotion here.
32 - flybynight - Alone
Love the setup! If the head were looking down more, it would communicate an emotion better. It could be confused with fatigue as is. But a very striking photo.
33 - s.shinjin - Life is so good!
So a crab, a monkey, and a horse walk into a bar...hehehe. The horse has more emotion than a crab, but the monkey wins because it at least could be confused with boredom. hehehe sorry.
34 - leaforte - Fare Thee Well
Not enough visible emotion here.
35 - indiegirl - There Were Never Such Devoted Sisters
Holy Macaroni!
36 - mycaptures - Must Have Been A Good One
Sweet mercy!
37 - latoga - Crying Over Spilt Milk
Feels a bit too close, but, the far eye should probably be seen more fully or not at all. Let's hope she is watching a sunset and not a nuclear meltdown or something. A bit more visual context would help.
38 - Fishead - 2 smiles,released fish.
Huge fish but not a corresponding display of emotion for a or empathetic response from a non-fisher.
39 - sunione - Last Day At The Lake
It has an ominous look and is close to what I think you wanted to convey, but I sense danger more than anything.
40 - Capulina - Sorrowful reminder
This photo needs some human interaction to bring the emotional touch to it, to bring it home if you will. As is, it feels more museum-ish and not personal and touching.
41 - saurora - Bee-dazzling!
Bright and cheery. It just fell short of tipping the scales to joy for me though. But it was close and is a wonderful photo regardless.
42 - Strikeslip - Just One Tear
Very cool. Looks a little too much like fresh water, but wonderful concept and execution.
43 - PaulThomasMcKee - The Exuberance of Flight!
Sweet!!!
44 - eoren1 - Fountain Fun
Hehehe too cute. Great expression and nice action too.
45 - dance444ever - Finally.........Land!
The left and top portions of the photo lower the compositional appeal, and the lack of emotion of any kind does too. I would have to place the bird between the crab and the camera equipment on the emotion scale
46 - NanaMo - Catching air!!!
Action away from the camera is tough to make compelling. The digital noise in the background helps to conceal, but a camera angle and direction change would have worked even better. If the scene were captured from the direction of the parked van, it would look more dynamic and we might have seen some emotion too if it were present.
47 - photogmomma - At last!
Intimate and happy. I like the hand in the vest too!
48 - Nikolai - This Bird Has Flown
This is a great photo. The story develops as you study it. The first thing I noticed was the hand and face working in concert to convey an emotion. Then my eye spotted the graduation hat and it all came home. Well done.
49 - vt1122 - The Joy Of Victory
Great reactions! A tighter crop might add to the reactions.
50 - jwear - Both
Subtle and funny, but a bit too subtle. I passed it by the first time without getting it.
51 - JFreeman - Forgotten
I really like the concept here. But the tears are just below my threshold of noticing them on the first pass. Had they been a bit easier to see thing may have been different.
52 - Ed911 - Guess Who's Getting a Pony
hehehe. Had I not read the title I would not know for sure if she were scarred, had just stubbed her toe, or just got a pony. The gray background strips out any chance for context too that might help the viewer be able to decide.
53 - docphoto - Pool in the summer!
Fun, but the expression is hidden behind the splash too much.
54 - nikos - Unfair
55 - shatch - Around the Sage Brush
Very cute. Didn't quite hit joy for me, but it was close and is a wonderful photo regardless.
56 - DaveK - Boys of Summer
Would have been more powerful if the background was showing what the telescope were looking at. Without that context, the scene looks a bit generic.
57 - ultravox - Seeds of life.
I am afraid I have to put the wheat between the bird and the camera equipment on the emotion scale. Promotion for the bird!!!
58 - fmkjr - Life isnt fair!
The shot lacks context. What just happened that makes life unfair? And try to avoid cropping at joints. Above or below a joint tends to look better as general rule.
59 - aquilalux - Fallen Angel
I can't tell if I am looking at a joy or a sorrow photo. There are not enough visual clues and the title isn't helping.
60 - padu - Can you fix my tooth? Please?
Looks more angry than anything.
61 - 3phase - When No One's Looking
Not much visual emotion here in my view.
62 - adpace - The light of my life
Good expression and I like the vintage feel to it, but maybe a bit dark and it stylistically clashes with the bright mood portrayed.
63 - Xia_Ke - In Hindsight
Love the look. Doesn't hit me with emotion but it's a great photo.
64 - tsk1979 - Will you marry me?
Love the moment, but the selective color treatment competes with the expression and weakens the impact of the moment. The shirt and wine glasses don't need to be in color.
65 - jkenzie - Brothers Love
Nice moment, but doesn't look like peak moment to me. The eyes should probably more open or more fully closed for maximum impact.
66 - drdane - Mom Brought a Bug!
It's a very lovely photo, and my wife tells me that it works for her for the theme, and clearly it did for others as well. It doesn't resonate with me, but is a very good photo.
67 - Robert - Midsummer Sunset
Perhaps too dark to convey a joyful feeling, and I am not quite feeling sorrow either.
68 - Aurora - Havin' a Blast in AK!
It would have looked like more fun to see them come through the water. As is, the action is over and it feels incomplete.
69 - thebigsky - Smile and the World smiles with you
Magic! Those two little teefers are sooooo cute!
70 - Flyinggina - June 17, 1972
Visually it is very busy which lessons it's impact for the viewer.
71 - Tricia - Pure Joy
Love the scene, but the blur in the background is really poorly executed.
72 - sunita - Newest girl in my life
Congratulations :-)
73 - Eric&Susan - First Haircut
Love it, but hair dressers face should be visible. It can still be blurred out, as the boys face is the subject, but the context added by having the head of the hair dresser visible is incomparable. It takes more work to balance the two, but the results can be magical. A synergy that is greater than the sum of the parts.
74 - arctic-moose - Brain Freeze!!!
The image quality is really bad. And the concept was not well executed, the dog looks like it is attacking the cup.
75 - picswithjan - Poppy Joy
Nice time of day to shoot, but the lighting angle is pretty flat which hide the angle and does not accentuate the flowers as well as if the sun were more to the side of the camera, or maybe even better yet in front of the camera.
76 - Tessa HD - life is good
It sure is! I wish I were there. But didn't move into the joy range for me.
77 - synature - The joy of dance
Nice action, but feels timed wrong. The arms would be best represented away from the body as the fabric is. One complementing the other and both lending the idea of movement and action. When it comes to action, think extension.
78 - lynnesite - Sand Bath Bliss (Watch & Learn!)
Perhaps a joy only a horse can appreciate ;-) Lovely photo!
79 - -
My thread closing post. It felt short and not clever enough. I have seen me post better in the past. Consider adding something witty for more contest closing impact next time.
80 - Ann McRae - First Time Driving
Talk about waiting to the very last second. Between my last post and closing the thread I think there was maybe 10 seconds window there!
Good action in the arm steering, but the wheels feel accidentally cut off, and the emotion is rather weak.
81 - gfxartist - Higher!
Nice action, but the emotion doesn't beam through like the sunbeam illuminating the scene. But it is a lovely photo.
Creator of Dgrin's "Last Photographer Standing" contest
"Failure is feedback. And feedback is the breakfast of champions." - fortune cookie
Thanks Shay and thank you all for all the time and energy you spent in formulating these critiques. I learn a little more each round after reading them....positive or negative, they all give me insight as to how others might perceive an image differently than I do.
Comments
I will, later tonight most likely. I need a chunk of uninterrupted time.
"Failure is feedback. And feedback is the breakfast of champions." - fortune cookie
www.tippiepics.com
Thanks goodness for that, whilst I derive some enjoyment from being contrary, it does get a little lonely at times.
I know what you mean about the sour grapes, push past it (I don't care who I upset anymore, life's too short.) If you have an opinion or feel wronged, post, it all adds to the debate.
Charlie
If only people would stop pestering you
Kudos to Shay for the work he puts in!
Charlie
I agree whole heartedly! Despite the dashing of hopes on a biweekly basis, the challenges still remain my main inspiration for shooting and I've already got a great collection of shots!
Emily
Elaine,
Anyone taking a trip through your galleries would tell you that you have no reason to feel poorly about your photography. You do not need to qualify for an SF in order to have confidence in your work. You might approach round 8 in a different way by totally shying away from posting some choices for review. No matter how it comes out, I'd guess you'll feel better about your own work for having done that.
www.HoofClix.com / Personal Facebook / Facebook Page
and I do believe its true.. that there are roads left in both of our shoes..
Here's my take:
If you post to photos for opinions and the forum favorite is not the same as yours I think the right answer is to take both opinions seriously. It is possible, but unliklely, that both shots are clear winners, so the the sensible conclusion is that neither is a clear winner. When you are in that situation, second guessing the particular judging pool to determine which is the better entry is hopeless. If you have time, the best answer is to keep shooting until you do have a clear winner. Otherwise, flip a coin, hope for the best and move on to the next round.
...and I have to say I totally agree with you. I, too had a crying child (7weeks old so they were real tears) but when I looked at it I thought that is sadness not sorrow.....how does a 7 week old or young child know sorrow?
We had 2 weddings ....hopefully a joyous experience, a child in a diaper and sandals screaming with joy playing in a fountain, the umbrella maker, the joy the little soccer players were exhibiting and then 2 little girls with hair covering their faces so you cannot tell what their expressions were joy or sorrow.....go figure the selection.
It is not crying out sour grapes but rather crying out after seven rounds....joy/happiness or sorrow/sadness, enter the best photograph that we think will meet the topic or try to figure out the judges??
Keep "snapping"
Maureen
Thank you, and you are right. I should not need to qualify for an SF in order to have confidence in my work. If I can see improvement and enjoy making photos and those near and dear to me can see it and enjoy my work, then I am a successful photographer...chronicler of my family and times.
If I do enter #8, I probably won't solicit opinions before I enter. Even if 20 people told me they thought my pic was a contender, it really wouldn't matter. It would be nice to hear and all, but as far as LPS goes, the few people on the judges panel will be making that decision, and I have no real idea what they are bringing to the table as far as theme interpretation. So, if I choose to enter, I'd better enter something I like, that moves me, and not take it personally if it doesn't move those few judges.
When I held one of the honorable judge's seats, my first criteria was whether or not it fit one of the themes. I went with fairly traditional definitions of the themes, and then I looked at the photos to see what moved me. Along with that, I considered the technical aspects. There were certainly photos I liked better on their own merit that I did not include in my top 10 because to me, they did not fit a theme as strongly as another one. I don't know how all the other judges have decided to operate, but it's quite clear that theme interpretation and what moves people make for some very broad results!
This all brings me back to what inspires me to shoot on a regular basis. Documenting for my family? Yes. Sharing bits of my life with others? Yes. Giving my family and friends joy by taking their photos? Yes. Attempting to capture beauty around me? Yes. Improving my skills and techniques so I can do the first four things better? Yes. And that's where LPS and DGrin fit in for me...improving skills and techniques. A small portion of that could include shooting for a themed contest, but since I want to enter an "inspired" photo in a contest, I need to keep shooting what's important to me, theme worthy or not. It's fun to keep the themes in mind, but I don't always have the time to seek something out that specific. Since I got my best result so far by entering a photo I took before I had a chance to read the themes, I think I will stick to that path for now.
Apologies for being so verbose.
Comments and constructive critique always welcome!
Elaine Heasley Photography
What a great catagory...made everyone think...not as many entries as LPS6...
Congratulations to the advancers...and to everyone else that chose to exercise their minds and entertain us with some very clever shots...
Some that I picked didn't get into the top ten...but, they are still my favorites...so, for those of you who didn't get top 10...it's all opinion.
Shay...thanks for your feed back last time...and I'm looking forward to it again. I take every bit of advice like a hot tip at the track.
Educate yourself like you'll live forever and live like you'll die tomorrow.
Ed
Amen to that, here endeth the lesson.
Charlie
Charlie
This is not an objective game. It was never intended as such. Emotions are all relative to the person feeling them. How can anyone--with any degree of accuracy--qualify another's interpretation of emotion?
Jesse
Were that the case, and I'm not sure it is, would you not require some sort of context to feel sorrow rather than simply sympathy or empathy? After all sorrow is normally associated with loss or bereavement, a child crying, with no context would give no indication of this.
For me context is they key, as demonstrated in Nikolai's image.
Charlie
and I will add, YES "LIKE" does come into play, but should NOT come before theme interpretation, composition, quality and techs are looked at and judged, I mean this is a competition isn't it??
As I stated before, glad to see other thoughts relating to my previous thread entry
Have A GREAT Day everyone, this has been a FABULOUS Thread!! Love a Good Debate..
I must totally thank Shay for this, since he pretty much suggested to involve the viewer to invoke the emotion, not just try to capture it.
In my case the viewer is an all-important and key part of a triangle.
An adult male sitting on a bed, and a few pieces of attire do no do much on their own. Only the viewer's mind makes the link and thus completes the picture.
Funny thing: I posted the image on another forum with primarily non-US (and mostly european) audience. Almost nobody "got" it, and I mean - at all
Speaking of "the eye of the beholder"...
The analogy of being a professional photographer has been used before. If you had a client and the client said I want to see this or that theme in the photos, then that is your challenge: capture that theme in a way that will make the client happy. In the case of these contests, there are multiple judges, so there are multiple clients (with different tastes) for your ONE photo. Does your photo fit the theme? Depends on what judge you ask. So it's a crapshoot really.
Just enter a photo if you have the time and see what happens. After all it's a free contest - what do you have to lose? (don't say "time is money". Cameras are money. You spent a lot of money on a camera so you might as well use it)
-Kelly
Even my own expressed opinions have changed, for I returned from three weeks abroad this weekend, and in the baggage claim was a serviceman returning home to his family. Had I had my camera out to record the scene, I would have had the most joyous image ever, in black and white, as sort of joy out of sadness, so you see....... I'll allow you all to imagine it for yourselves!
For future rounds, certainly if I sense that there be in the judges a level of magnetism toward vice, then I will make sure to never again enter a non-focal-point-panned-image-with-muted-and-subdued-color photo. I will prop myself up by remembering, from my Tri-X days, that I am only as bad as my last negative!
www.HoofClix.com / Personal Facebook / Facebook Page
and I do believe its true.. that there are roads left in both of our shoes..
No fall out - and no big deal either -- I do understand your point I just failed to acknowledge it - I will interpret this answer as a YES if you had placed, you would still be just as angry and mystified at the way the top 10 is picked by different tastes, opinions and yes even interpretations. Like I said the first time each of us is moved to think of an image in a different way.
As photographers or dare I say artists we all see things differently and that is what makes it all interesting, we don't all have the same views.
even the point you are trying to illicit is going to have differences of opinions and I do not have to agree or disagree with you to still appreciate your viewpoint and that you as an individual has an opinion that is just as important and valid as the rest of the groups opinions.
Like Shay mentioned please do not stay away for the sake of how a theme is played out. Shoot for yourself and stick to your ideas. that is how you will feel at peace with the contest. Knowing you did what you wanted not what you thought others wanted.
This is pretty much what I was trying to say. Thanks for rounding it out.
Kudos Sherstone, not everyone is going to agree all the time!!
I believe some famous professor once said this is how we differ from our four legged friends...The ability to think, and express...:D
I personally can't wait to see the next round of photos...It is going to be EXPLOSIVE...We might get to see another "Ballistic Blueberry" again (loved that shot) lol Then I can't wait to read the Feedback comments...(tee hee tee hee tee hee):ivar
Donna
Post# - Photog - Title
3 - m&m - The Summertime Pleasure
I am not a big watermelon eater, so there was not an immediate reaction for me upon seeing the melon, however, I would have enjoyed it more had the melon been faced better to the viewer, swap some of the space given to the background for more of the red melon flesh. The piece taken out is barely noticeable.
4 - menebo - The Eyes Have It
It feels too close to me as if I am in the child's personal space. A vertical crop keeping the left side might work better.
5 - Tentacion - Dear John......
I really like the concept, but the Dear John part of the letter needs to be more visible and readable for the viewer to quickly put the scene into context.
6 - f00sion - Joy or Sorrow?
This one makes me think. Well done. It is captivating and subtle.
7 - vandana - "Singing in the rain"
My first smile! And good job on the rain. I felt this one.
8 - Greensquared - Our Baby
This is another one of those subtle photos that made me stop and think. Some better composition would help add impact though. A lot of space is spent on the foreground, but it is the background that would give this photo more context. Perhaps a bit more horizontal separation between the background element as well, they line up on the left side as if they were one unit.
9 - pyroPrints.com - Can I have my bone back? PLEASE???
I am not a pet person, so perhaps this is my failing, but I can't see emotion here. Now had there been a bone in the foreground, that might combine with the title to make it work better for the pet challenged ;-)
10 - GREAPER - Another Exciting Day
Points for irony! But this is the farthest thing from an emotion for me.
11 - bfjr - Why you So Crabby?
Love the closeup. But a crab has even less emotion than a sleeping monkey hehehe. But it is a lovely photo otherwise.
12 - anwmn1 - It's Over
Love the selective focus work here. A 10:4 pano crop would be interesting and a good use of space here.
13 - pemmett - Umbrella Maker
Wonderful face! This is a great portrait. For me it didn't push into the level of joy for me though. But it was close. Great work.
14 - quark - Lost Comrades
I like the concept but the cemetery frame for me has too much grass space. Changing your angle to fill the frame with more grave markers would have more impact I think.
15 - HoofClix - Miss Wu Ling's Flight
Perfect!
16 - chertioga - flowers
It is a fun peekaboo shot, but I don't quite get it. There is something roundish in the background that is stealing my attention away, so do watch your backgrounds. If the concept were stronger for me, I might be too engaged to notice the background.
17 - tlee - Forever Gone
At first glance this comes across powerful. But the second glance doesn't show in the eyes for me the emotion of the face and hands. I like the lighting, but with the eyes not pulling their weight, I am left wanting to see the scene from further away and not so close.
18 - bgaras2001 - Remebered
This is interesting. When I scroll down to view the photo, at first I think I am seeing a movie poster for some chain gang cop movie or military drill sargent. It is only at the end do I see the the grave marker. The stance doesn't fit the scene for me. A shot from the front might have been more effective in letting the body communicate an emotion than from behind in this case.
19 - DRabbit - Father & Son
Two thing here I notice, the face seems to be communicating pain more than an emotion, not knowing the youngster, and secondly, the look into the camera is pulling me out of sympathetic feeling too. If he were looking at his father, there might be more of an emotional connection with the photo, more interaction.
20 - Swartzy - Beaming Delight
Love this one, and that tshirt is awesome! It just suffers by a fraction of a second bad timing for the position of the child's face. If I could see more of that happy face being happy, it would have work much better for me.
21 - jeffa - The Bag
Camera equipment has even less than emotion than a crab, though not by much hehehe. But be that as it is, product facing is important here. The upside down coken label, the haphazard neckstrap placement, and the quick release being visible all drag the photo down and make for an unpleasant product shot.
22 - JillG - A letter
Very nice setup, but here too, the letter carries the show to establish context for the supporting actors of the ring, photo, and heartbroken woman in the background. They all depend on the letter to quickly set the scene, and it being unreadable makes the shot not work for me.
23 - espinozzi - Sweet joy
Great reactions, a recessional is a great opportunity for emotional shots and you got a really good one here. One tip that makes these hit home even stronger is capturing that look when the bride and groom are looking at each other as they walk up that aisle. But this is very well done.
24 - LiquidAir - Air Rocket
Great expression! A vertical crop keeping the left side and stopping at or before the ear looks very nice and is also complementary to the direction of travel of the projectile.
25 - Elaine - Sand Angel
When it comes to action, go for full extension! It looks dynamic and tends to control motion blur too. Not saying motion blur is bad or undesirable here though. But full extension would have more pop and zaz.
26 - Janie - Remember
This photo says it all, but the impact is lessened with all the black background, consider a vertical crop that discards the left and right sides and the photo may feel more intimate.
27 - WildWally - All PACKED!!
Cropping would help this a little. Consider cropping some of the left and top of the photo. A view emphasizing where he has come seems to have more meaning than a view of where he is going. As is both coming and going are represented and the result visually is that he is going nowhere, and the lack of dynamics leave me a little flat.
28 - sherstone - Never too old for bubbles
Fun, intimate, and lovely. It just didn't cross the border into joy for me.
29 - Zanotti - LPS Joy
That is a nice catch! But I see mild surprise more than joy. I can't pinpoint why it is not doing much for me, but it's not doing much for me.
30 - nelsonstuff - "Our Little Pot Head"
Very cute. I would have liked to see the reaction when the pan came down more than the title pun though :-)
31 - MaxThompson - didn't need that...damm
Kind of cough between themes. I am not seeing or feeling the emotion here.
32 - flybynight - Alone
Love the setup! If the head were looking down more, it would communicate an emotion better. It could be confused with fatigue as is. But a very striking photo.
33 - s.shinjin - Life is so good!
So a crab, a monkey, and a horse walk into a bar...hehehe. The horse has more emotion than a crab, but the monkey wins because it at least could be confused with boredom. hehehe sorry.
34 - leaforte - Fare Thee Well
Not enough visible emotion here.
35 - indiegirl - There Were Never Such Devoted Sisters
Holy Macaroni!
36 - mycaptures - Must Have Been A Good One
Sweet mercy!
37 - latoga - Crying Over Spilt Milk
Feels a bit too close, but, the far eye should probably be seen more fully or not at all. Let's hope she is watching a sunset and not a nuclear meltdown or something. A bit more visual context would help.
38 - Fishead - 2 smiles,released fish.
Huge fish but not a corresponding display of emotion for a or empathetic response from a non-fisher.
39 - sunione - Last Day At The Lake
It has an ominous look and is close to what I think you wanted to convey, but I sense danger more than anything.
40 - Capulina - Sorrowful reminder
This photo needs some human interaction to bring the emotional touch to it, to bring it home if you will. As is, it feels more museum-ish and not personal and touching.
41 - saurora - Bee-dazzling!
Bright and cheery. It just fell short of tipping the scales to joy for me though. But it was close and is a wonderful photo regardless.
42 - Strikeslip - Just One Tear
Very cool. Looks a little too much like fresh water, but wonderful concept and execution.
43 - PaulThomasMcKee - The Exuberance of Flight!
Sweet!!!
44 - eoren1 - Fountain Fun
Hehehe too cute. Great expression and nice action too.
45 - dance444ever - Finally.........Land!
The left and top portions of the photo lower the compositional appeal, and the lack of emotion of any kind does too. I would have to place the bird between the crab and the camera equipment on the emotion scale
46 - NanaMo - Catching air!!!
Action away from the camera is tough to make compelling. The digital noise in the background helps to conceal, but a camera angle and direction change would have worked even better. If the scene were captured from the direction of the parked van, it would look more dynamic and we might have seen some emotion too if it were present.
47 - photogmomma - At last!
Intimate and happy. I like the hand in the vest too!
48 - Nikolai - This Bird Has Flown
This is a great photo. The story develops as you study it. The first thing I noticed was the hand and face working in concert to convey an emotion. Then my eye spotted the graduation hat and it all came home. Well done.
49 - vt1122 - The Joy Of Victory
Great reactions! A tighter crop might add to the reactions.
50 - jwear - Both
Subtle and funny, but a bit too subtle. I passed it by the first time without getting it.
51 - JFreeman - Forgotten
I really like the concept here. But the tears are just below my threshold of noticing them on the first pass. Had they been a bit easier to see thing may have been different.
52 - Ed911 - Guess Who's Getting a Pony
hehehe. Had I not read the title I would not know for sure if she were scarred, had just stubbed her toe, or just got a pony. The gray background strips out any chance for context too that might help the viewer be able to decide.
53 - docphoto - Pool in the summer!
Fun, but the expression is hidden behind the splash too much.
54 - nikos - Unfair
55 - shatch - Around the Sage Brush
Very cute. Didn't quite hit joy for me, but it was close and is a wonderful photo regardless.
56 - DaveK - Boys of Summer
Would have been more powerful if the background was showing what the telescope were looking at. Without that context, the scene looks a bit generic.
57 - ultravox - Seeds of life.
I am afraid I have to put the wheat between the bird and the camera equipment on the emotion scale. Promotion for the bird!!!
58 - fmkjr - Life isnt fair!
The shot lacks context. What just happened that makes life unfair? And try to avoid cropping at joints. Above or below a joint tends to look better as general rule.
59 - aquilalux - Fallen Angel
I can't tell if I am looking at a joy or a sorrow photo. There are not enough visual clues and the title isn't helping.
60 - padu - Can you fix my tooth? Please?
Looks more angry than anything.
61 - 3phase - When No One's Looking
Not much visual emotion here in my view.
62 - adpace - The light of my life
Good expression and I like the vintage feel to it, but maybe a bit dark and it stylistically clashes with the bright mood portrayed.
63 - Xia_Ke - In Hindsight
Love the look. Doesn't hit me with emotion but it's a great photo.
64 - tsk1979 - Will you marry me?
Love the moment, but the selective color treatment competes with the expression and weakens the impact of the moment. The shirt and wine glasses don't need to be in color.
65 - jkenzie - Brothers Love
Nice moment, but doesn't look like peak moment to me. The eyes should probably more open or more fully closed for maximum impact.
66 - drdane - Mom Brought a Bug!
It's a very lovely photo, and my wife tells me that it works for her for the theme, and clearly it did for others as well. It doesn't resonate with me, but is a very good photo.
67 - Robert - Midsummer Sunset
Perhaps too dark to convey a joyful feeling, and I am not quite feeling sorrow either.
68 - Aurora - Havin' a Blast in AK!
It would have looked like more fun to see them come through the water. As is, the action is over and it feels incomplete.
69 - thebigsky - Smile and the World smiles with you
Magic! Those two little teefers are sooooo cute!
70 - Flyinggina - June 17, 1972
Visually it is very busy which lessons it's impact for the viewer.
71 - Tricia - Pure Joy
Love the scene, but the blur in the background is really poorly executed.
72 - sunita - Newest girl in my life
Congratulations :-)
73 - Eric&Susan - First Haircut
Love it, but hair dressers face should be visible. It can still be blurred out, as the boys face is the subject, but the context added by having the head of the hair dresser visible is incomparable. It takes more work to balance the two, but the results can be magical. A synergy that is greater than the sum of the parts.
74 - arctic-moose - Brain Freeze!!!
The image quality is really bad. And the concept was not well executed, the dog looks like it is attacking the cup.
75 - picswithjan - Poppy Joy
Nice time of day to shoot, but the lighting angle is pretty flat which hide the angle and does not accentuate the flowers as well as if the sun were more to the side of the camera, or maybe even better yet in front of the camera.
76 - Tessa HD - life is good
It sure is! I wish I were there. But didn't move into the joy range for me.
77 - synature - The joy of dance
Nice action, but feels timed wrong. The arms would be best represented away from the body as the fabric is. One complementing the other and both lending the idea of movement and action. When it comes to action, think extension.
78 - lynnesite - Sand Bath Bliss (Watch & Learn!)
Perhaps a joy only a horse can appreciate ;-) Lovely photo!
79 - -
My thread closing post. It felt short and not clever enough. I have seen me post better in the past. Consider adding something witty for more contest closing impact next time.
80 - Ann McRae - First Time Driving
Talk about waiting to the very last second. Between my last post and closing the thread I think there was maybe 10 seconds window there!
Good action in the arm steering, but the wheels feel accidentally cut off, and the emotion is rather weak.
81 - gfxartist - Higher!
Nice action, but the emotion doesn't beam through like the sunbeam illuminating the scene. But it is a lovely photo.
"Failure is feedback. And feedback is the breakfast of champions." - fortune cookie
Thank you
and
Thank you
oh did I mention I am thankful?
Love the feedback from you Shay, your critique of 79 was a little too harsh though come on, give the guy a break! it was Midnight.
and yes I can't forget a big thanks to Schmoo and Urbanaries as well.
Thanks to all three of you commenting judges, and impressed as always, Shay, at managing to comment on all of the entries.
Galleries here Upcoming Ranch/Horse Workshop
www.tippiepics.com
Jesse