DVXUser Photography Challenge

500lb Productions said:
I can both AGREE and DISAGREE with that.

On the one hand, you have a point.

But on the other hand, some pieces are more understandable within the context of the photographer. Imagine one piece of LaChappelles work without the greater context of his collected work??? Knowing his other work CERTAINLY helps to understand each piece.

Or Mapplethorpe. Imagine finding a floral of his that you just love... and knowing how much you (not you personally, you the generic viewer) may despise his controversial work makes you appreciate that floral even more.

I think most art should be taken together with the artist in order to be understood.

Take the detaurated blue book picture... Is the selective desaturation prevalent in his other work? Or has he never ever done that, but felt it just simly had to be done for this one piece? It certainly could, and probably should, make a difference in how the piece is interpreted.

I guess it turns out, once I think it through, that I disagree more than I agree.
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What you get with that is: "well, it's by so-and-so so it must be good and I just don't understand it so I'm going to vote it up because I don't want to look stupid."

or

"Well, that's better than his other stuff, so I want to give him extra props."

A work of art should be able to stand on its own merits.
 
Sorry. I kinda screwed up with the self portrait. I underestimated the degree to which I've plastered (pun intended) my mug all over this site. I thought a couple people might recognize me, but not to this degree.
 
500lb makes a good point and something that I wasn't really thinking about.

I see things from two points of view... I started my voting knowing exactly who submitted which images (because I was uploading them) and I don't feel that it influenced my votes at all. I knew which ones were from Scharkey, Joey, and everyone else. Take Scharky's image for example, I knew which was his plus I know his portfolio. I didn't judge his work or vote on in comparing it with his other work nor did I take the photographer's history into account with his image. I just looked at the image as a stand alone submission, made comments and voted.

In general I think as this continues the people who are involved weekly will have a style that will shine through and there will be that vibe that you get when you see an image where you say, 'Oh that's Blaine, or Kevin Muse, or Joey Lawrence', or if it's a drunken guy, 'Horse!' (kidding, it's been a long day and I needed a laugh).

For right now we will keep the submissions like this:

Voting will last 48 hours after which a new winner will be listed and then that person chooses the next photography topic.
For the first 24 hours the only information you are given is the name of the image (title), a brief description from the photographer, and the image itself. After the initial 24 hours the photographer can post all the comments they want on that image about the picture... Since views, comments, and rankings are now hidden it really doesn't matter how many replies a thread has.

Does this sound fair to everyone?

-Jeremy
 
HorseFilms said:
Sorry. I kinda screwed up with the self portrait. I underestimated the degree to which I've plastered (pun intended) my mug all over this site. I thought a couple people might recognize me, but not to this degree.
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Hell, I was disappointed to find out it didn't come from a creepy short. I would have liked to have seen it.

TheYankee said:
Does this sound fair to everyone?

-Jeremy
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Go for it, my man :thumbsup:
 
sounds good!

sounds good!

Im down for that! Can anyone identify my pic? just wondering, i know i only submitted a few in the past, i dont think i have a "style" yet.
 
I'm having internet problems with this storm we have going on here. I think I received two photographer comments to add to the pictures but I have hit submit three times on this post already and just waiting for it to go through.

If you submitted a photo please email me any comments you would like to post regarding the image to dvxuser@stffilms.com and I will get them posted with the picture as soon as this storm ends or as soon as I can.

-Jeremy
 
I have added the five comments that people submitted regarding their images... They are 'Balled Emotion' 'Lagoon' 'The Young Scientist' 'She Devil' and 'Anne'.

At this point if you submitted an image please go ahead and just post which is yours and make any comment you would like regarding it. Tonight at midnight we will close the polls and announce the winner and start up the thread for next weeks challenge...

-Jeremy
 
Just a real quick post to let you know tonight I will go ahead and unfreeze the sorting by rating so we can see who gets the gift card and that person will choose the topic for next week. If you haven't voted yet, you have until midnight tonight EST.

Thanks to everyone who made this an amazing event... More than 617 comments and over 4800 views (and more bandwith than I want to admit:))

-Jeremy
 
Yeah, tonight at midnight I will go ahead and start a new thread with the winning picture and who ever comes out on top will list the topic... we'll most likely do a due date of a week from Sunday at midnight again, so Aug. 20th. That will give me more than enough time to transition the server to the new one that will eliminate the temp down time that some people have experienced.

I just checked the vote totals and it's pretty tight right now, so every vote counts (insert political comment here).

Regardless, I'm thrilled that we got such a diverse selection of images and now that I have seen some of the comments of the photographers regarding their images I'm even more impressed.

-Jeremy
 
BTW, Yank, I have to get my 'Thank You' in for starting this. Sounds like a very intelligent and fair way to set it up...can't wait to embarrass myself.
 
mjmcneese2 said:
BTW, Yank, I have to get my 'Thank You' in for starting this. Sounds like a very intelligent and fair way to set it up...can't wait to embarrass myself.
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I didn't really come up with a lot of the set up, honestly... Everyone who has posted an opinion here has added an opinion and that is where everything came from. All I did was execute it, but I'm thrilled with the participation and involvement... As long as this continues to grow then I'm thrilled and that is all that matters to me.

Just as my last post for a while, if you submitted an image, please go post in your thread and address comments, say how you did it, and just let people know that you did the image! Thanks.

-Jeremy
 
I added a comment to my image "Stolen Glimpse"... and I explained the feeling that I intended with the image, and also posed two WHAT IF's.

I'm hoping everyone who commented can find a moment to reinterpret the image in terms of the explanation given, and also in terms of the two what if scenarios.

My interest is as much socialogical as it is in photographic technique. I like observing the reactions different people have to the same thing. I find it very iluminating of the POV aspect of art (and photography, and filmmaking).

I find these projects to be especially valuable, as I can see the "mass reaction" to a wide range of subject matter in a controlled context where many people are actively participating. I definitely intend to keep participating :-)
 
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At the REQUEST of TheYankee (Thanx a lot for this contest Jeremy!) I'll reveal the photographer who shot "Woman in Guilin!" It was me -> bustak!
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This picture was literally taken from the hip last summer in Guilin, China w/ my Canon S50.

I liked the framing of the picture, in that everything is slanted to the left. I understand everyone's concern about the framing, but I tend to like things a "little off." Just for kicks I'll go into Photoshop & straighten the picture out & crop it as suggested in the posts & see how that looks.

The original picture was a little flat, so I pumped up the Saturation & Levels (mainly the mid tones) in Photoshop.

I'd like to thank the people who voted & left comments concerning my picture!

500lb Productions, I really liked your picture!!!! But anything concerning Ice Cream RULES in my book! :)
 
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Stark Future

Stark Future

My picture "Stark Future".... was in fact not meant to be "hilarious".....and no interpretation is incorrect although i think mine differs a bit from the norm. The title could have also been, "looks aren't everything"..let me explain. Really what I was going for, was telling the story of a struggling actor/model/wannabe in Hollywood. I work in film and television and see this everywhere. Most people will go nowhere in their careers although they move here thinking they are going to wind up on the cover of US Weekly. Here is this guy (my roommate) in perfect shape, good looks, and in his mind "the complete package"....but much to his dismay he has made no progress. The world moves on behind him....while he is stuck, bewildered with his distorted vision of hollywood! the end...thnx

Oh, and b/c i have just recenlty been turned on to photography and ps...a few months ago...i will probably be a bit over the top with ps for a bit..b/c i am still fascinated by it....
:dankk2:
 
My picture was grandma. Jeremy added my comments to it. I'll repost my comments here.

My original shot of grandma is actually well exposed and captures all of her age and wrinkles. I felt the original actually obscured the reality of her situation. The reality is that her mind is gone, her memory has failed her, and much of her time is spent in the dark. She’s in a retirement home and I see her very rarely.

I felt a certain removal with my original shot and I made this version darker and darker to portray her mental state. I think my challenge with darkening it is people on different monitors see different things. The print I made of the picture is haunting. At first you’re not sure if you see something, and then she pops out. I personally like the effect because it’s haunting and has an almost 3d quality to it. And I also like that the darkness drew me in, and when I finally saw her eyes I had to look even closer. Either way, it was a risk, I have the original around here for those interested in seeing the perfectly exposed framed shot.
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My Photo was "Over the Fireweed"..
OverTheFireweed.jpg



And a few comments from me..

Well PK is actually correct. It is of course the "blueman" logo.
Took it here in Juneau, Alaska on Sunday evening. That is my beautifull girlfriend, here's a shot with her face (taken at a different focal length):
OverTheFireweed_2b.jpg



The original shot has been cropped a little as had undergone some major level changes. This is one of my first times dooing color adjustments on such a complex image. After I made each adjustment I'd go back a step and be amazed to compare how much it improved the image.
Here's a split image with the final on the left, and the original on the right.
OverTheFireweed-Split.jpg


I agree with the above comments that the reds need to pop somehow, I was having a lot of trouble with that ebcause I really like the green too. I also notice now that the sky is in deed a little pink, I should have gradiated my levels to parts of the image.

And finally, there is no visible motivation for the pose (which was the first thing I decided on when I started to plan my entry) other than the isara logo. I decided to leave it to each viewer to decide for themselves. It was originally suposed to be a "I'm the king of the world" ala "Rocky" type pose, though there are no steps. One friend sugested that it looks like a hold up and I should add a gun, I wasn't too keen on that idea. I love your comment Mino, Funny!

Also the fireweed (red flowers) is about 7 feet tall, so the trail above it is the only place to stand and be visible in the shot!


Thankyou all for your comments, a lot of good tips for me to pick up on. Thanks Jermey for the contest and thaks all for viewing and voting!
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- Mikko
 
Downtown

Downtown

"Downtown" was mine, I took it ....well, downtown Los Angeles on Sunday. While leaning up on a bus stop the old guy was walking towards me and I snapped away. I loved everyones comments and suggestions. This is a new hobby of mine., I had been a point and shoot guy for a few years and love my new d50. (its been 3 months now, but i still think of it as a new hobby) Thanks again for all your comments and votes.

Brian
 
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