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Shadowed Shovel
Shadowed Shovel
Melethia


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Beauty In The Everyday (Basic Editing)
Collection: Challenges 2007
Camera: Sony DSC-W200
Location: Iraq
Date: Dec 18, 2007
Date Uploaded: Dec 18, 2007

 I shoot anything. I delete a LOT. (I probably should delete more, too.) When I saw the challenge, I started going through the shots I'd take in the morning out in the maintenance yard. Found one I really liked. Edited it, went to enter it, realized it had been shot 13 minutes too early. Found some more stuff, took some more stuff. Finally re-shot the shovel again, but slightly different light since we had a wee bit of clouds this morning. The first non-challenge timeframe shot is still the best one, unfortunately. Probably should have just gone with something else entirely.

To me, it's beauty in the everyday, but probably not at all wabi-sabi, unless you consider a very long time period for the impermanence of the object photographed. It does, however, have very lovely imperfections and signs of use!

Editing is levels, curves, crop, sharpening, a touch of shadows/highlights (if this isn't legal in basic, I didn't get the memo) and a wee bit of selective color. And I had to save for web at 46% quality or some such to get it under 150K. Not happy with the way it appears on my work monitor, but what can you do? Yes, I could unsubmit. There's that...

Statistics
Place: 11 out of 207
Avg (all users): 6.4293
Avg (commenters): 7.2727
Avg (participants): 6.3158
Avg (non-participants): 6.5000
Views since voting: 1733
Views during voting: 283
Votes: 198
Comments: 42
Favorites: 4 (view)

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AuthorThread
 04/17/2016 06:29:19 PM
I think this is gorgeous.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/17/2016 06:00:06 PM
purely itself. (hard shovel to follow). (love the "I take a picture of anything." it's people like us that justify the camera).
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/25/2008 10:09:04 PM
You made it beautiful. Like a contemporary painting.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/26/2008 12:46:59 PM
This is SO DELICIOUS! You are the master at seeing beauty in the everyday - I admire that so much!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/29/2007 05:08:54 AM
Amazing Deb!! I absolutely love this!! A true beauty!!Congratulations on your strong finish.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/28/2007 06:59:41 AM
Deb...Congrats on your Top 20 finish! Wow...the detail is astounding in this photo. Van Gogh couldn't have made this shovel look more amazing!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/27/2007 05:34:23 AM
Oh, Deb, this is exquisite! You nailed this challenge. Should have had a ribbon for it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/26/2007 09:59:27 AM
Congrats Deb .... got a lil ol 9er from me.

Message edited by author 2007-12-30 17:04:15.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/26/2007 08:03:44 AM
very nice Deb and congrats on a great score too!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/26/2007 05:31:56 AM
You are just amazing the way you can do that. If I had taken a picture of a shovel. . .it would be in the 4's. . .but you have taken the every day, like you always do, and it is true photographic art! And like I've told you before. . .even your flaws make your photos look flawless! CONGRATULATIONS on 12th place.

  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/26/2007 05:24:01 AM
Hey wtg Deb! Nice finish!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/26/2007 04:53:15 AM
I love how the shadow makes you realize that you actually are looking at a shovel. Gorgeous contrast between the yellow and the brownish rust. Congrats on the top 20!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/26/2007 04:01:29 AM
Selective crop w/highly polished presentation - interesting, rough textured, common, everyday subject - very good colour, shadow & light. A thoughtful balance of edit & subject perfect for this challenge.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/26/2007 03:31:48 AM
Great finish , Deb ! Meets the challenge so well and textures,tones & shadows are very pleasing :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/26/2007 02:21:47 AM
Good finish Deb, like your thoughts on the everyday.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/26/2007 01:10:01 AM
Great stuff Deb - the textures and tones and use of shadows are outstanding
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/25/2007 09:22:51 PM
Hey Neighbor! I'm sure glad you didn't unsubmit, but I'm sad I didn't get to this in voting. It's gorgeous. Love your editing and composition. It doesn't have to disintigrate to be wabi-sabi, imo - - the shine on the new shovel was plenty impermanent. Dang...I'm thinking I might need one of these for the wall.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
12/25/2007 06:32:56 PM
Really captures the spirit of the challenge!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/24/2007 07:53:25 AM
Great detail in the textures! 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/23/2007 04:44:13 PM
Excellent reflection of theme!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/23/2007 02:37:04 AM
nice textures and hues in the light...7
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/22/2007 07:30:42 AM
like your subject and your treatment to the picture but the composition seems slightly awkward..
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/22/2007 07:06:40 AM
This is a very nice shot. Fits both "everyday" and "Wabi-Sabi". I really like all the texture that is showing here.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/21/2007 03:36:15 PM
As I cropped down and lost the handle I found this to be a nice abstract. But with the handle, not so much.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/21/2007 07:07:54 AM
I love the beautiful warm colours on this, not even too orangey ;)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/20/2007 10:56:32 PM
Nice textures.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/20/2007 03:54:36 PM
I can't tell if that's the front or back of the shovel and that's why I like it so much.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/20/2007 03:01:17 PM
For such a simple subject this has alot of texture, one of my favorites in this challenge
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/20/2007 05:15:09 AM
Deb, I really like this one. the color is excellent; the rust plays nicely off the beige of the wall. and the textures are awesome. well done. Can't vote, though.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/20/2007 03:14:55 AM
Very nice idea and great composition.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/20/2007 01:45:47 AM
This looks really good, Deb. In fact, I was tempted to hit the "7" button when I went through. Sorry I can't vote here...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/19/2007 07:42:46 PM
Now that shovel has seen some life! I like the textures - I wonder if this wouldn't look even better in black and white.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/19/2007 04:13:39 PM
I love this pic...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/19/2007 03:54:31 PM
lovely earth tones & textures here. I dont usually groove to images of shovels but this has a palpable sensation to it. you also seemed to have grasped the concept of WabiSabi, and show the beauty in the decay... 6
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/19/2007 01:47:07 PM
Fantastic shot. Obviously lovely textures and lighting, and unlike so many in this challenge a directly relevant photo!! Well done :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/19/2007 12:48:45 PM
Amazing textures and detail in this. I love the earth tones as well. Wonderful composition.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/19/2007 12:32:42 PM
Wonderful textures and colours in the worn surface and I like it against the other texture of the wall/ground. The shadow is good too.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/19/2007 09:00:32 AM
Nice textures. Could have saved this one for next week? I like it, though, nice abstract.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/19/2007 04:33:03 AM
nice textures here. like the colors and this idea!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/19/2007 01:45:14 AM
Havent voted yet but from a quick thunbnail preview of the entries this one stands out for me. Love the colors, textures and lines.And te shadow works for me too. I think this meets the challenge perfectly - whatever that means. I will be back later to give a proper vote. GL with this one.

Back again to start off my voting. I am not starting with the first one that came up in the queue but I am starting with this one. From the thumbnail view of the challenge I feel this meets it great. You get a starting 9 and a bonus to boot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/18/2007 08:38:55 PM
Finally someone calling spade a spade. Very nice and fits the challenge perfectly
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/18/2007 08:14:24 PM
Great tones and textures.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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