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06/01/2004 06:56:00 PM |
I gave it a 4 because I really was not fond of the grass. Someone laying in the grass just did not appeal to me as an unusual viewpoint, it being upside down really sorta bugged me.
Just being honest, I love your photography. This one just did not appeal to me. I wish you the very best in the future. |
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 Photographer found comment helpful. |
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06/01/2004 05:29:37 PM |
Rooster, don't let the average voter let you down. Most of these people are infected by the stock photography syndrome (as 98% of photography we see, at least in North America, is advertisement). They don't see the artistic merit of your picture because it doesn't follow standard guidelines. There thrown off by your compositionally unconventional picture before they could even get drawn into it like I did. This could be partially blamed by bulk voting, where immediate impressions are the only thing going for you. Nevertheless, I personally think this is your best work and that you should have this one hanging on the wall along with any other family pitures.
Keep up the good work!!!
Aleks [/quote]text
Well said Aleks. I fell victim to the "instant catch me if you can syndrome" upon further review I would have given it a six or seven. So why did I give it a 4? Because in the ten seconds before I moved on it did not grab me. My fault. I think I shall stop to smell the roses before I move so fast. Also in a competition you cant help but to compare against other shots. For me a 7 8 9 or 10 is reserved for the handful of shots that I think are the best in show. 5 and 6 are average compared to the rest and 4 or 3 just did nt do anything for me. 1 or 2 are reserved for no connection poor shots etc...texttexttexttexttext
Message edited by author 2004-06-01 21:31:17. |
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06/01/2004 01:47:28 AM |
I gave this a 6 (almost a seven.) I thought it was well exposed, and the colors are great, including the background. I would have given another point or two for more DOF on the near grass and on the velor.
Frankly, I think you should have scored well higher than you did, certainly higher than me. |
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05/31/2004 06:03:30 PM |
This is why I gave this shot a 10:
Technically:
I can't agree with dsidwell on the harsh lighting comment. Maybe it's a monitor calibration difference, but I think the colors and tones are perfectly balanced. There is no clipping anywhere, the skin tone seems to be very accurate, which I find is the hardest thing about photographing people. The lighting is choosen perfectly and gives a sunny-day feeling to the picture, while the background prevents it to be a regular outdoors candid shot. The background draws no attention, being noise free, with a slight radial gradient which seems to be centered directly behind Rooster's sister. I like the way it was chosen to be almost black, but not quite; this gives it the neutrality of a flat black background, but without making the picture seem like a cheap studio shot (like mine usually come out). The danger here is that I'm sure 1/3 of the people have higher contrasted monitors and totally missed out on the gradiated background. Anyway, the softness of the background goes very well with the softness of the jacket. This velvety material is well chosen, as it gives of a comfortable mood, a warm feeling, which compliments the chilling-in-the-grass-and-hanging-out-on-a-warm-day atmosphere. Also, I love the way it accentuates the folds in the jacket without causing harsh highlights, as glossier material would.
Now, compositionally:
The grass in the picture is crucial. It's specifies the location and viewpoint of the shot uniquely by its foreground; something I don't recall anyone doing yet (I'm probably wrong on this one, but I can't think of any such picture off the top of my head). On a technical note, the DOF is perfect, as it leaves the grass very soft, with a sharp focus on the face and hand, while softening up the right part of the jacket. This leaves focus only on the central part of the picture, specifally the eye, which is exactly where we should be looking; as she's looking at us. Personnaly, I don't find the grass distracting at all, the DOF takes care of it for me.
Let me make a point about "flipping the picture" before proceeding. This is where I think Rooster went wrong about showing the "right side up" picture. To me, the challenge entry is right side up, while the other is upside down. A picture is right side up as the photograph chooses it to be and decides to present it. It just so happens that Rooster took the picture with the camera aligned with gravity; she very well could have taken it while standing on her head, and then the original would have looked like the challenge entry.
Anyway, getting back to the grass. Combined with the fact that the picture is what-others-call-upside-down, the grass makes me feel as if I'm there lying next to Rooster's sister (sorry if I'm getting a little to intimate). I don't feel like a 3rd person viewer, looking through the photographer's camera, as with most pictures. The way this shot was composed draws me into the scene and makes me feel like I'm there lying opposite to her (as in, our feet pointing in opposite directions) and comfortably sunken into the grass. Another thing is how she's tilted just at the limit of her eye disappearing behind her glasses. This is exactly how I'd picture chilling in the grass with someone: staring up at the sky, relaxing and talking, and once in a while just turning enough to glance at the person next to you (to see their reaction to your comment or something). The hand on the forehead is yet another factor which adds to the relaxing atmosphere. All these things make the picture seem very natural and inviting, as opposed to most picture which are there to SHOW you something.
That's the impact the composition has for me, and I can't think of a better way of achieving this sort of intimacy in a picture. Any standard composition would simply make this a regular "Oh look, she took a picture of her sister lying in the grass" type of picture.
Rooster, don't let the average voter let you down. Most of these people are infected by the stock photography syndrome (as 98% of photography we see, at least in North America, is advertisement). They don't see the artistic merit of your picture because it doesn't follow standard guidelines. There thrown off by your compositionally unconventional picture before they could even get drawn into it like I did. This could be partially blamed by bulk voting, where immediate impressions are the only thing going for you. Nevertheless, I personally think this is your best work and that you should have this one hanging on the wall along with any other family pitures.
Keep up the good work!!!
Aleks
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05/31/2004 02:01:26 AM |
| It bugs me that it is upside down. not sure why. Very nice shot though otherwise. |
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05/30/2004 11:56:15 PM |
| I gave it a 7, but did not really like the upside down idea (else it would be an 8 perhaps). I think it might have done better if you would rotate this one 90 degrees to the right or just the normal way up. But that's just me. ;) |
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05/30/2004 08:48:23 PM |
| Wow. I feel that this should have placed much, much higher. Great colors, toning, and sharpness, and the grass provides great framing. I think this would have worked just as well right side up, since it is an unusual viewpoint. |
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Comments Made During the Challenge  |
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05/30/2004 11:53:30 AM |
| awesome! Great colors. Great background. Great use of DOF. Great use of rotation. Perfectly cropped. Great mood. 10 |
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05/25/2004 10:27:56 PM |
| The colors and focus are superb. To my mind, it doesn't make the viewpoint seem more unusual to turn the picture upside down. It probably would have been better rightside up. |
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05/25/2004 12:25:29 PM |
| like the way half of the face is hidden by the grass, seems a little washed out in areas or just maybe too much light/flash contrast. not sure i like the upside down treatment, with the straight on look of the subject I'm thinking the perspective should be more straight on. I wish we had more challenges that led to photographing people more than objects with macros lenses. good job |
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| Photographer found comment helpful. |
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