DPChallenge: A Digital Photography Contest You are not logged in. (log in or register) 
 
Challenge Entries
Portfolio Images
This image is not part of a public portfolio.
Soul Catcher
Soul Catcher
Zigomar


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Best of 2011 (Advanced Editing VII)
Camera: Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT
Lens: Lensbaby 2.0
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Date: Mar 18, 2011
Aperture: inf
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1/4000
Date Uploaded: Feb 9, 2012

 I found these masks lying around, with a nylon thread on each one. I've attached them to the branches and let them hang on the wind.

Thanks for the border nixter

++++++

It's fun to see how many people pointed out the black border as a negative feature. I must say that the image size didn't suffer and that the border is just an addition which gives you a slight illusion that you're looking at the photo on a black background.



Statistics
Place: 141 out of 410
Avg (all users): 6.0720
Avg (commenters): 7.4286
Avg (participants): 6.0615
Avg (non-participants): 6.1220
Views since voting: 707
Views during voting: 486
Votes: 236
Comments: 44
Favorites: 6 (view)

Please log in or register to add your comments!

AuthorThread
 02/24/2012 04:00:23 PM
Great photo and I love the border!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/24/2012 04:00:34 AM
I didn't see the borders.. just the faces. Terrific image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/23/2012 07:06:53 PM
I said to Deb, I suspect 1 of my 10s is Zigomar. And I was right. Love it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
02/23/2012 01:19:19 PM
normally the heavy black borders would distract me but in this case, it works. i keep coming back to this one because it's just strangely bizarre but very mesmerizing.
voted earlier but bumping to an 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/23/2012 10:39:53 AM
I love this !
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/23/2012 01:51:09 AM
Another of my favorites for the challenge. Great idea, wonderful comp and focus. Nice.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/23/2012 01:45:20 AM
This is eerie good!! : )

(like the big borders btw...) ;)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/22/2012 10:18:36 PM
I like the blur and motion here..
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/22/2012 06:46:43 PM
Kind-of spooky. I like the effect of the tree away from center of the shot being blurry. For me, the top left mask doesn't have the same definition and detail as the other ones - especially the two in the center, and I find that quite distracting.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/22/2012 01:18:01 AM
This thumbnail stood out when viewing all 400+ images and its even better when looking at it big! Border is big but it works for me. Not sure if it is a lensbaby but the OOF areas really help to make you focus on the one mask in focus and the other look ghostly in apprearance. Hope it does well!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/21/2012 06:18:06 AM
Good image like it for it unusualness.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/21/2012 05:27:42 AM
This is an intriguing image for sure.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/20/2012 10:55:08 AM
Nicely put together and executed.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/20/2012 02:42:35 AM
(Participant so not voting.)

Very creative and compelling. The frame does nothing for me. In fact I would have voted it way down for such a wast of prime space on an image that is strong enough to carry itself.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/19/2012 06:40:37 PM
Very ominous. Nicely seen and captured. Likely to finish in the lower half but deserves better.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/18/2012 12:59:57 PM
neat
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/18/2012 07:15:38 AM
Frightening as hell. Perhaps a lot of points will ward off those spirits.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/17/2012 06:12:43 PM
The more I look, the more I like it (fear it? :)). Voters not looking long enough might rate it low. Very unique and a bit spine chilling. 9 on my scale
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/16/2012 06:53:01 PM
Intresting concept and well executed.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/16/2012 01:51:31 PM
Very creepy, original and cool. Nice use of blur.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/16/2012 11:23:43 AM
very dark and sombre picture. I won't vote it down but it isn't my cup of tea.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/16/2012 10:03:50 AM
Ohh....wicked comes to mind when I view this image. Love the lensbaby....great tones.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/16/2012 07:14:28 AM
I don't think the super thick borders are necessary, this image is fine as a landscape crop and doesn't need to be square. Awesome shot nonetheless, it's like something from a Neil Gaiman story; kind of eerie but ultimately intriguing. Well done; I give this an 8, I would have probably gone to a 9 or even a 10 were it not for what I find to be the super-distracting borders.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/16/2012 04:51:21 AM
This is quite freaky, and fascinating at the same time. What a creative idea for a shot. The lensbaby? blur really adds a dramatic effect. I wish the stick wasn't sticking out of the one mask. It kind of puts a dent in the illusion of floating faces.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/16/2012 02:43:22 AM
Interesting concept. 5 mask altogether.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/15/2012 07:42:51 AM
Scary...nice photo
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/15/2012 04:03:32 AM
not digging the style of border but the image itself is wonderful. im not going to knock of points for a bad decision :)

ps i scored this a 10 so dont let my comment fool you.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/14/2012 04:58:00 PM
border detracts big time. gl.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/14/2012 04:09:04 AM
Strange wonder.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/14/2012 02:16:16 AM
10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/13/2012 04:01:24 PM
Very intriguing and quite nicely done!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/13/2012 02:25:26 PM
Border too thick for me. The blur works though.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/13/2012 12:56:00 AM
Wonderful image. I love the blur created I assume from a lensbaby. A personal preference would be to reduce the letterbox boarder by at least 50%.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/12/2012 10:52:07 AM
Great photo, but the border is much larger thatn than your subjects and really detracts from them.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/12/2012 10:17:42 AM
I'm going through the entries, stopping at those images I feel have had the benefit of an unconventional eye and dwelling a little longer to try to see and appreciate what you saw. This is one of those images.

Positives: This cruises right along the edge of cliche without actually crossing over - quite a feat and a consequence of how well you've measured each facet of the image - the tones, the selective focus, the contrived set-up (is there another type?); all hang together so very very well that the overall effect is superadditive. Great stuff.

Critical stuff: I suppose the border takes nothing away but I'm not sure it adds much at that depth.

Overall: More effective than it should be - well played.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/12/2012 08:59:40 AM
"I wouldn't venture to far beyond these woods," warned Cooper.
"And why is that," Warren asked warily as he slung his bow on his back. He had just spotted the stag he had been tracking off in the distance.
"Notice how that part of the forest is darker than where we stand? Well, long ago they say a witch was cleaved to a tree. Her evil spirit remains and any who venture to close," Cooper extended his hands, wiggled his fingers, and made a loud, slurping sound, "she sucks yer soul out. The last thing you see as you are being drawn in is the faces of the others she trapped. They call that tree, the Soul Catcher."
Warren wrinkled his face in disgust and shook his head, "Do you really believe that crap? Well you stay here then, I'll bring home the venison tonight."
Cooper watched Warren rush forward and disappear in the deeper reaches of the forest. "Somehow, I doubt that," he shook his head sadly.


Very spooky and surreal photo! It makes me think this is a cover page to a book with spooky stories. The B&W is perfect for it adds to the eeriness of the scene.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/11/2012 12:27:34 PM
very interesting and creepy at the same time
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/11/2012 09:53:32 AM
Yes. I certainly buy that. Thank you. 7.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/11/2012 07:27:08 AM
Can't find the right words but my initial reaction was wow.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/11/2012 05:24:18 AM
wicked
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/10/2012 12:50:36 PM
Wow this photo is freaky, in a good way.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/10/2012 04:12:05 AM
Interesting shot, but the "lensbaby" tilt/shift blur effect I just don´t like in this shot, it actually just takes my attention away from where the focus lies, I am looking more at the mask that is closest to the camera.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/10/2012 03:56:30 AM
The border doesn't do much for me but that's a great image. Excellent job.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/09/2012 10:57:17 PM
wow, it's very haunting..
  Photographer found comment helpful.


Home - Challenges - Community - League - Photos - Cameras - Lenses - Learn - Help - Terms of Use - Privacy - Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2025 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 04/07/2025 01:20:43 AM EDT.