My flower entry was a nightmare, why?

07/10/2006 07:52:18 AM · #1

No pun intended....

But I wanted to know your thoughts as to why I didn't score higher on my flower challenge? Is it because I went "outside of the box" and did something different? Is it because I didn't have my flower be beautiful, "like flowers should be?"

I'm just confused.

It took me so long to set up this shot, to take the shot and I thought I was being super creative.

Where did I go wrong?

otisXmike

Canon EOS-30D

07/10/2006 08:12:03 AM · #2

Originally posted by nsoroma79:

Where did I go wrong?

It depends... if you were trying to win a ribbon, you went wrong by straying too far from the norm and creating something that isn't "picture perfect". IMO though, you would have been wrong to not submit this one. I for one would love to see more outside the box type thinking like this. Your execution for this pic is amazing, even more so seeing that the model was you! This would have been difficult enough if it were a model that you could work on, but you did this yourself, AMAZING. Nice work and please keep more like this coming... ribbon or not.

Mike

Tej

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

Sony FE 3.5-5.6/28-70 mm OSS

07/10/2006 08:12:17 AM · #3

I did not voted for this challenge, but would have given something in range of 5-6 for this one. It surely is different and out of box, but I wish the challenge was for "digital art" and not "digital photo" for this one to score higher.

I have put too much of effort on some of my photos, but most of such photos end up scoring not too much. For sure your submission is creative, but then creativity is subjective and somehow many of DPCers (myself included) are not too big fans of excessive-digital-art.

And moreover score of 5.6(?) is certainly above average score.

Btw, "Aura" in your portfolio is simply stunning :)

JunieMoon

Sony Alpha a7 II

07/10/2006 08:13:23 AM · #4

Gave you a comment on this one. By the way, I gave it an 8

ralph

Nikon Z9

07/10/2006 08:17:27 AM · #5

top 1/3 of the images , not a bad place
i liked the image

ShutterPug

Canon EOS-6D

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM Lens

07/10/2006 08:26:34 AM · #6

I wouldnt say it was a nightmare - or even that it did bad. Heck you had 8 tens and 8 nines! More than most get. Overall the score ended up being lower than it probably should have as it was well executed. But anytime you stray too far out of the box you know the scores are not going to be as high. A real shame that it's that way as I think the technicals are given less weight by the voters than the appeal.

posthumous

Canon EOS-40D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

07/10/2006 08:28:25 AM · #7

I notice you got a disproportionate number of 1s and 2s. That might be because of voters who thought it wasn't legal. Dumb, I know, but it happens.

otisXmike

Canon EOS-30D

07/10/2006 08:29:56 AM · #8

Originally posted by tejinder:

It surely is different and out of box, but I wish the challenge was for "digital art" and not "digital photo" for this one to score higher.

Comments like this disturb me a little

There really should be no difference... we're shooting pictures (digital), and everyone's doing some kind of processing to retouch, crop, improve or enhance their pictures. Did Ansel Adams work in the darkroom somehow make him less of a photographer and more "artsy"? Just because we (digital photographers) are using different means (as compared to film photogs) to reach a similar end, doesn't mean that we are any less of a photographer and should be judged any differently.

I would think that in this shot nsoroma79 probably didn't even do as much processing as many of the other entry's.

*edited for the same sentence 2 times.

Message edited by author 2006-07-10 08:36:33.

Elaine

Canon EOS R5

07/10/2006 08:44:04 AM · #9

I don't mind that it was OOB, and even though it looks like digital art I assumed that it was not. (I like digital art and don't vote down for that.) I gave you a 4 because, to me, it is just a straight on, centered shot. While techically correct, there was no mood set. Other than the original idea, there was nothing that made this grab my attention.

cpanaioti

Canon EOS-40D

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM

07/10/2006 08:44:55 AM · #10

Originally posted by otisXmike:

Originally posted by tejinder:
It surely is different and out of box, but I wish the challenge was for "digital art" and not "digital photo" for this one to score higher.

Comments like this disturb me a little

There really should be no difference... we're shooting pictures (digital), and everyone's doing some kind of processing to retouch, crop, improve or enhance their pictures. Did Ansel Adams work in the darkroom somehow make him less of a photographer and more "artsy"? Just because we (digital photographers) are using different means (as compared to film photogs) to reach a similar end, doesn't mean that we are any less of a photographer and should be judged any differently.

I would think that in this shot nsoroma79 probably didn't even do as much processing as many of the other entry's.

*edited for the same sentence 2 times.

I voted this one a 7. Since multiple images aren't allowed I assumed this to be a setup shot.

I'm all for using PP to enhance an image but let's not step over the line from enhancement to manipulation.

coolhar

Canon PowerShot Pro 90 IS

07/10/2006 08:54:36 AM · #11

It's definitely creative, and definitely well executed. I think the reason you didn't score higher is because it was not perceived to fit the challenge too well. Both the high and low ends of your votes curve stray from normal, but they almost mirror each other. Probably would have finished higher in a different type of competition, flowers is a pretty straightforward type of a topic with lots of expectations to satisfy. If the topic had said "show us an alternative to boring flower shots" you would have been a lot closer to the top of the standings. If nothing else, you have learned how to execute your idea. Perhaps some future challenge will be a better venue for it to score well.

Message edited by author 2006-07-10 08:56:36.

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM

07/10/2006 08:57:02 AM · #12

Originally posted by cpanaioti:

This is a shot of my face... I did it just incase anyone questioned if I really actually glued the petals to my lips. This IS NOT the shot I entered... just one to show that it was indeed real, and not photoshopped on there.

And I did enhance my photo... I did not manipulate it. :)

Message edited by author 2006-07-10 08:57:32.

cpanaioti

Canon EOS-40D

07/10/2006 09:00:20 AM · #13

Originally posted by nsoroma79:

Originally posted by cpanaioti:
I voted this one a 7. Since multiple images aren't allowed I assumed this to be a setup shot.

I'm all for using PP to enhance an image but let's not step over the line from enhancement to manipulation.

This is a shot of my face... I did it just incase anyone questioned if I really actually glued the petals to my lips. This IS NOT the shot I entered... just one to show that it was indeed real, and not photoshopped on there.

And I did enhance my photo... I did not manipulate it. :)

I didn't say you did. In fact I said I assumed it was set up. The last statement was in general and not related to your shot.

Falc

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM

07/10/2006 09:03:49 AM · #14

I gave you a seven. I thought it was brilliant and very creative. I don't thing it was a disaster by any means.

Well done.

07/10/2006 09:06:07 AM · #15

Originally posted by posthumous:

I notice you got a disproportionate number of 1s and 2s. That might be because of voters who thought it wasn't legal. Dumb, I know, but it happens.

See, that is something that upsets me. I actually sent my original file to SC on Sunday, so that I could be validated before the challenge voting started. I knew that people would think was invalid, so I wanted to get that out of the way ASAP. By the time it was validated, it was tuesday or wednesday... and some people finish voting by then.

I understand that SC has alot to do, but I was bummed that I got it in on time, and it still took a few days to validate it.

Oh well. I guess it all boils down to the fact that... I try to be creative....and it ends up flopping. I don't like the "norm".

I love the picture... and I have a bunch of people who do also. Will I stop being creative? Heck no! It's who I am. Even if they all flop, oh well.

And thanks for all the comments... I just wanted to know why in your minds, it wasn't as good as I had thought.

:)

Message edited by author 2006-07-10 09:06:59.

FocusPoint

XIAOMI Redmi Note 8 Pro

07/10/2006 09:15:14 AM · #16

Over the last two months I learned something very important... (and probably keep learning...)

"DPC works in mysterious ways"

...never try too hard, and never underestimate your photos.

:/

07/10/2006 09:17:56 AM · #17

Originally posted by cpanaioti:

I didn't say you did. In fact I said I assumed it was set up. The last statement was in general and not related to your shot.

I know. I was just saying *hugs* :)

elsapo

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 50mm f1.2L

07/10/2006 09:19:44 AM · #18

I missed it during voting, but definetly deserved a higher score!

ralph

Nikon Z9

07/10/2006 09:32:55 AM · #19

been thinking about it ..
you -may- have been hit with DNMC votes
(not a 'real' flower )

also to make it a bit edgy'er i would have put a (plastic) fly between your teeth
;)

scalvert

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

07/10/2006 09:47:17 AM · #20

Hey Lorrie... yer flower entry bites!! *giggle, snicker*

In all seriousness, I think you got hit from several sides: from people who simply found the image unsettling, again from those who thought it was a pre-made figurine or model, and then some DNMC votes from people who didn't see it as a 'real' flower. This was one of those shots that's so well executed that it suffers from some incorrect assumptions. It probably would have rocked in a surrealism or book/album cover challenge!

Elvis_L

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

07/10/2006 09:55:45 AM · #21

I didn't vote but if i had you would have gotten a 10 from me. partly because I love things like this. things that make you look twice. someone mentioned that it didn't grab them. I think that if you are going through a bunch of flowers then this comes up it would jump out at you. I think you did a great job a creating a different photo. But it has been said many times that DPC doesn't always like different photos. some have refered to this as digital art but it isn't. this is how you took the picture, unfortuantly it does look like digital art and again many here don't like that. Always remember that Ansel Adams himself didn't even win the Ansel Adams challenge:)

Message edited by author 2006-07-10 09:57:07.

NstiG8tr

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM

07/10/2006 10:03:14 AM · #22

Originally posted by focuspoint:

Over the last two months I learned something very important... (and probably keep learning...)

"DPC works in mysterious ways"

...never try too hard, and never underestimate your photos.

:/

Never over-estimate them either! What you think is an awesome photo might not appeal to others. I would have scored as follows.

Meets Challenge:2
Aesthetics:1
Technical:1
Wow:0
Originality:2
Total Score:6

lwkimages

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

07/10/2006 10:06:26 AM · #23

You had 72 votes of 7 or higher. That's pretty awesome...

A step too far OOB here, however, typically translates into an average score, since you'll get a large number of votes at both ends.

I didn't vote in this one, but would have scored it a 7 for creativity and execution. It's not one I'd hang on my wall, nor is it very interesting *to me*. While that subjective viewpoint plays a role in my voting, it's only part of the score.

FocusPoint

XIAOMI Redmi Note 8 Pro

07/10/2006 10:08:35 AM · #24

Originally posted by NstiG8tr:

Meets Challenge:2
Aesthetics:1
Technical:1
Wow:0
Originality:2
Total Score:6

Very cool... I will use this system, and I think we should educate others (those who don't know this system) to vote this way too :)