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The Flying Dutchman
3rd PlaceThe Flying Dutchman
gyaban


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Absurdity (Expert Editing)
Camera: Canon EOS-5D Mark II
Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
Date: Feb 14, 2013
Date Uploaded: Feb 14, 2013

[Feb. 20th, 2013 10:30:17 AM]

Everyone knows the "Flying Dutchman", that legendary ship that can never make port, doomed to sail the oceans forever. The first time I heard about it, I was a kid, and went to Wagner's opera named after that boat ("Der Fliegende Holländer"). Of course, at the time I did not understand most of it (the fact it is in German did not help), but I remember wondering about that title. This name sounded quite strange to me! As a consequence, I thought this challenge could be a good occasion to create an absurd image of what that "Flying Dutchman" could have been, hence the mimolette (dutch cheese), windmills and tulips ;-)

This astonishing fish was photographed in an aquarium ("La Cité de la Mer", Cherbourg, France): it is always tricky to get a good shot in those low light conditions. Here, I had to manually stitch 2 photos of the same fish (to help with the position and DoF) at 3200 ISO. The diving mask comes from the same place: it was exposed there among other old diving tools and machines.

I am very happy with the overall result, which is very close to what I had in mind: cluttered, colorful, joyful, and above all, very funny to create! Undoubtedly one of my favorite image I have done so far. I probably have a weird sense of humor though!


Statistics
Place: 3 out of 47
Avg (all users): 6.9385
Avg (commenters): 8.0000
Avg (participants): 6.8125
Avg (non-participants): 6.9796
Views since voting: 3136
Views during voting: 403
Votes: 130
Comments: 24
Favorites: 2 (view)

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AuthorThread
 02/27/2013 07:54:33 PM
Way late on my congrats -- trying to catch up.

The colors and tones in this are absolutely spectacular!! What a great concept and beautifully done. :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/26/2013 08:07:39 PM
Oh...that's CHEESE?!!! I confess...my first thought was mango. The dark lighting bothers me a little bit as I find myself searching for detail usually so precise and meticulously apparent in your work. Lovely purple fish!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/25/2013 11:00:55 AM
Congrats Christophe!! I am very impressed with the stitching together of the two fish photos for the correct DoF, as I know how hard that can be! I absolutely love the colors as well. I also like how the fish almost has a glow to it. I imagine that is from the aquarium lighting, but it really works for this shot as well. Awesome job! :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/23/2013 01:32:18 AM
Oh, you are soooo good. Thank you for expressing your imagination in such inspiring ways Christophe! I hope you have a gallery where you sell this amazing work
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/22/2013 07:12:07 PM
Congrats on yet another ribbon and weirdly wonderful image, Christophe, and never apologize for your sense of humour :-)

I believe the fish is a parrotfish and thought the cheese was Gouda, but that's splitting hairs and then some. Crazy Nederlanders!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/22/2013 02:47:48 PM
A fantastic image, you continue to amaze me with your creativity. Congratulations on the ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/22/2013 12:57:37 PM
This image really shows the child in you. So colorful and like fairy story. Beautiful!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/22/2013 12:02:07 PM
Tulips are always a great idea :)

Even if this is not my favourite image of yours I always love your imagination.. I'd like to study your brain! ;)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/22/2013 04:03:42 AM
Awesome job and congratulations on the ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/22/2013 03:55:34 AM
I knew you were trying to realize a 'Dutch' atmosphere with the cheese, tulips and mills (only small detail: these kind of mills you can't find in Holland), and it really looks great and funny. Congrats on the Yellow.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/22/2013 03:25:43 AM
Definitely a weird sense of humor, definitely a weird image. Great Work! :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/22/2013 02:51:35 AM
Amazing work, stunning result and a well deserved ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/22/2013 02:45:01 AM
Congrats on the ribbon, Christophe, well earned!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/22/2013 12:02:45 AM
Had no doubt who this was, although I saw another I though might have been yours. Congrats on another ribbon. You should have one tomorrow night too!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
02/21/2013 09:38:36 PM
Wonderful and fanciful. Beautiful processing too. Should do well. (voted earlier)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/20/2013 01:23:38 PM
Another fisherman's story.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/20/2013 01:52:48 AM
A cheese loving flying fish. Absurd!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/20/2013 12:33:59 AM
That's ridiculous. No self-respecting parrot fish would go after Dutch cheese. They much prefer Swiss cheese.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/17/2013 03:40:29 PM
Entering a surreal image in an absurdity challenge is absurd. Only gyaban would meet a challenge in that way.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/16/2013 03:12:18 PM
Cleverly done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/16/2013 03:51:39 AM
Definition of Expert Editing: 45 people are being dominated by Photoshop and Christophe wins.

Definitely absurd, but overdone for my taste; just too many elements concurring. Neither did it need the distorted horizon nor the diving mask. The windmills don't look dutch but rather mediterranean and I doubt the Gouda cheese will be recognized as such by the majority of voters (who cares, anyway). The tulips in front look implanted (pun intended), the light on them seems to be a bit bright in comparison to the flowers further back and the left windmill. The fish's front would also be a bit darker. Since it is a fun challenge all that doesn't matter, so we'll see this on the front page.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/15/2013 09:36:37 PM
Top 3
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/15/2013 11:08:51 AM
What a beautiful fish!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/15/2013 10:13:36 AM
So totally fun. The tulips are so perfect to go with the title.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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