Secular Communion
by MPRPRO

Comment by Xilebo:
This image says so much, I like to think that these two ladies although elderly seem to be self sufficent, independent and strong. A meal at perhaps not the trendiest place in town, they still dress up for the occasion and make the most of it...love this!

Secular Communion
by MPRPRO

Comment by elee3009:
I love the essence of this shot but since it's a very busy and cluttered picture (in a positive sense), it would have brought out the subject and emotion more through b&w IMO.

Secular Communion
by MPRPRO

Comment by Pug-H:
Wasn't this is in the Coffee challnge? Seems familiar, but good shot.

Bayonne Bridge at Sunset
by MPRPRO

Comment by pearlseyes:
Excellent composition and cool reflection.

Secular Communion
by MPRPRO

Comment by sherpet:
The two elderly ladies in this image are quite strong, well done...

Bayonne Bridge at Sunset
by MPRPRO

Comment by arsenal:
this is fantastic, great colors and cool clouds. great reflection aswell

Message edited by author 2006-01-25 22:57:45.

You Think You Know Me.
by MPRPRO

Comment by elemess:
I didn't leave a comment during voting because I couldn't articulate why I gave it a 7. Still can't, really. It's very good without being great; I don't think it's at the level of the Top 10 in this challenge.

This challenge was brutal to those of us who didn't follow its details to the letter. Though the model could stand to be in sharper focus, too shallow a DOF would have hurt this shot – I agree with your choice there. I like the crowd in silhouette; the effect really isolates the model as the only identifiable person in the shot – she's somehow more vulnerable and stronger this way.

Your 5.685 is a good score for DPC, as you know by now, even though it deserved better. Expect a nude shot to be marked down for content; throw in the DNMC evangelists, and this shot was in trouble, score-wise, from the get-go.

As for the ridiculous disparity in views and votes, I think "masochist" is the wrong word. "Voyeur," maybe. "Pervert," perhaps. "Teenager" is also probably accurate. Take a look at the site's most viewed and you'll see a similar pattern.

Secular Communion
by MPRPRO

Comment by AdrienneGC:
Great picture! 10

You Think You Know Me.
by MPRPRO

Comment by MPRPRO:
I have a few comments to make on these results.

First and most obvious, for an image to have over 640 views while voting and only 270 votes I guess there are a bunch of masochists out there. If the picture wasn't worth voting on I guess you just like torturing yourself with mediocrity.

Or maybe it is a good photograph and you can't bring yourself to appreciate it with a better vote because of some misplaced puritan guilt. Who voted a one, please give me a break?

Now on the comments given during this challenge voting; I appreciate all of your words. I do not agree with all of them but I wanted to let you know nothing was a surprise. The people that gave constructive critique, you have no idea how much I appreciate it; thank you.

This image was taken while at a figure workshop in Philadelphia. I didn't shoot this image for this challenge. I shot this for the studio owner so she could show people how the workshop looked. When I got home last week and saw it I thought if there was ever an image that singled out someone that I took this was it. No there wasn't a lot of DOF and yes the light is more of what singles out the model. Oh and yes it is candid the photographers in the foreground didn't know I took the picture.

The reason the image was cropped as it was is; I wanted more then two photographers in the foreground. I didn't notice the need to rotate the picture until Bradp brought it up, I now see that TY Brad. I also would have cropped out the coat rack on the wall if I didn't want the third photographer in the image. However I did want the light stand and umbrella on the left in the image to show it was shot in a studio.

As far as the rules of a challenge, it amazes me how some people treat the rules as if they were written in stone and some would not hold you to them if it was a good image. I don't think I have ever seen so many different opinions on any of my images. From DMC to OMG awesome.

Bottom line, there is no accounting for taste, mine or yours. As far as I am concerned the 647 people who viewed this image during voting proved to me this was as good as I believed it was. Thanks for viewing.

BTW the image that won? That was my only 10 in this challenge. So yea I know what was the closest to the challenge suggestions and also what makes a great picture. I just chose to enter this one which I also think was a good one maybe not a 10 but come on it is not a one or two or three, you people must have some kind of hang up with the human body or something. I don't know, I still feel great with this and nobody can change that.

Oh and lastly (I promise I am done after this) the title was a commentary on the GWC's at the figure study. See there were some really great photographers who were polite to the models and had excellent skills and provided many much appreciated words of wisdom and advice to all who asked and would listen. However, there were many guys with cameras who snapped their fingers and whistled to the models as if they were pets and didn't have names. These people I distained. Ergo the title, maybe some photographers took umbrage at that. I hope not it was directed at the GWC̢۪s.

Be well all.

Mike



Message edited by author 2006-01-23 01:01:53.

You Think You Know Me.
by MPRPRO

Comment by graphicfunk:
A very nice entry with a familiar universal theme. 7