DPChallenge: A Digital Photography Contest You are not logged in. (log in or register) 
 

DPChallenge Forums >> Individual Photograph Discussion >> Help me, I am crying.
Pages:  
Showing posts 1 - 14 of 14, (reverse)
AuthorThread
 01/04/2006 08:53:19 AM · #1
Just got my score in from pattern. In my case, dpcers do not get better. I will never get better, no matter what I do. I thought my shot was wonderful, I have even looked at others that did better, and I can't believe it came in so low. I need help. If anybody is willing to take me on, to be my mentor, please help me. I want to do better, but for some reason I can't. What is it? What am I doing wrong? I am crying here. Please, I beg anyone, help me do better. I propose to take pictures, send them to my mentor, and then they can discern for me what I need to do. Does anybody have the time for this?
 01/04/2006 09:16:15 AM · #2
Don't cry, June:)

Left you a comment on your PATTERN entry. And I do think you are improving although you may not realize it... your first two entries scored in the threes, and you haven't been that low since. After a string of a dozen or so shots in the 4s, you finally broke into the 5s and continue to do so every other entry or so. That's progress, isn't it? Next stop, 6+!

Keep your chin up :)
Ray
 01/04/2006 09:17:26 AM · #3
June,

I don't have a good monitor to look on here at work, and I still have a long way to go to be as good as many on this site...but I am more than willing to give you whatever feedback I can.

You said that you really liked your photo...and that is wonderful! Please don't let DPC get you "down" about being creative and enjoying your photography. If you like it, then you have already accomplished a lot.

I will look over your portfolio later tonight at home. My opinion is only that - just my own opinion - but I'd be happy to share what I see and feel about your photos.

I hate to see someone get discouraged over the scores received here. It's fun to do well, but it's really all about the photography.
 01/04/2006 09:29:32 AM · #4
June, Don't give up...please. You sent me such encouraging comments when I got ready to bow out of dpc during the 'why do people post awful shots' thread. I'm still here, watching and learning. (Although I haven't gotten my feet wet yet). I can't offer mentorship as I am not qualified. I would just say keep taking pictures. Maybe this one didn't appeal to everyone, but it did you...and isn't that the MOST important thing???
 01/04/2006 10:09:53 AM · #5
You should truly not give up. Thats the absolute last thing you should do. I thought my first entry was beautiful


But based on the comments , and even the kindness of one to send me a pm regarding what could make it better, I realized it needed some work. I took the advice and cleaned it up.


I kept at it and recently, I took another "candidish" portrait and it turned out like this


None of these are "super" pictures, but I do feel they have improved greatly. I joined DPC 10/25/2005 and I got my camera about 2 weeks before that. So I have only been taking pictures for a couple months, but without the help of the good folks here at DPC (and some of you trolls too) I dont think I would have come half this far. So keep at it, we will all grow together ;-)

Message edited by author 2006-01-04 10:10:54.
 01/04/2006 10:28:07 AM · #6
Definitely don't give up. You have some really nice photos. :) It takes time, but you're getting better.
I posted a comment on your entry. :)
 01/04/2006 10:30:52 AM · #7


You're tripytch was quite nice...it shows promise.

Also, remember,
a) others are improving along with you
b) large influx of photographers
c) some truly gifted people

Now your patterns...



What hurt it? Can you tell me...

I see a few things that made it a weak contender. I want you to critique your own photo. Tell me 5 aspects which make it have weak appeal as an entry.

- Jason

PS- "Never give up....and never surrender!"
 01/04/2006 10:44:31 AM · #8
One person said that the white was too blown, but it was basic editing so I could not burn that in.
Perhaps I wanted it to be recognizable as a roof, so maybe I left too much detail in?
I thought the focus was really good, and I thought the undualting pattern of the shadow and repetition against the uneven paint of the peak was really good. I liked the fact that the whole image was forming several patterns, the brick being one, the trees in the background being another, and the points of the snow mimicing the triangle which is the center of my photo.
The snow also created circular patterns on the eave. You see, it was a complicated pattern, so I don't know what else I could have done differently. Here is a crop that I did which depicts the pattern only, but it can't be told that it is a roof. I also did another crop where I got rid of most of the white and brick and background and left only hints of each to give it perspective.
Originally posted by theSaj:


You're tripytch was quite nice...it shows promise.

Also, remember,
a) others are improving along with you
b) large influx of photographers
c) some truly gifted people

Now your patterns...



What hurt it? Can you tell me...

I see a few things that made it a weak contender. I want you to critique your own photo. Tell me 5 aspects which make it have weak appeal as an entry.

- Jason

PS- "Never give up....and never surrender!"


Message edited by author 2006-01-04 10:57:47.
 01/04/2006 10:47:39 AM · #9
I left you a comment.

Keep at it. These challenges are the least of my worries. Sure I get disappointed when my entries don't score high- really disappointed at the moment lol. BUT my other work is what's more important. The shots I take around here that people actually want to see blown up. I know I'm improving just by that happening.

Just keep practicing and keep shooting. The more you shoot, and the moreyou work on it, the better you will be.
 01/04/2006 11:20:00 AM · #10
1. One person said that the white was too blown, but it was basic editing so I could not burn that in.

[ Yes, that was one area that hurt it quite a bit. Are you familiar with "curves" in Photoshop (and some other photo editors). It allows adjustment of brightness, contrast, etc. But often can allow for a little addressing of such photo edits.

But the washed out white definitely detracted.]

2. Perhaps I wanted it to be recognizable as a roof, so maybe I left too much detail in?

[ I think so as well, particularly with the bottom left and the top & right portions. Perhaps a close crop (though the one you add I think crops a little too much of the upper right out). In truth, I think a rotation of the camera and capturing the roof at an angle so as to capture the full >= look might have benefited it.]

3. "I thought the focus was really good, and I thought the undualting pattern of the shadow and repetition against the uneven paint of the peak was really good. I liked the fact that the whole image was forming several patterns, the brick being one, the trees in the background being another, and the points of the snow mimicing the triangle which is the center of my photo."

[ Part of the problem is that when you resize it down to a 640x480 shot the tree lose detail a become more of a "color' than a pattern. This photo is very cutting to the eye. the lines, the dark and super bright contrasts of the lattice roof makes it very hard for the eyes to focus on. It's a cool pattern but the eye can't keep on it. This necessitates some point of reference being in the photo. An object that doesn't have the slant effect that the eye can anchor too.]

4. "The snow also created circular patterns on the eave. You see, it was a complicated pattern, so I don't know what else I could have done differently."

[ Just because the challenge is "patterns" does not mean that all patterns are going to do well. Often DPC'r's want to see something more. And sometimes they want to see less. A crop of just the pattern might have been more appealing. Or a farther out scope.

Sometimes you just miss the boat. I did this in the textures

206492

I had an amazingly textured drum I had just made. But I didn't know if zooming in and focusing on that texture would have done well in DPC. I thought, perhaps including the texture in a scene would be more appealing. Of course, now the textures are less prominent. It bombed. It bombed royally. I lived, I learned. So will you.

That aside, my average hasn't gone up more than .3-4 points. But my skill level has. And it shows noticeably to all my friends and acquaintances in all the other shots I take.

Don't look to your score to show your improvement. Look to your photography to do so. Are the pictures you capture of your family, of events, of memories better than before. If so, you are improving.

I know that this year will be one in which I will show a significant improvement. I also know that it will have taken two years.

And don't forget you are fighting two limitations "yours" and "your camera's". The latter isn't a significant excuse in that Joey Lawrance ribboned a couple of times with a 1megapixel P&S. But there will be times when you just can't get the shot captured the way you'd like.

BradP once gave me a similar sermon. And reminded me to take photos for myself. To enjoy the photography. Those should be the first and foremost reasons. He pointed out that he quit having fun when he took shots just to get a score. And you know what, even someone like BradP has his down days. Why just in October he had a 4.2 and 13% percentile. This from one of the top ribbon holders. Sometimes, the the DPC audience - you just miss.

Don't cry, just get another glass of milk. And perhaps, a different cup too.

;-)

- Saj
 01/04/2006 11:21:12 AM · #11
Wipe those tears off your face June! Your pattern entry was not bad at all but needed some much needed different cropping in my opinion. The snow was nice and the the green roof. What I didn´t like was the yellow wilted grass or that was what I remember when giving it my vote.

Did you know that your triptych entry is on the page for highest scores with a camera such as yours? You should be very proud, look in here Highest scores for Sony DSC-H1

All good wishes to you and keep on shooting those pics :)

Message edited by author 2006-01-04 11:23:04.
 01/04/2006 11:34:49 AM · #12
When my scores are not what I had hoped, I look at my picture and try to figure out how I can make it better. You just gotta suck it up, buttercup ;)
You can never be satisfied with your own creativity, you have to always push yourself.
Scores here mean nadda, it is nice to score high, but there are great shots every week that do not. I get off on comments from photogs whose work I respect. I take each comment like delicious treat and hungrily learn from it.
What I do not understand is the number of peeps who complain about the voteres, rather then look at their own work and search for improvement. Not you, but there are others who call us names for not voting their pics high enough...
When u are feeling low, look at your worst entry and marvel at how much you have improved!!
 01/04/2006 11:43:15 AM · #13
Right now, my shapes entry is scoring the same as my pattern entry.

My shape entry is leaps and bounds improved over my pattern entry. Why the same score? *shrug* Just is...

01/05/2006 08:15:34 AM · #14
lol Saj, I think I'll be staying in the 4's forever. Seems my score drops with every challenge.

But alas I have someone interested in my work at a very fancy restaurant on the other side of our bridge lol. That's what really counts!
Pages:  
Current Server Time: 09/20/2025 06:33:38 PM

Please log in or register to post to the forums.


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: 09/20/2025 06:33:38 PM EDT.