Twenty-five 1's and I still made rank 21! Geeee

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM

06/18/2003 01:53:35 AM · #1

People can be tough sometimes.

The photo.
(It's the model in (tiny) yellow bikini on stormy day.)

I knew when submiting this photo that it was risky for DPC.
But I honestly question its ranking position... especially in the context of the challenge "Magazine Cover". What amazes me is how subjective the voting process can be regardless of the photo quality. I mean, twenty-five 1's ???. Now, wether you like this type of image or not, does this photo seriously and honestly deserves twenty-five 1's?! Or put it this way, does it really deserve 43 votes under rating 3? (That's 1/6th of the voters who gave rating under 3).
Go figure.

Interesting facts about the votes this photo received (total approx. 320 votes):
Average Vote per Commenters:8.807 (67 comments!)
Average Vote per Users w/ Cameras: 6.577
Average Vote per Users w/out Cameras: 3.250

Some more figures to think about:
This photo got fourty 10's!
The only photos in the top 10 this week that had as many 10's is Connie's photo (pink flower and butterfly, which got thirty-eight 10's) and RiderGal (with her baskeball shot, which got thirty-six 10's).
All other photos in the top10 (top20 as a matter of fact) got under twenty 10's, most of them under ten 10's.

Take this post for what it's worth and draw your own conclusions.
I'm not complaining mind you. I know it may appear like I am. But I'm not. I'm just analysing some of the numbers, that's all. And I find them to be quite interesting and revealing...

I had an idea this would happen. The submission of this photo just came to confirm some of the things I thought...

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to break the news to this model that a laughing horse beat her in the Magazine Cover challenge...

Thanks for listening.

Note: the laughing horse is a nice photo and I have nothing against horses, the person who photographed it, or people who like to give high ratings for horses on magazine covers.

Message edited by author 2003-06-18 02:42:34.

Geocide

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

06/18/2003 01:55:04 AM · #2

Sounds like people were voting on somthing other than technical merit.
I thought it was wonderfully shot regardless of the subject matter.

but....we all knew the voting tendencies of this page. I was thinking that you'd get a huge split in the votes...That's got to be some sort of record!

Message edited by author 2003-06-18 01:56:22.

Annida

Olympus C-4000Z

06/18/2003 02:08:59 AM · #3

Well, I like the picture, I just saw it for the first time. I think a lot of people can't get over the fact that OMG, it's skin!.. you know?
I think you should be very proud of this photograph. It's very very good. You should also have expected this response from the voters. You submit something that you know will be controversial; so move on.
Part of DPC is to figure out how to please all the voters :) that's part of the game.
-Annida

byetko

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM

06/18/2003 02:21:33 AM · #4

Regardless of the subject matter...that was one of the most technically perfect shots ive ever seen on this site. It was my one and only 10 for the challenge. Congradulations on an outstanding shot.

Malokata

Canon PowerShot G6

06/18/2003 02:54:29 AM · #5

Maybe you should try to post mostly to the member challenges - it looks like you really suffered from the no-camera voters, who were very likely just people who came along and decided to object to your picture. All of the members have cameras, and are not so photographically blind.

Just a thought,
Martin

inspzil

Olympus E-510

Sigma 50-500mm f/4.0-6.3 EX APO RF HSM for Olympus

06/18/2003 06:04:33 AM · #6

I rated this photo well. I think the title should've been more like "Juggs" or a little more offbeat magazine like that. She looks good, but not like one of Hef's. strange vote distribution. Thanks for sharing that pic with us.

Bob

magnetic9999

Canon EOS-20D

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX Aspherical DF for Canon

06/18/2003 07:35:05 AM · #7

Dr. JOnes, for what it's worth, I thought the model was overwhelmingly attractive in and of herself, and very well lit.

But I thought the background was too busy. I didn't think it was clean enough to be a magazine cover. The dark sky was also rather incongruous.

In and of itself the shot was great. It just looked a little too 'real world' (with that background) to be a magazine cover (to me).

BigSmiles

Canon EOS-10D

06/18/2003 07:47:58 AM · #8

Just because we may not like the image doesn't mean we're photographically blind.... I did not particularly like it as a cover shot based on all that is revealed in the shot itself. I think such a teeeeeeenie bikini showing 95% of that girl's nipples is a bit too wild for a cover shot. A magazine would likely use a shot that is a bit tamer to put on their cover because they cannot risk an underage person walking by and noticing big honkin boobs/nipples in their face unless you want your magazine to be put in the back rack with all the porn. (even playboy covers up their models for the cover shot....) Not a bad shot though just not my favourite.

Jacko

Canon EOS-20D

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

06/18/2003 07:57:41 AM · #9

I find the model very beautiful. Great job. The bikini was a little bit too tiny; I'd like it to leave a bit more to the imagination. I did give it a 10 since it was a high quality shot. Like you, I could not believe that you received so many 1s ... 25!! However I am not surprised. Half of those 1s are from people being intimidated by the the great physique of the woman, and half voting 1 to protest against the nudity.

People trying to justify giving a 1 for technical reasons are out or their gords. You are a great photographer. It's just that not everyone enjoys your subject matter.

Keep taking those great photos. Maybe I'll drop by to have a few beers next time I'm in Montreal. Cheers.

eikidigi

Canon EOS-10D

06/18/2003 08:31:56 AM · #10

Dr jOnes
Say Hello to your lovely model from me and my laughing horse :O) you went to Cuba but I just drove 3 min away from my home.But I wish I had been with you in Cuba...LOL
My photo

kavamama

Panasonic DMC-FZ10

06/18/2003 08:50:55 AM · #11

If the objection of those 'no camera' voters was a nudity issue, I wonder if they've chosen not to view nudes after their vote has been placed. Would it be possible to have another selection in the preferences not to see nudes AT ANY TIME? It makes me wonder why some folks would choose to participate on a site like this where nudity is not discouraged.

mci

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

06/18/2003 10:02:56 AM · #12

I was reading through the comments on this photo and came across this by user 'pncowley':

"I thought I had a screen on here to protect me from this. Gee what can I say? Nice whore?"

This is seriously messed up and someone needs to warn him that personal attacks aren't going to be tolerated.

magnetic9999

Canon EOS-20D

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX Aspherical DF for Canon

06/18/2003 10:39:41 AM · #13

is that 'nudity'? hmm .. looks like what you see on tv these days or in any magazine rack.

alexmfin

Nikon D70

06/18/2003 10:45:34 AM · #14

Originally posted by mci:

Can someone explain to me how anyone could find this offensive? She is not even nude, which is perhaps why the "screen" didn't block it? Whoever found that photo offensive should seize using the computer immidiately, turn off the TV, avoid all news stands and by all means don't go to the beach.

I've looked through some of the photos in the Self Portrait challenge ... some nice "whores" there :D

I am pretty happy w/ my first ever DPC challenge (I only found out about this place a day or two before the challege closed) ... 80th place overall.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

06/18/2003 10:53:45 AM · #15

The "hide nudity" preference does not apply to the original image DURING THE VOTING, only to their display afterwards. I'd have to dig deep into the old forums to find the discussion around the issue ....

myqyl

Nikon D3100

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G DX VR

06/18/2003 11:20:45 AM · #16

I'll agree with you that this shot deserved better than a 1 and that many of the 1's were likely due to your subject matter. But on the flip side, i think it didn't really deserve a 10 either and that many (if not all) of your 10s were also due to your subject matter.

(S)he who lives by the nipple, dies by the nipple...

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM

06/18/2003 12:07:16 PM · #17

Originally posted by eikidigi:

Dr jOnes
Say Hello to your lovely model from me and my laughing horse :O) you went to Cuba but I just drove 3 min away from my home.But I wish I had been with you in Cuba...LOL
My photo

Hi eikidigi,
:-)
Just so you know, let me honestly say that my comment was in no way meant to be a low blow at your shot or your artistic values. I was just using a little sarcasm to laugh a bit at the irony (you know, a horse beating a girl on a cover- it oculd have been a joke in Seinfeld). I hope this was obvious, as I did not mean any disrespect to you. I thought your shot was really good and rated in well.

Message edited by author 2003-06-18 12:35:27.

paganini

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

06/18/2003 12:18:09 PM · #18

You obviously haven't seen the cover of Maxim (or Stuff) :-)

The lighting on the shot is absolutely perfect, great skin tones are shown. Heck, you can even see the plastic surgery on her.... :)

What lighting set do you use, Dr Jones?

Originally posted by BigSmiles:

06/18/2003 12:23:40 PM · #19

Thanks all for the feedback and comments.

Again, I would just like to add that I am in no way offended by the 1's I received, nor am I surprised. I admit to be downed by them, especially when I see the that without the 1s, the ratings this photo received would have brought it in the top 5, maybe even a chance to be number 3.

But honestly, I'm happy with the results. I find them to be very interesting to analyse.

I had a choice when I submitted this photo. There was another photo I had in mind that would probably have scored a lot better. It would have gotten probably less 1's from people who are easylly offended by skin (and think that skin photos deserve 1's to punish the photographer- LOL- just kidding).
The second photo in question was this one:

I discussed this with a friend of mine from DPC prior to posting the yellow bikini photo. We both agreed that the second photo would rate better because it would get less "offended votes". But I chose to go with the yellow, not to offend, but to test. I must confess: I like to stir things up a bit sometimes. Not to shock or be vulgar, just out of curiosity. So I wanted to see the results, I was curious to see how people would react, what would be the comments, the level of tolerence, the level of thoughtful critiscism (in the likes of "I don't like this at all, but I recognize its value", or just like some of you did in this thread, stating that it's not your cup of tea , that it may not deserve a 10 in your opinion, but something in the middle, etc.).

You see, honestly, I was suprised by the positive response this photo received. It got a lot of attention, and a lot of positive feedback from both males and females. I thought the provocative nature of the photo might offend women a bit more than men, but you girls proved me wrong and I like that! Go girlz!
Seriously, 1/4th of the comments left during the voting procedure were from women, and all of them were positive and respectful. (Except for the "whore comment" (see above in the thread) who was left by a woman using her husband's account (she forgot to logoff from his account when leaving the comment, she told me after).

Again, thanks to all for your feedback during and after the voting procedure. Thsi challenge has been an interesting ride for me.

Message edited by author 2003-06-18 12:24:58.