Unknown superstition - DPChallenge Forums

11/06/2002 04:02:45 AM · #1

IÂ´ll take this discussion next week.

* This message has been edited by the author on 11/6/2002 4:57:11 AM.

jimmythefish

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

11/06/2002 05:05:44 AM · #2

i don't know about the folks in sweden, but spongebob squarepants is not considered to be unlucky here in north america.

Antithesis

11/06/2002 05:07:34 AM · #3

Here, here! And I feel your pain. Not everyone lives in America or knows the superstitions there. I'm afraid that many people don't realize, or care, that there are other countries, customs and cultures in the world. If they don't immediately get the meaning, they just give you a 3, and move on, never even considering the technical aspects.

To the credit of a few, I remember some comments earlier that expressed an interest in learning something new about other superstitions and ULs. But, unfortunately too few.

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

11/06/2002 05:16:15 AM · #4

magnetic9999

Canon EOS-20D

11/06/2002 08:00:12 AM · #5

*sigh* ... That was pretty much just me ... :P

Originally posted by Antithesis:
To the credit of a few, I remember some comments earlier that expressed an interest in learning something new about other superstitions and ULs. But, unfortunately too few.

Konador

Canon EOS-500D Rebel T1i

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

11/06/2002 10:31:00 AM · #6

Well to those photos that are unknown superstitions...

The challenge stated you had to take in mind the target audience, and take a photo understandable by them! The largest bulk of the target audience is the USA on this site, so you can't complain if voters don't understand your photo, its your own fault :)

Gekker

Fujifilm FinePix S602Z

11/06/2002 11:14:58 AM · #7

I'm really trying to give most the benefit of the doubt and vote according to the picture assuming that I'm just an idiot and didn't realize that it's a superstition or urban legend. However, there are a few here that cannot under any stetch of the imagination qualify for this challange, and fortunatly most of them are of poor photo quality anyway.

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

11/06/2002 11:33:07 AM · #8

Originally posted by Konador:
Well to those photos that are unknown superstitions...

The challenge stated you had to take in mind the target audience, and take a photo understandable by them! The largest bulk of the target audience is the USA on this site, so you can't complain if voters don't understand your photo, its your own fault :)

Yes thatÂ´s OK. But a global superstition means that it must be understood outside the US. IÂ´m a teacher here in Sweden and I teach about other countries so I think I know a little about famous superstitions from foreign parts of the world. About 40% of the photos this week are unknown to me. I mean I canÂ´t say for sure if itÂ´s a real superstition/UL or not.
Why do you take for sure that everyone in the world is familier with all your US supertstitions/ULs?
IÂ´m saying this again:
DonÂ´t bother so much if the photo follows the theme, just check if itÂ´s a good or bad shot!

Konador

Canon EOS-500D Rebel T1i

11/06/2002 12:36:52 PM · #9

I'm not saying the whole world knows the US urban legends, (by the way I'm from England not the US) I'm just saying that it said to take into mind the target audience. Now being a US based site, I'm pretty sure most of the target auduence is American. This means if you want to do well you should have chosen one that is known by the target audience (in this case USA)

karmat

Apple iPhone 7

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM

11/06/2002 01:42:04 PM · #10

Originally posted by Konador:
I'm not saying the whole world knows the US urban legends, (by the way I'm from England not the US) I'm just saying that it said to take into mind the target audience. Now being a US based site, I'm pretty sure most of the target auduence is American. This means if you want to do well you should have chosen one that is known by the target audience (in this case USA)

I am American, my picture was taken in America, it is based on an "American" urban legend (I figured since that was the bulk of the voters, i would take my chances), and guess what. To no avail. People still don't get it. My score is low (i am assuming from poor picture quality). If your picture (your not being konador, his was just the last post on the topic, so i quoted him) is not doing well, or people don't get it, don't assume it is just people in American not getting the foreign superstitions. Some American ones are faring too well either.

I should've submitted my salt/penny picture. At least it was in focus! :-)

timj351

Sony DSC-F707

11/06/2002 02:00:02 PM · #11

well said Konador. The responsibility for a photo to be understood always falls on the photographer not the viewer. Photography is a form of communication, like speaking. If you are speaking in riddles or using hard to understand words then most people are not going to understand you. There are certainly places for that but not usually when you are dealing with hundreds of diverse people in an anonymous fashion.

It's hard when you put a lot of time and effort into a photograph only to see it not do as well as you hoped. We have to be willing to accept that situation and be responsible for it. The problem is that we usually really like our own photos or else why would we take them? But unfortunately that appeal can mask the objectivity that we need to analyze our own work. Want proof? Go back to the beginning of these challenges and re-look at your work. Is it really as good now as you thought it was then? If it isn't, either you are not growing as a photographer or you are ready to go professional. But even professionals will admit they are still lerning every day.

T

11/06/2002 02:27:45 PM · #12

Originally posted by timj351:
well said Konador. The responsibility for a photo to be understood always falls on the photographer not the viewer. Photography is a form of communication, like speaking. If you are speaking in riddles or using hard to understand words then most people are not going to understand you. There are certainly places for that but not usually when you are dealing with hundreds of diverse people in an anonymous fashion.

It's hard when you put a lot of time and effort into a photograph only to see it not do as well as you hoped. We have to be willing to accept that situation and be responsible for it. The problem is that we usually really like our own photos or else why would we take them? But unfortunately that appeal can mask the objectivity that we need to analyze our own work. Want proof? Go back to the beginning of these challenges and re-look at your work. Is it really as good now as you thought it was then? If it isn't, either you are not growing as a photographer or you are ready to go professional. But even professionals will admit they are still lerning every day.

T

Mostly I hate getting into this kind of discussions in English because IÂ´m not very good at explaining my thoughts in this language. It may seem as if IÂ´m a bad looser but itÂ´s not that at all. I have done quite well so far and itÂ´s about the same this week. I just have a feeling that the challenge-theme has got too important comparing to the technic standard of the photo. You have greater chance scoring well with a bad photo with high theme-following than a good photo with low following. Hope I could explain it right. I mean that this is a photography site and the most important should be high technical quality photos. The best is of course high quality and high following. I love this site and want to get better in my photography thatÂ´s why I want high quality shots to get high score.
(It takes a while to answer here in forum because I have to look in the dictionairy now and then, sorry for that)

jimmythefish

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

11/06/2002 02:35:54 PM · #13

your english is far better than most of those who claim it as their first language, carsten. don't apologise. i totally agree with you - most of the shots submitted this week are snapshots with little or no thought towards compostion. i have a lot of ones, twos and threes this week. even the most basic point-and-shoot camera can take a shot that's in focus, which leads me to believe that it's not just the equipment. lack of equipment, while i can relate, shouldn't be an excuse for shoddy composition.

james.

timj351

Sony DSC-F707

11/06/2002 02:48:47 PM · #14

The themes lately have been rather advanced for general photography and understandably people are having a difficult time with it. I'm not sure this is the best venue for such subjective challenges. Simple, easy to understand and communicate, challenges are not a bad thing because they put the focus back on technique. The people that participate here are too diverse to successfully have such 'interpretive' challenges. With that said, it has still been a lot of fun and a great learning experience.

T

jimmythefish

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

11/06/2002 05:25:15 PM · #15

oh i agree, and i'm not meaning to put anyone down. the important thing is that people are expressing themselves artistically and to an extent the intensely subjective challenges handcuff many. for the most part i am amazed with the quality and creativity from the more open-ended challenges. it doesn't take a hasselblad to create something that is moving. perhaps the challenges should be more method-oriented, rather than subject-oriented. macro is a good example as it frees up the subject matter and puts the focus back on photography. i realise that advanced functions and control will limit people with automatic cameras to an extent, but isn't this a photography forum?

Jak

Fujifilm FinePix S602Z

11/06/2002 05:40:23 PM · #16

Originally posted by carsten:
I just have a feeling that the challenge-theme has got too important comparing to the technic standard of the photo.

I agree with the spirit of what you are saying, but the Rules of the site are clear: "While voting, users are asked to keep in highest consideration the topic of the challenge and base their rating accordingly." [emphasis added]

Perhaps it is time the purpose of the site is revisited, and -- if necessary -- the rules and FAQ be amended.

GolferDDS

Canon EOS R5

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

11/06/2002 06:23:58 PM · #17

I felt the theme was a little unclear and therefore left the subject matter up to ones own imagination. Although it specifically asked for a well known superstition it was not clear as to whether it was also asking for a "well known" urban legend. Therefore, I feel any legend is fair game as long as a description of the legend is included with the picture. Unfortunately, the only place for a description is in the details section which is not posted until after the contest is over. My submission is accompanied by a detailed description of the (Out of this world) legend which I hope you all will read when the contest is over. It will help to shed light on the picture itself.

* This message has been edited by the author on 11/6/2002 6:23:12 PM.

spiderman

Canon EOS-D60

11/06/2002 06:46:55 PM · #18

Originally posted by jimmythefish:
...isn't this a photography forum?

i thought it was a photography challenge forum

you don't have to enter a picture every week - but when you do, you should understand that (for the most part) the people who will be voting on your picture will be expecting it to have have something to do with the (usually) well-defined topic of the week

yes, the photography (focus/color/composition) matters - but we wouldn't be DPC without the C, so that matters too

timj351

Sony DSC-F707

11/06/2002 08:03:39 PM · #19

I feel a photo should definitely meet the challenge first and foremost but my point was that some of these challenges are making it very difficult for the average photographer to produce a high quality photo when they are trying so hard just to present their challenge idea. I almost didn't say anything about this at all because I like a good challenge but I've noticed many people having a difficult time lately. Since most people understand the importance of meeting the topic when they are presented with difficult and very subjective topics most of their efforts go into just trying to meet the challenge and the quality of the photos suffer.

T

aelith

Olympus C-3020Z

11/06/2002 08:26:18 PM · #20

Ya'll might want to consider most (real?) ufo/ghost shots are of extemely poor quality.

Gracious

11/06/2002 11:31:46 PM · #21

Originally posted by Antithesis:
Here, here! And I feel your pain. Not everyone lives in America or knows the superstitions there. I'm afraid that many people don't realize, or care, that there are other countries, customs and cultures in the world. If they don't immediately get the meaning, they just give you a 3, and move on, never even considering the technical aspects.

To the credit of a few, I remember some comments earlier that expressed an interest in learning something new about other superstitions and ULs. But, unfortunately too few.

Please let's not start generalizing about what people do in one nation or another. It's just as biased to make such claims, as it is for those few who may overlook the merits of a photo because they don't understand. That can happen in any land and in any language.
Hopefully all of us can contribute to propagating peace and understanding rather than point fingers and blame each other. We can educate instead of sow seeds of discord. We can use our art to enlighten and spread goodwill.
I love learning about cultures and customs other than my own. It seems to me that I'm in good company of many who are just as open minded.

* This message has been edited by the author on 11/6/2002 11:32:00 PM.

* This message has been edited by the author on 11/9/2002 11:05:19 AM.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

11/06/2002 11:51:55 PM · #22

Originally posted by Gracious:
Please let's not start generalizing about what people do in one nation or another. It's just as biased to make such claims, as it is for those few who may overlook the merits of a photo because they don't understand. That can happen in any land and in any language.
Hopefully all of us can contribute to propagating peace and understanding rather than point fingers and blame each other. We can educate instead of sow seeds of discord. We can use our art to enlighten and spread goodwill.
I love learning about cultures and customs other than my own. It seems to me that I'm in good company, and are just as open minded.

Very well put. Thank you.

--Paul

11/07/2002 01:10:43 AM · #23

Originally posted by Gracious:
I love learning about cultures and customs other than my own.[/i]

You are so right Grayce. IÂ´ve got 20 comments so far. Many saying like this:
Never heard of the superstition but a great shot. Perfect in ... But I donÂ´t like ...
This is the way to go.
If I canÂ´t understand the superstition - judge the technical qualities.

* This message has been edited by the author on 11/7/2002 2:51:36 AM.

11/07/2002 02:51:38 AM · #24

Originally posted by spiderman:
i thought it was a photography challenge forum
[/i]

Of course itÂ´s a photography challenge. But I donÂ´t think that THE MOST IMPORTANT thing is to follow the theme. It must be to produce good quality photos so we all can develop a bit every week. So we can think: What a fantastic shot - how did he/she do it?
Snapshots can be good but mostly there are lack of quality. Snapshots are good for your family album - where the motiv/situation is the most important and you can accept less quality. When I vote here itÂ´s very important for me to score high on shots that I think, with my knowledge, is good quality. Even if itÂ´s not following the theme to 100%. So I can think: WOW, I must test that tomorrow!

* This message has been edited by the author on 11/7/2002 2:55:03 AM.

Antithesis