Social Responsibility and challenge voting...

11/02/2007 08:36:17 AM · #1

I haven't been here long, but i've found that if you take a picture and it some how incorporates war, poverty, 9/11, natural disaster, etc, you will automatically get a high(er) score on it, no matter what the quality of the picture is. Im sure this isn't an always everytime thing, but it seems to happen enough to make it a valid point.

So next week im going to go take pictures of a homeless puppy standing in a flooded basement of a flame singed house, while holding an american flag and wearing a "DO NOT FORGET 9/11" t-shirt, and im predicting a score of at least a 10.5.

Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II for Canon

11/02/2007 08:42:17 AM · #2

Originally posted by ajdelaware:

So next week im going to go take pictures of a homeless puppy standing in a flooded basement of a flame singed house, while holding an american flag and wearing a "DO NOT FORGET 9/11" t-shirt, and im predicting a score of at least a 10.5.

I'll give you a 10 if you find that shot!

Chinabun

Canon PowerShot SD990 IS

11/02/2007 08:46:35 AM · #3

I think it's more about the photo itself telling a story. If you look at a photo containing things like war, poverty, 9/11, natural disaster, etc..it usually touches people in some way resulting in higher scores given.

Rino63

Canon EOS-50D

11/02/2007 08:49:52 AM · #4

photography isn't only a technical exercise. the emotive content is very important and hence is obvious a higher score.

NikonJeb

Nikon D850

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 28-300mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR

11/02/2007 08:50:34 AM · #5

Originally posted by ajdelaware:

Well, it's not like these are everyday occurrences in the life of most people. What else would you expect?

hopper

Canon EOS-80D

Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM

11/02/2007 08:54:23 AM · #6

I remember a time when people were pretty sick of seeing american flags, they eventually started to get voted down and went away. The same with the wooden figures. My point being the only "voice" we have is our vote.

I don't like photos of the homeless, so I vote them down. I do like high contrast and moody shots, so I vote them up even if they aren't technically perfect. If enough people agree with me, the winning images start to look different - if the voters don't agree, then the winning images are whatever is to their taste at the time.

zxaar

11/02/2007 08:57:03 AM · #7

Originally posted by ajdelaware:

exactly thinking this i did not enter photojournalism, i knew i can not submit all this and there was fire going on in US.

Melethia

Canon EOS-80D

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

11/02/2007 08:58:15 AM · #8

Shooting pictures that incorporate "war" hasn't helped my score one bit. I could be the exception, however.

LoudDog

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

11/02/2007 09:03:21 AM · #9

And likewise, for some reason even well taken photos of a banana placed where the sun doesn't shine will score poorly?

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

11/02/2007 09:16:36 AM · #10

Originally posted by hopper:

I don't like photos of the homeless, so I vote them down. I do like high contrast and moody shots, so I vote them up even if they aren't technically perfect. If enough people agree with me, the winning images start to look different - if the voters don't agree, then the winning images are whatever is to their taste at the time.

Unfortunately, we're alone here.

11/02/2007 09:47:14 AM · #11

This isn't meant to be an attack, but take the top 3 from the PJ challenge, the first 2 really are amazing shots, but the 3rd place ribbon essentially is a snap shot to me. Yeah its wild looking, but its a snapshot. But since its a devestating current event, you'd be unamerican and evil to give it lower then a 5!

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

11/02/2007 10:14:32 AM · #12

Originally posted by ajdelaware:

Well, it was a PJ challenge and PJ images tend to cover disasters and such, so it makes sense doesn't it?

As for it looking like a snap shot; this was a minimal editing challenge. Don't forget that.

Edit to add: The top 3 all look like snap shots to me. I wish I lived out that way as I might have had a chance at a ribbon for once! ;-)

Message edited by author 2007-11-02 10:16:01.

Apple iPhone 5

11/02/2007 10:16:56 AM · #13

Originally posted by ajdelaware:

PJ tends to be more oriented towards the 'snapshot' style of shooting anyway. I doubt the photographer would find a house to burn down just so he can get the lighting just right.

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

11/02/2007 10:21:34 AM · #14

Just cause its PJ doesn't mean you aren't supposed to pay attention to technical aspects, lighting, cropping, etc though.

hopper

Canon EOS-80D

Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM

11/02/2007 10:30:01 AM · #15

You may want to give a minimal editing challenge a try before making your opinion. I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm saying it's harder than it looks.

Originally posted by ajdelaware:

Just cause its PJ doesn't mean you aren't supposed to pay attention to technical aspects, lighting, cropping, etc though.

Apple iPhone 5

11/02/2007 10:30:15 AM · #16

Originally posted by ajdelaware:

Just cause its PJ doesn't mean you aren't supposed to pay attention to technical aspects, lighting, cropping, etc though.

No cropping in minimal editing. This is straight out of camera.

And would *you* have walked behind the house to get a better lighting effect? :D

11/02/2007 10:32:56 AM · #17

Originally posted by jhonan:

Originally posted by ajdelaware:
Just cause its PJ doesn't mean you aren't supposed to pay attention to technical aspects, lighting, cropping, etc though.

No cropping in minimal editing. This is straight out of camera.

And would *you* have walked behind the house to get a better lighting effect? :D

You can crop in camera ya know! You move, get closer, get farther away, etc.

yes, kind of hard when something is singeing your eyebrows though, I agree. ;-)

Minimal editing for this challenge wasn't a very good idea.

Gordon

RIM BlackBerry Curve

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

11/02/2007 10:35:26 AM · #18

Originally posted by LanceW:

Minimal editing for this challenge wasn't a very good idea.

You should probably read up on photojournalism ethics, most of the other rulesets would be even less appropriate

11/02/2007 10:38:35 AM · #19

Originally posted by jhonan:

No, but I would have adjusted my exposure settings, cropped (in camera as mentioned above)

But honestly, I wouldn't have submitted that picture in the first place.

But also, this isn't my point at all.

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

11/02/2007 10:39:19 AM · #20

Originally posted by Gordon:

Originally posted by LanceW:
Minimal editing for this challenge wasn't a very good idea.

You should probably read up on photojournalism ethics, most of the other rulesets would be even less appropriate

Eh? You telling me editors don't crop, boost saturation, sharpen, yada yada yada, their photographs before publishing?

Give me a break!

Message edited by author 2007-11-02 10:39:29.

Gordon

RIM BlackBerry Curve

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

11/02/2007 10:46:26 AM · #21

Originally posted by LanceW:

Eh? You telling me editors don't crop, boost saturation, sharpen, yada yada yada, their photographs before publishing?

Give me a break!

Did I say that ? But the 'basic' ruleset allows a whole lot more than pretty much any newspaper would put up with. Cropping yes. Slight tweaks, maybe. No yada yada yada.

Apple iPhone 5

11/02/2007 10:47:31 AM · #22

Originally posted by ajdelaware:

But honestly, I wouldn't have submitted that picture in the first place.

But also, this isn't my point at all.

Your original point was about people voting highly on photos which depict natural disasters like the California wildfires, because it's their patriotic duty.

Well, in response to that, I'll say I gave the image in 3rd place a 6. Patriotism had nothing to do with it, I'm not even American. He was in the right place at the right time. But I didn't like the composition, I think he could have move the camera down a bit. So technicals *did* come into my decision, patriotism didn't.

Gordon

RIM BlackBerry Curve

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

11/02/2007 10:50:35 AM · #23

Originally posted by ajdelaware:

but the 3rd place ribbon essentially is a snap shot to me. Yeah its wild looking, but its a snapshot.

I could see it being published in many newspapers or displayed on TV/ websites.

'Citizen' journalism is the current big thing in photojournalism. That means random snapshots of newsworthy events are the current new wave of photojournalism. Fits the challenge really well!