Every Picture Tells a Story - DPChallenge Forums

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

05/12/2008 03:03:22 PM · #26

"Weave a tale ....

klkitchens

Pentax K-1

Pentax FA 50mm f/1.4 AF

05/12/2008 03:05:24 PM · #27

Originally posted by citymars:

"Weave a tale ....

EXACTLY! Weave, not snap at random and hope someone sees a story in it. Capture or create an intended idea.

glad2badad

Apple iPhone 16 Pro

Lensbaby Sweet 35 Optic

05/12/2008 03:24:15 PM · #28

Originally posted by HawkeyeLonewolf:

... You should have looked at the photo and judged if there was a story being told -- as per the challenge instructions. ...

I thought he (

pawdrix) just did that? Perception of a story is very subjective and personal to each individual. Some will see a story in one image where others will not. That's the beauty of being human. :-)

pawdrix

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D IF

05/12/2008 03:31:23 PM · #29

I stand corrected AND I deleted my post...

I only looked at about 60 images during the Challenge and for the record, I didn't vote.

Oh, and one more little detail...I didn't read the Challenge description (until now) but I did think, based on the Challenge title (alone)what I thought would have applied. My mistake.

BFWIW, if I did enter and had read the description I would never have taken a "snap at random and hope someone sees a story in it" and on the flip side I would never have staged a shot either. That's just the kinda guy I am.

I would have also wound up on page 9 with a killer, 118 place finish...lolololol.

Message edited by author 2008-05-12 16:53:30.

klkitchens

Pentax K-1

Pentax FA 50mm f/1.4 AF

05/12/2008 03:35:44 PM · #30

Originally posted by pawdrix:

I stand corrected AND I deleted my post...

I only looked at about 60 images during the Challenge and for the record, I didn't vote.

Oh, and one more little detail...I didn't read the Challenge description (until now) but I didn't think, based on the Challenge title (alone)what I thought would have applied. My mistake.

BFWIW, if I did enter and had read the description I would never have taken a "snap at random and hope someone sees a story in it" and on the flip side I would never have staged a shot either. It's just the kinda guy I am.

I would have also wound up on page 9 with a killer, 118 place finish...lolololol.

Well, I worked very hard to come up with a story in a unique way. I thought it was clear. I got 150 out of 170. :)

pawdrix

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D IF

05/12/2008 03:46:36 PM · #31

Originally posted by HawkeyeLonewolf:

Well, I worked very hard to come up with a story in a unique way. I thought it was clear. I got 150 out of 170. :)

...and if you didn't succeed at weaving a tale posthumous certainly did.

Just one comment but one helluva piece of writing, if I don't say.

Message edited by author 2008-05-12 15:58:22.

Sam94720

05/12/2008 03:53:44 PM · #32

I thought the assignment was to tell one specific story with the image ("Weave a tale...") and I did my best to do exactly that. However, many participants seem to have submitted a picture that may be interpreted in many ways and lets viewers create their own stories based on it. This is possible for almost any picture, which undermines the whole concept of the challenge...

I'd like to encourage participants to pay more attention to the challenge description (both when submitting and when voting). Otherwise we simply have a general photo contest where anyone can submit anything and the challenges become meaningless.

I'm absolutely open to creative interpretations of challenges, but I started lowering scores significantly if the challenge is not met at all. Especially when the challenge assignment is pretty clear. When the challenge says "Create a photograph in which the sun is in the image." and the sun is not in the image, you lose a few points. Some will say "DNMC Nazi! Can't you see the sunlight in the image?". Yes, I can see that. But again, I think the challenge description states pretty clearly that the sun itself should be in the frame. And if sunlight alone sufficed, almost any picture would be admissible (which again renders the whole idea of a challenge meaningless).

klkitchens

Pentax K-1

Pentax FA 50mm f/1.4 AF

05/12/2008 04:00:26 PM · #33

Originally posted by Sam94720:

I agree completely EXCEPT for When the challenge says "Create a photograph in which the sun is in the image." and the sun is not in the image, you lose a few points. -- It should be properly voted a "1" in this regard, because it has no business being in the challenge at all. DNMC, to me, means DID NOT MEET CHALLENGE. And while it's not grounds for a formal disqualification, it does not deserve to be rewarded with points as the voting is for "rating the image for the challenge", not just "rate the image regardless". Likewise, not voting for it at all allows it to be rewarded with no penalty for failing to meet the entry requirements.

scalvert

05/12/2008 04:06:19 PM · #34

Originally posted by Sam94720:

I'd like to encourage participants to pay more attention to the challenge description (both when submitting and when voting).

Perhaps they did... how can you not meet the challenge in this one when EVERY picture tells a story?

Sam94720

05/12/2008 04:13:11 PM · #35

HawkeyeLonewolf: "Losing a few points" may mean that you end up getting a "1", particularly when it's so clear. In challenges that leave more room for interpretation I'm more tolerant.

scalvert: As I wrote, my interpretation of the challenge was that you were supposed to let your image tell one specific story. What's the point of a challenge if any picture meets it?

05/12/2008 04:19:10 PM · #36

Originally posted by hopper:

which 3? i'm curious

*1. A kid finding out something kinky about his Dad. STORY.
2. A guy sitting in a chair with sunglasses on. NO STORY.
*3. A kid stowing away in a suitcase. STORY.
4. A wedding picture. NO STORY.
5. A guy with big feet playing basketball. NO STORY. (ok, maybe a half-point)
6. A guy sitting on the side of a road. NO STORY.
7. Abandoned playground. NO STORY.
8. A group portrait. NO STORY.
*9. Catching your brother with your woman. STORY.
10.battle reenactment. NO STORY.

There's a difference between telling a story with a photograph and just suggesting a mood or a character or an event.

Now, I'm being a huge hypocrite because my own picture doesn't tell much of a story and my ribbon picks don't tell much of a story, either. There's no excuse for my pic, but my ribbon picks were at least enigmatic enough to suggest stories. I got the feeling that there was indeed a story, even if I didn't know what it was. Stock images such as consistently fill up the Top 10 of challenges are the least suggestive images possible. No stories come from them.

Judi

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

05/12/2008 04:21:55 PM · #37

I suppose my image DOESN'T tell a story. I mean...it only shows a man holding the hand of the woman he loves and their poses ooze the connection they have...and the way the sun shines around the bride enhances the magic that they have. Yup...no story!

scalvert

05/12/2008 04:22:11 PM · #38

Originally posted by Sam94720:

my interpretation of the challenge was that you were supposed to let your image tell one specific story. What's the point of a challenge if any picture meets it?

Nowhere in the description is the challenge limited to one specific story, so you only handicap yourself with such a narrow interpretation. Any picture meets the ever-popular Free Study, but not equally. ;-) The point is that while every picture tells a story, not every picture communicates a story well or in an appealing manner.

05/12/2008 04:28:29 PM · #39

Originally posted by Judi:

A story requires a plot. I'm not saying the photos lack humanity or anything else. They just lack a story.

scalvert

05/12/2008 04:29:05 PM · #40

Originally posted by posthumous:

*1. A kid finding out something kinky about his Dad. STORY

We must be reading different translations. What's kinky about a fireman, white collar worker, superhero and police officer?

IMO about 8 of the top 10 are effective story tellers that invite the viewer to wonder about the circumstances surrounding the image.

timfythetoo

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

05/12/2008 04:39:53 PM · #41

I sort of cheated with mine as I banked on an already ongoing story to help with the impact. The low votes confirmed that for some they did not appreciate that.

TLL061

05/12/2008 04:55:30 PM · #42

hey don , who the hell are you crapping on someone's entry , every picture has a story , just because you don't get it doesn't mean it's not there and your right you entry has no story either , don't take your self so seriously

Message edited by author 2008-05-12 16:56:42.

Sam94720

05/12/2008 05:02:45 PM · #43

Originally posted by TLL061:

This comment contradicts itself...

TLL061

05/12/2008 05:08:38 PM · #44

your right I was annoyed when I wrote it , thanks for pointing that out

Moose408

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

05/12/2008 05:28:46 PM · #45

Originally posted by posthumous:

That was my exact take on the top 10 as well and I voted that way. Was surprised others didn't. There is a story behind every photo but I interpreted this challenge to be to tell an Obvious story and only 1,3, and 9 did that.

pawdrix

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D IF

05/12/2008 05:32:27 PM · #46

Originally posted by scalvert:

IMO about 8 of the top 10 are effective story tellers that invite the viewer to wonder about the circumstances surrounding the image.

I'm going with 4...mmmmaybe 5, working for me.

Do character studies qualify as a story?

eta: just read Don's list and I think it's spot on.
eta II: I mean the latter part about there being "no excuse for his image" ...j/k
eta III: "But it's chilly," said Maurice. (I can't stop laughing)

Message edited by author 2008-05-12 17:50:55.

LVicari

Canon EOS-50D

05/12/2008 05:56:50 PM · #47

*1. A kid finding out something kinky about his Dad. STORY.

Ah man! I should have put my french maid's outfit in there. That would have been good.

That's funny!

05/12/2008 06:27:21 PM · #48

Originally posted by TLL061:

It's not like I gave out 1s like certain people. Here is the reason I'm taking this distinction seriously:

A challenge like this is supposed to teach people about a certain aspect of photography. It is a wonderful time-honored tradition of photographs to tell stories. You see it in photo-journalism, in photo essays, in artistic photography, in commercial photography, photography as illustration, etc. etc. It defeats the educational purpose of having a challenge like this to ignore it. I don't give an ant's butt how yellow something is in a Yellow challenge because that's not teaching anybody anything. And actually, something that's not-quite-yellow can teach you more about yellow than a straight-up yellow picture can. But this is a challenge about an important (and interesting, even entertaining) aspect of photography.