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DPChallenge Forums >> Current Challenge >> What is a Poster?
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 05/13/2009 09:30:36 PM · #1
Hello everyone,

You may think I'm crazy, and you're totally right, but... what is a poster?

I submitted a picture for the De-motivational Poster challenge, and after seeing the rest of the entries, I wonder if I have the right concept for "poster". For me, a poster is in most cases in portrait orientation, and with the caption within the actual photograph. Just imagine a movie poster, or political poster, or theater advertisement, they are almost always vertical, and not horizontal, and normally they don't have any framing. At work, the posters I've always seen didn't have frames, and again, were in portrait orientation in most cases.

Now, in the current challenge, most "posters" do have a (big) frame, with the captions underneath the photograph. I also see that many followed a very similar pattern for the captions, with bigger first and last letters, and underlined letters in between. While I love many of the entries, they look more like Postcard style for me, rather than Poster.

I've never taken any photography course and I probably am mistaken here, and my concept for poster is not the concept most everyone else has. I would appreciate if you could guide me here, or explain exactly what a poster is, or should be, as I really am very intrigued now.

Thank you very much in advance,
Diego
 05/13/2009 09:33:15 PM · #2
If you Google any motivational or de-motivational posters, you will see that most of them have big black borders and words within them

Message edited by author 2009-05-13 21:33:48.
 05/13/2009 09:38:25 PM · #3
if you Google motivational/de-motivational posters and look at the images it will be clear the example most are following.
 05/13/2009 09:40:57 PM · #4
You are completely right about posters... with the exception of motivation and demotivational posters.

These are a particular type of posters that are usually landscape with black borders. Usually one word with a description underneath. The motivational posters became very popular within the business community. It is amazing how often you go into a company and see posters like this one. Many companies would have every conference room and hallway plastered with these. They were wonderful in the beginning, but got very old, very quickly. Then someone came up with the demotivational posters whose sole purpose was to make fun of the motivational posters.
 05/13/2009 09:43:54 PM · #5
When a new challenge is announced, and you are unsure of what the term might mean, there is usually a thread that kicks around the ideas that others have and what previous challenges have created. If you clicked the community tab, chose forums, then current challenge you would find Motivation/demotivation.
Check out the thread and I think it might answer your questions. If you have questions about an up coming challenge and don't see a thread start one of you own.
 05/13/2009 09:52:21 PM · #6
Thank you for the replies! Evidently I did have the wrong concept. Honestly, in the two call centers I worked for, the posters didn't look like the ones in the challenge. Maybe we have a different style here in Argentina, I don't know.
I also wanted to thank you for the ideas of checking on google or forums or previous challenges. I had never done that, and it may help with my future submissions. So far, all my entries were my own ideas.
So now I know that a Motivational/De-motivational Poster doesn't share style with a regular Poster.
Thank you!
Diego
 05/13/2009 10:16:25 PM · #7
Originally posted by dcanossa:
Thank you for the replies! Evidently I did have the wrong concept. Honestly, in the two call centers I worked for, the posters didn't look like the ones in the challenge. Maybe we have a different style here in Argentina, I don't know.
I also wanted to thank you for the ideas of checking on google or forums or previous challenges. I had never done that, and it may help with my future submissions. So far, all my entries were my own ideas.
So now I know that a Motivational/De-motivational Poster doesn't share style with a regular Poster.
Thank you!
Diego


no problem! I've tried to have my own ideas on challenges as well--with two exceptions: a shot of a chess board because I wanted to play with lighting, and a tree with a sunset, because every other thing I tried with trees just didn't work--and silhouettes really seemed like the best choice.

The reason I look at previous challenges is because I want to avoid the most commonly used shots. There have been a number of times that I had an idea, looked at a previous challenge, and realized that it has been done to death--so I change my idea.
 05/13/2009 10:35:42 PM · #8
Yes, that can also happen. You think you got a great idea and then you realize many others had that idea too.
 05/15/2009 05:54:54 PM · #9
I though challenges were about creativity? If everyone uses the same orientation, same border, same color, same text font, etc., why not use the same photo and the same quote?
 05/15/2009 07:04:02 PM · #10
Originally posted by rrdjserv:
If everyone uses the same orientation, same border, same color, same text font, etc., why not use the same photo and the same quote?

If you have a look through the challenges, you will find some people appear to be doing just that.
 05/15/2009 07:14:02 PM · #11
Originally posted by rrdjserv:
I though challenges were about creativity? If everyone uses the same orientation, same border, same color, same text font, etc., why not use the same photo and the same quote?


Yup, too true. Some folks like to find a great concept, either in past challenges of through a web search, and see if they can reproduce it for the technical challenge. In fact in the current challenges some very nice shots are done that way; same quote, same font, same object, lit the same way. since this is as much a technical site as a creative one, I don't mind people who copy from the masters, we all do to some extent, but I'd rather not give extra credit for the right turn of phrase when it was written by another. If you prize individual creativity, before you vote you might want to see what has been done before so you know who is being creative and can reward them with your voting.
 05/15/2009 09:25:34 PM · #12
Originally posted by BrennanOB:
Originally posted by rrdjserv:
I though challenges were about creativity? If everyone uses the same orientation, same border, same color, same text font, etc., why not use the same photo and the same quote?


Yup, too true. Some folks like to find a great concept, either in past challenges of through a web search, and see if they can reproduce it for the technical challenge. In fact in the current challenges some very nice shots are done that way; same quote, same font, same object, lit the same way. since this is as much a technical site as a creative one, I don't mind people who copy from the masters, we all do to some extent, but I'd rather not give extra credit for the right turn of phrase when it was written by another. If you prize individual creativity, before you vote you might want to see what has been done before so you know who is being creative and can reward them with your voting.


I agree with this completely. My own entry is a near carbon copy of something I found online, so I dont feel that I deserve to get top 10, let alone ribbon on it. That being said, my score is doing well, so I am happy that voters can overlook the lack of originality, and still give me a decent score. When I voted myself, I voted everything like I normally did, but gave extra credit to the original entries, and bumped them up 2 or 3 points higher. Really cool photos in the challenge altogether.
 05/16/2009 05:05:00 AM · #13
Originally posted by rrdjserv:
I though challenges were about creativity? If everyone uses the same orientation, same border, same color, same text font, etc., why not use the same photo and the same quote?


Originally posted by VitaminB:
I don't mind people who copy from the masters, we all do to some extent,


I never copy directly from another's work, but I must confess, I do copy their ideas and put my slant toward it. I guess what bent my ear was the last comment I received on my entry: "You have a perfect photo there but you blew it with the type of the font and not adding a border." After viewing the commentor's site, I realized that he was very young and has not done very well in his challenges. I have to consider the source of the comment. Anyway, I appologize for ranting. Everyone is entitled to his opinion. Good luck to everyone!
 05/16/2009 08:41:03 AM · #14
Originally posted by rrdjserv:
I guess what bent my ear was the last comment I received on my entry: "You have a perfect photo there but you blew it with the type of the font and not adding a border." After viewing the commentor's site, I realized that he was very young and has not done very well in his challenges. I have to consider the source of the comment.

Having been here for a little while, it amuses me the way that the most vociferous comments & critiques seem to come from the most inexperienced.
 05/16/2009 08:49:11 AM · #15
I was disappointed by the entries in the two challenges, but it does seem that there's a whole genre out there. Worst of it is that you get the impression there are people who live in a world where someone can stick a poster like that on the wall without everyone going quiet next time they enter the room and/or striking them off the list of those you might invite to a dinner party...
 05/16/2009 10:51:31 AM · #16
Originally posted by rrdjserv:
I though challenges were about creativity? If everyone uses the same orientation, same border, same color, same text font, etc., why not use the same photo and the same quote?

I'm not even IN this challenge, but let me help you see another perspective.

In the free study (and many other very "free" challenges), you can choose your own orientation, border, color, font, etc. You do whatever you want.

This particular challenge was about a very specific type of poster which certainly does limit you.
The truly creative ones manage to come with something good even WITHIN those limitations.
Being able to work within constraints only helps to make you MORE creative.

Look at a challenge as if it was a paid assignment. You need to give the customers what they ask and pay for, but hopefully you can do it so well that they'll come back for more.
05/16/2009 11:20:30 AM · #17
Originally posted by raish:
I was disappointed by the entries in the two challenges, but it does seem that there's a whole genre out there. Worst of it is that you get the impression there are people who live in a world where someone can stick a poster like that on the wall without everyone going quiet next time they enter the room and/or striking them off the list of those you might invite to a dinner party...


huh???? I honestly had the BEST time viewing the entries and was pleased with most (the carbon copies of what's already out there are not creative enough in my book though). Others must feel the same because my image has over 500 views and it's only half over! OK off the soapbox and on to something else. : )
 05/16/2009 11:41:29 AM · #18
Originally posted by raish:
I was disappointed by the entries in the two challenges


It been interesting being in this challenge because views are about double the average for an "exclusive" challenge (mine is at 548 views with days to go), and scores have been trending pretty high. I certainly gave more high scores, at least in the de-motivational challenge, than normal. Of course I am one of those awful people who actually hangs a small genuine demotivational in my office, so my taste can not be trusted, and yet people still invite me to dinner from time to time.
 05/16/2009 09:33:59 PM · #19
Originally posted by rrdjserv:
Originally posted by VitaminB:
I don't mind people who copy from the masters, we all do to some extent,


I never copy directly from another's work, but I must confess, I do copy their ideas and put my slant toward it. I guess what bent my ear was the last comment I received on my entry: "You have a perfect photo there but you blew it with the type of the font and not adding a border." After viewing the commentor's site, I realized that he was very young and has not done very well in his challenges. I have to consider the source of the comment. Anyway, I appologize for ranting. Everyone is entitled to his opinion. Good luck to everyone!


Sorry... that wasnt my quote.
 05/16/2009 09:35:37 PM · #20
Originally posted by rrdjserv:
Originally posted by VitaminB:
I don't mind people who copy from the masters, we all do to some extent,


I never copy directly from another's work, but I must confess, I do copy their ideas and put my slant toward it. I guess what bent my ear was the last comment I received on my entry: "You have a perfect photo there but you blew it with the type of the font and not adding a border." After viewing the commentor's site, I realized that he was very young and has not done very well in his challenges. I have to consider the source of the comment. Anyway, I appologize for ranting. Everyone is entitled to his opinion. Good luck to everyone!


Sorry... that wasnt my quote. I think it was BrennanOB who said it, I was just agreeing with him.
 05/17/2009 03:30:24 AM · #21
Invite him to dinner - you need to talk :)
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