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DPChallenge Forums >> Challenge Results >> My Conflict entry????
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03/04/2004 08:48:30 AM · #1
For the conflict entry I was not expecting to do amazing and place in the top 10, BUT I was certainly expecting to do better and was anticipating a different set of comments then what I ended up getting.

I had many comments as to how my image didn't show conflict, I'll be blunt and say I think you've gotta be blind not to see conflict in my image. People mentioned that I needed another person or object to show actual conflict. I COMPLETLY disagree...

With how we are brought up about drugs now-adays in school and all the commercials, this single shot should show more emotion and conflict than some of the images in front of me.



Can someone please explain to me how on earth this didn't meet the challenge and why I got so many damn 1, 2's & 3s????

Also: I may be in the wrong, but the "IMO, this is in bad taste" comment really pissed me off...
03/04/2004 09:00:11 AM · #2
I think this just falls into a category like photos of suicide attempts or guns. Some people just don't like the subject matter and will vote it down regardless of image quality.

In addition, because the terms of use for the site state the following, you have may had this going against you:

4.2 You will not use the DPChallenge.com Service to post content ... that ... (viii) encourages or depicts the use of drugs, alcohol or cigarettes

Of course, that same rule also says:

(v) does or may denigrate or offend any ethnic, racial, gender, religious or other protected group, through use of language, images, stereotypical depiction or otherwise

but look at the winning 2nd place entry...

As has been stated in the past, this particular section of the rules is rarely enforced because it comes down to subjective interpretation and since there is never a clear concensus among the Site Council when these types of images show up in challenges about whether or not they should be disqualified, no action is taken. The discussion usually goes "Does the image encourage the use of drugs?" (and the response is usually about how the title makes it clear drugs are bad, etc.) and then "Does it depict the use of drugs?" (and the response is there is no person in the picture so there is no actual "use")...

Message edited by author 2004-03-04 09:05:06.
03/04/2004 09:05:03 AM · #3
Roughly 305 people voted on your image. At least one of those 300 is bound think a photo of cocaine is in bad taste, I wouldn't worry too much about that.

As far as voting goes, my thought process was as follows ... I thought more of the photo should have been in sharp focus. The dof seemed too shallow to me.

As far as meeting the challenge ... I was looking for a specific conflict with the photo. You're right, one would have to blind not to know the conflicts that arise with drugs and drug use, but that's speaking generally, not specifically. For instance, if the mirror and such were placed in an athlete's locker, or the side drawer of an office desk ... then the specific conflict would be more apparent in the image. So I guess I'm saying the "implied" conflict wasn't as strong as it could have been.

I hope this helps, sorry if it didn't.

:)
03/04/2004 09:06:58 AM · #4
I agree w/ EddyG re: the terms of use statement on drugs

Some other thoughts... your scores are almost a perfect "bell curve" reflectings your pre-submission comments of doing "mediocre" but final percentile was above 50% so a bit better than the average shot. Loads of shots got "doesn't look like conflict" comments - I don't think you got more than those scored above you. I also saw quite a few "got it - nice shot" comments along with technical suggestions (which tells me they got the conflict but saw something else to comment on)

As for the "not conflict" comments - you may just want to let that go. I know when I got my first "this doesn't fit the theme" comment in another challenge I scratched my head for a while then realized that by obsessing on the one person's comment I was missing enjoying those that do get what I'm trying for.
03/04/2004 09:13:11 AM · #5
I just know if I plan on winning that I need to know why people vote the way they do... I have learned from mine and more so from others, that posting a picture that requires an thought or time from the voter will just get bashed!

As far as the drug policy goes, I think you would have to contort my image to a highh degree to pull out that I am encouraging drug use...

hopper: Your suggestion for the athletic locker was great, I wish I had thought of something like that!!!
03/05/2004 12:19:05 PM · #6
you got five 10s why not focus on that?

IMHO they were as wrong as the 1s ( do you think this shot is perfect?) as admart pointed out your scores form a nearly perfect bell curve. Any time you shoot contreversial subject matter you will get strong reaction to the image. Baby pictures get 5s, naked chicks shooting guns get 10s and 1s.

I thought the subject was well shot but the conflict was left too much to the viewer. If one took a shot of a bottle of scotch, an AA member would see conflict, a scotch fancier would see a nice treat.

Adding that locker reflection or, say a drop of crimson blood at the end of the bill or on the mirror, gives a stonger editorial sense, guiding the viewer toward the view point you see. There is little reward for subtelty when you are posting 640 pixles.


03/06/2004 12:55:49 AM · #7
I gave the picture a 4. Focus wasn't sharp, for one thing. For another, the subject just kind of "floats" in space. There is no context. Just a mirror with drugs shot as a studio shot, which makes it less interesting to me in this challenge. For my taste there's WAY too much negative space. I would have liked to see people -- which could have helped demonstrate a conflict. The athlete, the student, the junkie, whatever, getting ready to do drugs but conflicted by competing desired states. Or have all the objects on the mirror in a dirty, grungy roadside bathroom or something. As it is, it's just some poorly focused objects on a mirror.
03/06/2004 02:23:02 AM · #8
I know that results really make us angry especially when one has great confidence in one's submission. I did not give it a high rating due to two factors. The conflict would have been more strong had there been the opposite element within the picture (such as the locker suggestion). In addition I see that the main focus point was the note, a greater depth of field might have brought out the picture more. As usual its really all a matter of taste.
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