Was your vision clouded? - DPChallenge Forums

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 18-135mm f/3.5- 5.6G ED DX

11/24/2010 02:04:03 PM · #28

Originally posted by lawrysimm:

Votes Average
16 - 5.1250
17 - 5.2353
18 - 5.2778
23 - 5.7391
25 - 5.7600
26 - 5.8077
28 - 5.8929
37 - 6.0541
40 - 6.1250
42 - 6.2143

Loving that trend!

Show Off!!!

15 4.8000
18 5.0000
19 4.8947
21 4.9048
22 4.9091
28 4.6429
31 4.7097
33 4.7273
37 4.7027
39 4.7179
44 4.7500

acg83

Nikon D80

11/24/2010 02:07:07 PM · #29

Votes: 40
Views: 70
Avg Vote: 5.9500
Comments: 4

2nd week running it'll be nail biting whether I finally break the 6 barrier for the first time. Or will this be my 4th 5.9xxx?

sjhuls

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS II USM Lens

11/24/2010 06:56:35 PM · #30

Votes: 64
Views: 99
Avg Vote: 5.8438
Comments: 1

Steadily climbing, I like this trend. The votes coming it still seem to be swinging wildly, I guess people either love it or hate it.

hahn23

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

11/24/2010 08:48:33 PM · #31

Originally posted by bohemka:

I mean absolutely no disrespect to the entrants of this challenge, but we, myself included, obviously had a hard time finding good clouds this week. There are but a handful of clouds that really impress me. A lot of great photos, a lot of creativity and excellent compositions, but not a whole lot of great-looking clouds in there.

My vent about this challenge (again, no offense to the participants):

1 - Why so close on the heels of Skyscape (mid-September)? Is it not essentially the same challenge?
2 - With the short days (for most of us) as well as it being the tail end of autumn (not exactly known for good clouds other than flat mats of gray) this was just truly bad timing. (Haven't seen an exploding hoover yet, which would have been good)
3 - Basic editing? Leaves the viewer with a bunch of bland or over-sharpened clouds.

This is my first vent of this sort, and I'm fully expecting the You should have entered the night portrait challenge message, and fair enough, maybe so, but I like clouds, and would have absolutely loved this challenge had it been thought through a bit more.

Vent off.

In other news, I'm somewhere uninteresting in the 5s.

Vaild criticisms, all. A short time window for challenge entries really constrains this type of challenge. It's not uncommon for weather patterns (Rossby waves) to persist for several weeks. So, feast or famine for the photog, right? Sure would be good for the site, if challenges like this would encompass a couple weeks. Then, we might have the chance to see and capture the beauty of the earth's atmosphere.

Votes: 60
Views: 99
Avg Vote: 6.2333
Comments: 2
Favorites: 0

Message edited by author 2010-11-24 20:54:16.

Stiger

Canon EOS-60D

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

11/24/2010 09:30:37 PM · #32

Woke up this morning to a 5.8.

Steady rise all day.

Votes: 62
Views: 105
Avg Vote: 6.4194

bohemka

Nikon D700

Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX Aspherical DG HSM for Nikon

11/25/2010 03:37:43 AM · #33

Originally posted by hahn23:

Sure would be good for the site, if challenges like this would encompass a couple weeks. Then, we might have the chance to see and capture the beauty of the earth's atmosphere.

Well said! I actually meant to make that point as well but lost my way mid-post.

At last check I was clinging to a 5.3, which is a little surprising. Not a top contender by any means, but I thought it was more interesting than a 5.3. Both of my entries this week have been taken out back and had a healthy dose of you're just average beaten into them.

Qiki

Fujifilm X100T

Pentax DA 70mm f/2.4 Limited

11/25/2010 04:21:55 AM · #34

Originally posted by bohemka:

Originally posted by hahn23:

Sure would be good for the site, if challenges like this would encompass a couple weeks. Then, we might have the chance to see and capture the beauty of the earth's atmosphere.

Well said! I actually meant to make that point as well but lost my way mid-post.

At last check I was clinging to a 5.3, which is a little surprising. Not a top contender by any means, but I thought it was more interesting than a 5.3. Both of my entries this week have been taken out back and had a healthy dose of you're just average beaten into them.

Sorry, but I just can't go with you on this one. I go back to my previous point about part of the challenge of this site being the deadlines and the fact that the timing of challenges sometimes conspires against you. As it happens I was unusually lucky with cloud formations to shoot for this challenge, but in my neck of the woods at this time of year we can go several weeks with clear skies. Should I therefore be insisting that a challenge such as this run over several weeks? C'mon, just accept that not all challenges are going to suit all of us all of the time, for all sorts of different reasons.

Q.

bohemka

Nikon D700

Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX Aspherical DG HSM for Nikon

11/25/2010 04:40:38 AM · #35

Fair enough, and I do accept that, entirely. I agree that's a big part of it. But with weather it's really a waiting game and luck. The smaller the window the more luck comes into play. This is no different from the Skyscape challenge in that regard. I said it then and will again: This isn't so much about taking an interesting photo of a sky as much as it is about what mother nature's dealt you this week. But this is a dead horse and that's all from me on it.

Olympus 17mm f/1.8 M.Zuiko

11/25/2010 04:44:38 AM · #36

Been following this thread with interest for other reasons than the scores. Some valid points made. I think few people understand how to vote in a way that really reflects the image and efforts made by the photographer. Voting here remains very subjective and to a large extent the true art of photography gets lost amidst all the eye candy. Nothing wrong with that, as long as we keep shooting what we do best and learn from others and mistakes made and continue to grow in our love for capturing scenes

A week gives you very little time to often make use of all the elements which rarely plays along the way you were hoping for it to fit the challenge. Whats been really challenging for me is to regardless of whats been given to me, see how I can make the best use of it. There has been so many threads commenting on..if only I lived there, in this or that place where it's so beautifull. This has often been my way of thinking and it natural to do so. (I want to be in Iceland..and so does everybody else) What I have however also noted is that time and again people come up with photos that disproves this theory of having something or not having it to produce the shots...
I live in Gauteng..a freaking boring place for landscapes. Landscapes is my passion. I want to be in the mountains and yet for so long this thinking have deprived me of capturing some beautifull landscapes in my area.

Yes..some have all the weather and clouds to play with in a week, or whatever the challenge is all about, but all the gear in the world is not going to make you a photographer. It makes it easier and less challenging than for those who dont have it..or clouds in this case.

We are all confronted with a challenge. We can either look at the obstacles..or we could start looking for the sollutions and think creatively.

Having said all the above, Sometimes it would be nice to have a longer period in which to best present the theme, especially where natural elements play a role. One sometimes have so many shots that you just took, that would perfectly fit the challenge..just after entries closed. Sometimes you are lucky. Mine was shot 10 hours before close down..but it still does not represent what I know I wanted and for that you need time.

Well thats life I suppose.

PS - Pardon my grammar and English if it is lacking in any way

ubique

Olympus PEN-F

11/25/2010 05:40:31 AM · #37

Well Rian, you know I do love your landscapes, especially when you get down in the Draakensberg!

As I have no particular interest in my own challenge scores I rarely look at these "what's your score" threads, but one thing that is clear just from looking at the results of any themed challenge is that many voters have a fixed and myopically literal pre-conception of what meets the challenge, and don't really even read the challenge descriptions properly.

This challenge says: Clouds can contribute drama and impact to an image. They can be powerful and dominant, they can be ethereal and dreamlike, they can be foreboding or welcoming. Show us your best shot from this week in which clouds play a major role in the image.

And yet it is clear from posts in this thread that only dramatic, dominant cloudscapes are going to score well. Part of the joy of this place is surely the discovery of what challenge interpretations others come up with. How can it be satisfying to insist that only your own interpretation of a challenge is valid? How can it be possible to know what was in that other photographer's mind? The comment DNMC is usually a sad indictment of the vision of the commenter, and only rarely of that of the photographer.

There are some very good entries in this challenge with dramatic clouds, but also some where the clouds are very understated. And yet I know that those understated ones will not score well and will have comments like 'clouds are not dominant enough', etc. Why? Because so many voters ignore the actual challenge description, and simply apply their own instead.

11/25/2010 06:03:41 AM · #38

Originally posted by ubique:

Agree totally..thats why I said...voting is always going to be subjective. I just started voting and gave a 10 to a photo I absolutely love but which I know could very well be tanked by the rest..let's hope Im wrong.
Furthermore it is also very true but sad yes...I wonder how many people really do keep in mind the full wording in describing the challenge for the week.
We should be more concerned with photography and the photos we like, than be hung by the perception of the masses. Im not shooting an interpretation..but I am shooting a crazy hunt for what appeals to others rather than yourself. Came back from the Berg recently and had an absolute ball with a steap learning curve in exactly what we are talking about here. I could brable on and on about this. I think I will start a thread about my experiences there and see what the people will say.comment
We should (me included) be carefull that in our photographic ventures not be missing life itself. What am I talking about?
Somebody posted a thread on confessions of Mcnally(spelling) It was a humerous look on photography. On this ling there is another link to a completely different topic about thsi photographer doing a shoot about the Pope
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=awuFSWRjoI0&feature=related - "A Photographer's best piece of equipment"
Im not sure how to share links. Hopefully you guys can get it and see it..or have seen it already in all likelihood.

This video sheds some light on what I am trying to say

Message edited by author 2010-11-25 06:06:01.

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 18-135mm f/3.5- 5.6G ED DX

11/25/2010 06:06:57 AM · #39

PS...LOL. what an apt name to this thread..was your vision clouded?

acg83

Nikon D80

11/25/2010 12:53:44 PM · #40

Originally posted by ubique:

There are some very good entries in this challenge with dramatic clouds, but also some where the clouds are very understated. And yet I know that those understated ones will not score well and will have comments like 'clouds are not dominant enough', etc. Why? Because so many voters ignore the actual challenge description, and simply apply their own instead.

As always, differing interpretation is what makes entering the challenges interesting. I have received a comment wishing that the clouds were more dominant in my photo and I have also had comments which suggest I have met the challenge well. So the messages are a little mixed, but with the score at 5.84 (and falling) I think my photo has, on the whole, been reasonably well received.

Originally posted by RianBotes:

We should (me included) be carefull that in our photographic ventures not be missing life itself.

That's why I like long exposures so I can sit back and enjoy the view while I'm taking the photo!

Message edited by author 2010-11-25 12:57:38.

sjhuls

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

11/26/2010 10:23:37 AM · #41

100 vote check in, I woke up to a happy surprise.
Votes: 101
Views: 149
Avg Vote: 6.1089
Comments: 1

I woke up to a happy surprise, I was hoping to get above a 6.0, I never expected this! I may not last so I will post now.

Message edited by author 2010-11-26 10:24:01.

Stiger

Canon EOS-60D

11/26/2010 12:33:17 PM · #42

Close to the 100 vote check in.

Votes: 98
Views: 157
Avg Vote: 6.4592
Comments: 5

mefnj

Nikon D7100

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

11/26/2010 12:46:19 PM · #43

ooo...ooo... i could be headed towards a new PB, only 0.06 away (and the trend looks promising)

Votes: 104
Views: 163
Avg Vote: 6.5865
Comments: 6

some very beautiful shots in this challenge

-mefnj

lawrysimm

Sony SLT-A57

Sony SAL-1855 DT 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

11/26/2010 12:54:17 PM · #44

Votes: 100
Views: 173
Avg Vote: 6.2100
Comments: 7

100 vote check in. Pleased with my score - not a PB but should be in my top 5. 4 out of 7 comments all offer the same advice, so clearly they are all right. Wish I had thought of it... might have done even better :-)

kiwinick

Sony DSLR-A550

Sony DT 18-70mm f/3.5-5.6 Aspherical ED Zoom Lens for Sony Alpha

11/26/2010 01:49:10 PM · #45

atnthe moment its on a rise, 5:5 dont think itll hit 6 but just waitingfor the drop which is sure to come we had too much cloud here this week.

11/29/2010 03:56:05 AM · #46

Stats: You have rated 134 of 134 images (100%) in this challenge.
You have commented on 11 images (8%) in this challenge.
You have given an average score of 5.7388.

Abra

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

11/29/2010 07:50:07 AM · #47

Originally posted by Abra:

Votes: 16
Views: 29
Avg Vote: 5.0000
Comments: 0

I kid you not. This shot made me laugh when I took it but I guess I should have titled it "I started a joke which started the whole world crying"

Votes: 145
Views: 232
Avg Vote: 5.2966
Comments: 7
Favorites: 0

The score is about right for the image (I like dramatic cloud shots as my portfolio shows) but the comments have shown that people get my image and appreciate it so I'm very happy with my entry. I originally thought my humour was being missed or even considered an insult. Thanks everyone for your comments.

Jon_H

11/30/2010 01:14:06 PM · #48

Was your vision clouded?

clearly the person who gave me a 1 in the last couple of minutes thinks so.

11/30/2010 01:17:41 PM · #49

It may be that yours were clouded...but in most cases people handing out 1's have no vision at all

Jon_H