Help me understand my Silence image weakness

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II

11/02/2012 10:05:12 AM · #1

My placement was okay and the comments on my image were great and much appreciated. My realistic expectations on this image were higher. I guess I don't understand the cluster of five outlying votes of "1". Is there some major flaw or DNMC aspect to which I am blind?

Suggestions for improvement would be welcomed.

Venser

Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO M.Zuiko

11/02/2012 10:14:16 AM · #2

Not saying I was one of the one's, but I'll try.

I see the clouds as moving, at least they have me believing there's a right to left movement of wind. If you can imagine there's wind, then it's not far-fetched to think the trees could be rustling, thus creating noise.

I know the snow on the trees looks like there's no movement, but it's not always about the visual, but the perceived or implied. Especially since the tree smack dab in the middle has a tilt on the upper part in line with how I think the wind would be blowing.

Message edited by author 2012-11-02 10:14:36.

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D IF

11/02/2012 10:17:24 AM · #3

Originally posted by Venser:

Thanks for your comments. No wind. When the wind blows, the snow blows off the trees and the trees wave in the breeze. It was perfectly quiet. Even the clouds were drifting along slowly. But, I understand your perception.

smardaz

11/02/2012 10:22:11 AM · #4

I think this is a classic case of the size restrictions hurting the image

Tommy_Mac

Nikon D800

11/02/2012 10:22:40 AM · #5

I was one of your 8's...I don't know what was up with the "1's" in this challenge...maybe some voters took it too litterally...but some of the litteral entries received "1's" too...very low scoring challenge.

HCvE

Fujifilm X-T1

Fujifilm XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 OIS

11/02/2012 10:24:09 AM · #6

It's a great picture but doesn't really come over as silent to me, gave you a 7 anyway

Oh and congrats with the publishing of it!

Message edited by author 2012-11-02 10:25:42.

gyaban

Canon EOS-1D X

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

11/02/2012 10:27:09 AM · #7

I have honestly no idea about how to explain the '1' votes, no clue about what these voters were thinking. What I don't like in your photo is mainly the light-blue halo around the tree on the left. Other than that, it looks good to me, and make me wish I could easily go there for a walk.

And, of course, the 800 pixels resolution limitation is a shame for landscapes. These days, people use 27" or even 30"+ screens with high resolution: 800 pixels looks like a little stamp in the middle of a huge frame. The photo loses a lot of its effect. I really wish for DPC to allow larger entries, it's getting a bit ridiculous in 2012 when even phones produce images several times bigger than that.

edit: typo.

Message edited by author 2012-11-02 10:28:37.

Alex_Petrini

Sony Alpha a7R III

Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM

11/02/2012 10:27:42 AM · #8

It was an unpredictable challenge. Silence can be hard to be represented in an original way. That's why most were landscapes. I don't understand your 5 '1' votes (I got 3), but this can happen - silence is a lack of sound and in photography you can only imagine what's going on. I like your image but the tree on the left bothers me a little. Moreover when there are a lot of good entries the average score drops (not always but most of the times), and this explains your 6.1x

Alex_Petrini

Sony Alpha a7R III

Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM

11/02/2012 10:32:18 AM · #9

Originally posted by gyaban:

And, of course, the 800 pixels resolution limitation is a shame for landscapes. These days, people use 27" or even 30"+ screens with high resolution: 800 pixels looks like a little stamp in the middle of a huge frame. The photo loses a lot of its effect. I really wish for DPC to allow larger entries, it's getting a bit ridiculous in 2012 when even phones produce images several times bigger than that..

+100

My last entries lost soooo much in resizing. Sometimes I even thought of not submitting them. When I see them in full resolution and then after resizing it makes me think I lost a lot time for nothing :)

Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF

11/02/2012 10:33:42 AM · #10

Good feedback, all! Thanks!

paynekj

Pentax K10D

11/02/2012 10:53:22 AM · #11

I think you've suffered because you have applied your knowledge of that environment and expected the viewers to share the same perception.

I've never been in a place that is as quiet as you are saying it was. From my own experiences, I'd expect to be able to hear traffic noise, aircraft, wind and people, so I don't share your associations of silence with views of the scenery.

Kevin

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

11/02/2012 10:56:51 AM · #12

Originally posted by paynekj:

I invite you to come to the Colorado mountain wilderness. On a windless day, you will experience a quiet and peacefulness like nowhere else. Thanks for your comment.

Cuttooth

Canon EOS R

11/02/2012 11:14:00 AM · #13

Surprised to see those five 1 votes. I thought it went well with the challenge and voted your shot a 7. Like others have mentioned, maybe a majority of the voters perceived the scene as "peaceful" instead of silent.

markwiley

Fujifilm X-Pro2

Fujifilm XF 10-24mm f/4 R IOS

11/02/2012 11:15:18 AM · #14

The image evokes a beautiful stillness to me. I can shed no light on your five 1's. Lovely shot.

Cory

Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM

11/02/2012 12:08:56 PM · #15

Nice shot.

Message edited by author 2012-11-02 17:31:11.

atupdate

Pentax K-R

Promaster 28-200mm f/3.8-5.6 XR IF

11/02/2012 12:21:15 PM · #16

There are voters that will give out 1's for the same-ole, same-ole pretty pictures. It is their right and is not worth worrying about. What about those 4 10's? Did your image deserve them? I know very few of my images did but it all averages out.

Tim

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

11/02/2012 12:34:03 PM · #17

Originally posted by atupdate:

Those five 1s did change the placement of my image in the challenge. This was a special and unique scene to me. I did put in the time and effort to capture the landscape well. It does bother me that a group of five targeted the image with votes of 1. It may be their right to undercut an image, but it is unusual for a good image to receive a cluster of outlying votes like that. No comments were offered reflecting votes of 1.

NikonJeb

Nikon D850

11/02/2012 12:38:16 PM · #18

Sorry.....double post....

Message edited by author 2012-11-02 12:38:40.

NikonJeb

Nikon D850

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

11/02/2012 12:38:16 PM · #19

Originally posted by hahn23:

That's easy, Richard......it's all those Oohs & Ahs coming from everyone in the proximity......it's just too spectacular to be quiet. Darn noisy grandeur, anyway! LOL!!!

Beautiful image!

Denielle

Canon EOS-7D Mark II

Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM

11/02/2012 12:42:20 PM · #20

Originally posted by NikonJeb:

Originally posted by hahn23:

My placement was okay and the comments on my image were great and much appreciated. My realistic expectations on this image were higher. I guess I don't understand the cluster of five outlying votes of "1". Is there some major flaw or DNMC aspect to which I am blind?

Suggestions for improvement would be welcomed.

That's easy, Richard......it's all those Oohs & Ahs coming from everyone in the proximity......it's just too spectacular to be quiet. Darn noisy grandeur, anyway! LOL!!!

Beautiful image!

It was a beautiful image. The foreground tree did seem oversharp (even if that's how it was out of the camera). Perhaps a slight softness would create more of a silent effect?
I gave it a 5. Though my highest votes were 8s, and I only gave out a few of them.

The reasons:
a) it seemed over sharp (as previously mentioned)
b) it almost seemed like an overwhelming amount of blues/coolness to the shot.

Perhaps this is how it looked when you shot it? I don't know.
I didn't enter the challenge though. I couldn't get a moment of silence to myself. lol

It was a peaceful shot overall.

Apple iPhone 5

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

11/02/2012 01:07:33 PM · #21

Originally posted by gyaban:

I really wish for DPC to allow larger entries, it's getting a bit ridiculous in 2012 when even phones produce images several times bigger than that.

I think one of the other reasons was that people are still running 800x600 screens on Windows 95 with a 14.4k baud modem, or something.

Cory

Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM

11/02/2012 01:11:47 PM · #22

Originally posted by hahn23:

Those five 1s did change the placement of my image in the challenge. This was a special and unique scene to me. I did put in the time and effort to capture the landscape well. It does bother me that a group of five targeted the image with votes of 1. It may be their right to undercut an image, but it is unusual for a good image to receive a cluster of outlying votes like that. No comments were offered reflecting votes of 1.

And right there my dear Richard is the issue at hand. It's a good image, not spectacular, but good - and it does convey the idea quite well. Still, it's much more special to you, since you were there.

It's much the same for your entire gallery isn't it? Do you think your sales would suffer significantly if you moved to, say, Missouri? People love images they have a personal connection to, it's just our nature - and I'm quite certain that having just been in those mountains has a strong effect upon sales.