How did we all do? - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

03/30/2011 12:47:26 PM · #1

It's clear that we look at one picture at a time but it would be perhaps interesting to review in general how we all approached a topic. For instance, why for some topic we come up with really poor, unimaginative shots (The Bottle, Disassembled Objects ....), for others we cannot decide about the path to take (What DPC loves) and just bloom at other topic (pretty much the rest of the topics).

MargaretNet

Sony DSC-RX100 VII

03/30/2011 01:08:31 PM · #2

Good idea

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

03/30/2011 02:00:25 PM · #3

Don't know what you're Talking of.

vikas

Apple iPhone 13

Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G

03/30/2011 02:29:59 PM · #4

Originally posted by h2:

Don't know what you're Talking of.

I don't think this applies to you Oliver!

Originally posted by mariuca:

...really poor, unimaginative shots...

BrennanOB

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

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

03/30/2011 02:34:38 PM · #5

Originally posted by mariuca:

For instance, why for some topic we come up with really poor, unimaginative shots (The Bottle, Disassembled Objects ....)

I seems to me that the more restrictive challenges such as water bottle require a great deal of imagination, and the best of them show a mastery of lighting and use of point of view. After all everyone has access to a water bottle, while some don't have the long lens or time to find a bird in flight. A great portrait might just require a great model, but if you are going to make a water bottle look great, you are going to have to really use your imagination.

Yo_Spiff

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO

03/30/2011 03:19:03 PM · #6

It varies.

Sometimes I already have a subject in mind for when the appropriate challenge comes along. I already had this location filed away in my head for the next architecture challenge:

Sometimes it evolves. I had only a rough idea of what I wanted to do for the workplace challenge, and the shot evolved as I looked at what I had for subject material and figured out what I could do with it.

Some shots I think about for a while, but even with a germ of a good idea, a flash of inspiration is needed. F'rinstance when "Rejected Movie Posters" came along, I wanted to do something with the Kermit & Piggy figures, but couldn't come up with something both humorous and workable. The inspiration finally came from a walk down the DVD aisle at Wal-mart during lunchtime one day.

Then there is the occasional (actually, quite frequent) challenge entry that is unplanned. Either I go out looking for something to suit the topic and find something, like this:

or I realize afterwards, that a shot I took just happens to suit one of this weeks topics:

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

03/30/2011 06:50:57 PM · #7

Sorry for the confusion.
Actually, I wanted a brief discussion on how we all responded to a particular challenge, BEFORE SEEING THE RESULTS.
Do we find that a lot of great photos were submitted? Are they too literal? How did the majority respond to a challenge ....
So in parallel with posting our marks up to the "day of reckoning", we make comments on the general quality of the pictures submitted
Let's take the three challenges that are now in the voting process:
Lucky 13 - 95 entries -
Disassembled Objects - 70 entries
Edward Weston - 148 entries

Are we more satisfied by the responses to one topic over the other? Etc.....

Message edited by author 2011-03-30 18:54:13.

BrennanOB

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

03/30/2011 07:24:47 PM · #8

OK, my impressions

Lucky 13/ average score of 5.8 /Only 2 shots that I felt didn't answer the very simple challenge enough to knock off points, about 25 really nice shots, and as a group a bit too much effort was made to hammer in the number of items without thinking what they wanted to say with the items.

Disassembled Objects / average score of 5.5362 /About 12 really nice shots, and as a group my main complaint was that some of the more pretty shots use only a few components of an object, instead of all the various bits and pieces that make you think "Oh so thats what is inside one of those". Though they often made for a nice shot they didn't nail the challenge as well as more messy shots that showed all the parts, if less artfully. A tough one to score since it was a challenge subject to interpretation.

Edward Weston / average score of 5.7687/3 DNMC/ 30 really good shots. Quality is a bit more subjective here, but I thought it was a good group, but people focused so much on what objects Weston is famous for photographing, that his use of light and sense of finding the quite peacefull and full frame was often overlooked. A fun one to score, as tribute challenges so often are.

Frankly I'm surprised to see that "13" had a higher average score than "Weston", because the images aren't as nice, but I must have taken more points off for failing to be "Westony" enough.

FocusPoint

XIAOMI Redmi Note 8 Pro

03/30/2011 07:40:19 PM · #9

Usually I don't care if there are repeats on one challenge, I do vote for the image itself. I don't kill DNMC, maybe a vote lower, but some cases I don't even lower my vote if they are very good. After all, this is a photography website, sometimes we all might miss the point... as long as the work is good, I am ok with it.

We had complaints before, years ago, too many entries per challenges. I think that leveled itself out for this website. We also have Thursday challenges now, form time to time I believe, which keeps us busy. For low entry challenges, I think it's only matter of convenience rather than selectivity for the subject. Some challenges easy to produce, some of them need some more work or travel, which keeps one side light each week.

Overall, I know this website is producing extremely good photos. I can't help myself to go back to archive and check the winners form time to time... very encouraging.

Leo

BrennanOB

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

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

03/30/2011 07:50:18 PM · #10

Originally posted by FocusPoint:

Overall, I know this website is producing extremely good photos. I can't help myself to go back to archive and check the winners form time to time... very encouraging.

Leo

LOL, so true. The quality goes up and the blue ribbon scores keep dropping.

Think we will ever see an 8.5 again?

FocusPoint

XIAOMI Redmi Note 8 Pro

03/30/2011 07:58:38 PM · #11

Originally posted by BrennanOB:

...The quality goes up and the blue ribbon scores keep dropping....

My scores did not change until last week... I changed from 1 > 10 to 5 > 10 because I know the votes are dropping for some reason and there is no reason to discourage people.

Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II for Canon

03/30/2011 08:40:35 PM · #12

I am really happy to read all these comments. Thanks to all. I want to understand more of what we do here, thus this thread.
I did not vote on any of the 3 challenges mentioned yet but as soon as I clean up my act on the Free study I'll come back. Meanwhile, I read all comments with great pleasure and benefit.

jamesgoss

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

03/30/2011 09:09:54 PM · #13

Originally posted by mariuca:

I love that the only two challenges I've entered have been bottle and disassembled objects. I don't think my shot was terribly unimaginative in either challenge, and I'm really curious as to which shot is yours in the challenge. I've already voted/commented on it, but if you PM me your entry, I'll try to give you some more insight as to why other people may not be voting it so well.

Message edited by author 2011-03-30 21:14:39.

spiritualspatula

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-LX100

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

03/30/2011 10:55:14 PM · #14

I think this is an interesting discussion... and one I've frequently thought of bringing up and/or making general comments about, but it walks right along the lines of discussing images that are currently in voting...