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02/13/2012 07:25:32 AM · #1 |
Ok. I'm trying to understand this. The Blue Ribbon for Sports Action, IMO, is not an "Action" shot, it's a staged portrait of an athlete. Obviously I'm outside the mainstream with this opinion as the final result indicates. It's certainly a professionally done, well lit photograph...not disputing that at all, just wondering about the connection to the challenge.
For those of you who can't stomach any conversation of a front page photo with any potentially negative vibes, this is not a "sour grapes" posting. I'm very pleased with the 5.75 score my entry received and has nothing to do with my observations. Honest! :-)
Here's the 1st place photo I'm referring to -->  |
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02/13/2012 07:30:53 AM · #2 |
| Well technically it does involve action. true it is not during an actual game but she isn't just holding the ball. I had similar thoughts the last sports challenge when the 3rd place was also a, well done, set up shot. |
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02/13/2012 07:38:43 AM · #3 |
It is not my Allen's favorite shot, but it's a sport photo. The challenge was not 'sport action' so IMO the image could win even if I gave it only a 6.
The sport magazines are full of athletes studio shots. I prefer action like you but it doesn't mean that this image was something far from this challenge. |
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02/13/2012 07:50:02 AM · #4 |
Originally posted by Alexkc:
It is not my Allen's favorite shot, but it's a sport photo. The challenge was not 'sport action' so IMO the image could win even if I gave it only a 6.
The sport magazines are full of athletes studio shots. I prefer action like you but it doesn't mean that this image was something far from this challenge. |
From the challenge description (bold emphasis added): "Capture the action of any sport, recreational or professional." |
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02/13/2012 07:55:53 AM · #5 |
this is dpc title doesnt really matter, its a nice photo but wasnt my top rated sports shot, my only 10 was bears skiing shot
look at the third in magic and mystery wonderful wildlife shot but came third in magic and mystery and while it may be a magical capture it doesnt make me think magic and mystery it makes me think wonderful wildlife shot :)
trying to understand the voting habits here is akin to understanding women, an impossible task ;) hahahaha |
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02/13/2012 07:57:10 AM · #6 |
Please forgive me, I didn't read the challenge description :)
As Joshua said, there's action, even if not the kind of action of a real competion. Well, it would be interesting to know what other people think about it. |
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02/13/2012 09:07:20 AM · #7 |
Originally posted by Giles_uk:
trying to understand the voting habits here is akin to understanding women, an impossible task ;) hahahaha |
One thing to remember is that visual appeal is almost always a much larger factor in the average than how closely it fits the challenge topic. Yes, some people may ding you for not fitting their understanding of the topic, but more people will ding you for a poor or mediocre entry. If I have two entries, one fitting the topic to a "T" and the other a visually strong but marginal fit, I'll go with the marginal shot. And I've pulled in a ribbon that way.
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02/13/2012 09:10:55 AM · #8 |
Well, I suppose there's always the interpretation that "recreational" can take the shot into a studio.
What if a drive-by on a cycle is staged outside?
I like spending hours in the sun trying to take a few reasonable shots of the sport happenings in my town. So I have a proper sporting event image or two to submit, but not all may be so lucky.
I did rate staged shots lower than the real thing. |
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02/13/2012 09:29:07 AM · #9 |
Originally posted by MinsoPhoto:
Well technically it does involve action. true it is not during an actual game but she isn't just holding the ball. I had similar thoughts the last sports challenge when the 3rd place was also a, well done, set up shot. |
She is just holding the ball. |
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02/13/2012 09:43:35 AM · #10 |
Originally posted by deeby:
Originally posted by MinsoPhoto:
Well technically it does involve action. true it is not during an actual game but she isn't just holding the ball. I had similar thoughts the last sports challenge when the 3rd place was also a, well done, set up shot. |
She is just holding the ball. |
Actually she isn't, that is just a well timed shutter trigger during a dribble. Same as this is  This was something I considered entering but didn't because it was suppose to be "sport action". |
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02/13/2012 10:13:18 AM · #11 |
It is a good shot, a very nice portrait. But this isn't a sports portrait challenge, it's sports action. If I had entered a shot of a gold-medal winning showjumper grazing in its paddock, or a racehorse being hotwalked by a groom, I'd end up with the brown. However if I entered the same horse tearing up the track or clearing a 5'3 fence, well, that's different.
Also I really wanted to see  Magnumphotography's 2nd place snowboarder in the top slot. Not just because he's my bf (OK so maybe I'm a tiny bit biased) but because it's an obvious sports shot, an obvious action shot, and the kid is freakin upside-down. Perfect for the challenge and then some. If that isn't blue-worthy I don't know what is.
Message edited by author 2012-02-13 10:27:07. |
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02/13/2012 11:35:31 AM · #12 |
Originally posted by herfotoman:
What if a drive-by on a cycle is staged outside? |
My entry was staged, sort of. I simply approached another cyclist I saw in the park and explained the challenge to her and why I thought she would make a good subject. She rode back and forth in front of me for a few minutes. Is that staged or real world?
When I e-mailed her the photo I was entering, she was glad she took the time, and then asked for the full res pic so she could print it and frame it on her wall. Better than any virtual ribbon!
Message edited by author 2012-02-13 11:36:50.
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02/13/2012 11:42:42 AM · #13 |
Originally posted by Yo_Spiff:
Originally posted by herfotoman:
What if a drive-by on a cycle is staged outside? |
My entry was staged, sort of. I simply approached another cyclist I saw in the park and explained the challenge to her and why I thought she would make a good subject. She rode back and forth in front of me for a few minutes. Is that staged or real world?
When I e-mailed her the photo I was entering, she was glad she took the time, and then asked for the full res pic so she could print it and frame it on her wall. Better than any virtual ribbon! |
Available now:
How to Meet Athletic Women, by Yo_Spiff
Bottom line, there were many photos in this challenge that could have easily won ribbons. Nearly 50% received at least a 6. Great photos. |
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02/13/2012 11:44:37 AM · #14 |
This was actually my favorite shot in the challenge, but I do see where the people who are not enthused by the fact that it is staged are coming from. Capturing physical action is great, but to me this photo has plenty of 'action' outside of the frozen dribble. Her posture and determination tell me she is ready to act, there is great tension in the photo, and to me that is even more powerful than catching her in full-blown action. To each their own, though. :)
I also think people generally forget the specific details of the challenge as they vote. If there was an 'Airplane' challenge where the description said 'catch an airplane in flight', I guarantee you there will be a ton of pictures of airplanes parked on the ground because people remembered only the 'airplane' part of the challenge. |
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02/13/2012 12:20:15 PM · #15 |
Originally posted by bohemka:
Available now:
How to Meet Athletic Women, by Yo_Spiff |
If I were single that could work out nicely. I was half expecting her to think I was some middle aged weirdo. But I was on a bike as well, and the homeless guys on bicycles don't tote 50D's in their rack trunks.
I've actually been surprised how many people have been pleased and flattered when I ask to take their photo. Guess I'm not that intimidating (As long as I leave Grog at home).
Message edited by author 2012-02-13 12:22:47.
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02/13/2012 12:22:57 PM · #16 |
I don't agree with every POV taken in this conversation, but I can see how the varying opinions were derived and I appreciate the discussion.
The civility is refreshing. Thank you! |
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02/13/2012 12:50:27 PM · #17 |
I'm with you, tuba.
To be honest, I didn't read the challenge description. "Sports" was enough to make me cringe.
To be honest, if I had read the challenge description it wouldn't have changed my score, which was 5. The most relevant thing to me was that the shot was not exciting but it was well done and the lighting was interesting. That was enough to get me to 5. Reading the challenge description wouldn't have changed anything because I already value "action" in a photo.
But I'm with you, tuba. It does not meet the actual challenge description and it is remarkable that it won a blue ribbon, and does demonstrate something unfortunate about the mythical "average DPC voter". |
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02/13/2012 01:46:36 PM · #18 |
| That's what is bugging me lately, it's becoming too obvious what needs to be done to get the average voter to give me a high score, I no longer get the buzz that I used too, its just too predictable, I have to find my beginners mind with regards to photography, to do that I have to move away from the average voter, which obviously means shity scores, it's a really tight fit at the top with very little space to maneuver. |
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02/13/2012 01:59:24 PM · #19 |
Originally posted by jagar:
to do that I have to move away from the average voter, which obviously means shity scores |
Which is why I am trying to shift my focus to the comments as an indicator of how good my photo is. It's hard (for some of us, myself included) to move away from the concept of trying to please the most people in a tough to please crowd. I'm slowly getting there and I think you are too.
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02/13/2012 02:50:32 PM · #20 |
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02/13/2012 03:15:20 PM · #21 |
For the sake of argument-
Let's pretend there was a shot of a basketball player on the court driving the lane that is clearly illuminated from a side light. This person is ACTUALLY playing. The light is firing 1000 w/s Profoto (let's this), either from one side or both.
The PRODUCT, the LOOK, will be the same minus the light in the background light on this. Anybody who knows lighting knows you can do this ON COURT if you REALLY wanted to, it would just take time.
So, let's say the point guard is doing some cross overs at the 3 point line before driving. Snooting these lights and making them a spotlight would generate much the same light. Is this "Sports Action"?
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02/13/2012 03:27:49 PM · #22 |
Originally posted by spiritualspatula:
For the sake of argument-
Let's pretend there was a shot of a basketball player on the court driving the lane that is clearly illuminated from a side light. This person is ACTUALLY playing. The light is firing 1000 w/s Profoto (let's this), either from one side or both.
The PRODUCT, the LOOK, will be the same minus the light in the background light on this. Anybody who knows lighting knows you can do this ON COURT if you REALLY wanted to, it would just take time.
So, let's say the point guard is doing some cross overs at the 3 point line before driving. Snooting these lights and making them a spotlight would generate much the same light. Is this "Sports Action"? |
You can hypothesize all you want, but that's not THIS image. The thing of it is, this image is extremely contained and static. The similar one MattO showed is much more dynamic. I don't much care about this one way or another anymore (I used to care a lot) but my basic POV is this:
DPC is seriously becoming the Land of the Setup Shot. Voters are responding really well to sophisticated lighting in clear, smooth setups. So, most of the time, most challenges, readily allow for this sort of shot and they do very well. When a challenge like THIS one comes along, which specifically calls for "sports action", I get a little excited, thinking that real-world action is going to rule the roost, and its sort of deflating when by far the highest-rated entry is a studio type shot...
Still, it is what it is. The voters get what they want, they drive the site. I'm just grateful my own little attempt at showing how the skier and the landscape are as one, the zen of skiing as it were, was so well received. There were a lot of wonderful action shots in this challenge; it was one of the highest average scores I have ever given.
R.
Message edited by author 2012-02-13 15:28:29.
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02/13/2012 03:29:52 PM · #23 |
Originally posted by Yo_Spiff:
...homeless guys on bicycles don't tote 50D's in their rack trunks. |
There's your pickup line, right there. |
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02/13/2012 03:31:27 PM · #24 |
Originally posted by Art Roflmao:
Originally posted by Yo_Spiff:
...homeless guys on bicycles don't tote 50D's in their rack trunks. |
There's your pickup line, right there. |
I'm still laughing from him using Rack and trunk in the same sentence....
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02/13/2012 03:34:01 PM · #25 |
| FWIW, I think it would have made a difference if the word "action" was in the challenge title. Few people seem to read the description - particularly non-entry voters - myself included. |
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