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03/12/2013 03:36:34 PM · #1 |
So - I'm in on the Human Portrait (Minimal) challenge.
Honestly, with both up, even I was tempted to edit my shot a bit further and go in on the Advanced editing challenge. Of course, after firmly entrenching myself in the pro-minimal group there was no way I could bail out. :)
I really do think it was interesting that Langdon put this up as an exclusive challenge under two rule sets - I wouldn't be surprised if this is a bit of a test to gauge how many participants want minimal editing challenges - given that there is huge temptation in the form of an identical challenge under advanced rules. (has this ever been done before?)
Personally I'm pretty happy to see that about 33% of the total number of entrants for the exclusive challenge have chosen Minimal editing, and I'm really hoping to see some amazing camera work - I'll probably reward the very best of the Minimal entries with top scores, but also sadly suspect that I'll vote with a higher average in the Advanced challenge.
So, what are you expecting to see here in terms of quality of turn-out in each challenge, and what do you think the turnout so far says about the desire for Minimal editing? Plus, how do you think this will shake out with the voters between the two challenges? Do you think the voters will give the higher scores in Advanced, as we've seen in Expert challenges? Or do you think the voters are going to reward the folks who took on the challenge of shooting for the Minimal challenge?
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03/12/2013 03:46:26 PM · #2 |
Originally posted by Cory:
So - I'm in on the Human Portrait (Minimal) challenge.
Honestly, with both up, even I was tempted to edit my shot a bit further and go in on the Advanced editing challenge. Of course, after firmly entrenching myself in the pro-minimal group there was no way I could bail out. :) |
I edited my shot a bit for the print version, and even re-shot it and came closer to the edited version, but decided I liked the original better for the challenge anyway. Once I put an entry in, I try really hard to not go back and second-guess (with subsequent endless tweaking).
I know I (and others) have brought up the idea of running the same topic (including the monthy Free Study) under more than one rule set simultaneously, but I'm pretty sure this is the first time it's been done.
You should know by now how pointless it is to try and guess how the voters will react to anything ... ;-) |
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03/12/2013 03:53:30 PM · #3 |
I think it will be an interesting spread/study between participants and non-participants when it comes to the vote. Those who are in the challenge (Minimal or Advanced) will tend to grade it to their expectations of what can be achieved, what should be achieved, and what was achieved. In other words those who choose the Minimal path will know how challenging it is/was to get a good portrait and grade accordingly to what is presented. Those who went Advanced I feel will grade their peers with a high standard because now you have more leeway to correct most problems or enhance certain elements with PP.
I think the Non-participants will fall roughly into the same pattern - those who tried Minimal will have a great appreciation/understanding what could be achieved and score accordingly. Those who know and are familiar with Advanced but did not go with that choice will score high or low with what they see the photographer achieved presented.
But with anything there are so many variables that you cannot truly predict the outcome unless you have a solid control of those variables.
Message edited by author 2013-03-12 15:54:42. |
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03/12/2013 03:59:10 PM · #4 |
After shooting for this challenge, I certainly appreciate how hard (read: impossible) it is to get a beautiful portrait unedited straight out of camera. There's no way I could do it without the help of editing software.
Edit: ..... to achieve the kind of portraits I'd like to take.
Message edited by author 2013-03-12 16:00:22. |
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03/12/2013 04:18:48 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by gcoulson:
After shooting for this challenge, I certainly appreciate how hard (read: impossible) it is to get a beautiful portrait unedited straight out of camera. There's no way I could do it without the help of editing software.
Edit: ..... to achieve the kind of portraits I'd like to take. |
Part of what this exercise is about is to see whether you can achieve a better final result (after editing) from an original you shoot as carefully as if you were using Minimal rules, or from your more commonly-used "easier" setup. Of course, the answer may well be different depending on what style image you want to make. :-) |
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03/12/2013 04:48:56 PM · #6 |
I set out to enter the Minimal challenge. And a challenge it has been. If cropping were allowed, it would help a little. I'm going to try to stick with minimal, but I can say one thing: I have a greater appreciation for just plain ol' photography now, having had to do three retakes over a few days - to the point that my model got very very weary. And so did I.
Still going to try to hang in there, though. |
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03/12/2013 04:49:32 PM · #7 |
I tried to do one under minimal, and I feel it was very good for an out of the camera shot. But the killer shot for me needed some advanced editing to bring out what I saw in it. Since I don't do studio work, it is that much harder to achieve a precisely planned image.
I think my voting will be like Cory's. I'm likely to be more forgiving on the minimal. I can't compare it to the normal wow-factor advanced stuff. That being said, I also expect a handful of lighting and portrature experts will blow my socks off in the minimal challenge.
Message edited by author 2013-03-12 16:50:58.
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03/12/2013 04:50:24 PM · #8 |
i have a shot in minimal. without giving clues, there are some obvious flaws that could EASILY be fixed in advanced, but being an advocate of minimal, i'm going with it.
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03/12/2013 04:51:31 PM · #9 |
| Is there anyone not shooting in the Minimal who will look over a few of mine? Thanks. :) |
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03/12/2013 04:59:45 PM · #10 |
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03/12/2013 05:21:12 PM · #11 |
| darn, you preempted my "i told you so thread" that was bound to come out tomorrow. |
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03/12/2013 05:23:16 PM · #12 |
and for the record Cory i tried a shot under minimal and I can't do it without cropping. ultimately i went a different direction for my advanced entry, but there are occasions where getting it right in camera are seemingly impossible.
Message edited by author 2013-03-12 17:23:34. |
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03/12/2013 05:49:05 PM · #13 |
| I will score based on the result not the rule set. If there are flaws in your minimal entry my advice is - fix them and enter in advanced. Using minimal editing as a form of religion is not going to improve your photography which I assume is the goal for most DPCers (?). |
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03/12/2013 06:23:18 PM · #14 |
| the human stipulation sucks |
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03/12/2013 06:28:07 PM · #15 |
Originally posted by skewsme:
the human stipulation sucks |
this should be a tshirt |
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03/12/2013 06:29:17 PM · #16 |
| and then there are minimal forms of religion. |
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03/12/2013 06:35:51 PM · #17 |
| I entered the minimal just to get in the top 50! :-) |
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03/12/2013 06:39:08 PM · #18 |
Originally posted by MNet:
Using minimal editing as a form of religion is not going to improve your photography which I assume is the goal for most DPCers (?). |
I don't think anyone is considering it a religious statement, it just presents an additional challenge - just how good an image can I create using these particular restrictions as opposed to the alternative set of restrictions? And yes, I think I can learn better/alternative techniques by challenging myself this way.
Kevin
Message edited by author 2013-03-12 18:40:14. |
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03/12/2013 06:39:52 PM · #19 |
Originally posted by MNet:
I will score based on the result not the rule set. If there are flaws in your minimal entry my advice is - fix them and enter in advanced. Using minimal editing as a form of religion is not going to improve your photography which I assume is the goal for most DPCers (?). |
Well, ferk. If this is the mindset of voters we might as well all press that unsubmit button now. It's not a form of religion (sheesh), it's a challenge. |
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03/12/2013 06:41:54 PM · #20 |
Originally posted by pamb:
Originally posted by MNet:
I will score based on the result not the rule set. If there are flaws in your minimal entry my advice is - fix them and enter in advanced. Using minimal editing as a form of religion is not going to improve your photography which I assume is the goal for most DPCers (?). |
Well, ferk. If this is the mindset of voters we might as well all press that unsubmit button now. It's not a form of religion (sheesh), it's a challenge. |
I'm strongly considering putting mine in the Advanced category. It really does go 100% further..
Hmmm... What to do, what to do... It's a very good shot under minimal - but an amazing shot under advanced... |
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03/12/2013 06:45:43 PM · #21 |
| before everyone takes up their torches and heads for maragret's village, i believe she was really mostly addressing my earlier post and i do understand where she's coming from. obvious flaws is what she's talking about, and she's got a point. |
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03/12/2013 06:45:44 PM · #22 |
Don't you bloody well dare Cory.
eta phor phat phingers on phone
Message edited by author 2013-03-12 18:46:49. |
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03/12/2013 06:49:03 PM · #23 |
I'm in for the minimal. Saves me thinking too much and spend too much time for PP. Not expecting high scores as I couldn't come out with anything daring. I did though eliminate the temptation of shooting as a minimalist try with advanced back up and shot it in one go :)
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03/12/2013 07:38:30 PM · #24 |
I entered minimal, but I also processed it for myself basically following advanced (or perhaps basic). Is it better with the editing, yes, but for me, forcing myself to practice with minimal is an exercise to an end.
Over the past couple of years, I've shot a LOT of sports events. For many of these, I get home and have limited amounts of time to go through upwards of a 1000 shots and get a few submitted to the paper. I simply don't have time to tweak and edit, and fix each pixel.
The advantage is that when I am shooting something that isn't so under the wire (a wedding-blecth), I found that by forcing myself to "do minimal" I get it closer out of the camera. I have literally retrained my brain from "I'll fix it in post-processing" to "What can I do to get it right, or as close to right, as possible."
Saves me lots of time. :)
That said, in this particular challenge, I'm not looking to do too well. Cropping is my friend. . . . |
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03/12/2013 07:42:47 PM · #25 |
Originally posted by Cory:
I'm strongly considering putting mine in the Advanced category. It really does go 100% further..
Hmmm... What to do, what to do... It's a very good shot under minimal - but an amazing shot under advanced... |
come to the dark side, young skywalker. |
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