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Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

02/04/2024 11:56:39 AM · #76

Originally posted by snaffles:

Originally posted by Yo_Spiff:

Originally posted by glad2badad:
My gut feeling is that someone didn't like any war type imagery.

A 2? That's actually quite generous. If the member I'm thinking of, they usually give a 1 for anything with a gun or similar in the image. Only because there isn't a zero in the scale. Just expect it for any entry like that.

That's all fine and dandy if this member is anti-war, but how I am supposed to know that? SMFH...

Art is subjective. Always has been, always will be. What one person likes, another may not. Doesn't matter why, just matters that as a participant in a photography contest you should expect and be aware of human nature. If you don't want to polarize the voting population then enter safe, appeal to everyone, imagery. If you want to push the boundaries, then by all means, do so, however, be ready to accept the extreme ends of the scale with that. Sometimes one approach works, sometimes not. As an artist, you'll have to make that decision for yourself, but don't expect everyone to agree with you. Live with your artistic decisions and move on.

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

02/04/2024 05:32:09 PM · #77

Originally posted by snaffles:

I am just very, very disappointed and saddened that the same mentality of entering only safe, palatable images that are as threatening as baby food is required to ribbon here.

You mean like these?

snaffles

Nikon D7100

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

02/05/2024 08:12:40 AM · #78

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

Originally posted by snaffles:
I am just very, very disappointed and saddened that the same mentality of entering only safe, palatable images that are as threatening as baby food is required to ribbon here.

You mean like these?

Oh, I know it's possible to ribbon with seditious images. I've done it myself, and encouraged those whose images I critiqued to do it, too, and am always glad to see images like those ribbon.

Most of the time it's *pretty* images that do well, the kind of stuff you see on postcards. Nothing wrong with that, except that it's so predictable.

Life is not predictable. It certainly isn't always pretty, though it has its moments.

Some DPCers skin-smooth themselves in self-portrait challenges, some to such an extent that they look like teenagers. Again, if that's the face they want to show the world, even though we all know it's a lie, that's what they want people to see.

Look at any of my self portraits. I don't skin-smooth. I sharpen. I want people to see my wrinkles, bruises and other battle scars, because I am not afraid to let the truth show.

Yo_Spiff

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

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

02/05/2024 10:14:14 AM · #79

Originally posted by snaffles:

Most of the time it's *pretty* images that do well, the kind of stuff you see on postcards. Nothing wrong with that, except that it's so predictable.

I think this is just the nature of mass appeal, whether a layman or other photographers. While on vacation several years back, I was chatting with a guy who ran a gallery in a Solvang California. He confirmed that the images which sold were pretty predictable items with mass appeal, while his personal favorites tended to not move.

Message edited by author 2024-02-05 10:14:32.

snaffles

Nikon D7100

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

02/05/2024 02:49:55 PM · #80

Originally posted by glad2badad:

Originally posted by snaffles:

Originally posted by Yo_Spiff:

Originally posted by glad2badad:
My gut feeling is that someone didn't like any war type imagery.

A 2? That's actually quite generous. If the member I'm thinking of, they usually give a 1 for anything with a gun or similar in the image. Only because there isn't a zero in the scale. Just expect it for any entry like that.

That's all fine and dandy if this member is anti-war, but how I am supposed to know that? SMFH...

Art is subjective. Always has been, always will be. What one person likes, another may not. Doesn't matter why, just matters that as a participant in a photography contest you should expect and be aware of human nature. If you don't want to polarize the voting population then enter safe, appeal to everyone, imagery. If you want to push the boundaries, then by all means, do so, however, be ready to accept the extreme ends of the scale with that. Sometimes one approach works, sometimes not. As an artist, you'll have to make that decision for yourself, but don't expect everyone to agree with you. Live with your artistic decisions and move on.

You're preaching to the choir :-) I know all about taking risks and the consequences of entering images that push boundaries, as opposed to entering safe, pretty images. Sadly like Spiff also pointed out with his gallery owner friend, yep sadly, safe and pretty tends to sell.

Having said that, I have many safe/pretty images up on my Alamy page. They rarely sell.

But a slug crawling on a concrete slab? A dirt-encrusted fist squeezing a handful of grapes?

*Sluggy* has sold 3x, I believe, and I already posted the other pic mentioned. And yes, it has indeed sold for the 4th time.

Oh hey! Fun fact! Bet most of you don't know that former member Wendy Stevenson sold an image that ended up on the cover of a Stephen King novel. Gawd knows it was all over the local fish wrapper.

The image? A mailbox.

So, good to know that there is a market for outside of safe and pretty.

Spork99

OM System OM-1

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

02/05/2024 05:16:16 PM · #81

Some things never change.

- complaining about their score.
- angry at the voters
- justifying their own votes on other images
- no one understands my work
- Ken up to some shenanigans
- outrage over said shenanigans
- SC fixing things and meting out punishment

A lot of the same characters too, not just Ken.

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

02/05/2024 06:04:37 PM · #82

Originally posted by Spork99:

DGCD: Digital Groundhog Day.

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

02/05/2024 06:18:46 PM · #83

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

Originally posted by Spork99:
Some things never change.

- complaining about their score.
- angry at the voters
- justifying their own votes on other images
- no one understands my work
- Ken up to some shenanigans
- outrage over said shenanigans
- SC fixing things and meting out punishment

A lot of the same characters too, not just Ken.

DGCD: Digital Groundhog Day.

Most excitement we've had in a while. Forums are generally pretty slow around here nowadays. This one lit up like the old days - fireworks and all. :-P

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

02/05/2024 07:01:05 PM · #84

Originally posted by glad2badad:

Most excitement we've had in a while. Forums are generally pretty slow around here nowadays. This one lit up like the old days - fireworks and all. :-P

Now if we could just figure out how to light 'em up on PHOTOGRAPHY topics...

tnun

Ricoh GR III

Pentax DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6ED AL [IF] WR DC

02/05/2024 07:14:26 PM · #85

how about a challenge where we each submit TWO entries?

Pentax DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6ED AL [IF] WR DC

02/05/2024 07:43:29 PM · #86

Originally posted by tnun:

how about a challenge where we each submit TWO entries?

Mita's head just exploded! :-)

tnun

Ricoh GR III

02/05/2024 08:36:18 PM · #87

surely Mita has at least TWO heads?

jomari

Nikon D7000

Nikon AF-S DX 18-105 f/3.5-5.6 ED VR

02/05/2024 08:43:18 PM · #88

Originally posted by glad2badad:

Originally posted by tnun:
how about a challenge where we each submit TWO entries?

Mita's head just exploded! :-)

Why so hard?

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

02/05/2024 08:55:28 PM · #89

nam

Sony DSLR-A580

02/05/2024 11:20:30 PM · #90

Originally posted by jomari:

Originally posted by glad2badad:

Originally posted by tnun:
how about a challenge where we each submit TWO entries?

Mita's head just exploded! :-)

Why so hard?

Well, I'm sure the basic programming ensures that no member submit more than one entry. I'm not a programmer, far from it, but it's my understanding that undoing or revising things that were programmed in at the inception is virtually impossible . . . and certainly problematic. I understand

tnun's idea, but I'm guessing it simply isn't practicable.

tnun

Ricoh GR III

Pentax DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6ED AL [IF] WR DC

02/05/2024 11:35:35 PM · #91

well, we could run 2 contests side by side. only thing is that we'd have to work harder to enjoy the point of it...

crik

Nikon D750

Nikon AF Micro-Nikkor 60mm f2.8D

02/06/2024 08:38:36 AM · #92

Originally posted by tnun:

how about a challenge where we each submit TWO entries?

Good idea.

crik

Nikon D750

Nikon AF Micro-Nikkor 60mm f2.8D

02/06/2024 08:38:53 AM · #93

Has there ever been a challenge in which only non-participants are allowed to vote?

Venser

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II

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

02/06/2024 09:40:08 AM · #94

Originally posted by crik:

Has there ever been a challenge in which only non-participants are allowed to vote?

I don't think you want me voting.

vawendy

Sony Alpha 1

Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS

02/06/2024 01:18:48 PM · #95

Originally posted by nam:

Originally posted by jomari:

Originally posted by glad2badad:

Originally posted by tnun:
how about a challenge where we each submit TWO entries?

Mita's head just exploded! :-)

Why so hard?

Well, I'm sure the basic programming ensures that no member submit more than one entry. I'm not a programmer, far from it, but it's my understanding that undoing or revising things that were programmed in at the inception is virtually impossible . . . and certainly problematic. I understand tnun's idea, but I'm guessing it simply isn't practicable.

We just need to get the okay to create another account. With a one after it. So VAWendy and VAwendy1 have it be an open challenge so we don't have to pay for the extra account. The main danger would be everybody voting twice. Imagine the number of ones and twos then!! ;P

I always liked the idea of being able to enter two photos into one challenge. There's been so many times where I wonder which one would have done better and if I picked the right one. It would be fun to do it once.