If you are one of the 47... - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

01/19/2005 05:27:47 PM · #1

...who voted this image under 4, I really need your assistance.

10 comments, 9 who seem to be in line with my thoughts on this image, 1 not to fond of it.

I now need you 47 (or 46 based on existing comments) to step up to the plate and provide me with some constructive points on why you voted this so low. I finally thought I had an image worthy of 6, at least high 5's and was stunned to see where it ended up.

This is not to send you multiple PMs trying to justify the image (which I have received on several occaisions), but simply to help me see something that I am obviously not seeing. Please step up and let me know what I could have done better in order to take forward in future challenges.

Respectfully awaiting your comments.

Cheers!

EDIT...Yes this is an image of me, but don't worry, it does not represent my true mentality ;o)

Message edited by author 2005-01-19 17:30:42.

GoldBerry

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

01/19/2005 05:30:44 PM · #2

Hey man, this is a good idea..but to me it's only 'alright'. The composition isn't winning my praises nor is the focus. Cool lighting, but again, the end result hasn't won me over.

SOrry!

TechnoShroom

Canon EOS-30D

01/19/2005 05:32:05 PM · #3

I didn't vote under 4 but some things I didn't particularly care for were the blur in the knife and the face. I think there should have been a greater range in the tones between light and dark. I did like the concept and composition though.

Arcanist

Nikon D810

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

01/19/2005 05:32:28 PM · #4

Amazing to see the stats on this one rm. Sorry I did not vote:
Avg (all users): 5.169
Avg (commenters): 6.889
Avg (camera): 5.141
Avg (no camera): 7.000

Which indicates that a lot of people who took the time to comment also took the time to evaluate and appreciate the effort, while those who did not comment, probably skimmed through and did you an injustice.

caba

Nikon D800

Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8D IF-ED

01/19/2005 05:33:43 PM · #5

Got a 6 from me, good composition, B/W worked well

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

01/19/2005 05:33:56 PM · #6

Thanks to both of you...I did have a crisp image of the knife but preferred the action in the knife. One concern I did have was the use of USM and may have overdone it. MORE FEEDBACK PLEASE...THIS IS GREAT!!!

faidoi

Pentax K10D

01/19/2005 05:34:51 PM · #7

Didn't vote. Probably gave it a "5"

Seems like most slick, sharp (no pun intended) images get higher scores. Interesting that the knifes shadow seems to make the eyebrow longer and the face more menacing. I can see the concept improved with more sharpness.

Message edited by author 2005-01-19 17:37:21.

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

01/19/2005 05:35:19 PM · #8

Originally posted by Arcanist:

while those who did not comment, probably skimmed through and did you an injustice.

Good point...the more I looked at the image and shadows, the more powerful and strong I thought the image was.

Message edited by author 2005-01-19 17:36:22.

casualguy

Canon EOS-20D

01/19/2005 05:40:30 PM · #9

Perhaps those who scored you so low were doing so because (as someone commented on my Clockwork Orange entry) "your execution looks too simple compared to other shots".

Mick

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

01/19/2005 05:40:35 PM · #10

Of the 10 comments that you received, only one seemed negative. The rest seemed to like the photo. Personally, I gave it a 7, but no comment. The voting breakdown for the photo looks like the average bell curve to me. I think the negative connotations of your subject matter probably hurt your score more than anything else.

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

01/19/2005 05:42:02 PM · #11

This is great...keep it coming!!!!!!!! Thanks to all who've commented so far!!!!

cheekymunky

Canon EOS-40D

01/19/2005 05:48:01 PM · #12

I gave you a 5. It was in the spirit of the challenge, as a newbie myself dont feel to comfortable critiquing other people work, that said i know what i like... & what i dont!

I found the shadow of the knife over you eyes (especially your right eye) really distracting. the eye, knife and your nose are very similar tonally and kinda merge together, which some people might like, but i found off putting, but the lighting is kinda cool...no offense, but you definately look like a Psychopath!

I always think the score depends, to a certain extent, on the competition, and there are A LOT of talented folk about, so anything like poor focus (my downfall!), noise, off horizons in landscape etc. will get you marked down. I guess it all part of getting your "eye" better!

Anyways you got a BEAST of a camera now, so i'm sure you'll be in the ribbons in no time!

Happy snapping
MARK

milo655321

Tokina AF 12-24mm f/4.0 AT-X Pro DX

01/19/2005 05:51:30 PM · #13

I gave it a 5. Too dark for me, the blurred knife and shadow over the right eye contributed to my score. I liked the composition though.

Sailingduck

Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

Canon EF 600mm f/4.0L IS USM

01/19/2005 05:55:45 PM · #14

Originally posted by Arcanist:

Which indicates that a lot of people who took the time to comment also took the time to evaluate and appreciate the effort, while those who did not comment, probably skimmed through and did you an injustice.

It is NOT possible to draw conclusions on how people vote. There are too many threads about voter behavior to list in this thread (think thread hijack). So, don\'t be so quick to assume that just because the guy\'s photo was voted down, it was because everyone speed voted.

Now, being one of the 47 of your low votes, I will happily give my impressions and opinions. I did not like the large negative space on the right, knife blur, soft contrast, knife shadow on the face, the type of knife or the soft focus on the face. I do like the shadows of the eyebrows, the title, the mood and the model\'s expression. Maybe if you had a butcher\'s knife (like the one from \"Psycho\") and capture the model\'s hand holding it up to his face without a large shadow cast? Just some thoughts from a wanna-be photog....hope that this helps for next time.

Jacko

Canon EOS-20D

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

01/19/2005 06:10:22 PM · #15

I didn't vote in that challenge, but what jumps out here is "blurry", not the concept, not the image, not the composition. You stopped some viewers from even looking at the rest is my guess.

leaf

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

01/19/2005 06:12:36 PM · #16

left you a comment on your photo

xtabintun

Fujifilm FinePix 2800Z

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

01/19/2005 06:28:59 PM · #17

NOTE: You'll find the following as a comment on said image. I've copied it here just for fun.

My (not worth much) thoughts on this image.

Firstly, I gave it a 5. In a brief look, it's far from tripe, but it has areas of definite improvement.

(segue)

Let me explain! : ) Now keep in mind I don't hold any of the crudentials of a worthy comment (ie, ribbons). That being said, let's get started. Firstly, the picture is too dark. I understand that was the effect you were going for, and it can be done very effectively; however it just seems to me that the darkness loses so much that could be there, and if it were would contribute to the image. Also, I wouldn't have gone with Black and White for this. When you've got that much black space beckoning for your attention, you need something to command it, and a dimly lit black and white shadowed face won't do it for me, at least. Which (sort of) segues into my next point of commency. The cropping on this photograph. I'm not sure why you'd crop it like this because there really isn't anything that this crop does, besides make the shot feel unbalanced and draw the attention further away from the face (which I assume is the intended subject :D) So anyways... right, the crop. While you've more or less balanced the negative space with the subject, which is good, the placement of the face, in my opinion, doesn't work. I would've personally liked to have seen some negative space to the left of the face (which subsequentially means showing the entire face). Having it fill the frame vertically is ok, I guess. I mean, I can't think of, off the top of my head, a way to improve it, but it just doesn't do much for me, y'know? Anyways, I'll move on to my next point of critiquois, the blur. I understand what you were trying to go for. Unfortunately, you didn't pull it off. Blur can be an effective tool, if in juxtaposition with sharpness. Also, to go for something like you were trying to do, you'd need not only a firm sharpness, but also more detail, so you'd be able to distinctly identify the object. The darkness has lost a lot of your detail, making the blur slightly ineffective. If you wanted the "action" on the knife, I would've gone for more sharpness in the face, and a steadier movement to get a more solid figure of the knife. Currently, the only thing identifying the knife is the seraded teeth, which are blown and unsteady from the lighting placement, I assume. Come to think of it, it'd be pretty tough to pull off the action in a way that would please the voters. Off the top of my head I can think of 1 shot where blur went well with the voters, and it involved a naked Imagineer. And that almost segues into the next topic, the lighting. I'll be frank, I don't like it. At least, I don't like the shadows. I don't like it because A) the picture is too dark and B) the shadows, though possibly intended for effect, do nothing but detract elements that could improve the image. The eyebrow extensions I don't like, the nose I don't like, and the upper lip and chin I don't like. As dimly lit and lacking detail as this shot is, you can't afford to lose any more detail by "artistic" shadows for effect. That's my only real gripe.

In closing, I hope I've been affective in understanding why 47 people gave you a low score. I guess a good closing comment would be "If you're going to break the rules, do it well" or "A tip for scoring higher is don't be creative, unless being creative conforms with the voters' opinions." but I won't end with one of those. Instead I'll end with the following:

"Where's my duck?"

floyd

Canon EOS-5D

01/19/2005 06:33:06 PM · #18

I have to agree with the other posters. I didn't vote on that challenge but your focus lets you down and the over user of USM has made it look grainy as well as out of focus.

More importantly, though, I don't like your lighting at all. There's not enough tonal range - it all feels very grey and that loses drama. You refer to contrast in your notes but the light doesn't reflect that strong contrast.

The blurry knife doesn't work in this instance though I think it's a good idea and could be used with some development. Also the serrated knife doesn't work for me. It's fussy and distracts from the face.

I think personally I would have tried the light from one side to strongly light one side of the face and leave the other in shadow but hopefully picking out some of the facial structure. Then I think I would have posed the knife diagonally through the picture up from the bottom and to the right of the face to frame it a little and also to put the knife on the shadowed side of the face - relating the knife and the dark side our nature.

On the bright side you clearly thought a lot about what you wanted to achieve. You came up with a GOOD concept and while your execution wasn't as hot as you'd like I would still have scored this a 6 because I can see that you were shooting for something meaningful and you had some success. In future I'd suggest taking even more shots before you settle on a submission. 35 is a good start but I've been known to take over 400 of the same (or similar) subject before choosing one I liked. Perhaps that's a bit extreme but I often find that the concept develops as I take the pictures.

Keep at it and my advice is always shoot for what YOU like. Don't try and shoot what you think the voters will like. This is art - not a school assignment. My sense tells me this is how you feel too.

Good luck for the next challenge.

John

Message edited by author 2005-01-19 18:36:35.

Mattel Barbie Photo Designer Digital Camera

01/19/2005 06:38:18 PM · #19

WOW...Some great feedback...Thanks to all...Anyone else?

nsbca7

01/19/2005 06:40:04 PM · #20

I don't guess what you are asking is required of anyone and I don't see why anyone should have to explain their vote. It is a vote.

I gave the image a 4. I do not like the image, it does nothing for me. It does not inspire me. It does not excite me. It doesn't make me think.

nsbca7

Mattel Barbie Photo Designer Digital Camera

01/19/2005 06:43:05 PM · #21

And don't come after me with that knife just because I said that.