Second place! - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 135mm f/2.0L USM

04/22/2005 06:07:12 AM · #1

I just received notice that a photo of mine won second place in the betterphoto.com March contest. This was my first entry there, so I was really excited! I owe it all to DPC because the photo I entered was just my attempt to replicate a shot that Jacko had posted here.

Here's the shot of mine that won second place:

Here's Jacko's shot that I was trying to emulate:

The link to this month's contest results are at //www.betterphoto.com/contest/winners/0503.asp. My shot is in the Elements of Design category.

I did this shot from memory of Jacko's shot, so I accidentally even used the same title as his. My apologies, Jacko, for such a blatant ripoff. Usually I try to be more subtle when I steal from other people. ;-) Anyway, thanks for the inspiration for this shot, Jacko - you are the wind beneath my wine glass.

Message edited by author 2005-04-22 06:08:19.

lentil

Canon EOS-5D

04/22/2005 06:10:58 AM · #2

congrats Philip. You did a great job of ripping off Jacko :o)

ergo

04/22/2005 06:21:53 AM · #3

I'm playing scrabble and am having a hard time spelling out "plagiarism." Is it "plagiarysm?" Or "plaguarism?"

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

04/22/2005 06:26:26 AM · #4

Thanks, Lisa!

And it's not plagiarism, robgo, it's outright theft. In fact, if Jacko's picture is worth more than $5000, it's technically grand theft, which elevates it to a felony. Nice way to get my first strike. ;-)

deapee

Kodak V803

04/22/2005 08:03:57 AM · #5

Congrats. The only thing I would have done differently was put a disclaimer at the end giving the original creator (Jacko) credit for the idea....but either way, congrats.

Canon EOS-60D

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS

04/22/2005 08:09:04 AM · #6

Congratulations Philip! Jacko's a pretty nice guy...he probably won't even mind your rip-off if you put some beer in the mail to him...and maybe a girlie mag or two. ;o)

woohoopepper

Nikon D70

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED

04/22/2005 08:16:41 AM · #7

Jacko should be quite flattered. I'm mesmerized by photos of some of the photographers on this site and want so bad to be able to recreate their effects. Shoot, I can't think of the one person's ID but it's the lady with all the beautiful blue-eyed dogs whose photos I absolutely love. Her portraits are like paintings.

love

Canon EOS-500D Rebel T1i

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM

04/22/2005 08:17:59 AM · #8

I hate to say this but I can't say congrats for stealing someone else's image basically and using the same title...I guess I can say congrats for coming forward and being honest about it after the fact??
red

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

04/22/2005 08:18:52 AM · #9

Originally posted by deapee:

Congrats. The only thing I would have done differently was put a disclaimer at the end giving the original creator (Jacko) credit for the idea....but either way, congrats.

Good idea, DP. I just posted that pic on BP as a first foray onto the site, with the assumption that this sort of wine glass shot was as ubiquitous there as it is here. I assumed that it would be overlooked completely, which is why I never even bothered to post it here. No one is more surprised than I am that it was selected. :-) I'll see if I can go add that disclaimer right now...

Konador

Canon EOS-500D Rebel T1i

04/22/2005 08:21:54 AM · #10

You didn't "steal" it off Jacko any more than Jacko "stole" it off the hundreds of other people who have used this technique before both of you. Also, yours uses 1 glass, Jacko's uses 2... there is a slight differece! Congrats on making a fine version and doing well in a contest with it! I've tried it myself and it's not as easy as it seems!

04/22/2005 08:25:49 AM · #11

Originally posted by fotoshootme:

As I said in my original post, I didn't even realize I had used the same title, which is a pretty obvious title for that photo. I hadn't seen Jacko's image for months before I decided one day to try and shoot a similar one, just to see how it's done. That's how people learn.

The reason I decided to post this thread at all was to give a shout out to Jacko for doing it right the first time. Hopefully, that's how he and others will take it.

hopper

Canon EOS-80D

Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM

04/22/2005 08:36:07 AM · #12

exactly right

Originally posted by Konador:

ergo

04/22/2005 08:51:10 AM · #13

Originally posted by Konador:

I reckon the issue here deals with "originality." If Philip or anyone else were to enter that shot into a challenge in DPC or anywhere else where others have featured similar shots previously, the impact of that shot would be diluted and it probably wouldn't score as high.
A disclaimer accompanying a contest entry, saying that it's basically a "steal" off some other image, would affect the way that entry would be regarded, and probably negatively so. I suppose in this case, that disclaimer could say the shot was "inspired" by another (or a bunch of others), but then we're getting into the very muddy, subjective territory of what's "inspired by" and what's basically a "rip off."
I believe there's a fine line between a) taking something that is in existence, imbuing it with some originality and coming out with a "cover" that is at once a tribute as well as something that stands alone as a new creation, and b) a simple rip off. That line is subjective, and I realize people would have their own takes on where that line should be.

04/22/2005 08:53:00 AM · #14

Yeah, I was just being facetious about the stealing part. :-) I know it's been done lots of times and will continue to be done even better in the future. But Jacko's shot was the first one of these that I saw, so he was the inspiration for my particular attempt. I just posted a disclaimer and link to Jacko's original photo in the description of my shot.

elsapo

Canon EF 50mm f1.2L

04/22/2005 08:57:38 AM · #15

I was tought in AP art that if you change and image more then 3 ways it is NOT plagerism....just something that inspired you...not sure if its true...

MrsFuzzButt

Fujifilm FinePix 3800

04/22/2005 08:59:58 AM · #16

Congrats Phillip! I was happy just to be selected as a finalist last month with this:

It seems another DPC member placed second at Betterphoto last month as well. Tiberius is up on the front page right now with his "Grief for My Father" photo.

As far as "stealing" the idea or whatever, do you know how many shots of wine glasses I have seen that look exactly like yours and Jacko's?? Let's be real here people. Jacko wasn't the first to take that shot nor will he be the last. Short of a portrait, you could take any photo here, spend a little time searching and find someone else who has one just like it. Give it a rest already. Congratulate the guy on a great shot and a well deserved second place and get over it.

Jen

Imagineer

Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

04/22/2005 09:02:08 AM · #17

Simply - why?

04/22/2005 09:04:53 AM · #18

Originally posted by Imagineer:

Simply - why?

Why what?

Imagineer

Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

04/22/2005 09:08:19 AM · #19

Well, it puzzles me why you'd copy a shot and then enter a competition with it. Isn't the benefit of the process just learning or are you getting some pleasure from 'winning' based on a plagiarised idea?

You could have changed the concept - perhaps using secondary colours. I understand why people copy shots to see how they're done and learn technique but to compete with it is unsatisfying in my view.

Samsung Galaxy S22, S22+, S22 Ultra

04/22/2005 09:27:41 AM · #20

Originally posted by Imagineer:

I understand exactly what you're saying, Jon, and I've actually explained this above. I entered that shot specifically because it was my first time to enter any shot at betterphoto and I just wanted to see how that contest worked. I do like that shot, but I assumed that it would not be able to actually compete for an award any more on that site than it would on this one. When it received second place, I was completely surprised.

You're right that it is much less satisfying personally than if it had been any of my other photos. That's why I wanted to give credit to Jacko for his inspiration. But without the slightest hint of backpedaling, I worked a long time on that shot and am proud of how it turned out. the fact that the judges on that site agreed is a nice bit of positive feedback for how I went about creating my own version of this classic shot.

Thanks to you, Jon, and to the other people who share your concerns, for posting your opinion on this issue. Good debates like this help clarify people's stances, mine included.

Tiberius

Panasonic Lumix G 14mm F2.5 ASPH

04/22/2005 10:20:40 AM · #21

Congrats! Now we are 2 of us! I got a second place with my self portrait!

Didn't notice my name was mentioned already in this thread! Thank you MrsFuzzButt

Message edited by author 2005-04-22 10:27:37.