What makes a photo a "7+" ? - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

02/15/2006 11:00:02 PM · #1

''I'' ''would'' ''like'' ''to'' ''start'' ''a'' ''discussion'' ''about'' ''what'' ''makes'' ''those'' ''photos'' ''that'' ''get'' ''a'' '''7'+ ''score'' ''that'' ''fantastic'', ''different''. ''artistic'' ''or'' ''whatever''. ''What'' ''is'' ''the'' ''secret'' ''to'' ''good'' ''photography''? ''What'' ''are'' ''the'' ''secrets'' ''to'' ''scoring'' ''high'' ''on'' ''DPC''?
''To'' ''start'' ''us'' ''off'': ''Please'' ''dissect'' ''this'' ''most'' ''recent'' ''winner''.

''Please'' ''be'' ''professional'' ''and'' ''constructive''. ''Let'''''s'' ''all'' ''learn'' ''something'' ''here''.
--''jrjr''

KiwiShotz

Panasonic DMC-FZ20

Panasonic DMW-LTZ10 1.5x Teleconverter

02/15/2006 11:02:00 PM · #2

''Now'' ''if'' ''I'' ''knew'' ''the'' ''answer'' ''to'' ''that'' ''question'' .....

''Brett''

TooCool

02/15/2006 11:07:53 PM · #3

''I'''''m'' ''not'' ''sure'' ''why'' ''that'' ''one'' ''scored'' ''as'' ''well'' ''as'' ''it'' ''did''. ''It'' ''has'' ''what'' ''I'' ''perceive'' ''to'' ''be'' ''several'' ''technical'' ''issues'' ''like'' ''the'' ''banding'' (''oversharpening''?) ''around'' ''the'' ''wreck''. ''It'' ''does'' ''have'' ''a'' ''great'' ''color'' ''pallete'' ''and'' ''composition''.

''I'' ''think'' ''the'' ''key'' ''to'' ''many'' '''7'+ ''shots'' ''is'' ''simplicity''...

DrAchoo

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

02/15/2006 11:08:04 PM · #4

''This'' ''ought'' ''to'' ''be'' ''good''...

(''watches'' ''while'' ''his'' ''picture'' ''is'' ''picked'' ''apart''.)

''I'''''ll'' ''refrain'' ''from'' ''saying'' ''anything'' ''until'' ''others'' ''have'' ''spoken'' ''their'' ''mind''. ''Don'''''t'' ''worry'', ''I'''''m'' ''a'' ''big'' ''boy''. ''You'' ''can'' ''rip'' ''into'' ''that'' ''haloing'' ''all'' ''you'' ''want''...

zeuszen

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

02/15/2006 11:08:39 PM · #5

7 > ''an'' ''outstanding'' ''photograph'' ''fit'' ''for'' ''both'' ''study'' ''and'' ''pleasure'', ''while'' ''allowing'' ''for'' ''minor'' ''technical'' ''shortcomings'', ''an'' ''accomplished'' ''imitation'' ''of'' ''a'' ''mode'' ''of'' ''seeing'' ''or'' ''rendering'' ''drawn'' ''or'' ''alluding'' ''to'' ''another'' ''medium'' ''including'' ''enduring'' ''snapshots'' ''or'' ''candids'' ''of'' ''remarkable'' ''human'' ''interest''

8 > ''same'' ''as'' '''7', ''but'' ''one'' ''that'' ''stimulates'' ''awareness'' ''and'' ''taxes'' ''the'' ''senses'', ''technically'' ''accomplished'', ''with'' ''near''-''imperceptible'' ''flaws'', ''if'' ''not'' ''entirely'' ''flawless''; ''clearly'' '''inventive''' ''photographs'' ''pointing'' ''a'' ''little'' ''known'' ''interest'', ''direction'' ''or'' ''delight''

9 > ''same'' ''as'' ''8'', ''technically'' ''without'' ''a'' ''fault'', ''but'' ''a'' ''photo'' ''which'' ''commotes'' '''perceived''' ''reality'' ''to'' ''the'' ''point'' ''of'' ''restlessness'' ''and'' ''action''

10 > ''an'' ''enduring'' ''photo'' ''that'' ''challenges'' ''the'' ''order'' ''of'' ''gods'' ''and'' ''the'' ''world'', ''one'' ''holding'' ''its'' ''own'' ''alongside'' ''any'' ''other''.

fotomann_forever

02/15/2006 11:08:40 PM · #6

''More'' ''people'' ''liked'' ''it'', ''than'' ''didn'''''t'' ''like'' ''it'' ... ''LOL''.

''It'' ''has'' ''something'' ''I'' ''have'' ''yet'' ''to'' ''master'' ''called'' ''mass'' ''appeal''.

''Nice'' ''composition'', ''nice'' ''lighting'', ''cool'' ''texture'' ''on'' ''the'' ''water''. ''Add'' ''a'' ''bit'' ''of'' ''more'' ''dramatic'' ''cloud'' ''formations'', ''you'' ''might'' ''be'' ''asking'' ''what'' ''makes'' ''an'' ''8''.

jrjr

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

02/15/2006 11:10:13 PM · #7

''Originally'' ''posted'' ''by'' ''KiwiPix'':

''Now'' ''if'' ''I'' ''knew'' ''the'' ''answer'' ''to'' ''that'' ''question'' .....

''Brett''

''Hey'' ''you'' ''must'' ''know'' ''more'' ''than'' ''most''... ''you'' ''have'' ''gotten'' ''a'' ''6''.''9''+. ''Please'' ''talk'' ''about'' ''the'' ''technical'' ''aspects'' ''of'' ''the'' ''posted'' ''photo'' ''or'' ''post'' ''one'' ''of'' ''your'' ''choosing'' ''for'' ''discussion''.
--''jrjr''

jfwolpert

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM

02/15/2006 11:10:42 PM · #8

''i'' ''think'' ''the'' ''composition'' ''is'' ''strong'' ''as'' ''it'' ''kind'' ''of'' ''follows'' ''the'' ''rules'' ''of'' ''thirds''. ''no'' ''centering'' ''of'' ''the'' ''main'' ''subject'' ''adds'' ''to'' ''the'' ''overall'' ''composition''. ''there'' ''is'' ''a'' ''subtle'' ''motion'' ''blur'' ''on'' ''the'' ''waves''. ''this'' ''says'' ''to'' ''me'' ''that'' ''the'' ''photographer'' ''predetermined'' ''the'' ''manual'' ''settings'', ''knowing'' ''the'' ''end'' ''result''. ''the'' ''exposure'' ''is'' ''balance'' ''throughout'' ''the'' ''shot'', ''no'' ''shadows'' ''without'' ''detail'' ''or'' ''no'' ''blown'' ''out'' ''areas'' ''of'' ''over'' ''exposure''.

''the'' ''sunrise'' ''with'' ''the'' ''cloud'' ''detail'' ''adds'' ''to'' ''the'' ''overall'' ''shot''.
''jude

TooCool

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED

02/15/2006 11:14:58 PM · #9

''Originally'' ''posted'' ''by'' ''DrAchoo'':

''Doc'', ''it'''''s'' ''a'' ''great'' ''shot''. ''I'' ''would'' ''love'' ''to'' ''see'' ''it'' ''at'' ''print'' ''size''!

''This'' ''is'' ''not'' ''the'' ''first'' ''time'' ''I'''''ve'' ''seen'' ''a'' ''shot'' ''with'' ''that'' ''issue'' ''on'' ''the'' ''front'' ''page''. ''It'' ''just'' ''seems'' ''as'' ''technical'' ''as'' ''many'' ''voters'' ''seem'' ''to'' ''be'' ''here'' ''that'' ''it'''''s'' ''a'' ''little'' ''surprising''. ''Photographers'' ''tend'' ''to'' ''be'' ''the'' ''worst'' ''critiquers'' ''because'' ''they'' ''tend'' ''to'' ''hold'' ''the'' ''technical'' ''above'' ''all'' ''else''! ''To'' ''see'' ''flaws'' ''on'' ''the'' ''home'' ''page'' ''means'' ''the'' ''photographer'' ''some'' ''how'' ''overcame'' ''the'' ''flaws'' ''with'' ''the'' ''overall'' ''impact''...

''PS'': ''What'' ''ARE'' ''the'' ''white'' ''spots'' ''towards'' ''the'' ''top'' ''just'' ''right'' ''of'' ''the'' ''clouds''? ''Birds''? ''Stars''? ''Just'' ''curious''...

hokie

Nikon D2X

02/15/2006 11:15:23 PM · #10

''That'' ''is'' ''a'' ''tough'' ''question''.

''Some'' ''photographers'' ''have'' ''a'' ''way'' ''of'' ''looking'' ''at'' ''things'' ''that'' ''fits'' ''here''. ''They'' ''are'' ''willing'' ''to'' ''change'' ''and'' ''learn'' ''and'' ''work'' ''hard''.

''DrAchoo'' ''is'' ''a'' ''good'' ''example''. ''He'' ''is'' ''relatively'' ''new'' ''here'' ''but'' ''he'' ''is'' ''smart'', ''learns'' ''fast'' ''and'' ''his'' ''approach'' ''to'' ''photography''..''as'' ''in'' ''this'' ''photo''...''is'' ''clean'', ''accessable'', ''intelligent''.

''Clean''..''meaning'' ''not'' ''a'' ''lot'' ''of'' ''funky'' ''processing'' ''and'' ''what'' ''is'' ''supposed'' ''to'' ''be'' ''the'' ''subject'' ''gets'' ''good'' ''treatment''.

''Accessable''..''meaning'' ''his'' ''photos'' ''are'' ''comtemporary'', ''what'' ''voters'' ''like'' ''to'' ''see'' ''and'' ''don'''''t'' ''demand'' ''voters'' ''to'' ''make'' ''leaps'' ''to'' ''see'' ''the'' ''quality''.

''Intelligent''...''Voters'' ''who'' ''may'' ''pride'' ''themselves'' ''on'' ''knowing'' ''what'' ''good'' ''photos'' ''should'' ''look'' ''like'' ''see'' ''the'' ''attention'' ''to'' ''detail''.

''Plus'' ''vibrant'' ''colors'', ''rich'' ''blacks'' ''and'' ''clear'' ''whites'', ''tack'' ''sharp'' ''details'' ''and'' ''an'' ''interesting'' ''composition''.

''The'' ''trick''...''be'' ''dilligent'' ''enough'' ''to'' ''stick'' ''to'' ''it'' ''cause'' ''it'' ''takes'' ''work'' ''to'' ''pull'' ''it'' ''together'' ''and'' ''many'' ''people'' (''me'' ''included'' ''often'') ''are'' ''often'' ''lazy'', ''stubborn'' ''about'' ''an'' ''idea'' ''or'' ''think'' ''they'' ''can'' "''Change'' ''the'' ''world''"

.......:-''D

''Message'' ''edited'' ''by'' ''author'' ''2006''-''02''-''15'' ''23'':''18'':''18''.

jrjr

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

02/15/2006 11:15:34 PM · #11

''Originally'' ''posted'' ''by'' ''DrAchoo'':

''Hey'' ''don'''''t'' ''get'' ''defensive''. ''This'' ''hopefully'' ''is'' ''going'' ''to'' ''be'' ''a'' ''very'' ''frank'' ''and'' ''honest'' ''exchange''. ''You'' ''are'' ''a'' ''very'' ''talented'' ''and'' ''accomplished'' ''member'' ''of'' ''this'' ''site''- ''which'' ''is'' ''why'' ''I'' ''thought'' ''that'' ''your'' ''entry'' ''would'' ''be'' ''a'' ''good'' ''place'' ''to'' ''start''. ''Frankly'' ''to'' ''me'', ''this'' ''was'' ''not'' ''one'' ''of'' ''your'' ''best''. ''But'' ''I'' ''also'' ''will'' ''wait'' ''to'' ''hear'' ''what'' ''others'' ''have'' ''to'' ''say'' ''so'' ''as'' ''not'' ''to'' ''bias'' ''the'' ''thread'' ''that'' ''I'' ''started''.
--''jrjr''

Cam

Sony DSC-F717

02/15/2006 11:16:54 PM · #12

''It'' ''has'' ''everything'' ''you'' ''would'' ''would'' ''want'' ''to'' ''put'' ''on'' ''your'' ''wall''....''Wonderful'' ''photo'', ''dynamic'', ''colorful'' ''and'' ''interesting''.

''Message'' ''edited'' ''by'' ''author'' ''2006''-''02''-''15'' ''23'':''38'':''30''.

DrAchoo

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

02/15/2006 11:21:05 PM · #13

''don'''''t'' ''worry'' ''jrjr'', ''I'''''m'' ''cool''. ''I'' ''wasn'''''t'' ''defensive'' ''at'' ''all'', ''just'' ''trying'' ''a'' ''little'' ''humor''. ''I'' ''don'''''t'' ''mind'' ''critique'' ''of'' ''my'' ''photos'' ''at'' ''all''. ''I'''''m'' ''my'' ''harshest'' ''critic'' ''and'' ''don'''''t'' "''fall'' ''in'' ''love''" ''with'' ''many'' ''of'' ''my'' ''pictures'' ''because'' ''I'' ''see'' ''every'' ''little'' ''flaw''. (''Although'' ''in'' ''this'' ''case'' ''the'' ''halo'' ''was'' ''totally'' ''missed'' ''by'' ''me'' (''again'' ''I'' ''think'' ''it'' ''was'' ''the'' ''resolution'' ''of'' ''my'' ''screen''). ''Had'' ''I'' ''seen'' ''that'', ''I'' ''would'' ''have'' ''reprocessed'' ''the'' ''whole'' ''image'' ''over''.)

''Give'' ''me'' ''a'' ''minute'' ''or'' ''two'', ''I'''''ll'' ''write'' ''a'' ''little'' ''more'' ''about'' ''what'' ''was'' ''going'' ''through'' ''my'' ''mind'' ''with'' ''this'' ''shot''...

PaulE

Canon EOS-50D

02/15/2006 11:27:01 PM · #14

''For'' ''the'' ''average'' ''to'' ''be'' ''above'' '''7' ''it'''''s'' ''also'' ''important'' ''to'' ''avoid'' ''the'' ''low''-''scoring'' ''votes''. ''No'' ''matter'' ''how'' ''technically'' ''sound'' ''the'' ''image'' ''some'' ''people'' ''will'' ''slaughter'' ''you'' ''for'' ''other'' ''aspects''. ''In'' ''short'' - ''try'' ''not'' ''to'' ''give'' ''anyone'' ''an'' ''excuse'' ''for'' ''scoring'' ''you'' ''1'', ''2'' ''or'' ''3''. ''This'' ''means'': ''clearly'' ''meet'' ''the'' ''challenge'' (''so'' ''that'' ''even'' ''the'' ''literal''-''minded'' ''get'' ''it''); ''avoid'' ''contenseous'' ''subject''-''matter'' (''cheese''), ''and'' ''avoid'' ''cliches'' (''they'' ''get'' ''punished'' ''too'').

''Then'' ''start'' ''looking'' ''at'' ''doing'' ''the'' ''good'' ''well''....

tngrndream

02/15/2006 11:34:19 PM · #15

''to'' ''get'' ''a'' '''7'+ ''the'' ''photo'' ''has'' ''to'' ''be'' ''techinically'' ''correct'' (''exposure'', ''focus'', ''etc''.) ''it'' ''also'' ''has'' ''to'' ''have'' ''those'' ''little'' "''rules''" ''in'' ''them'' (''rule'' ''of'' ''thirds'', ''shape'', ''lines'', ''etc''.) ''and'' ''just'' ''simply'' ''be'' ''pleasing''. ''this'' ''photo'' ''for'' ''example'' ''has'' ''that'' ''interesting'' ''shape'' ''to'' ''begin'' ''with''. ''an'' ''aestetic'' ''scenic'' ''around'' ''it''. ''the'' ''colors'' ''and'' ''sharpness'' ''allow'' ''it'' ''to'' ''grow'' ''onto'' ''you''. ''the'' ''flaws'' ''are'' ''discarded'' ''as'' ''we'' ''all'' ''understand'' ''them'' (''even'' ''though'' ''we'' ''destroy'' ''ourselves'' ''with'' ''them''). ''i'' ''just'' ''wish'' ''i'' ''knew'' ''how'' ''to'' ''incorporate'' ''all'' ''the'' ''rules'' ''in'' ''the'' ''photos'' ''i'' ''take''. ''still'' ''learning''

Man_Called_Horse

02/15/2006 11:40:16 PM · #16

''To'' ''me'', ''a'' ''seven'' ''is'' ''reaching'' ''into'' ''the'' ''next'' ''step'' ''of'' ''emotion'', ''storytelling''.

''A'' ''five'' ''would'' ''be'' ''average'', ''eqauling'' ''in'' ''all'' ''elements'' ''the'' ''basic'' ''fundamentals'', ''but'' ''has'' ''reached'' ''to'' ''the'' ''basic'' ''level'' ''of'' ''emotion'' ''as'' ''well''.

''A'' ''seven'' ''is'' ''the'' ''beginings'' ''of'' ''a'' ''story'', ''where'' ''as'' ''a'' ''ten'' ''would'' ''be'' ''the'' ''full'' ''novel'' ''from'' ''begining'' ''to'' ''end''.

''Now'' ''granted'', ''a'' ''story'' ''may'' ''not'' ''be'' ''seen'' ''by'' ''all'', ''and'' ''equally'', ''interpreted'' ''in'' ''many'' ''ways''.

''But'' ''that'' ''is'' ''the'' ''point''. ''When'' ''a'' ''piece'' ''gives'' ''out'' ''an'' ''emotional'' ''blow'' ''to'' ''the'' ''viewer'' ''that'' ''leads'' ''to'' ''fractional'' ''thinking''. ''Differant'' ''views'' ''of'' ''a'' ''piece'' ''creates'' ''scholarship'' ''and'' ''controversy''.

''A'' ''seven'' ''in'' ''other'' ''words'', ''to'' ''me'', ''is'' ''the'' ''beginings'' ''of'' ''greatness''.

''Message'' ''edited'' ''by'' ''author'' ''2006''-''02''-''15'' ''23'':''41'':''19''.

DrAchoo

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

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

02/15/2006 11:42:46 PM · #17

''Preplanning'': ''With'' ''any'' ''of'' ''my'' ''pictures'' ''that'' ''do'' ''well'', ''I'' ''do'' ''a'' ''lot'' ''of'' ''preplanning''. ''I'' ''have'' ''a'' ''visual'' ''idea'' ''in'' ''my'' ''head'' ''of'' ''what'' ''I'' ''want'' ''the'' ''shot'' ''to'' ''look'' ''like'' ''and'' ''I'' ''then'' ''work'' ''out'' ''all'' ''the'' ''details'' ''that'' ''need'' ''to'' ''fall'' ''into'' ''place'' ''to'' ''make'' ''the'' ''shot'' ''work''. ''In'' ''this'' ''case'', ''because'' ''this'' ''was'' ''two'' ''hours'' ''from'' ''my'' ''house'', ''I'' ''needed'' ''to'' ''know'' ''when'' ''the'' ''sunrise'' ''was'', ''where'' ''the'' ''sun'' ''would'' ''be'' ''rising'', ''what'' ''the'' ''tide'' ''was'' ''doing'', ''and'' ''how'' ''I'' ''would'' ''get'' ''there''. ''All'' ''that'' ''was'' ''planned'' ''using'' ''the'' ''internet''. ''Obviously'' ''I'' ''could'' ''not'' ''control'' ''these'' ''things'', ''but'' ''I'' ''knew'' ''what'' ''I'' ''would'' ''encounter'' ''before'' ''I'' ''got'' ''there'' ''so'' ''I'' ''could'' ''spend'' ''all'' ''my'' ''time'' ''shooting''.

''Composition'': ''I'' ''knew'' ''I'' ''wanted'' ''a'' ''slow'' ''shutter'' ''speed'' ''because'' ''I'' ''just'' ''really'' ''love'' ''that'' ''effect''. ''I'' ''personally'' ''think'' ''pictures'' ''do'' ''very'' ''well'' ''which'' ''can'' ''do'' ''two'' ''things'' ''at'' ''once'': ''1'') ''they'' ''capture'' ''the'' ''world'' ''in'' ''a'' ''realistic'' ''way'' ''and'' ''2'') ''at'' ''the'' ''same'' ''time'' ''capture'' ''it'' ''in'' ''a'' ''way'' ''that'' ''you'' ''don'''''t'' ''normally'' ''see''. ''Our'' ''eyes'' ''do'' ''not'' ''normally'' ''get'' ''to'' ''enjoy'' ''the'' ''foggy'' ''pattern'' ''waves'' ''leave'' ''on'' ''a'' ''time'' ''exposure'', ''but'' ''we'' ''still'' ''recognize'' ''the'' ''shot'' ''as'' ''being'' ''part'' ''of'' ''the'' ''real'' ''world''.

''I'' ''also'' ''think'' ''this'' ''picture'' ''did'' ''well'' ''because'' ''it'' ''fits'' ''the'' ''challenge'' ''dead'' ''on'' (''as'' ''inside'' ''the'' ''box'' ''as'' ''you'' ''can'' ''get'') ''BUT'' ''is'' ''interesting'' ''in'' ''that'' ''it'''''s'' ''something'' ''you'' ''don'''''t'' ''see'' ''every'' ''day''. ''We'' ''love'' ''pictures'' ''of'' ''unfamiliar'' ''places'' ''and'' ''things''.

''I'' ''shot'' ''a'' ''whole'' ''gig'' ''of'' ''pictures'' ''over'' ''about'' ''two'' ''hours'' ''with'' ''different'' ''shutter'' ''speeds'' ''and'' ''different'' ''angles''. ''I'' ''wanted'' ''to'' ''accomplish'' ''a'' ''few'' ''things'' ''with'' ''the'' ''composition''. ''I'' ''wanted'' ''a'' ''rule'' ''of'' ''thirds''. ''I'' ''got'' ''lucky'' ''with'' ''the'' ''extra'' ''pieces'' ''because'' ''they'' ''provide'' ''counterbalance'' ''to'' ''the'' ''bulk'' ''of'' ''the'' ''ship''. ''I'' ''also'' ''wanted'' ''an'' ''angle'' ''which'' ''allowed'' ''the'' ''wreckage'' ''to'' ''still'' ''look'' ''like'' ''the'' ''bow'' ''of'' ''a'' ''ship''. ''Other'' ''angles'' ''made'' ''it'' ''look'' ''less'' ''recognizable''; ''and'' ''while'' ''they'' ''allowed'' ''more'' ''of'' ''the'' ''interesting'' ''clouds'' ''in'' ''the'' ''frame'', ''the'' ''tradeoff'' ''wasn'''''t'' ''worth'' ''it''.

''Technically'', ''early'' ''morning'' ''was'' ''a'' ''must'' ''because'' ''it'' ''allowed'' ''better'' ''light''. ''I'' ''chose'' ''sunrise'' ''instead'' ''of'' ''sunset'' ''because'' ''I'' ''wanted'' ''the'' ''sun'' ''behind'' ''me'' ''to'' ''allow'' ''detail'' ''of'' ''the'' ''rust'' (''which'' ''seemed'' ''to'' ''lend'' ''more'' ''to'' ''the'' "''broken''" ''aspect''). ''Here'' ''is'' ''a'' ''sunset'' ''shot'' ''by'' ''zoomdak'' ''which'' ''has'' ''a'' ''totally'' ''different'' ''feel'':

''The'' ''other'' ''reason'' ''I'' ''had'' ''to'' ''shoot'' ''either'' ''at'' ''sunrise'' ''or'' ''sunset'' ''was'' ''the'' ''shutter'' ''speed'' ''I'' ''required'' (''2'' ''second''). ''I'' ''only'' ''have'' ''a'' ''total'' ''of'' ''4''-''stops'' ''of'' ''ND'' ''filter'' (''2''-''stop'' ''filter'' ''with'' ''a'' ''2''-''stop'' ''polarizer''). ''I'' ''used'' ''both''. ''The'' ''polarizer'' ''is'' ''key'' ''for'' ''both'' ''water'' ''shots'' ''as'' ''well'' ''as'' ''sky'' ''with'' ''thin'' ''clouds'' ''like'' ''this''. ''It'' ''just'' ''makes'' ''a'' ''huge'' ''difference''.

''Post'': ''I'' ''won'''''t'' ''go'' ''into'' ''post'' ''processing'' ''as'' ''much'' ''as'' ''it'' ''was'' ''fairly'' ''straightforward'' ''with'' ''basic''. ''You'' ''can'' ''look'' ''at'' ''the'' ''print'' ''version'' ''and'' ''see'' ''it'' ''isn'''''t'' ''that'' ''much'' ''different''. ''Even'' ''with'' ''advanced'' ''editing'' ''allowed'', ''there'' ''wasn'''''t'' ''much'' ''to'' ''change''. ''I'' ''tried'' ''to'' ''bring'' ''the'' ''details'' ''and'' ''color'' ''of'' ''the'' ''ship'' ''out'' ''a'' ''little'' ''more''.

''Ultimately'' ''there'' ''must'' ''be'' ''something'' ''about'' ''the'' ''Oregon'' ''scenery''. ''I'' ''don'''''t'' ''think'' ''it'''''s'' ''an'' ''accident'' ''that'' ''my'' ''four'' ''highest'' ''rated'' ''pictures'' ''are'' ''all'' ''landscapes'' ''of'' ''Oregon''.

''Message'' ''edited'' ''by'' ''author'' ''2006''-''02''-''15'' ''23'':''44'':''56''.

angela_packard

Canon EOS-20D

02/15/2006 11:46:30 PM · #18

''I'' ''think'' ''to'' ''be'' ''a'' '''7'+ ''a'' ''photo'' ''has'' ''to'' ''be'' ''technically'' ''correct'' ''and'' ''interesting'' ''to'' ''look'' ''at''...''in'' ''some'' ''cases'' ''for'' ''me'' ''out'' ''side'' ''the'' ''box'' ''photographers'' ''will'' ''almost'' ''always'' ''get'' ''a'' ''10'', ''because'' ''most'' ''people'' ''don'''''t'' ''think'' ''that'' ''way''. ''I'' ''actually'' ''get'' ''punished'', ''scoring'' ''wise'', ''for'' ''thinking'' ''outside'' ''the'' ''box''...''but'' ''that'''''s'' ''ok''...''at'' ''least'' ''some'' ''others'' ''do'' ''appreciate'' ''it''. ''I'' ''almost'' ''always'' ''vote'' ''higher'' ''than'' ''a'' ''5''...''so'' ''just'' ''remember'' ''that''!!! :)

SDW

Canon EOS-60D

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

02/15/2006 11:57:38 PM · #19

''Dissecting'' ''this'' ''photograph'' (''what'' ''made'' ''it'' ''score'' <'''7')
''1''. ''The'' ''subject'' ''is'' ''more'' ''powerful'' ''than'' ''any'' ''other'' ''element'' ''in'' ''the'' ''shot''. ''He'' ''keep'' ''the'' ''waves'' ''flat'' ''around'' ''the'' ''boat'' ''and'' ''the'' ''colors'' ''subtle''. ''Unlike'' ''two'' ''of'' ''the'' ''outtakes'' ''where'' ''the'' ''waves'' ''are'' ''breaking'' ''on'' ''the'' ''boat'' ''and'' ''the'' ''birds'' ''in'' ''the'' ''foreground'' ''which'' ''would'' ''of'' ''been'' ''distracting''.
''2''. ''A'' ''good'' ''title''
''3''. ''Border'' ''that'' ''did'' ''not'' ''overwhelm'' ''the'' ''photograph''.
''4''. ''Used'' ''lighting'' ''as'' ''elements'' ''to'' ''capture'' ''attention'' ''such'' ''as'' ''the'' ''light'' ''through'' ''the'' ''boat'' ''hull'' ''is'' ''not'' ''to'' ''dark'' ''or'' ''to'' ''light''. ''Letting'' ''shadows'' ''play'' ''a'' ''good'' ''part'' ''in'' ''the'' ''image''.
''5''. ''Subject'' ''has'' ''texture'' ''while'' ''the'' ''rest'' ''of'' ''the'' ''shot'' ''has'' ''a'' ''smooth'' ''feel'', ''separating'' ''the'' ''two''.
''6''. ''Taken'' ''at'' ''the'' ''right'' ''time''.
'''7'. ''All'' ''of'' ''this'' ''let'' ''use'' ''forgive'' ''the'' ''5'' ''dust'' ''bunny'''''s'' ''on'' ''the'' ''image''.

mpeters

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

02/16/2006 12:01:11 AM · #20

''IMO'', ''on'' ''this'' ''particular'' ''picture'', ''what'' ''really'' ''works'' ''is'' ''the'' ''balance'' ''of'' ''the'' ''rusted'' ''hull'' ''lower'' ''right'', ''balanced'' ''by'' ''the'' ''cloud'' ''mass'' ''upper'' ''left'' ''and'' ''the'' ''small'' ''remnant'' ''of'' ''the'' ''ship'' ''lower'' ''left''.

''To'' ''answer'' ''the'' ''question'' ''from'' ''a'' ''more'' ''global'' ''DPC'' ''perspective''... ''This'' ''picture'' ''definitely'' ''within'' ''the'' ''challenge'' ''description''. ''Most'' ''pictures'' ''that'' ''do'' ''well'' ''have'' ''this'' ''attribute'' ''IMO''. ''Also'', ''the'' ''point'' ''was'' ''made'' ''about'' ''avoiding'' ''the'' ''low'' ''votes'' ''which'' ''IMO'' ''is'' ''key'', ''ergo'' ''a'' '''7'+ ''picture'' ''usually'' ''doesn'''''t'' ''prompt'' ''a'' ''negative'' ''response'' ''with'' ''very'' ''many'' ''voters''. ''So'', ''less'' ''1''-''4'''''s''.

cfischl

Canon EOS-40D

02/16/2006 12:01:39 AM · #21

''Whether'' ''or'' ''not'' ''people'' ''want'' ''to'' ''admit'' ''it'', ''the'' ''vote'' ''that'' ''someone'' ''casts'' ''is'' ''in'' ''most'' ''cases'' ''determined'' ''by'' ''an'' ''intial'' ''reaction''. ''If'' ''the'' ''photo'' ''initially'' ''strikes'' ''someone'' ''as'' ''being'' ''excellent'', ''the'' ''person'' ''is'' ''going'' ''to'' ''rate'' ''the'' ''photo'' ''higher''. ''To'' ''score'' ''above'' ''a'' ''seven'' ''you'' ''need'' ''to'' ''create'' ''photo'' ''that'' ''has'' ''that'' ''intial'' ''impact''.

TooCool