They just don't "Get It" - DPChallenge Forums

01/16/2007 01:53:17 PM · #1

OK, before I continue let me just get this out of the way....

Now... with that in mind...

A photographer is an artist. As artists we all have our own interpretation of what we are presenting. When we take the time and effort to come up with an idea, stage it, execute it, process it, and put it out there for the world to see, we are in some sense putting a piece of ourselves out there.

We become very attached to the image and because we are aware of the original intent of the image (the idea stage). We become intimately involved with the image and others view it and say... "I don't get it". "Why did you do ______." "I think you did ______ just because."

Occassionally we have someone who says... "Wow!!! I see exactly what you were going for!" or "Your choice of __________ makes perfect sense even if it is a bit out of place." or "I get it!".

I don't expect to understand every image I see. I don't expect everyone to understand every image I create. To those of you who "get it"... Great!!! Kudos!!!

To those who don't "get it".... look harder, maybe you're missing something. Open your mind and try to see what the artist is going for. If you still don't "get it", that's OK too... Critique the image based on technical merits... Is it too light/dark? Is the focus bad? Bad/Good use of DOF? Rule of Thirds? We've established you "don't get it", but how is the image aesthetically? Is it visually pleasing? Does it evoke an emotion? If so, what is that emotion?

I guess the point is... if there has been an obvious choice made by the artist, then there must be a reason for that choice. If you do not understand that choice, then do not try to change that choice by suggesting something that the artist clearly did not want. Remember that even if you don't "get it", there are probably others that did "get it" and on further discussion and evaluation and possibly further independent contemplation on your part, you too might "get it".

That is all.

[/rant]

Discuss?

fotomann_forever

01/16/2007 02:11:49 PM · #2

Originally posted by Palmetto_Pixels:

I guess the point is... if there has been an obvious choice made by the artist, then there must be a reason for that choice. If you do not understand that choice, then do not try to change that choice by suggesting something that the artist clearly did not want. Remember that even if you don't "get it", there are probably others that did "get it" and on further discussion and evaluation and possibly further independent contemplation on your part, you too might "get it".

Very often, if I don't "get it" I'll make a judgment based on technicals to determine if I should even try to "get it".

If it's a technically good photo and even after staring at it, I can't "get it" most of the time I will vote on the technicals alone. I don't have to "get" every message put out there to enjoy the photograph.

However, as an artist, you must realize that if you are trying to put something out there to be "gotten" then it should be "gettable" :-) A message is only a message if it is understandable by both the sender and receiver.

Most major newspapers are written to a 9th grade reading level. That way more people can read it, increasing sales and advertising revenue. It's not at all that the reporters themselves can't write above that level.

The same goes here. Not all of your voters/commenters study art at any level, some are very versed in art. You can't expect to throw out some wild concept and that everyone will "get it". scalvert is very successful here ... why? Because his stuff is very easy to understand - no hidden messages, no tricky compositions - quite frankly what he does is on the level of folk art (not a dig at scalvert).

Even among my more successful images all of them are simple, no-brainers, while the ones I thought were more insightful flopped.

Tamron SP AF 24-135mm f/3.5-5.6 AD Aspherical IF for Canon

01/16/2007 02:26:49 PM · #3

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

That's all I'm asking for.

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

However, as an artist, you must realize that if you are trying to put something out there to be "gotten" then it should be "gettable" :-) A message is only a message if it is understandable by both the sender and receiver.

Very very true which is why I added the disclaimer... "If you don't get it, that's OK too". If 50% of the viewers get it... hell, even if just 1 viewer "gets it", then does that not make the image "gettable"

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

Most major newspapers are written to a 9th grade reading level. That way more people can read it, increasing sales and advertising revenue. It's not at all that the reporters themselves can't write above that level.

The same goes here. Not all of your voters/commenters study art at any level, some are very versed in art. You can't expect to throw out some wild concept and that everyone will "get it". scalvert is very successful here ... why? Because his stuff is very easy to understand - no hidden messages, no tricky compositions - quite frankly what he does is on the level of folk art (not a dig at scalvert).

Did you just compare

scalvert to a 9th grade reading level!?!?!?!

I am appalled!!!!

;-P

nards656

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

01/16/2007 02:31:35 PM · #4

fotomann_forever

01/16/2007 02:39:20 PM · #5

Originally posted by Palmetto_Pixels:

Did you just compare scalvert to a 9th grade reading level!?!?!?!

I am appalled!!!!

;-P

I did :-) hehe

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

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

01/16/2007 02:40:02 PM · #6

I figure it's kind of like this: the vast majority of the people prefer Norman Rockwell to Wassily Kandinsky. And even if they DO allow themselves to venture into the metaphorical, they'll still prefer Salvador Dali to Man Ray. These people think their kid can paint as well as Picasso did. And who's to argue with them?

When I receive "I don't get it comments", I think of them as the DPC equivalent of purple hearts, and wear them proudly. I've received quite a few. I have a shot in one of the challenges now that's gonna finish under 5, and I think it's a hell of a shot and a hell of challenge fit, but I knew it was doomed, and I'm guessing you knew the same too :-)

I enter stuff like this 'cuz I get bored with the obvious, not 'cuz I expect to make a run at a ribbon :-)

R.

Art Roflmao

Canon EOS-6D Mark II

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

01/16/2007 02:43:20 PM · #7

I don't get it. Why did you post? I think you did post just because. :P

Now that I got that out of the way, I left some constructive comments on your dead horse. :)

Ok, seriously - here is my take on this - I agree with your sentiment, BUT the fact is that there are quite a few images (my own included, occasionally), that little or no thought or effort was put into or that were shoehorned in. I have stared at images during voting trying to "get it" and just didn't. Then read the photogs comments after the challenge voting ended: "Couldn't think of anything, so just entered this snapshot" or "I know it doesn't fit the challenge, but I really liked the photo and wanted to see what people thought of it" etc. The issue with that is that those images often garner more attention than others - time wasted analyzing it by the more thoughtful voters at the expense of the images that had a lot of effort put into them.

I think this won't change and is why images that have immediate visual impact and obvious challenge relevance will always place at the top, IMO. And I don't know if it could be any other way with such a large number of entries and broad spectrum of voters.

My two cents, anyway.

Message edited by author 2007-01-16 14:44:43.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

01/16/2007 02:50:45 PM · #8

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

...I have a shot in one of the challenges now that's gonna finish under 5, and I think it's a hell of a shot and a hell of challenge fit, but I knew it was doomed, and I'm guessing you knew the same too :-)

Yeah, I'm in the same boat brother!!! I expected it to bomb because it was a bit out of the box, but a hell of a challenge shot (IMHO). It started off great (mid sixes) with some great comments... "I get it", "Great shot", etc etc etc... I thought.... Holy hell!!! I'm actually going to break 6 with an "out of the box shot"... Well, in 24 hours I plummetted to a low 5 and am knocking hard on the door of the 4ish range.

I guess it's not the end result that's so shocking, it's the journey to get there that has me disheartened. Now all of a sudden people don't "get it" and are voting low as a result... (VERY LOW).

Art Roflmao

Canon EOS-6D Mark II

01/16/2007 02:53:03 PM · #9

Originally posted by Palmetto_Pixels:

I guess it's not the end result that's so shocking, it's the journey to get there that has me disheartened.

Stop looking. ;-) or as my mom used to say, "Stop picking at it!" :)

yanko

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Carl Zeiss 50mm ZE f/1.4 Planar T for Canon

01/16/2007 02:54:01 PM · #10

While it's important to meet the challenge I think the average voter takes it way too seriously and punishes it way too much. Basically it's just a crutch for the lazy who is just looking for the first excuse to give an image a score, ignore everything else and move on to the next photo. I'm just glad those doing it are photographers and not real life judges.

fotomann_forever

01/16/2007 02:56:17 PM · #11

Originally posted by Palmetto_Pixels:

I thought.... Holy hell!!! I'm actually going to break 6 with an "out of the box shot"... Well, in 24 hours I plummetted to a low 5 and am knocking hard on the door of the 4ish range.

I guess it's not the end result that's so shocking, it's the journey to get there that has me disheartened. Now all of a sudden people don't "get it" and are voting low as a result... (VERY LOW).

In the same boat with my best of 06 entry... the first morning I thought I was gonna break a 7. Now... mediocre is about the best I can hope for.