Constructive Crit please... - DPChallenge Forums

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

11/10/2003 12:09:04 AM · #1

Well, now that the infinity challenge is over, I'd love some real constructive crit on my entry.

To be honest, I am somewhat surprised at it's relative position. I also note it got two 1's, a 2, and several 3's. I would love to hear the rationale for that (I understand it's possible someone was just voting down, but I looked at several others near mine which don't have 1's or 2's, so it's also possible someone really didn't like it.)

I am not complaining, I am new here. But while it's nice of people to comment during the challenge, from the comments I received, clearly the people who thought this had problems didn't respond.

Thanks in advance. Now that the challenge is over, I'm also going to post this to some other sites I frequent and see what they think.

Message edited by author 2003-11-10 00:11:41.

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

11/10/2003 12:20:38 AM · #2

Yes, you have a very strange distribution of votes here. You generated an incredibly consistent core group of votes around the mean, but there are more votes than expected, by far, on both ends of the distribution. Seems there are probably two "schools of thought" on your photo.
Now it's up to you to figure out what they were thinking!

Good luck!

jmsetzler

Sony Alpha a6000

Sony 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 E-mount

11/10/2003 12:31:42 AM · #3

I'm not sure how to really criticize this photo. There's nothing really wrong with that you have here. I may have liked the photo more with a bit of the top cropped off. The horizon out there is not really strengthening the image, IMO. I gave it a 6. I didn't find a lot of inspiration in it, but I think the idea is ok.

pcody

Canon PowerShot G6

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8

11/10/2003 12:49:27 AM · #4

I'm really sorry and I apologize. I was going to go back and rescore it afterwards, but forgot to. I gave it a 4 because I didn't follow the 30 second rule. I had already clicked before I realized it was a caterpillar. Bad eyes. I guess I could say I would have liked the little guy closer in the frame.
Sorry.

coolhar

Canon PowerShot Pro 90 IS

11/10/2003 01:26:26 AM · #5

I wouldn't get upset about the 1's, 2's or 3's. Almost every image gets some low scores. As long as your 9's and 10's outnumber them you'll be ok.

Message edited by author 2003-11-10 11:13:39.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

11/10/2003 03:21:04 AM · #6

I think that looks like a pretty normal vote distribution for a better-than-average photo; finishing in the top 20% here is good ...

vadvirag

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

11/10/2003 03:29:55 AM · #7

Originally posted by nshapiro:

I would love to hear the rationale for that (I understand it's possible someone was just voting down, but I looked at several others near mine which don't have 1's or 2's, so it's also possible someone really didn't like it.)

Well, I liked this shot! :-) Anyway I cannot wote because I am only a user. I guess those who gave you 1-2-3 won't come to furum, they are not the kind of taking part of forum posts, if they didn't appreciate the technics, composition, only the subject (they like it or not).

tfaust

Canon EOS 80D

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

11/10/2003 07:57:22 AM · #8

I didn't get a chance to vote, but I like this shot - it was a good idea for the challenge. I have to agree with John about cropping the top and Pat about placing the caterpillar lower in the frame.

Sigma 18-125mm f/3.5-5.6 DC for Canon

11/10/2003 10:05:07 AM · #9

Originally posted by tfaust:

I didn't get a chance to vote, but I like this shot - it was a good idea for the challenge. I have to agree with John about cropping the top and Pat about placing the caterpillar lower in the frame.

Thanks to you, and everyone for their comments here.

Yes, when I was submitting I tried to crop it to pavement only. However you find that you lose the effect. I even tried rotating it left slightly, which does make it possible to remove the grass and leave much of the pavement. I was ready to upload one of these, but then I noted that the effect I liked in the photo, that of him traveling great distance, was still much stronger in the original.

I did try various crops to bring him closer to the foreground as well. I always felt it lost something. But here's a version with the foreground crop but background intact (for the infinity effect as explained above). Does that work better?

If you want, try a crop yourself and post it here.

Kavey

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

11/10/2003 10:12:58 AM · #10

Yes, personally I prefer the crop you've just posted above.
I agree that the grass at the top doesn't add anything but can see your problem in cropping it out - you would then lose that wonderful bend in the road/ white line. Perhaps trying out a few more angles when taking the original would have found a perspective that worked?
I also agree that the little critter needs to be more obvious - as he is in your alternative crop - he is the main focal point and it's all about his journey, I believe.
I didn't vote on this challenge but I think I would have scored the original a 5 and the new crop a 6.
The critter himself is not ideal subject material as he looks so much like a blob of pipe cleaning wire. I appreciate that you photographed what you found, but if I were setting up a shot of this nature, I'd be looking at using a more interesting critter, perhaps a snail with an interesting shell or an insect with eyes heading towards the camera?

tfaust

Canon EOS 80D

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

11/10/2003 10:20:31 AM · #11

This is about the best I could do without completely losing the bend in the road. Keep in mind I only spent a few minutes on it. I'm somewhat partial to not seeing the whole bend, I think it lends to more curiosity...

Tina

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

11/10/2003 10:42:31 AM · #12

Originally posted by tfaust:

Thanks. I appreciate you taking the time. I have a few crops like this, but to me, at least for the challenge, the infinity came from the way the bike path disappeared into the top of the frame. That's missing here. It may have just need to have been reshot (There were a lot of them, and actually, they move faster than you might expect. And I wanted one on the white line though I shot others. I didn't put him here. I guess I could have planted one ;).

I think I will go with the closer front crop, while leaving the back crop in the final image.

Thanks again to you and all who are providing me with feedback in this thread.

tfaust

Canon EOS 80D

11/10/2003 10:49:51 AM · #13

That's pretty cool you didn't place him there - I thought for sure he was planted :-)

ewall53

Nikon D100

11/10/2003 10:57:57 AM · #14

I like it without any grass showing, and a little blurring to emphasize the journey ahead. Obviously this couldn't be entered in this form. I like your original.

11/10/2003 11:09:29 AM · #15

Originally posted by ewall53:

I like it without any grass showing, and a little blurring to emphasize the journey ahead. Obviously this couldn't be entered in this form. I like your original.

I like this version. I presume you cloned the grass. Wish I could have done that. ;-)

SoulHunter74

Minolta DiMAGE Z1

11/10/2003 11:23:37 AM · #16

I really like it too. And it's definitely one of the best shots.

jonpink

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2

11/10/2003 11:28:31 AM · #17

boring & flat without the grass.

Ten13

Sony DSC-F717

11/10/2003 11:45:30 AM · #18

Originally posted by jonpink:

boring & flat without the grass.

I disagree. I think the grass is somewhat of a distraction - this to me looks more like a "long journey ahead" photo. I think it isolates the subject and emphasizes the vastness of the concrete.

The original is good, but I like the revision better. (had I scored it, I would have rated the original a 6 or 7 and the revision a 7 or 8)