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07/26/2013 08:33:49 PM · #1
Who we are blindjustice bvy daisydavid herfotoman hihosilver pennystreet salmiakki tnun tvsometime

Goal: to discuss images in the FA challenge because we love art. And to give the official jury a chance to be rewarded too.
Guaranteed: It was all done in accordance to DPC voting rules.
and Yes: We had fun discussing and commenting and, ultimately, voting on the images we selected.

Rest assured, all picks were made before voting was over. Comments may have been revised since. We hope you enjoy this as much as we did.

Our awards

ONE to

TWO to

THREE to

FOUR to

FIVE to

High Mention

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and here are some of our comments to the artists:

Burning Trolls by cutout

Billboard size material definitely. A chance find that translates into a ritualistic act and symbolism truly on a primal level. I can almost hear the chanting and screams. I see fire, passion set against the darkness of a cruel and brutal wilderness that craves sacrifice.

The title anchors this image to DPC. Of course, the "troll" may be a universal troll and not a DPC troll. So, I acknowledge the benefit of doubt. However, when my mind un-anchors from the title, this image gives me an entirely different impression. With delicate details silhouetted by unearthly almost alien colors, death exists here and perhaps the sorrows of some unimaginable malformed transformation. The wide angle presentation gives the impression of an unraveled scroll. Perhaps not oriental in nature, but rather a scroll of some dark melting chrysalis which I can only hope will not be from the land of Mordor.

This is one of my top picks... I know it should remain there because I can't get it out of my head. Not sure why - it's disturbing in a way but I love the emotion and cinematic feel. I would love to see it fill a whole wall.

Dark and terrible and dripping with blood and fluids and wood stain. Excellent work and the sacrifice is accepted.

The title softened the punch, as a troll is make-believe, but unfortunately, this happens in the real world as well.
Made me think of those tyre-burning scenes in our part of the world. So it resulted in an extremely high emotional response in me. A defiant figure against a background of bystanders spectating.

I would like to see this as a wall-filling mural - the proportions and landscape-like composition suggest it. It conjures up feelings of a primeval (or possibly apocalyptic) world without animal life. Very effective in that way.

A strain of the imagination is hardly necessary to see what's left of the troll being held up for sacrifice. It's an image of hell, and I love it. I think the cinematic aspect ratio costs it some impact, but a crop would ruin it. It would look great large -- very large.

Kings, Clergy, Peasants by mrchhas

I think wonderfully presented and titled, crafted minimalism. Simple and direct message.

I am sufficiently swayed by the comments from the panel that this is a shot not to be overlooked. Reminds me of the King's speech, with important words of the state of the empire, of new peace, or war, to be broadcast through this microphone(or desk lamp). Excellent work: Simplistic, perfect elements of line and tone; the title provides and avenue, the viewer must walk the path for himself.

I enjoy the whimsical nature of this one. It might have been left untitled to let the mind wander, but I don’t mind the title it was given. Great shadow work.

A perfect marriage of title and image. Usually, I'm inclined to weigh the image far more, but here that's quite an impossibility for me.

This has Dada qualities of a common object presented as a work of art with a confounding title. The difference is its ambiguity: what is the object and why does the shadow not conform to the object itself? But this intrigue is ultimately its attraction - pulling at our intellects to reach some resolution.

This is starting to resonate with me more and more. There's a terrific metaphor there, that I haven't yet found, but I feel the revelation will be worth the effort.

This is something I like to shoot. So much that I thought I'm probably just giving it high points as it could belong in my portfolio. So it did not make my top choices, though I do like it. Very much. Strong message. Could be used as poster for Free-speech.

Passage by Cuttooth

This has whimsy and absurdity, yet the dead serious feel of a Russian World War Two propaganda campaign. Each time I look at this I feel differently about it, but I am drawn to the imbalance, the sharpness and blur. Perhaps I am drawn most to the mystery mixed with sentimentality.

Good title. I get drawn into the image by the setup. The strangeness is its strength. So real and unreal, and somehow connected. I also thought it used a fair deal of artwork, but the image's incomplete storyline still made it a top 3 choice.

I like it, but don't feel a strong attachment to it. It feels like (and probably is) a museum shot, in which case I feel like somebody else's imagination is more than partially responsible.

Tricky image...an instant paradox. An old man in detail yet anonymously headless, starkly contrasted next to a young fanciful face tricks my senses into the ten realm. I gave it a 10, but honestly don't think I should have. Yes, I was tricked...and I almost enjoyed it.

I think the title helps to set the mood. What I love is the woman's face, moving by, and where the man is placed beside her in the frame. Or possibly the image he is viewing is just a dream.

This image reminded me of Cocteau's "Orpheus" character's passage to the underworld. I think the technique is derived from that - a foreground figure and projected image background. The surreal impact is as effective now as it was back then..

Somewhat a journey from childhood to adulthood but with a lot of baggage. I’m thinking Anna Frank as the background image, with all the cultural wartime scenarios and the ultimate positive humanity message and the modern day adult version wrapped in a cultural trench coat with a tight belt of experience, the state of Jewishness now. Maybe a tad dramatic, but hey..

art is boring by JMRitz

Oh...a utility image. Nothing beckons. Ho Hum.

What caught my attention is the precise squaring of the elements with the frame which allows the off-vertical pipe to stand out as an imperfection destabilizing the otherwise rigid structure. Exacting tones and precision of details work to create a photo-documentary reality that is so precisely arranged as to imply a different, less precise even ambiguous purpose pushing toward the abstract. The resulting visual and intellectual tension is surprisingly compelling on repeated viewing.

As a commentary image - quite successful. Needs it's title too much.

Of course I like this one. It's a smartly composed graphic composition. What's striking is the contrast between the cluttered left side and empty right side. More striking is that this completely haphazard arrangement somehow feels perfect -- as though changing or moving any one thing would make it fall apart. The sickly yellow-green is relieved only by some splatters of red on the left side. The self-deprecating title, in spite of itself, makes us look longer, harder.

Beauty in the everyday. Compostion works well.

Classic abstract. Not into this right now, more about me than the work. The title puts me into denial even though I know it as a given generalization.

I see the points about art is boring I tend to fall upon the side that it needs its title too much, and that the title is too prejudicial in that it gives a boost of "I don't give a shit" street cred. Ultimately, taught a lesson. A top pick for me.

Hum by posthumous

This image fooled me! I didn't immediately see the blue bird and flower, but now that I have…I like it!

Abstract meets realism, in a world of shadow and light and bluebirds. Its ringing in my ears.

Visually this works very well as a cross-fertilization of ideas more commonly known as overlays in photography. Not that this is an added overlay but the window or glass through which it was shot providing gritty spots and unsympathetically colored strokes overlaying the nearly monochromatic pine trees. The result is an image that grows with time spent considering it - creeping into our senses as foggy recollections.

Wonderful juxtaposition of the real and the abstract, the meshing of reality and the construct. Representations of nature upon artifact using the real and constructed scenes to create or celebrate memories, events, wishes or perhaps things that are no longer that need to be celebrated in context.

The fantastic beauty of this will be lost on most viewers. Lots of clichés apply (greater than the sum of its parts, rewards repeated viewings, etc.) but without a background in poetry, one won't be able to do it justice with words. ... It's a celebration of subtle things in nature. Colors and textures complement and compete with each other amidst layers of light. Look at the way the green, blue and yellow play together. Enchanting.

I get the heat of a long summers-day, with the beetles singing loud, but so far in the background, it's like the hidden yellow marks on the white wall.

This sings a tune that's worth remembering.

Hydrangeas by odriew

I like the composition. Nicely balanced by two beauties. The fence provides a neutral background and adds context at the same time. I like (or at least don't mind) that the subject is out of focus. It complements her expression. I'm put off by the processing though. I don't mind the black and white (or is it sepia?), but I tend to like black blacks.

Hydrangeas: another rite of passage. The established garden bed fixed to a walk of conformity gives fruit to a naive and fuzzy generation that leaves to make its own in the world. Very much a Ubique type of image but without the boys.... OOF and tonal blend with the negative space nails the composition.

The immediate impact of the strange doll-like features had almost a mystical Barbie effect for me which wrinkled my nose. I did find the "balance between the two beauties" and appreciate that language...Yes...I feel it. The fence anchors this image for me, but the flat realm and bland processing stifles my sense of space. I always love blur, but do not feel blur enhances my overall impression of this image.

Beauty. Balance. Blur… woven together and presented in a way that really makes an impression. The picture is flat and blurry and yet it’s all very clear to me.

A departed girl (woman?) not necessarily dead but gone. Kind of sentimental especially combined with the hydrangeas which have some symbolism about "heartfelt emotions" or such. Maybe the artist chose the flower for that purpose but it doesn't matter much because the visual impact seems pretty clear (unless of course it has another meaning entirely). I like the toning – like an old fading photo.

Lovely use of mono?colour. Decision to compose like that was inspired. My eyes continued to move from left to right, not being able to decide where to rest or linger, the image becoming restless thereby, and that makes me want to know more. Both have room to grow, but are full-grown already. Maybe the spell has been broken, and she has just decided not to be an hydrangea any more, and is moving back into the world.

Figments by MNet

Remembering your dream in that few moments before waking, and then not being able to explain it to your loved one next to you.[And no, I did not write this after reading the other jury's comments, this was written on Monday-morning.]

The plastic Vaseline impression continues to shroud this image for me. I remain mystified and unmoved. Disappointed, I find no respite in the title.

Memory addled recollections of urban events - vaguely troubling - as of a witness to a crime. Soft pastel colors as if we have become benumbed to it all.

I like the idea but I think it needs more focus on the subject, as in it has a lot (too much?) going on. Maybe I should be thinking dreamy but I usually do that in black and white.

Chaotic and full of possibilities. And while it's fun to explore, I think it lacks a single anchoring element, a starting point.

No one has given any meaningful negative criticism of figments- perhaps that there are too many elements/lacks focus- but it is mysterious and obscure by nature, no? I am sufficiently won over by the lush tan and teal, areas of detail that open up, all from a perspective of the flip=flop wearing, khaki pants sporting platform walker, as he witnesses the fight of a lifetime.

Lily by patches

It is amazing that even when you know it is a flower, the more you look, the scarier this image becomes. Must be all these transformation-type movies. So it was well seen, and very well done on the PP'ing side. Not much further to consider, though.

I love flowers in monochrome -- stripped of their color, we're forced to focus on their (often) grotesque figures and forms. And so much the better when that means the flower takes on a new identity altogether. This lily has thorns!

I associate Lilies with death and this one is a killer. Vampire lily. Invasion of the body snatcher(s)? The streaks give it the quality of a scanned image using very old technology as in Captain Video sending an warning back to Earth.

An interesting choice, a tough one to pick. Has all the attributes to make it qualify, strange, remote yet recognizable. Lovely use of textures in a restricted framework. Perhaps a little too early work in a budding artists repertoire. Needs more depth in its symbolism.

Makes me nervous and my spidey senses tell me that I should desperately avoid this dark and creepy plant. Something that might grow in the Addam's Family house? Lacks quality substance for any further attachment. *shivers*

I like the choice of black and white, and the overlay/texture is intriguing. There is nice scratching imperfections, there is a lingering malevolence in the presentation, its better than I once thought. Can shots of flowers resonate? Perhaps it must be judged on what it says about the photographer- not showing the pretty side, finding the "Fine" in the art, or perhaps the viewer must do so.

Souls by KfirLevAri

My own soul waffled and wrestled with this one. Each window...a novel that beckons and I can't wait to crack the binding, read and explore. Yet my fickle imagination eventually wandered and didn't want to come back for a seconds or dessert. Remarkable, but not a lifetime indelible memory.

Atmospheric, detached but that area of fringe between the mortal and spiritual world in it's pragmatic form. Where the two worlds meet inconspicuous but so obvious, analogous imagery of the windows and the innocuous rendering giving signals to only the most astute. Brilliant imagery.

The figures in the windows(and on the stucco) do call to mind ghostly visages- certainly with an ominous feeling, that there is some presence here, possibly malevolent, possibly benign. What strikes me is the cat. It adds the detail and flavor, it is looking down, but I expect that it can see the souls.

I really like the way an ordinary scene was presented such that I just had to linger longer. The processing brought out the main characters and the bit-players nicely. Although 4 is not supposed to be an engaging number on an image, each manages to be just different enough from the other not to be boring.

I connected Souls to a wonderful book I read: Ghosts by César Aira. I like when I can associate an image with a book, poem or painting.

I gave this a slightly higher than average mark for being better than the average window shot. I do like the feel of it, overall.

This isn't one of my favorites although the cat is great and even the other individually framed capsules of life. The toning and tint is generally pleasing if a bit understated. The problems for me are formal: I don't think the instability and perspective distortion work well. A tighter crop and possibly squaring the windows to the image frame would help.

white wall by LevT

Another classic (classical?) graphic composition. The shadowy lamppost bows to the empty window. Not only nice in black and white, but necessary.

I did like it but couldn’t place it above the rest. Still a great example of the style nonetheless.

A salute from the tower that holds the urban princess. A terrific exercise in contrast.

Great graphic but fine art? Not so sure.

Again, this is something I like to shoot. So much that I thought I'm probably just giving it high points as it could belong in my portfolio. So it did not make my top choices, though I do like it ever so much.

I like the way the lamp[shade] is having a chat with the window, and the opposites displayed: Lamp and window are dark, wall is light.
An immediate impression of a dental instrument picking at a tooth! A white wall, indeed, but feel rather unmoved by the stark design.

Nice mix of fixed wall, window and ledge; vs the transitory shadow which for this photographic instant of time intersects the ledge and disrupts the normally static arrangement. Good comp and well timed. Good textures assert the properly modernist flat plane with some tension provided by the diagonal boom of the shadow.
07/26/2013 09:19:41 PM · #2
OMG, Thank you so much!

I truly appreciate the time and hard work you folks put into this. I will hang my award proudly!
:)
07/26/2013 09:24:54 PM · #3
How absolutely flippin' amazing - to get two HM's!!! Thanks so much - for your all your efforts and dedication to your art - once again, it's the comments that I appreciate the most - thank you.
07/26/2013 09:28:22 PM · #4
I'm without words ... Thank you so much! I'm so humbled and incrediblyincrediblyincredibly happy.... :)
07/26/2013 09:46:12 PM · #5
Great selections, fine presentation. Kudos!
07/26/2013 10:04:12 PM · #6
Nice work, ladies and gents - excellent selections! Thank you for taking the time and making the effort. Very much appreciated!
07/26/2013 10:14:28 PM · #7
just got through reading, loved it. thanks for all the hard work. honored to be in the mix.
07/26/2013 11:07:51 PM · #8
Nice work, folks!
07/26/2013 11:18:30 PM · #9
great prose, folks. it ain't easy to write about images

and thanks for the bling. I go well with purple.
07/27/2013 03:39:02 AM · #10
although i am not in favor of any kind of jury
be it a
criminal jury
bakery jury
dog show jury
flower jury
having said that,it was a surprise
to find myself on top
what can i say
thank you guys
07/27/2013 04:20:56 AM · #11
Originally posted by cutout:

although i am not in favor of any kind of jury
be it a
criminal jury
bakery jury
dog show jury
flower jury
having said that,it was a surprise
to find myself on top
what can i say
thank you guys


According to another thread, it seems like you might be making a bit of a habit out of this... ;)

Nicely done.
07/27/2013 04:22:37 AM · #12
Originally posted by cutout:

although i am not in favor of any kind of jury
be it a
criminal jury
bakery jury
dog show jury
flower jury
having said that,it was a surprise
to find myself on top
what can i say
thank you guys


Like the man said. For me it is simple; from both juries there are a maximum two images I would pay for. And there are another two from the non-recognized. All in the eye of the beholder?
07/27/2013 04:27:42 AM · #13
Originally posted by docpjv:

Originally posted by cutout:

although i am not in favor of any kind of jury
be it a
criminal jury
bakery jury
dog show jury
flower jury
having said that,it was a surprise
to find myself on top
what can i say
thank you guys


Like the man said. For me it is simple; from both juries there are a maximum two images I would pay for. And there are another two from the non-recognized. All in the eye of the beholder?


:)

I'd say that's a resounding success.

If a gallery could actually get 2 sales from one customer, with only ten images to choose from? And when that same customer walks through dozens of other galleries, and only finds 2 more which they desire? Seems to me the curators did fairly well, at least, if your taste is a good measure of what they should be shooting for. :)

07/27/2013 08:43:14 AM · #14
Originally posted by Cory:

Originally posted by docpjv:

Originally posted by cutout:

although i am not in favor of any kind of jury
be it a
criminal jury
bakery jury
dog show jury
flower jury
having said that,it was a surprise
to find myself on top
what can i say
thank you guys


Like the man said. For me it is simple; from both juries there are a maximum two images I would pay for. And there are another two from the non-recognized. All in the eye of the beholder?


:)

I'd say that's a resounding success.

If a gallery could actually get 2 sales from one customer, with only ten images to choose from? And when that same customer walks through dozens of other galleries, and only finds 2 more which they desire? Seems to me the curators did fairly well, at least, if your taste is a good measure of what they should be shooting for. :)


True. And if I may add, I have personally learned more from the challenge itself and the jury feedback than the past few years. It was an eye opener to me and a challenge to get some confidence back. Thanks Cory, really appreciate your insight!
07/27/2013 09:09:03 AM · #15
Originally posted by docpjv:

Originally posted by cutout:

although i am not in favor of any kind of jury
be it a
criminal jury
bakery jury
dog show jury
flower jury
having said that,it was a surprise
to find myself on top
what can i say
thank you guys


Like the man said. For me it is simple; from both juries there are a maximum two images I would pay for. And there are another two from the non-recognized. All in the eye of the beholder?


I guess I shouldn't ask but I am not sure what this means, There were only 4 worthy images in the whole challenge in your eyes?

For me, this jury process was eye opening in the level of scrutiny applied to each image. The interaction with respect to asserting and defending opinions, having my mind changed, seeing things through wiser eyes, makes the whole "independent speed voting" regular DPC results laughably different. Not inferior, and more anonymously democratic, but undeniably a much more shallow puddle of a thing.

I also want to add, I would love to see this happen more often.

If your point is that there weren't many good images in the challenge, well, you work with what you have. I think there was merit ina great deal of the images, notwithstanding commercial viability.

Message edited by author 2013-07-27 09:33:47.
07/27/2013 09:51:05 AM · #16
Originally posted by blindjustice:

Originally posted by docpjv:

Originally posted by cutout:

although i am not in favor of any kind of jury
be it a
criminal jury
bakery jury
dog show jury
flower jury
having said that,it was a surprise
to find myself on top
what can i say
thank you guys


Like the man said. For me it is simple; from both juries there are a maximum two images I would pay for. And there are another two from the non-recognized. All in the eye of the beholder?


I guess I shouldn't ask but I am not sure what this means, There were only 4 worthy images in the whole challenge in your eyes?

For me, this jury process was eye opening in the level of scrutiny applied to each image. The interaction with respect to asserting and defending opinions, having my mind changed, seeing things through wiser eyes, makes the whole "independent speed voting" regular DPC results laughably different. Not inferior, and more anonymously democratic, but undeniably a much more shallow puddle of a thing.

I also want to add, I would love to see this happen more often.

If your point is that there weren't many good images in the challenge, well, you work with what you have. I think there was merit ina great deal of the images, notwithstanding commercial viability.


Mis-communicated; there are 4 I would PAY for, Buy, if I had the money. There are great work in that challenge, but I will definitely not pay for it or put it on my wall. The interesting part for me is how much we differ as 'voters' and juries. And agree, the jury process is what I refer to as my learning experience, how people see and describe what they see. I too would love to see more jury challenges, well at least once a month. That was real education.
07/27/2013 07:34:20 PM · #17
Well done and a good read! I found it very interesting what images were common to both juries and which were new picks. I found myself wanting even more juries! :)
07/29/2013 03:24:22 AM · #18
First such job I had a chance to participate in. It was a bit harder than anticipated, but such a privilege to work with the other DPC'ers.

The best thing was that I gained a much better understanding of approaching an image, and having an opinion that you can articulate.

I would also like to see more of these actions happening, but one must remember that the jury, and even more so the "foreman" or spokesperson has to spend a lot of time to get to the good results seen in these jury's reports. So you as members have to be available and willing to spend the time.

The jury's have been assembled around the arty challenges, as there are quite a few members with a passion for art around. Why don't the nature-lovers [I'm one of them] get a nice challenge announced, and get that challenge juried as well?

I'll start this train of thought in a new thread.

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