I need a break from this place - DPChallenge Forums

09/09/2002 08:19:56 AM · #1

I hate getting up monday mornings and being disappointed that once again nobody sees the beauty in my picture the way I do. I get the same score with a picture I didn't really like as the one I really did like. What gives guys? Your voting strategies are so erratic it's frustrating! You like an old lady sitting in a train beside a TOTALLY BLOWN OUT window and she wins first place. Had the person in the train been a regular person countless people would have nitpicked the blown out window. (i'm only using that picture as an example.. dont be offended)

now I'm the first one to admit that the picture I submitted for the candid challenge was not my best work. I got low 5's and that's not so bad seeing as how the voting goes around here. This week, however, I submitted a picture I am pleased with, took much time to set up, the lighting is fine, the composition is sensible and there are little to no technical errors.... and I'm still in low 5's!!!! Pardon me for saying WHAT GIVES? Just cuz it's fruits and veggies I gotta do something outrageous to get your attention? Even when most of the outrageous shots are technically lacking in some form

I've had enough with this place.. back to school I go...

sgtpepper6344

09/09/2002 08:35:08 AM · #2

Jeez biggie - I gave it a lower vote because it looked a little warped to me ...

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

09/09/2002 08:38:18 AM · #3

I'm not whining about last week's image.. I"m whining about this week's image. Last week I submitted that one cuz I was stuck and didn't have anything that was better. I expected it to do worse than it did.

shortredneck

Olympus C-3000Z

09/09/2002 08:41:15 AM · #4

Join the club BigSmiles. I'm in the low 4's with a shot that is different and I thought, pretty artistic. Last week I know was pretty bad but it was the best I could do with being sick all week.

One of these days.

Martin

Fujifilm FinePix S602Z

09/09/2002 09:02:58 AM · #5

Looks like we're all hacked off with things, I'm having a break after fruit & veg cause it looks like it will be my lowest ever, even though it's one of my favourites. I think alot of my submissions suffer due to the american / english perception of a good picture. I tried to shot a different kind of picture to try to appeal to all you yanks but look to have failed. Should have shot an old tractor with a carrot on it, they seem to do really well!

* This message has been edited by the author on 9/9/2002 9:01:49 AM.

jmsetzler

Sony Alpha a6000

09/09/2002 09:12:53 AM · #6

Someone needs a hug :)

{{{{{{{{{{{{ BigSmiles }}}}}}}}}}}}}}

hokie

Nikon D2X

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

09/09/2002 09:29:31 AM · #7

Photos win or do poorly because of a lot of things..but it's usually because the photo has that certain "Thing".

It's like charisma....hard to describe.

I would say that charisma is the hardest thing to develop in your photos. Technical stuff is easy. But getting that special "Something" is hard.

And remember, DP Challenge is like working on assignment for a Newspaper or Magazine...meaning what you love and what others love may not be totally in agreement but you do what you gotta do if you care bout the score (or keeping your job in real life). If you don't care about the score (or keeping your job)...do as you like and have done with it..score be damned. :-)

09/09/2002 10:02:27 AM · #8

Originally posted by Martin:
... I think alot of my submissions suffer due to the american / english perception of a good picture. I tried to shot a different kind of picture to try to appeal to all you yanks but look to have failed. ...

First: I don't mean to pick on you Martin, but it just so happens your post comes at a time when I have finally had it. So, this is not solely directed at you, but others have also made these comments.

What is UP with the constant American bashing. "Oh you guys are closed minded, ... Think just like an American.... don't have worldly experience", or any other number of comments and/or inferences.

Everyone has their own taste no matter where they are from. Isn't it possible that the difference of opinion and taste could be just that? Don't you think people from other countries, or cultures have narrow views, too? And, what makes you think Americans have narrow views anyway? Why is it always the fault of the Americans?

Jeez! Get over it.
Form a basis of your opinion on an honest reason rather than making Americans the scape goat for mininterpretation, closed mindedness, inexperience, taste, general appeal. How about: "Maybe the photo is technically sound, but just isn't interesting" rather than, oh, too bad I didn't portray the middle America farmer for emotional grab.

I know this will probably cause a stir, and again, it is not directed solely at you, and maybe I did my "average American misinterpretation" of your post, but I'm tired of Americans being singled out.

09/09/2002 10:06:38 AM · #9

As for needing a break, bigsmiles, we all (i think - unless I'm thinking like an American and generalizing again) need a break sometimes. I haven't reviewed your photos before posting this, but go back over your photos and try to decide how you may have been able to kick 'em up a notch. I liked your candid shot, btw, in general.

Jak

Fujifilm FinePix S602Z

09/09/2002 10:07:56 AM · #10

Karen, Americans were quite specifically NOT being singled out.

The phrase was "american / english perception", but, as many complain is an American trait, you simply ignored the parts that didn't refer to you.

mci

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

09/09/2002 10:08:55 AM · #11

Amen, Karen. Well said.

09/09/2002 10:09:57 AM · #12

No. I didn't ignore the English part. Which is why I also told Martin it isn't directed solely at him. Excuse me for not saying so in the first place.

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

09/09/2002 10:13:05 AM · #13

BTW: Maybe my "American Trait" made me ignore these sort of comments before, but now that I mention it, I'm the "Ugly American?". NOT.

hokie

Nikon D2X

09/09/2002 10:18:07 AM · #14

I think its a world thing.

People are too quick to choose obvious or stereotypical reasons for differences of opinion rather than simply saying...."who know's" :-/

Humans are pretty much the same all over the world. I have a lot of friends in Europe and other than some differences in food tastes or some fashion tastes..people from most western cultures are more similar than different.

Hey...I just say all of us DP Challenge people need tostick together. If we need to jump on folks..lets go pick on those uppity photosig people!!! This is the home team >:-D

09/09/2002 10:28:58 AM · #15

Exactly, Hokie... although you said it more eloquently.

stephan

Casio QV-4000

09/09/2002 10:29:23 AM · #16

Me too, me too! :-) After last weeks point&shoot photo I put a lot more effort in my fruit&veg photo. I like it a lot and am very proud that it now looks how I wanted it. My people at work told me it's great. Yet my score is 4.3 and falling. Maybe it's too unusual? Too dark? Hmm.. not such bright vivid colours like everybody else photographed. I don't know... No comments so far and this is what is really frustrating (I can live with a low score when it's explained). But well... on the other hand so far I also didn't comment on others photos, so it's just fair ;-)

But I agree with BigSmiles. I'm often puzzled by the final scores, too. But it would be sad when you leave. Don't take the score personal and especially don't expect a good feedback from your _score_! Look at the comments, they are much more helpful.

I more and more think a system, where abolutely no interaction between the photographer and the view is possible, gives good and helpful feedback. As soon as you can say some words to explain yourself a bit (like when showing your friends) it's much more helpful and you'll get far better critics than by a score from viewers who don't know you and the surroundings of the photo. I think the "Art appreciation" threads from lisae showed that very good.

I understand that it's a bit frustrating that a photo which you don't like so much and where you didn't put so much effort into scores the same as a photo which sucked the creativity out of you for a long time. Don't grieve about the score.

If it helps I liked your candid photo a lot and gave it a 9. :-) I'm curious what you did this week.

09/09/2002 11:54:21 AM · #17

It's just frustrating to see a picture with an interesting subject be so lacking in the technical areas... I've seen many top 10 pictures with obvious color balance issues or issues with cramping the sides of the image.

Let me say that I LOVE the idea of Negative Space as a challenge. Gives everyone the opportunity to see what things look like when they're not squished to the edges of your frame. Just for the record though, negative space IS space around the subject but it's not meant to include much...I.e. a strawberry in a field isn't really negative space.. but a strawberry surrounded by darkness IS... well that's the definition of what negative space is.. the one we were taught anyway.

09/09/2002 11:56:54 AM · #18

Thanks, bigsmiles. that helps. ;)

HBunch

HP PhotoSmart 315

09/09/2002 11:56:54 AM · #19

I the fact that this web site is IN the US, a lot of the users are from here, and an even HIGHER amount are from the east coast (also where the web site is from, I believe). There is a majority of US-ers here and it probably IS a fact that we don't understand some things. If I don't understand something, I try to imagine that it's from "somewhere else" and then just rate it on the "technical" aspects of the photo it's self. I'm getting the oposite problem at photosig. Lots of non-usa people there. I'm getting comments in French, and don't know weather to rate them useful or not because I don't speak french, so the comment to me (as a person that doesn't speak french) is in fact useless, but it might be the best comment in the world for someone that speaks French. A little different situation, I know...but I say to the voters, try to be a little open minded and to the photographers, shoot for yourself. It's a challenge, not a contest. To get people to photograph things they may not otherwise photograph. Here's an idea...Ignore SCORE, and read the comments. Ignore the "I don't get it" comments, and take to heart the comments that are "useful" in your mind. If you are in it for the score...go to photosig.
Warning all...I'm crabby today, so I'm not going to do much commenting, if at all, and over 200 entries!! wow. and I thought that 180 were hard to comment on ALL of them. this is going to be a challenge all of its own just trying to give everyone a small piece of advice.
Good luck everyone.
Oh, and keep in mind that your Monday score is NEVER your final score. Voting has been going on for a whopping 12 hours now, and we've got a loooong way to go. Don't give up after 12 hours!
~Heather~

09/09/2002 11:57:25 AM · #20

Originally posted by hokie:

And remember, DP Challenge is like working on assignment for a Newspaper or Magazine...:-)

Hokie, newspapers dont generally run pictures if they're obviously lacking technically (big glaring mistakes) no matter how good the subject matter is.

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

09/09/2002 12:01:07 PM · #21

I think our problem up here in North America is we have significantly less culture than most other parts of the world. Who says.. "oh right.. the US.. they're known for their nap time in the afternoon and their Wednesdays off to party in the streets..." Nobody says "Canada.. right that's the place everyone flocks to in the winter time to make igloos..."
We have different views from other people around the globe, but it's important for everyone to be open minded about different cultures.

hokie

Nikon D2X

09/09/2002 12:05:37 PM · #22

Originally posted by BigSmiles:

Hokie, newspapers dont generally run pictures if they're obviously lacking technically (big glaring mistakes) no matter how good the subject matter is.

Actually ..I work for a newspaper in the advertising department and if the photo is exceptional we might very well use it. :-) It depends on our needs and such.