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05/22/2003 03:36:18 AM · #1
For the most part, the matrix photos were 90% images of how we thought Neo saw the matrix, ideas directly taken from the movies. The challenge question was: how do we as photographers perceive the matrix? Some unique examples of the latter included the blue meditational circle and the crucifix, among others. The matrix should mean different things to different people, and to this end we should have photographed our images. We would have had a much more interesting showing this time instead of so many images reflecting the pills, agents, guns, spoons, Neo clones, etc. Just a bit of afterthought: I'm as guilty as the next guy/gal. The matrix can be ANY situation in which we transcend through daily, unaware of the effects it has on our lives.
05/22/2003 04:00:15 AM · #2
I am in total agreement with you there. I for one was getting bored looking at all the pictures with pills, Neos, and computer generated pseudo-languages. No offense intended to anyone, most of the pictures were very good! It was just they all seemed to be the same.

The picture I entered did not jump out and shout "Matrix: Reloaded!" and therefor isn't getting high scores. :) In fact some people are giving me notes on how my picture doesn't relate to the challenge at all. LOL! Oh well I knew it would happen and I enjoy looking at the other photos anyway. I wanted to entitle my entry "Ignorance is Bliss" (quote from the movie) but I didn't think too many people would understand that. Get it? Matrix=comfort Real Life=Scary. Looking back now maybe I should have...

Message edited by author 2003-05-22 04:25:36.
05/22/2003 04:23:26 AM · #3
Leah - in general it's best not torefer to your challenge entry in a way so as to give clues to which shot it is, until the voting is over.

Ed
05/22/2003 04:25:02 AM · #4
Oops sorry, let me edit that out
(Yes I'm a newbie here)
05/22/2003 04:53:30 AM · #5
I agree with you, and like Leah, I tried to take that approach. It's tries to answer the question, at least from one point of view. And like Leah, I'm taking a serious hit in the votes. I dunno, I didn't expect my photo to really score huge, but I am pretty disappointed in where it's at. I guess I didn't communicate my concept well enough, or maybe everyone just wanted effects shots. (I also made a couple last minute detours from my original concept that may have blown the message.) But the worst part is, of 108 votes so far I have one useless sarcastic comment, so I have no idea why it's doing bad. Maybe this is the part of the program where the matrix makes things just painfull enough so you don't rebel at the niceness of it all...

BTW, this isn't "my photo's not doing well and voters are narrowminded or joined in a conspiracy". It's just frustrating to do poorly, but 10 times as frustrating to do poorly and have no idea why.
05/22/2003 06:50:50 AM · #6
I'm not so disapointed with the result, it is waving above 5.00, but rather with the comments. Some people can see matrix in my shot, some other putting comments like can not find matrix. This would be very funny voting because it looks like many people looking for shots from the movie, like Neo ... This is funny, because that means reproducings somebodies other view of matrix, not your own! So good luck, and I wish all of you not picturing clasic movie scenes to get more people that have open minds and can see matrix, even if there is no main characters from the movie!

Misho
05/22/2003 07:16:06 AM · #7
Well, this is just an example of people not reading the full set of directions of the challenge. It clearly stated,your own idea about what the matrix is. I guess it is a matter of shooting for everyone else or shooting what and how you like to shoot for yourself. High scores are great, but just enjoying the shoot means more in the long run.

Message edited by author 2003-05-22 07:16:58.
05/22/2003 08:02:44 AM · #8
Originally posted by EJ:

Well, this is just an example of people not reading the full set of directions of the challenge. It clearly stated,your own idea about what the matrix is. I guess it is a matter of shooting for everyone else or shooting what and how you like to shoot for yourself. High scores are great, but just enjoying the shoot means more in the long run.


I hit a similar problem with the Primary Colours challenge. The outline said something along the lines of "you know primary colours make secondary colours, use this knowledge in your picture". My picture wasn't great and didn't deserve a high mark, I admit, but I had people saying things like "You've put secondary colours in here and that detracts from the point"... er, no, my point was to show what the primaries DID.
05/22/2003 08:37:37 AM · #9
Originally posted by EJ:

Well, this is just an example of people not reading the full set of directions of the challenge. It clearly stated,your own idea about what the matrix is.


Maybe their idea of what the matrix is, is that it is a movie with a guy called Neo in it who wears black shades? And this is what they are showing in their photo.
05/22/2003 08:47:53 AM · #10
To be exact: OK, we're nerds. In honor of the Matrix:Reloaded launch, photograph your interpretation of 'the matrix'.

So. Of course you can 'interpret' this in any way you like, be as obscure as you like, even take the line that a shot of a flower is anithetical to the imagery of the movie and make a connection that way. (Though actually a tree would be more apt to that approach, as there are none whatsoever in the first film). No-one's stopping you.

But a hell of a lot of voters will deduct a hell of a lot of points for not meeting the challenge. It shouldn't really take much looking around here to see that you need to meet the challenge pretty explicitly to score well.

Ed
05/22/2003 09:12:41 AM · #11
I knew we would have loads of pill and sunglasses etc... but the trouble is if you try to do something abit more creative, 90% of the voters look at it and think "that wasn't in the movie!" and give it a 1.
05/22/2003 09:55:30 AM · #12
Except there's an exception to that statement - the shot I think is going to win doesn't have a visual reference to the movie at all: of course maybe you're right and it'll score about 4, but I'd be enormously surprised.

Ed
05/22/2003 11:11:10 AM · #13
I'm fairly new around here, so forgive me if I'm out of line... but when I vote on a challenge, I consider the theme thsuly: "Does the picture evoke the theme, or make me think of the theme topic in some way?"

No matter what explanation is offered, and no matter how well executed, a picture of a flower with no supporting context is not going to make me think of the challenge in this case. It's just not evocative of it to me. And I am far from being a literalist.

I don't think anyone should be surprised that there are a lot of literal interpretations of the movie, but there are some really good shots that are very evocative without quoting from the movie. Sure, it would have been nice to see more... but if you don't like the literal stuff, what's wrong with voting accordingly?
05/22/2003 11:57:51 AM · #14
Just to chime in (as a non-sunglasses entrant who is doing dismally in the ratings right now, so what do I know) ;)

This is my method for voting in this particular challenge. Take what you will from it (and feel free to share yours, as well!) If I didn't comment in detail on your image, maybe this will sort of help you to see one person's thinking. :)

Okay. I start at a 5 for everyone, then add or subtract based on the following:

1. I start with the theme. "What is the matrix?" I look at the image and think "does this answer the question in some way?" That includes "does it make me feel like I felt when I was trying to understand what the movie meant by the matrix?" or "does this image exist in that universe created by the film?" So for ME, an image that was just an ordinary pair of sunglasses wouldn't get as high a score as, say, a pair of sunglasses that either looked like the film props (thus making me think of that universe) or reflected something in them (thus going with the reflection theme used in the film). I only use sunglasses as my example since that's a pretty dominant image in the entries this week. :) So that answer would be between +2 and -2 from the starting score.

2. I look at the technical quality of the photo. Does it look like something I could have done with my 110 camera back when I was a kid, or does it make me go "wow"? (Note: just because something is soft-focus, blurred, or lit in an unusual way, that doesn't mean I'm going to downgrade it. It depends on what I am guessing the artist is trying to achieve, and whether I think they succeeded.) I also look for "what would I comment on in this picture?" If I can find several technical items I'd give constructive comments about, a point or two can come off. That's +3 to -3.

3. Aesthetics. Do I *like* the picture? Does it stand on its own as a photo even if there were no challenge theme? Does it make me think or feel anything? If I saw this print in a store that sold prints, would it look like it belonged there? Would I consider actually buying it? Another +2 to -2.

And finally...

4. Challenge. When I'm up in the 8-9-10 range on a photo, I differentiate based on how happy/unhappy I'd be if the photo got a ribbon in this challenge. Ones I'd cheer for get higher scores. :)

I'm not exactly doing it that scientifically, not writing numbers down or anything. But if I didn't comment on your photo and you're wondering what score I probably gave it, that's a glimpse into how I figure them out. Please share your method of voting, if you wouldn't mind!

(Also, I'm still in the newbie range, here, so if I'm out of line posting this information, someone please let me know. Just sharin'.)
05/22/2003 12:33:50 PM · #15
No etiquete infringements that I can see there :-)

Interesting approach.

Ed
05/22/2003 02:13:12 PM · #16
I must say, I did not enter this, but I am quite impressed with what people came up with. I think people did, for the most part, photograph what they thought was the matrix. There are several different approaches to take. Some of the pictures do get a little repetative, but that happens in every challenge.
05/22/2003 06:25:45 PM · #17
Ok ,I am guilty of being one of the sheep and doing one of the popular themes from the film for my entry,
but to me The Matrix is all about fake realties, and due to the limitations of my imagination I could not find a way of representing this in one still image.
05/22/2003 07:33:05 PM · #18
Originally posted by Martin:

I knew we would have loads of pill and sunglasses etc... but the trouble is if you try to do something abit more creative, 90% of the voters look at it and think "that wasn't in the movie!" and give it a 1.


I think , as long as you give the picture some context, the percentage would be much lower. Maybe all the way down to 75 to 80%.

I gave plenty of "pill/sunglasses/computer part/digital characters/green whatever" shots low scores (as a matter of fact, if I saw my own .. I'd probably give it a 5 or lower). And I gave some not-so-typical ones fairly high scores.

But I will defend all those who did very predictable "Matrix" shots. Maybe, to them, "the matrix" is "The Matrix" and "The Matrix: Reloaded." :)
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