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DPChallenge Forums >> Current Challenge >> The importance of photo title.
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06/15/2006 02:12:02 AM · #1
I didn't realize that so much emphasis was put on the title of a picture, but now I see that it does affect the way people view your photo. Learning, learning, learning!!
06/15/2006 02:15:05 AM · #2
I'm one of those people who would most of the time rather not see the title. Nothing worse than using the title to shoehorn an image to fit the challenge.

Some titles are clever though.

Message edited by author 2006-06-15 02:16:58.
06/15/2006 02:16:37 AM · #3
IMO, a title is very important. Some disagree and say a photo should stand on its own.

For example, my entry into the Textures IV challenge:


I don't think it would have scored as well if I hadn't mentioned that it was a basket weaver's hands. I think it would have left people wondering what the heck the hands were holding in the picture.


06/15/2006 02:17:36 AM · #4
and that's what I did with my entry. I felt it was a little weak and wouldn't compare with what I felt "everyone else" would submit, so I tried to boost it's image in the mind of the voter with a very wordy title. whoops!!
06/15/2006 02:18:10 AM · #5
I don't think it matters what the hands are holding. The texture's in the hands not in what they are holding.
06/15/2006 02:18:11 AM · #6
I don't usually look at the title unless what the photographer was getting at is somewhat lost on me or they somehow draw my eye. Unusually long titles or ones with odd characters will sometimes draw my eye. I can't say when I've noticed one it's ever affected my vote though.
06/15/2006 02:21:57 AM · #7
This comment was made on my Image titled Sandpaper Heiroglyphics

"I like it Granular hieroglyphs. I have a feeling this is just a realy cool sandpaper and we are all being made to look like fools."

It always cracks me up :0P
06/15/2006 02:28:55 AM · #8
Most titles are fine with me and can only help, unless they are something out of left field, or long wordy titles that explain exactly what I am looking at. If you did that I probably commented on yours dabidejpn, but really long titles distract me from looking at the photo.
06/15/2006 02:31:10 AM · #9
but did it affect your vote?
06/15/2006 02:32:25 AM · #10
Originally posted by oOWonderBreadOo:

Sandpaper Heiroglyphics


Quite interesting, did you use an actual printer or rubber stamp?
06/15/2006 02:34:13 AM · #11
my last submission relied on the title only
06/15/2006 02:37:07 AM · #12
A title for a picture should be as catchy as the title of a book. A title actually should give the entire story of the picture in minimum words for the viewer to think about it.

Message edited by author 2006-06-15 02:40:23.
06/15/2006 03:04:07 AM · #13
Originally posted by dabidejpn:

but did it affect your vote?

No, not this time but I could see if I saw several in a challenge and the ones I saw towards the end may lose a point depending on how much they wrote for a title. I would say that 95% of the time I try and tell the photographer that I find the title distracting and still score how I think. But really clever titles I will give a bonus point to.
06/15/2006 03:11:43 AM · #14
It's an interesting question, how much can the title influence the voting - I asked a while ago in the forums if one of my entries was voted down because of the title, and everyone said no, its just not that good a photo.
So I called my next entry "Untitled" and got two comments saying that I should have given it a title - But I'm not sure how that effected their vote. It was also a pretty ordinary photo so the effect if any was minimal.

06/15/2006 03:11:50 AM · #15
Yeah, it is important - like I wish that I'd shouted out about the subtle framing on my current pic (which is clearly there). My mistake, I entered such framing where people might have to think about it for more than an split second and of course, this is dpc - silly me, I should know better!
06/15/2006 08:05:51 AM · #16
Originally posted by gaurawa:

my last submission relied on the title only


I think those kind of challenges are a little different. The challenge description indicated how to title the image.

For most challenges it's up to the photographer to come up with something that fits. To me the title should not describe the image. Let the viewer figure out what they see. In a lot of competitions the title isn't provided to the judges. The image is judged on merit. Yes, this includes themed competitions as well as open ones.
06/15/2006 08:20:43 AM · #17
So it seems that we all pretty much agree that the title will not really affect our overall impression of the photo, right?
06/15/2006 10:32:40 AM · #18
Originally posted by dabidejpn:

So it seems that we all pretty much agree that the title will not really affect our overall impression of the photo, right?


As has been stated, the use of titles has been debated many times, and I don't think anybody 'pretty much agreed' on anything. Maybe just the posters to this thread...

I personally think a title can be a very important part of a photo, but I don't like it when it's used to shoehorn a picture in, and I don't like titles that tell me what to think. But that is just MY personal view.

Do what YOU think is right! That's what photography is all about, right?

ETA: What Cpanioti and american horse say... I agree with them!

Message edited by author 2006-06-15 10:38:03.
06/15/2006 10:36:51 AM · #19
Originally posted by cpanaioti:

I'm one of those people who would most of the time rather not see the title. Nothing worse than using the title to shoehorn an image to fit the challenge.

Some titles are clever though.


I can not agree enough.

Along with the creative juices that is helping the photographer learn their craft, I feel the title is usually a second hand throw off from the challenge title.

This is a great opportunity for people to be creative from the birth of the idea to the end of the edit.

However, too many people take the easy way out and use some sort of challenge title in their title making me think only one thing......

.....laziness.
06/15/2006 10:37:55 AM · #20
I think the title is important - it is part of the presentation. I dislike titles that 'explain' the photo; I dislike titles with spelling errors in them; I dislike titles that try and make a DNMC photo meet the challenge. But of all, I dislike the irrelevant titles the most.
06/15/2006 11:02:34 AM · #21
It all depends on the title. Many titles in DP are used just to fit any random photo to the challenge. Some titles allow you to see what you might overlook in the photo. Other titles tell you what the photographers aim was, and gives you a chance to give them a better critique.

There was a photo that I rated lower in the shadows challenge. When I went back to comment I read the title, looked up and saw something I completely missed at first. I gave the photographer an extra point for the concept and then changed my comment to give a better critique that matched his goal.

Then there are the others that just completely let me know they had no plan when shooting, saw a photo that could "possibly" come close to the challenge and then entered it.
06/15/2006 11:04:15 AM · #22
In the larger world it's a stronger photo that stands tall without a title to help it. But in the context of dpc challenges the title is an integral part of an entry. It can help your score, or hurt it. The voters are going to look at it and use it in determining your score. To ignore it's importance is like going into the ring against Mike Tyson with a hand tied behind your back - you are giving away one of your major weapons.
06/15/2006 11:35:00 AM · #23
Titles, IMO, are part of the whole package, just as titles are important to paintings and statues.

When someone mentions "that famous painting of a woman" or "that famous statue of the naked guy", you don't have a clue what that person is talking about. Now, when they say Mona Lisa or David, what do you think of?

Sure, titles can be misused (I've probably done it a few times) but they are still part of the whole package and should always be a part of DPC.

Now, as far as having the title affect voting, how can we know this for certain? We can't submit the same photo twice (1 with and 1 without a title) so how can we say it does or doesn't affect it? All we can say for certain is that when someone is trying to use the title to make the image fit, it's usually pretty obvious, in which case it would get voted down no matter what. (Atleast I think it should....)
06/15/2006 11:39:53 AM · #24
this is great advice everyone! thanks so much!
06/15/2006 12:08:08 PM · #25
Originally posted by TechnoShroom:

Originally posted by oOWonderBreadOo:

Sandpaper Heiroglyphics


Quite interesting, did you use an actual printer or rubber stamp?


yup- printer. the drum is toast. :0P
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