Challenge without titles - DPChallenge Forums

02/06/2011 11:55:01 AM · #1

How about a challenge with an extra rule that NO TITLES are allowed. (Or title must be 'N/A').

Whatever the subject of the challenge, the image must stand on its own with no help from a title.

Message edited by author 2011-02-06 11:56:13.

bvy

Sigma DP1x

02/06/2011 12:05:49 PM · #2

I would love that. I hate titles.

MelonMusketeer

Nikon D7000

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.4

02/06/2011 12:12:55 PM · #3

What would the title of the challenge be? " ---- " ? This sounds like a good idea for an opportunity to have an extra free study mid month sometime.

Carlo21

02/06/2011 12:20:49 PM · #4

How about a check box option for all challenges that allows the voter to hide or display the title? Similar to someone voting that selects the "Hide My Name" in your preferences.

NiallOTuama

Google Pixel 2

02/06/2011 12:28:10 PM · #5

hardly anyone reads titles anyway, as far as im concerned. itd be a free study under a different name. i do think titles add to a shot.
however, i do like the idea. yes please.

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

02/06/2011 12:39:58 PM · #6

Originally posted by MelonMusketeer:

What would the title of the challenge be? " ---- " ? This sounds like a good idea for an opportunity to have an extra free study mid month sometime.

I was thinking it could be either a challenge with a subject or a free study. The only thing different about it would be no titles.

Sometimes titles add humor, sometimes they help explain how the image fits the challenge, but usually the title enhances the viewers understanding of the photographer's intention. If there was no title, the photog's intention would have to be expressed purely through image.

MelonMusketeer

Nikon D7000

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.4

02/06/2011 01:03:59 PM · #7

I like the themed challenge idea best. Have the photo titles be hidden until voting has ended. That way if you wanted, you could go back and look after the challenge to see what the titles were.

Camabs

Canon EOS-20D

Canon EF 35mm f/2.0

02/06/2011 01:33:49 PM · #8

I would not enter that challenge. I somehow have the weird idea that the title is part of the artwork. Or maybe the weird part is that I tend to think photography is an art form

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

02/06/2011 01:50:39 PM · #9

Originally posted by JuliBoc:

Originally posted by MelonMusketeer:
What would the title of the challenge be? " ---- " ? This sounds like a good idea for an opportunity to have an extra free study mid month sometime.

I was thinking it could be either a challenge with a subject or a free study. The only thing different about it would be no titles.

In a themed challenge, the theme automatically becomes the default title -- you can't have a truly "untitled" photograph unless it's a Free Study.

02/06/2011 02:15:37 PM · #10

Originally posted by Camabs:

... I tend to think photography is an art form

This is precisely my point. The art should stand on its own merit. Is the Mona Lisa any better because of its title? Would you rate it differently if it had a different title or none at all? I'd say no, its title is simply a means to identify and refer to the painting.

Message edited by author 2011-02-06 14:16:14.

Olympus 17mm f/1.8 M.Zuiko

02/06/2011 02:20:14 PM · #11

Originally posted by GeneralE:

In a themed challenge, the theme automatically becomes the default title --

This would work. The point being that the title would not be used to enhance the image.

ubique

Olympus PEN-F

02/06/2011 02:26:11 PM · #12

If you watch people in an art gallery, they nearly all look at the picture briefly, then at the little title card, then look at the picture again more intently. This is so even if the title is 'untitled' ('untitled' being a perfectly legitimate title, and not simply a mark of indifference on the part of the artist).

In voting on our challenges I think that the titles are very often the best part.

I suppose we could really push our creativity and have a challenge with titles but no pictures.

Lydia

Canon EOS-6D

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM

02/06/2011 02:27:46 PM · #13

I like this idea, too!

I like the challenge to be a 'regular' challenge with a topic... but no titles allowed.

The image stands on its own and represents the topic clearly without help from words.

ubique

Olympus PEN-F

Olympus 17mm f/1.8 M.Zuiko

02/06/2011 02:41:54 PM · #14

This could be the start of something big! We could also have books without titles, movies without titles, and songs without titles.

Camabs

Canon EOS-20D

Canon EF 35mm f/2.0

02/06/2011 03:22:32 PM · #15

Originally posted by JuliBoc:

Originally posted by Camabs:
... I tend to think photography is an art form

This is precisely my point. The art should stand on its own merit. Is the Mona Lisa any better because of its title? Would you rate it differently if it had a different title or none at all? I'd say no, its title is simply a means to identify and refer to the painting.

True for the Mona Lisa, but not for many other works of art. example

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

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

02/06/2011 03:25:10 PM · #16

Originally posted by JuliBoc:

This might not be the best example, since "Mona Lisa" is not the title given the picture by the artist ... and yes, I think people look at it differently because of the somewhat enigmatic title (not the name of the subject).

bergiekat

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

Canon EF 24-70 2.8L II

02/07/2011 12:29:10 AM · #17

I rather like the idea of a themed challenge, with NO TITLES. This will help with those shoe horns that rely totally on the title and also get rid of titles that describe the photograph. If you need to title your challenge entry in order to describe it, then it apparently doesn't hit the mark well. I agree that a challenge like this would cause the photograph to meet the challenge soley on its own merit and content.

Great idea, Julianne! Keep up the good work! ;~}

vawendy

Sony Alpha 1

Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS

02/07/2011 08:26:17 AM · #18

I know what the challenge should be!

Tell a story. No titles allowed (you could be DQd if you actually put one in.

Message edited by author 2011-02-07 08:45:08.

Tommy_Mac

Nikon D800

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D IF

02/07/2011 08:51:58 AM · #19

Originally posted by vawendy:

I know what the challenge should be!

Tell a story. No titles allowed (you could be DQd if you actually put one in.

I like that!!

Mike

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Canon Mount

02/07/2011 09:12:48 AM · #20

Originally posted by binarysmart:

Originally posted by vawendy:
I know what the challenge should be!

Tell a story. No titles allowed (you could be DQd if you actually put one in.

I like that!!

all the landscape and wine glass aficionados are going to have a hard time with that one...

bergiekat

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

Canon EF 24-70 2.8L II

02/07/2011 10:31:37 AM · #21

Originally posted by mike_311:

Originally posted by binarysmart:

Originally posted by vawendy:
I know what the challenge should be!

Tell a story. No titles allowed (you could be DQd if you actually put one in.

I like that!!

all the landscape and wine glass aficionados are going to have a hard time with that one...

LOL! Think outside of your box, kids!