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01/24/2014 11:18:45 PM · #1
Greetings, people of DPC.

I now present you with "results." One of the things I mean by "results" is what you've come to expect from "results": a winner. Yes, I have one of those. A wonderful essay, I highly recommend it. The choice is my responsibility alone, though I did let the judges influence my final decision because there were so many excellent essays.

But beyond that winner, this won't be the usual hierarchy fest. The remaining "results" are listed in no particular order. They include every single participant, all of whom received the same attention and care as our winner (with the exception of the pretty ribbon I made for it, and the membership that Cory paid for).

It's quite a read. Might take several sittings, but I do hope you take the time. Each entry is listed by title and photographer, followed by a link to the thread post where the essay was entered. After that, you'll see the comments of each judge. This time, there is no anonymity. "D:" is daisydavid. "C:" is Cory. "P:" is posthumous. "H:" is herfotoman. For me, this is what the "judging" was all about. The chance to give you, as photographers, a studied reaction to your work. Many thanks to skewsme for compiling these comments. The task was getting overwhelming for me and I don't know when I would ever have completed it without her.

But without further ado, our winner of the "Light Writer" ribbon and free membership:



to “tonfanau: the place of the waves - an excavation of memory” by rooum

//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7157600

D: Pure bliss. Extremely well produced and presented, artistic perfection. I can imagine this as an installation in an art museum. You've excelled yourself Clive. My words really can't do it enough justice.

C: Quite long indeed. I found myself unable to watch it in a single go - much too slow. Visually compelling, and a truly fascinating story - I just found it honestly, painfully, slow. Which was, perhaps, the point. I would have greatly appreciated a DPC portfolio which would have allowed me to experience the pictures on my own terms.

P: This is photo archaeology. I'm amazed that I can learn so much about a place, go so deep into a place, in such a short period of time. A masterpiece.

H:

Dislikes

none

Likes

I did not even have to watch this a second time, it stuck so clearly in my mind. Love thy neighbour, and nature. What a sermon. It's bookmarked.

Congratulations, Clive! Next post: the remaining comments!

Message edited by author 2014-01-24 23:19:17.
01/24/2014 11:20:31 PM · #2
"Chasing the Moon" by Cory (not eligible)
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7157586

D: An atmospheric moon chaser out capturing those wanton post golden hour hues giving Ken Rockwell a run for his money ;) I like the joining of the moon with the architecture, the loneliness, the emptiness. These structures could be supplanted to the moon and the effect would be similar.

C: Looks like some fauxtographer went off and bought a camera, then created this just to show off the ridiculous ability of his new camera to make him lazy. Milling around, just shooting pictures and marveling at the fact the camera just takes care of everything - leaving him to enjoy the experience. ;)

P: This essay is unified by a simple visual theme: the moon in each photo. I think of it as a visual meditation on the moon, and its place in photography and symbolism. The essay can't help but be about how small the moon is in landscapes. So, you are simultaneously faced with the sad truth about the moon's physical presence (small and/or distant), along with the romantic notion of chasing that moon. In other words, the moon is important enough to keep snapping it. What interests me is that each shot has corollaries to the moon, apposites: streetlights, a grocery sign, a shopping bag, reflections (of the sun, which is also what the moon does), log beams, etc.

The landscapes are as poignant as the small moon, empty places under dying light. The colors are muted browns and grays, contrasting with the pink purple sky... but that sky changes as the sun sets. Also interesting: watching the moon instead of the sun during a sunset.

This is one of those pure examples of a photo essay, when the individual photos don't stand alone so well, but together they create a powerful effect.

H:

Dislikes

none

Likes

Beautiful light. It is always necessary to tone down one's expectations of the moon in a normal image, because of the manipulation usually associated with moon-images in the printing press and movies. We get to know a lot about the neighbourhood, but mostly about the mood, which is warm and laid-back.

----

"The Road Back Home" by Cuttooth

//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7157369

D: Almost the opposite end to jmritz but with the same impact. A cathartic journey into that which many would not hope or wish to deal with, but a symbol of courage all the same. A brave journey.

C: A very personal and voyeuristic work, giving us a peek into the moment in his life where personal tragedy combined with a loss of a long term relationship - this was a story of healing and restoration, with the house becoming a metaphor for his life. (clearing out the clutter and restoring things to the way that feels 'right' after years of build up, disuse and lack of loving care)..

Probably my favorite out of the lot for the clear, yet subtle, metaphorical nature of this one. Completely mundane too, and badly photographed, which only deepens the effect.

P: What a surprise to see from this photographer... unsharp pictures of clutter and decay and emptiness. The result, very real emotion. I'm instantly drawn in and relating to this experience. Simple and beautiful.

H:

Dislikes

The idea that it is still a work in progress makes me want to be updated on it. I do not know if this is good or bad.

Likes

All a huge metaphor, and hugely therapeutic, by the looks of it. Living isn't loving. Busy isn't being. We do need to live with our faults, but we should make good our errors. History is there to be used for your current and future well-being. Who doesn't long for a memory of running down the wooden hallway with your brothers and sisters? The house has been brought in order for giving love by being loved. May it be so in life as well.

-----

"scenes from Pike Place" by Ann

//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=read&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&page=1#7156860

D: A colourful romp through a light essay theme

C: A fun walkabout, gives the feel of a rainy day and shows the interest of an interesting location.

P: Very professionally done. The text gives a thorough background and the photos are good captures of the place and its activities. I could easily imagine this in a Visitor Center.

H:

Dislikes

I would perhaps have ended on another image, it is interesting, but not the way I want to remember the place. Nitpicking, but I found it irritating that some descriptions were so informative, others bland, and some missing.

Likes

Good basic storyline, and it works as I did not get lost along the way. Colourful and interesting. Fine imaging, well composed. Good sell as a tourist attraction.

----

"Highway 5" by 2mccs

//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7156928

D: Evokes feelings of detachment and yearning, with lovely supporting hues. An endearing mood piece.

C: A set where blur adds greatly to the impact. Frankly I think I would have enjoyed it more without the intro slide which set me into a negative mode of thought and feeling in the essay. I think this evokes a pure form of self-created misery... Finding darkness where there is light.

P: a brief lyric poem about finding/creating "some magic that isn't there." With the introductory text, we get a big frame for a small photo. The context is a familiar one to me, looking for inspiration through a car window, hoping to chance upon a beautiful blur, but this time the situation adds poignancy... a long drought has created a landscape that reflects the despairing internal mood. If she can find beauty "out there" then perhaps she can find it in herself as well. The very real beauty of these photos is the hope of the piece. But how transient is this success?

H:

Dislikes

The mountain image feels a bit forced, as if it was included to prove the narrative. The rest of the images are so strong, it could have been left out or replaced.

Likes

So easy to not have snapped this, and what a loss that would have been. Perfect blur for the landscape, and to add to the travel-feel. The endlessness is also highlighted. The colours are marvelous right through. And then the essay. Halfway through the first line, it transposed from writing into a lovely radio-theatre voice, putting me in the backseat of the car.

----

"Lunch Snaps" by bvy
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7157504

D: I absolutely love this. The colour, unassuming passion, the compositions, humour and sheer beauty of observation is astounding. Bvy is so good we should martyr him now so the rest of us can have some glory and a chance. It is a journey of the eye, poetry by chemicals, the Abraham of the frame delivering the commandments.

C:A fun collection of snaps that takes me right to the 70's. Nothing serious here, just a visually enjoyable stroll around with Brian.

P: I found this surprising. I mean, I do see Brian's (in)sensibility here, but these photos are so... beautiful. The colors are brilliant and the compositions are almost classically balanced. Brian unpretentiously but usefully frames this essay with explanations: I find it a warm and welcoming frame, and I think the process by which he creates these images is indeed very relevant to the work itself.

I get serenity from this essay. He looks in every direction and he sees... what? it doesn't matter. I just like to see him seeing.

H:

Dislikes

none

Likes

That combination of contrast and colour [the vignetting helps it along as well], and the point of view presents these sightings as otherworldly, new. It shows [accuses] me of not looking at stuff in the right way, because I have not seen my surroundings as interesting, meaningful, pretty or unbelievable as this. Lesson learned. The process was explained nicely, and made it a double essay.

----

“closure” by Cutout
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7157285

D: A duality of child like and sophisticated adult simplicity. Openness and closure, the full circle, representation in the simplest form with a gentle mocking that brings a smile. Classic cutout.

C: I find this series fun, but not significantly deeper than your average puddle.

P: This essay is like animation, carefully controlled pieces of time. The last frame is exactly the same as the first, but... something has changed. We have faith that something has changed, and that faith is eternal... it takes the shape of a circle. In the middle of the process, we see the hand... the maker's hand? or the taking hand? the artist does both.

H:

Dislikes

He did not keep within the lines. Hehe.

Likes

Ag, so typically Jan. Already far in front of all us plebs at the concept stage. Another relaxing, engaging psychology lesson.

----

"Glory Days" by Flaherma
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7157535

D: True unadulterated rock photography. A celebration of youth and culture. Timeless and eternally accessible, these shots are relevant from the 1960's to now and beyond.

C: A fantastic ride along with the band - feels like a Nirvana album.

P: the captions give away that this essay takes place over 2 years, but I still can't help seeing it as the document of a single experience. It starts with two unremarkable photos, but in terms of the essay they perform an important narrative function. This is the beginning, the build up. The remaining photos invoke the sort of non-narrative blur of watching a concert, and do a good job of that. There are hard rocking moments, and contemplative moments, just like in a good concert.

H:

Dislikes - more of a request

I would have liked to have one image showing [part of] the audience.

Likes

Nice progression. The post-processing definitely helped to make the viewer feel the music. Perfect for the lyrics booklet.

----

“Nocturnes” by Germaine
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7157394

D: Solitary, gentle and flowing. A moody look at the quiet side.

C: A very atmospheric set of night images. Great composition and interesting subjects - sadly the level of blur was right in the 'no zone' for me - not enough, or too much, but certainly not visually where I want it. Again, the technicals here distract me from what is otherwise a good visual exploration.

P: For me, this is a meditation on night, and how photography "sees" light at night. For a short essay, it provides quite a variety of light conditions. The essay works because the photos do their job well, without distraction. All the photos are about the light more than anything else.

H:

Dislikes

Consistency in the titles would be better. Only name the place, or only use the place name and an attribute as title.

Likes

Very relaxing and mellow, till you get to the mafia-scene on the second-last image. I do like the misty atmosphere, the diffused lightpoints and the general wide-vista presentation. If they were all in B&W I'd say the evil theme is played out well. The title puts it in another genre.

----

"Waiting in a Corridor" by Bear_Music

//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7157053

D: Subtlety is a key theme here coupled with a very dry sense of humour. A good display of technique and perspective encouraging the viewer to explore the scene for its hidden gems.

C: A somewhat silly photo essay, with more humor than real intent. It is fun just to have a glance around though, as that's really what we all do when waiting in these sterile environments - gaze aimlessly.

P: This is a subtle, unassuming piece with hidden meaning, or at least... hidden feeling, because the corridor turns out to be in some sort of doctor's office or clinic. So, there is a subtext of fear, or at least anxiety, belied by the heavenly color scheme of white and gold, and the idyllic office art (windows to an escape that is unavailable). The corridors are indeed a maze in which he is trapped, for however long... and I love the ambiguity of the last frame, that look upwards: is that a sigh? is it acceptance? is it a prefiguring of being laid upon a table? is it resignation, or its opposite? hope?

H:

Dislikes

I do not like Apple. hehe

Likes

The images have an i-thing [iPad, iPhone iwhatever] design feel. Sanitized. It is a panorama, without the correct correlation, which throws my brain into concentration mode. What was left out? What happened in between? Why jump here? Interesting.

----

“Crumbs” by blindjustice
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7156975

D: Lovely stuff. Colloidal type presentation strongly supports an essay format, I can imagine decay and abandonment.

C: I'm left confused, at first this takes a "Help the poor cities and people" and finishes with "Screw them, I'm out, enjoy your crumbs"...

P: This has an apocalyptic feel, with images like toasted newspaper. I like how it threatens to turn into an urban Communist Manifesto but then twists into rock-and-roll escapism. The burnt toast effect is quite lovely, and works well with these images that started out beautiful.

H:

Dislikes

......

Likes

It's as if someone went through an old attic, and came upon this personal outcry against selfishness. It hits home, each image is beautifully composed, and compelling.

----

"People and the Portland Bridges" by jaysonmc (not eligible)
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7156987

D: A nice profile of area and bridge, though while a little lacking in story, the compositions highlight some beautiful forms and interesting human interaction.

C: A thematic series, examining bridges and the people who need and use them. Scale here plays a strong role, with the small people and the large structures.

P: This works not just because he includes people, but because each bridge is shown as part of a larger context. This is the main mistake made in photographing bridges, where the goal is usually just to show us how massive the bridge is. Here, a bridge is just part of an almost whimsical geometrical landscape. People might be foreground, middle ground or background. The mix is a good one.

H:

Dislikes

not mine.. sigh

Likes

The composition of each and all the images are immaculate. Strong, expansive and complete. Of course the human element lifts the images to an even higher level. The end result is that I feel a deep respect for the group of people that create these utterly practical artworks – the architects, engineers, builders. It was brilliant to have the human element as clear and as small as possible.

----

"Toronto's Kensington Market" by Kichu
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7157610

D: Great selection of street art, but perhaps that may be its downfall. I can see there has been a lot of effort in the collating but I only find the shots with people present the most rewarding, though the street art is on the whole interesting.

C: A fun walkabout with kichu - she takes us on a journey through a fascinating area, showing us all those wonderfully eclectic things which catch one's eyes. Color and street art predominate.

P: This essay is more about the place than the photographer, which I mean as a compliment. It is not showcasing a particular style of photography. The photos have a variety of perspectives, from extreme close-ups to semi-wide, though there's no shot that pretends to give you an overall view. The place is seen always through fragments. That being said, each shot is well composed and stands on it own. The cumulative effect is one of having a brief but immersive visit to the place, perhaps with a slightly crazed native guide.

H:

Dislikes

All the images are so colourful, except the first one. I cannot find the reason for it to be B&W.

Likes

Things were photographed not to print in a travel brochure, but to capture strange and interesting scenes. So it does not tell you what you'll see when going to the market, but what you should look out for. One of the longer essays, but it kept my interest the whole way through.

----

"Crustacean conundrum" by herfotoman (not eligible)
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7157425

D: Joyful shadow play, beautiful exploration of shapes. I can't begin to put the titles to each picture, they all speak volumes. A perfect example of analogous art.

C: If the first and last slide weren't here I'd really have fallen in love with this one. As it is, it seems like someone has vandalized a good photo essay with great depth by making a joke of it. I spent a good bit of time enjoying these images.

P: A good example of how a photo essay sets the viewer's expectations in a way that a single photo cannot. This essay accustoms us to looking at crap. "Rorschach Crap Test" is a good, funny way of describing the appreciation of abstract art in general. What's most amusing is that these photos really do work on an abstract level. So the joke is on... whom?

H: The guy is a clown, but not funny. Send him to the neighbours.

----

"again and again and again" by jmritz
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7157314

D: Gorgeous series, the stuff of dreams and the subconscious. A Jungian feast, the sound of soft and almost indefinable songs of archetypal forms that represent deep primal feelings to which only the most sensitive of us aspire to have access. This goes beyond life and bids us to follow.

C: A shadowy examination of the futility of life.

P: For me the last photo is a surprising twist. It almost absorbs all the previous photos, which become part of this dancing alone... each title is a verb, and each verb a move in the dance. Almost as though the camera pulls out in the final frame to show us the whole picture. But of course John never shows us the whole picture. Too much is in shadow and enigma for us to easily resolve his work and put it away.

H:

Dislikes

Never

Likes

As always, Jim is not an easy read. One has to consider, spin the image around in your mind to see the other side, paint the canvas to the left and the right of the image yourself, and connect the hidden dots. And then, as always, the warm glow of recognition, even if your endpoint does not exactly co-incide with his. Thus, as always, so rewarding.

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"a story of inner torment and rebirth" by MinsoPhoto
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7157219

D: Another masterpiece that highlights morbidity, desperation, and inner identity struggle. A place between social compliance and individual artistic anarchy that wants expression in outward displays of faux violence. True art that will mellow into a subtle brilliance.

C: Darkly fascinating - an inner struggle, resolved only through death, and the false fantasy of rebirth.

P: As the title says, this is essay as story. The theme here is redemption through struggle, and the metaphor for struggle is violent destruction. The mood of the photos is unified and fitting. Sometimes, life is like this. Some sort of destruction is necessary to move on. I can't say this place is unfamiliar.

H:

Dislikes

Needed a better resolution. Not the pixel kind, you dummies. The jump from the second-last to the last is too vast. Needed an inbetween image.

Likes

I feel it. The storytelling of each image is wonderful. Did not even need the words. Done so well, that, because we are a “close” community at DPC, I hope that this was not a representation of what actually happened.

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"the beauty of the Branch" by hajeka //www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7156905

D: A thoughtful collection of good botanical shots in a light pictorial fashion, I like the concept of the shots hanging from the plant.

C: An interesting presentation, although I find this much more of a collage and much less a photo essay.

P: Here we have a non-linear photo essay. Instead of a series of photos, we have photos branching out from literal branches. And what are those photos of? Branches. It's wonderfully recursive, and a lovely variety of images with different perspectives, angles and palettes. I wish for an even larger version, or maybe something hyperlinked so each image expands into a bigger version of itself...

H:

Dislikes

I would have liked it better if there was only one plant for the images to be hanged on. It feels as if there should have been a more distinctive border.

Likes

Works much better than I would have thought at first glance. The images pop out of the background nicely. Each one being so different in colour, idea and texture helps.

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"Tale of Number 168" by insteps
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7156960

D: A wonderful monochrome study, though the stark realism detracts my interest a little. I still quite like this, but wish for some abstract element to lift the story line another level. A solid base for an essay.

C: A powerful photo essay examining how a life is reduced to only a number.

P: As the artist admits, this "tale" was built from the last image, working backwards. This is a well-used technique among writers to help structure a story that leads to a satisfying conclusion. And that last image is not only satisfying, it adds a narrative that we might have missed otherwise, the idea that this is the story of a single fish. What's fun about this for me, is that the story is most likely a lie. It's doubtful that he was able to target a specific fish, but it is very easy for us as viewers to impose that pattern on the images we see. That's actually as interesting to me as some of the other themes, like individuality vs. being just a number, about belonging to a group, about passing from one sort of usefulness to another. In fact, our desire to make this a story of a single fish shows how this theme works within our own perceptions.

H:

Dislikes

well....

Likes

Good choice to have it in B&W. Such a confluence of old and new – fishing tuna from forever, but look at the technology in the ship's masts; wagons with big wheels [though not out of wood anymore] but the fisherman wears designer clothes, sneakers and a knee-brace, but the row of tuna on the cement could come from 100 years ago. The final image is a killer. That tail, cut off from the boxed body, but seemingly back in the water, ready for freedom.

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"by the way and back" by mitalapo
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7156963

D: A journey of connectivity and continuity, reinforcing characters using different framing. I feel the journey and can extrapolate from the reality, probably what I'm hoping for in insteps essay

C: A very clever photoset drawn together via a walk in third party - love the reversal, as it gives additional depth.

P: This is a good example of how following a pattern can create a strong, cohesive experience. First of all, every image has large, blurred foreground figures, blurred not just because of DOF, but because of motion. The motion starts off to the right, then an old lady in the background stops the momentum and turns all motion to the left, which is accomplished in a very simple way: simply flipping all the photos... Until an old man in the background puts a stop to that and sets the cycle in motion all over again.

As well as bringing up themes of pulse, rhythm, lack of progress, there is the simple fascination of seeing an image both ways. Some images feel different in each orientation, some images feel "wrong" or off-balance in one of the directions.

These simple "rules" or patterns combine for a complicated but coherent experience. It's also just plain fun.

H:

Dislikes

The image of the girl on her father's shoulders is the only one where there is a lack of depth of field, it does not fit as well as the others.

Likes

Never mind if you're coming or going, we are all in a loop. Becomes more tragic with each passing. We are normally so focused on the movement to get to the destination, we miss the ones that are stationary.

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"looking and seeing" by mariuca
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7157121

D: One of my top picks, mariuca in her element and at her best. Brilliant duality of motions with striking backgrounds. A lesson in tension.

C: A powerful photo essay, visually unified, and cleverly examining the acts of looking and the corollary of seeing. My favorite of the lot.

P: Breathtaking images. Are they composites? Some or all? Who can say? We are lost in a continuing gaze that rebounds within the images and back to us.

H:

Dislikes

The placement of the images at Wordpress have even more structure and storytelling because of the cohesiveness, and the vertical lines. Do not use DPC's images for viewing.

Likes

Mesmerising. No chance to escape them. Level upon level, real and unreal, looking and being looked at. So much to consider, to mull over, to make the cause and effect your own. We want to search and learn by looking, and should never stop.

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"Travel Photo Essay" by lei_73
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7157127

D: Though at first it seems a simple a travelogue, there is a lot more to this. I like the simplicity and it flows well with overtones of love and rejoicing life through travel.

C: A great set of travel photos, showing the joys of exploring our world through a lens. Way too long for me, but good. I think that distilling this down to 1/3 of the number of images may have presented a much more powerful experience.

P: This is a huge chaos of images, but they are wonderful images, and they play together well. It took me a while to catch on that the quotes were organizing the images (the "smell" clued me in). Once I saw that, and watched the beginning again, I saw this was definitely the case. This was a real pleasure to watch. Reminds me of a really good vacation.

H:

Dislikes

61 Images may well be too many, but it did not bother me.

Likes

I was listening to Madness, and the song “One step beyond “ describes this essay. A driving beat, never relaxing in one place but with a strong central theme. The essay does end slower, at home and content, which I like. It's funny, but the essay does not make me want to travel, but to read National Geographic articles on these places. Perhaps an overload of places, or more probably because the images are mostly about the street once removed from the iconic image.

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"it depends on who you ask II" by tnun
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7157579

D: Always amusing and grounded. This small piece documents probably seconds in the life but could possibly take years of interpretation. What has happened, why only one subject reacting. A sugar induced moment of reaction and attention? The open endedness of this is wonderful.

C: A study of reaction. We see that the subject isn't present in the frame, and this leaves us wondering what could cause such reactions.

P: This is a photo haiku. It shows us three reactions, but not what they react to. The subject is not present, we see only the ripples of it.

Whatever it is, it moves. We can tell that by the girl on the left, who is following its motion. The other two are in a more serene state. They begin at the ending.

This is all about process, even the photos themselves. Notice that the middle photo, in the middle of the process, is the best focused and exposed of the three. The beginning photo captures the blur of getting started. The ending photo captures the overexposure of revelation.

This is like an Andy Warhol movie but without having to waste 6 hours.

H:

Dislikes

none

Likes

So there was a “it depends on who you ask I”? And what's with the extra x in the last title? Why does the girl on the left keep showing three with her left hand? This the total sum of my [lack of] insight. Luckily I read Postie's comments on this essay, and know when I should shut up.

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"Lost Forever in a Sunflower Maze, Augusta NJ" by posthumous (not eligible)
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7157567

D: like this, quite a lot after many reviews. It is a poem in motion, introspective, just enough dialogue to gently sway opinion like the breeze through the field of flowers. Just enough written information to enable the visuals take hold and engulf the imagination, the pictorial elements weave their magic seducing the imagination to spin the web of wistful continuity.

C: As usual, Don's work really doesn't resonate with me - the single image that I really found intriguing was the image with the closeup of the petals and pollen grains. Overall I find myself feeling like I smoked too much pot and went for an aimless walk around a field of sunflowers.

P: Clearly this is a frustrated poet who can't put a chapbook together, so he makes us look at blurry picture of sunflowers with cast-off poem fragments.

H:

Dislikes

Like someone once said: " I'm not equipped"

Likes

More like a poem than an essay, resulting in harder work for the viewer. Any deep analysis has a 100% chance of explaining more about the viewer than the artist. Very strong opposites at work. Dead and cobwebbed field of flowers which is the symbol of bursting life. Big round joyous blobs of yellow, but zoom in and decay will be found. But here even becoming lost is good as it means being constantly surprised in a maze of yellow sun.

----

“Falling” by RKT
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7157574

D: This is so personal I feel like I'm intruding, but privileged in the sharing. It is incredibly sad, almost recriminating, forlorn and longing, but shows such strength and resilience in the face of raw pain. It pines immensely, yet finds unashamedly clarity in emotional and artistic expression in its journey of loss and want for closure. Here you come face to face with demons and angels of your sensitivity.

C: Angles of light play amongst the buildings and trappings of modern life. I find this to be reminiscent of one of those endlessly long windless summer afternoons.

P: Another visually stunning essay (like PennyStreet’s). This time the style is angular and very abstract. Also, something needs to be said about how great they look in the thumbnail display, lined up next to each other. Wow. Such a rhythm there.

The captions reflect the abstraction of the images. They don't get in the way, which is sometimes the best sort of writing.

H:

Dislikes

none

Likes

Need the titles to keep you on the right track. The images fit together well, using tri-angles and unusual viewpoints to interlink. One is left with an unsettling, uneasy feeling. Falling is the problem stated in the name, but I would wager it is more in the biblical sense [fallen] than physical. The end is left wide open for any number of conclusions or sequels.

---

"My story has just begun." by Pennystreet
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7157577

D: A story about the duality and distortions of life, never starts, never finishes. Where and when does it really start, the ambiguity of understanding the inner person, the outer person, perceptions and deceptions. Nothing is absolute, always shades of grey and fluid. Do we ever see or really know. This one asks more than answers. I love the confusion inspired by the imagery.

C: A visually interesting series, connected through people and the visual distortion of them, as though we can see them, but only a distorted representation, without ever seeing them as they truly are. (as we all do, only here it is ever so obvious)

P: For me, the dominant aspect of this essay is the sheer beauty of the individual images. They are just gorgeous. And the style is similar, so they do feel unified. I feel as if the same "field" or energy is distorting all of them. Because of the text associated, I see this "field" as some kind of time wormhole. The three photos in the middle with prominent human subjects I find quite poignant. They literally and figuratively give a "humanity" to the essay... with three very different emotions, appropriately reflected by their captions.

I can go on, find more themes and connections, but what keeps me interested and drives me on is the beauty of it.

H:

Dislikes

none

Likes

There's an Afrikaans word, “wroeging” which translates to remorse, but it is not the same thing. I smell an inner problem, an unanswered/unhandled happening. One is not supposed to close the tab on these images with a smile on your face. The heading deepens the mystery for the viewer.

----

"Lujiabang, Shanghai" by salmiakki

//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7157416

D: Wonderful journey into the forgotten and discarded, overlooked or knocked aside by capitalist greed and indifference. The story of endurance and endeavour.

C: A wonderful walk around a place that challenges our notions of the eastern cultures. Powerful and well shot.

P: An essay of a place. In the first photo, the woman dares us to look further. After that, every photo has a floor of rubble. So much is said simply with that, but she also shows how the rubble is coped with, worked around and denied. In the process, she shows us not just a specific place but a specific time... the moment is captured with an essay instead of a shutter click.

H:

Dislikes - but really a suggestion

As a protest, it would be stronger if referenced with the names and occupation of the persons in the images.

Likes

The old has to make way for the new. Is it so? Should it be? Here it is the low-rise that has to make way for the high-rise. No space for the way of life to exist in the cleansed environment, that is true. What is best? How to plan for co-existence, if at all possible. Where to get political will to do so? The only possibility left here is to document it, and educate the future desicionmakers thus. Done well here, in my opinion.

----

"between the cities" by Tiberius
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7157431

D: A realistic journey, anecdotal tale of large urban landscape. I get the sense of fleeting movement through the gigantic estates of a prefabricated society, I feel the attempts to personalize the immensely impersonal and the reality of travelling within an authoritarian utility system.

C: A documentary type essay, giving us a glimpse into the boredom and often visually grating commute on public transportation between two cities, while paying attention to the 'backside' trappings of modern city living, and leaving the viewer feeling nearly depressed considering the bleak nature of so much of what is experienced daily by so many.

P: I have a weakness for trains. There is very much a train narrative going on here. Getting on the train, stopping twice before getting ready to leave. Most of the time spent looking out the window, seeing the world as an outsider. Buildings are just squares, people are unseen. other trains dash by.

H:

Dislikes

None

Likes

The sequence is bound together tightly by the railway lines and other horisontal planes. Nice late-afternoon light. It leaves me with a feeling of having had an enjoyable time travelling. Nothing of the rushed, crushed masses here.

----

"Public Eyes" by Venser
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7157499

D: This is the bare confrontation of the Venser experience. True grit sports warrior masquerading as street photography, only that the guy has talent. It's a tale of predatory artistic expression, the elicitation of human response from emotionally repressed masses. The journey forces the participants into participation, there is no escape. Their gnarled and surly response to his onslaught is their redemption. It is repugnant, confrontational and intoxicating. The bastard that saved their lives. We, as he, loves it

C: This would go well at a show with mariuca's work - examining the act of looking, and the intimate moment of eye-contact... I love this series.

P: Like moon-chasing, the theme here is simple enough, and perfectly explained by the title. And also like moon-chasing, the theme is a powerful one. This is a great example of the cumulative effect of a photo essay, as we look for the eyes in each photo to see what they'll be doing next. Looking at me? Looking at someone else? Looking off into space? One set of eyes in a crowd, or a confrontational "street portrait" filling most of the frame? Regardless, one gaze flows through it all.

H:

Dislikes

I would have ended with Venser's favourite.

Likes

Life is hard. To cope in the city, we have all learned to bring the shutters down in our eyes.We touch one another, not by choice, but by necessity, and may definitely not feel a connection. But we ensure that we get no joy from it. The walls have been built high. But of course, that effort takes its toll, and our facial expressions can't hide it. The image Venser likes most, is the ultimate in rejection – the persons are wealthy, healthy, pretty, but made sure they position themselves like a rock band's members that used to be best pals, but now hate each other, just before the band breaks up.

---

"Five Seasons of Walter White" by ubique //www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=read&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&page=1#7156898

D: Brilliant meshing of artistic genres to create its own fantasy. Compelling look into common but eternal themes of human dilemma.

C: A great collection - a few centuries between now and then, but the fit is undeniable, and the imagery is heavy in its visual impact upon the viewer. My only real detraction is that this story has already been told.

P: First of all, season five is not on Netflix yet so everybody just shut up about that.

Second of all, a little research shows that Paul actually did quite a bit with these DVD covers, zooming in and recombining elements to create his own effects.

He also did quite a bit of moving around with Shakespeare. Such gall. Saving Lady Macbeth for Act IV... in the process he's created his own 5-acter.

But mostly I like the esthetic audacity, the determined uselessness ... a true collage.

H:

Dislikes

umm...

Likes

Wow, by iPhone, I'm in awe. The overall use of layers, softness, light colour scheme, square crop, typeface, gosh – everything, is so right. No extra points for this, but do you know how long it would have taken me to collate five appropriate verses from the bard's writing? The story is there for all to see in the images, and given depth by the verses.

-------

"first there is a mountain" by pixelpig
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7157162

D: Quite an amazing and delicate creature has been created in such a simple yet complex form. It conjures introspection and entices one to fall helplessly into its depths.

C: Doesn't work for me at all. Seems like three of the same picture with minor processing differences. The photo itself is interesting though, it seems almost like an x-ray of an embryo or something of that sort.

P: The text is Zen by way of Donovan. The images are endlessly complex, like a mind working itself out, so as a commentor I'm relieved there are only three. Three photos create a simple motion to explore: beginning, middle and end. One could argue that this is always the motion, but with three images it is plain which is which. Here the middle is "no mountain." The image is overexposed. Revelation or obfuscation? Obfuscation of the image, but perhaps revelation of one's seeing of the image? Or is that Nirvana I see glowing through?

And when the "mountain" returns, is it the same? It is more complete now, no extreme tones... it is balanced. The process is complete and we have successfully gone nowhere.

H:

Dislikes

Not from me, I like manipulating people's minds.

Likes

Mariuca referred to this in her essay: “What we see depends mainly on what we look for”-John Lubbock. I see an alien behind a huge diamond, then a person's shadow walking past a smoking tv, then racing driver with a bridal veil. Sense? Of course not, that's the point. So be careful what you rely on as your reality. It also reflects the photographer's responsibility about misrepresentation.

----
"red right hand" by Stagolee
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7157172

D: Great use of blur and reflection to create confusion and disorientation coupled with big Nick’s devilish lyrics

C: I find myself contemplating the impermanence of our lives and our actions, while the city itself is mutable, but seems as though it's unchanging. The processing both makes and kills this series - very clever and adds much to the experience, but the small errors distract me from the beauty.

P: I find this very interesting. The unifying element here is the writing on the sidewalk, which just gets eerier and eerier with the cumulative effect of the essay. The writing remains static, like gibberish captions refusing to explain what's going on... which is going on too quickly for us to see, except for the planted feet.

H:

Dislikes

All I said at Likes

Likes

Still listening to Madness, but this needs Debussy. Such a good concept, done so well. But I do not like it, it makes me queasy. Feeling dirty. Why? It must have hooked onto a bad thing I did, in my subconscious. Like those adverts at the movies that got banned. Brilliant, but bad.

-----

"Bojangles Southern 500" by tolovemoon
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7157295

D: A day out with the family, looks like they had fun

C: A very interesting glimpse into the southern middle class lifestyle. Almost makes Nascar seem interesting!

P: I am glad to be able to experience this vicariously through a family that enjoyed it. So much better than doing it myself! I especially liked the introduction. It shows the power of words to make an experience come alive.

H:

Dislikes

...

Likes

The images display a well set-out storyline. A gripping essay. The two combined definitely convinced me that it is something all families may attend at least once.

------

"A Day at the Beach" by sfalice
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=read&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&page=1#7156844

D: A postcard format and nice idea well executed, but not enough there for me to appraise as an essay.

C: A bit of a disconnected photo essay - really relies more upon words than photos, and still doesn't really lead me anywhere.

P: A postcard-sized photo essay! Why not? Though I would like to see a larger version so I could see the inserts better. As it is, I get a tempting taste of the beach and its inhabitants. The text and images are both dreamy.

H:

Dislikes

I do not like frames hanging skew on walls, even to the point of helping to straighten them in strange offices. So the images in the top row bothered me as they are not all the same height, and it seems that they should have been. The images are not big enough for my liking. I want to see the detail better, as there is much to observe. The warmth hue differs a lot, would have been nice if it was brought closer together.

Likes

Well contained, and structured. Plenty going on, and a strong theme. The blue background was chosen well, and the typeface complements the image. The life cycle is displayed, well done. Most of the images taken at the right time of the day, softer light. Good interaction on most images, and the [understandable] cropping hindered it in some where it would have increased the storyline. Perfect image for a postcard to remember the visit.

----

“Miss Han” by rodfulk (not eligible) //www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=read&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&page=1#7156877

D: A disturbing anthropomorphic that possibly reveals more of the photographer’s personality, which is interesting but not appealing to me, all the same I give it credit because I've been displaced from my comfort zone.

C: Amusing set of photos of a very strange hand... I have trouble finding any substance here - but the collection is fun.

P: This reminds us that photo essays are alive and well on this site, in the form of side challenges. What I enjoy most about this is how Miss Han, a supposedly static object, takes on so many different moods. I also like how funny it is... and how surprising to find it end in tragedy!

H:

Dislikes

Too many images, got boring.

Likes

Weird, which is normally good, but here it's the major selling point, and perhaps too forced.

----

untitled photo essay by vawendy

//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7157034

D: A beautiful piece of work, slightly discontinuous though. I can see survival and travesty of life as themes. A lot of potential here with strong technical quality supporting the stories, but there is too much going on.

C: Starting off with "Nature show us" instead of "Nature shows us" really didn't set a good tone with me on this - and it carries throughout - good individual photographs showing the struggle of life, some really spectacular images, but then merging into the images of the osprey's nest which was destroyed year after year, and then back to other animals again... I feel that while many of the elements of a great essay were present, and this has potential - as compiled the story failed to be conveyed in a comprehensible and emotively powerful way.

P: It's fascinating to see Wendy struggle with her own negative interpretation of nature. She sees so much tragedy. The central image of an osprey couple losing their baby three years in a row dominates this essay. She tries to build in transitions with her captions but keeps returning to tragedy: only 2 bluebird babies survive, another nest is destroyed, creatures caught in crabnets (so, humans are nature, too? glad to see someone admit that). The only transition away from tragedy that works is at the very end (the best place for it to work), where she avoids schmaltz by giving us a funny interaction between bird and graffito and letting the essay end there. This is a good impulse by Wendy the artist.

H:

Dislikes

The story flows a bit erratically, even though there is a clear message underlined well enough by the images. The story is brutal, graphic, if we think of it in human terms. So while I do get the message of perseverance and compassion, the dog-eats-dog bit is perhaps overkill.

Likes

Fine nature images – the eyes are well displayed, the images are sharp over most of the subjects, enough detail. I would have liked it more with only the nestbuilders as characters.

-----

“Polar Vortex Jan 2014" by tvsometime
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7157080

D: As always, good street characters and nice sharp contrasts. Story is a little flat but for those who experienced the Arctic freeze.

C: This is a good set of street shots - but I fail to really find any photo-essay like qualities here. Fun to see all the folks bundled up against the chill though!

P: Short but sweet. This shows how a theme can change the way we look at a photo. Such influence can only develop over a series of photos. Here, we are looking at reactions to cold... reactions, not people. But this theme becomes a way in to these people's lives in a way a single portrait would miss. In other words, it is a ground for empathy or identification with the subject. The variety of people, angles, approaches all radiate from this central theme. A brief but totally engaging piece.

H:

Dislikes

It ends a bit suddenly, I wanted more.

Likes

Good sharp images, each telling their part of the story. I cannot really relate. I've seen and felt snow twice in my life. My warmest jacket is for 12 degree Celsius environments. I can feel the coldness, but the best part is the positive attitude displayed by all, which warms the whole experience.

------

"The Beauty of Age" by nam //www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=jump&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236667&FORUM_POST_ID=7157096

D: Needs more support by having wider variety and dynamism in the photos, it suffers from relying on the text to carry the story a little too much. A good theme.

C: Clearly this is intended to show the emotively impactful process of aging, and the beauty in that wear and tear. For me, however, I simply end up seeing this as a series of flower macros without real depth. For whatever reason it just doesn't resonate with me deeply, although it seems like it comes close to doing what it was intended.

P: There are ways to tell a "story" without narrative. This is the "cubist" approach... show us all the angles of something. But the main effect here is that of repetition, which at its best creates music. There is music here, and a theme that is powerful in its truth: with age comes a terrible beauty, frightening but sometimes the most beautiful possibility.

H:

Dislikes

The one image with the black background feels out of sync.

Likes

An appropriate and down to earth representation of ageing. Treasure the colour-bits left, never mind the fallen and lost qualities and quantities. At the centre there is, as always, the source of rebirth.

Message edited by author 2014-01-24 23:20:48.
01/24/2014 11:22:40 PM · #3
Great work! Thanks to all for your efforts. No small undertaking.

Now to start reading...
01/24/2014 11:41:59 PM · #4
Amazing work guys. I will enjoy reading every word.
01/24/2014 11:58:08 PM · #5
…and if I think that I almost shut down the computer believing I could perhaps go to sleep at a decent hour. Fabulous work done here. I will start reading….
Thank you D, C, P, H and S and thanks for starting such a great challenge.

I was personally immensely impressed by all essays - there is one that for me left an indelible mark, one that I could never do and therefore will be a companion in moments of artistic hiatus: Clive's Tonfanau.
01/25/2014 12:02:32 AM · #6
Originally posted by mariuca:

…and if I think that I almost shut down the computer believing I could perhaps go to sleep at a decent hour. Fabulous work done here. I will start reading….
Thank you D, C, P, H and S and thanks for starting such a great challenge.

I was personally immensely impressed by all essays - there is one that for me left an indelible mark, one that I could never do and therefore will be a companion in moments of artistic hiatus: Clive's Tonfanau.


PS. It should have come with a caveat: it's not only photographic in nature
01/25/2014 12:03:09 AM · #7
This was no small task for the jury. Thanks for your careful consideration of each entry. For me, this has been the most interesting side challenge to date on DPC. So many interesting ideas and techniques used to tell our stories. Congratulations to everybody involved!

Message edited by author 2014-01-25 11:11:01.
01/25/2014 12:20:41 AM · #8
What a treat. Kudos to the judges for their time and effort.
01/25/2014 12:44:00 AM · #9
Thank you to all the essayists - I very much enjoyed seeing your presentations! Thanks also to the judges for their considered evaluations.
01/25/2014 01:12:14 AM · #10
Having done jury work myself I realize the enormity of this... so appreciative of all for your efforts and comments and I will re-read and (hopefully) absorb. Thank you.
Like I already said, I'm looking forward to a redo of this exercise, juried or not. Thank you.
01/25/2014 02:22:50 AM · #11
Thanks to Don and all the jury that really put a lot of time and effort into this side challenge...and to all those that entered and shared with the rest of us.

It will be great reading through all the comments and revisiting all the essays this weekend.
01/25/2014 02:35:36 AM · #12
I was going to comment on every essay, but I’d add nothing useful to the excellent comments from the judging panel. Thank you, panel. And thank you, essayists, every one.

Why Essays are Interesting
These essays are all interesting because they cut through ‘styles’ of photographic execution to a deeper level: motivation. And motivation is always interesting and illuminating.

In the original essays thread I’d posted a challenge to several (named) acclaimed DPC photographers, encouraging them to enter an essay. I wanted to learn more about their motivation: why they see the world through a camera, rather than how. A series of related images, with or without words, can facilitate that insight. Only one, vawendy, entered and so enriched us. The absences were disappointing.

Wendy and I have had many conversations, both public and private, about what makes an individual photograph interesting (to me). My inability to explain myself adequately frustrates her. But now, thanks to these essays, I have the words.

If I look at a photograph in voting on a DPC challenge and it leads me into imagining and considering things that are not within the frame, it’s interesting. I imagine the other (non-existent) images in the (non-existent) essay of which the actual entered photograph is by then but a freeze frame.

So an interesting photograph is one that is irresistibly part of an imaginary essay. It’s a single-shot essay, but that shot restlessly ricochets around in the viewer’s mind, bouncing off all sorts of unexpected surfaces in the process. You’ve got to keep ducking.

A non-interesting photograph is one where everything to be said has been said within the frame. It’s a single shot that results in a solitary thud into the sandbags.

Disclaimer: That’s just my opinion. Your experience may vary.
01/25/2014 03:52:44 AM · #13
Thank you, DPC&H, for making a wonderful quartet.

p.s. contrary to the previous poster, I still think with a U on board it would have been a perfect fifth.
01/25/2014 05:04:50 AM · #14
Thanks to all the jurors, it's a huge amount of effort you put into this project.

It's been a pleasure to view all the essays - some wonderful pieces of work. I'd love to continue with this sort of longer term project, I find it rather satisfying both as a viewer and participant.
01/25/2014 06:20:09 AM · #15
its quite amusing that coryis missing the boat again and again and again
lets say art is not his fortene to put it mildly
01/25/2014 10:10:01 AM · #16
Originally posted by cutout:

its quite amusing that coryis missing the boat again and again and again
lets say art is not his fortene to put it mildly

having said this
i am not diminishing his patronage to the art

Message edited by author 2014-01-25 11:24:31.
01/25/2014 10:44:23 AM · #17
An extraordinary amount of labor went into this project, both on the part of the creators and the part of the jury, and most emphatically on the part of Posthumous and Skewsme. I'm in awe of it. If anyone says DPC is "dying", let them look at this :-)

My thanks to all involved.
01/25/2014 11:46:32 AM · #18
deleted on special request

Message edited by author 2014-01-25 12:41:11.
01/25/2014 11:55:04 AM · #19
Well done jury. A fantastic job given the task before you.
01/25/2014 01:21:56 PM · #20
Just spotted this as I am out the door for the rest of the day - of course I had to have a peek at the comments on mine. The most "critical" are right on; the most "laudatory" are very generous. Thank you one and all. I shall be back to read the rest - more than once, I am sure.
Nikki
01/25/2014 01:32:53 PM · #21
just finished watching Clive's Tonfanau again. Amazing work.
01/25/2014 02:44:06 PM · #22
Thank you jurors for your labor in this project. It must have been very difficult to decide on just one with so many great essays to judge. Congratulations to rooum on the win. Well deserved due to the amount of effort applied making the essay. My applause to all those who entered essays and made this project happen. I hope to see this photo essay side challenge continue each month. There is no end to the stories that can be told, or shared.
01/25/2014 03:03:30 PM · #23
Thanks to the jury for some very impressive work.
01/25/2014 03:06:30 PM · #24
Many thanks to everyone involved in this very special project. It was an absolute pleasure reading through the comments of the jurors on all of the essays.........I know I will be spending time in the days and weeks to come, going back and taking a look again & again. Wonderfully done, Don, jurors and fellow essayists!
01/25/2014 04:48:02 PM · #25
Many thanks to Don, Cory, Skewsme and all the jurors for your very hard work on this. All the essays have been an absolute pleasure to read/view and i'm humbled to get special mention. I've got many favourites and i'll be back to view them many times i'm sure.

I really love photo essays, to view and to make and i really hope this becomes a regular thing for DPC. I'd been meaning to start a photographic project on Tonfanau for a while, it seemed like such a fascinating place. It's only about seven miles from me but it was the first time i managed to get there (i've only lived in this part of Wales just over a year). This photo essay is just a start on the project i'd say - i really wanted to get down there for another day of photographic before the deadline but the weather was crazy bad and other stuff got in the way. I'll be back down there soon and then i think i'll take a similar photograph approach to other local places. To be honest, the text and slideshow/music was a very last minute thing on the evening of the deadline. It was just going to be a series of photographs but i'm not sure that would have worked as well without some sort of textual context. I'll see how it develops.

Cory's comment about the slow pacing of it was something i considered. Once i had the idea of using text and a slideshow i did want it to run at quite a slow meditative pace - each slide is up for 20 seconds which doesn't sound long but can be i guess. Really, having it that slow was, in the end, quite a prosaic technical decision. I made the slideshow in Lightroom which is quite basic for that kind of stuff - it can only set one time for all the slides (instead of changing the timings on each photo) and i wanted to give enough time for a slow read of the longest page of text. The music was twelve minutes long so i just set it to that in the end.

I've put each separate page on DPC now which will be easier if people want to go back and forth - First page here then flick through... (I've left in the numerous typos for now!)

Thanks for the free membership! I am going to use that as i'm due a renewal soon. I do like the idea of paying it forward though so hopefully the photo essay challenge will become regular monthly or every two months. With that in mind i would like to try a different prize for the next one whether it is juried or not. Instead of giving a free membership i'd like to give a photo book as the prize as i think it would suit the challenge very well. I think it would be cool to choose my favourite essay and then get the photo book to suit, in my view, the photographer and his images. I'm a bit of a photo book addict and have a few bookshelves of them now and it's great, in the internet age, to sit down and look at a photographer images in a nice book. Obviously, people would have to opt into this as some may not like to give their postal address out to relative strangers on the net but hopefully it'll work well and maybe turn into an ongoing thing.

Message edited by author 2014-01-25 17:39:26.
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