The DPC look - DPChallenge Forums

08/29/2005 03:30:05 PM · #1

I have noticed a preferred style on this site..it seems to be more prevalent lately.
Now this isn't a criticsm of the success people like heida or nico_blue or girlgirl ..I am a big fan of all them. They are amazing artists...
It is the idea that ONLY this style is THE one...looking at the Nude III, there is absence of variety in the top 3...now again I like all 3 three..there are others out there I like a lot too...goodman's, artyste's...

I received a thoughtful comment a couple of challenges ago that really supports my point:

"The heida edit of this shot would easily take the blue ribbon. Wonderful composition."

I love heida's shots..but I don't want to shoot like her at all..
Now I have read responses to this type of thing saying "the voters are right". I am not saying they aren't..but in the interests of art, and great photography I would love it if maybe discussing the shots could allow us to celebrate the brilliance of some different looks on this site ( and I am not referring to me...I have way too much to learn).

My suggestion: post shots that don't have the DPC look, and you love.

dahkota

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM

08/29/2005 03:41:06 PM · #2

One of my favorite challenge entries of mine. Go figure...

I know, the DOF sucks, but the image itself amuses me to no end. Still. You never know what you'll find in the strangest of places.

Thanks Bucket, for having me look at forgotten entries...

Joey Lawrence

PhaseOne P45

08/29/2005 03:50:39 PM · #3

I disagree- heida is one of the very few that has a unique style, yet is still able to do excellently in the challenges she submits. It's not all about the editing, pay attention to light, composition and overall impact.

Sherri1209

Canon EOS-20D

Canon EF 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 IS USM

08/29/2005 03:58:48 PM · #4

bucket, I loved the NakedIII submission "Allure" I voted it highly. I think you have a point and I hope it isn't true. But that's me full of contridiction.

coolhar

Canon PowerShot Pro 90 IS

08/29/2005 04:01:48 PM · #5

Shots that don't have the DPC look, and I love.

Message edited by author 2005-08-29 16:13:35.

rex

Canon PowerShot SD780

08/29/2005 04:02:55 PM · #6

I few of mine that I really like.

08/29/2005 04:07:11 PM · #7

Originally posted by Joey Lawrence:

text

I am not arguing that she has HER style..and have not suggested it is only processing. 3 winners all with black backgrounds..it is a style and others seem to be trying to attain it..i rally am not trying to suggest at all that the winners aren't doing great things, but think others may be trying to recreate this look..simply put I was hoping this could be a positive look at other looks..and note-I didn't write the commnet about heida's editing but received it...i don't think it is true, but maybe that is what people see themselves trying to do, and eventually start looking for...

Canon PowerShot Pro 90 IS

08/29/2005 04:13:49 PM · #8

one of my favs:

coolhar

08/29/2005 04:26:19 PM · #9

Just to reinforce what bucket is saying about there being a lack of variety in what is thought to be desirable here at dpc-- take a look at the comments on my abandoned road shot.

Two of the four commenters suggest that I use the editing technique that heida is famous for using; and, IMHO, has become an integral part of "The DPC look".

mesmeraj

08/29/2005 04:34:40 PM · #10

one of my two measly comments on D&L says to d&b.

dahkota

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM

08/29/2005 04:40:34 PM · #11

I've gotten comments about my lack of skill in dodging and burning when there was none done what so ever. Since it was a member's challenge I guess everyone assumed that funky, brooding clouds MUST be dodged and burned. Go figure. My first challenge D&B was leading lines. Not one comment on my D&B skills. Must have been pretty good at it. :)

I agree that people here tend to comment positively toward generously processed or processed 'appearing' images. Someone once said something along the lines of DPCers preferring hyper-reality.

Thousands_Fall

Nikon D70

08/29/2005 04:56:31 PM · #12

Thats what DPC is though. Over saturated, high contrast pictures, that are shotten from one angle. There is no art in DPC, there are only photographs.

This is exactly what I mean. No offence to the artist, but look at the profile. He has had his camera for about a year, and scored in the challenges. Now the picture is an interesting subject, but isnt asthetically pleasing. Look at how the picture was taken, it apears to be shot as he was walking by this person. Not for artistics sake, but to take a picture of the freaky things he has seen.

Message edited by author 2005-08-29 17:01:42.

ourwebstop

Canon EOS-20D

08/29/2005 05:00:49 PM · #13

I admit that I didn't expect my "Dairy" entry to do that well, because of the subject. I think it's a decent image technically. But some of the comments I'm receiving seem rather funny to me. I'll put some comments on the shot after the voting. But it sure seems funny that some of the things commentors are saying detracted from the image are some of the very things that I thought I was taking a picture of.

Brian

ergo

08/29/2005 05:02:16 PM · #14

Originally posted by Thousands_Fall:

Thats what DPC is though. Over saturated, high contrast pictures, that are shotten from one angle. There is no art in DPC, there are only photographs.

I think this is on the harsh side. I think there are many very good photographers here who suceed in bringing out and offering their artistic views. I agree that there are some "looks" that voters seem to prefer, and perhaps that some folks would try to get those looks in their quest for ribbons. But there's nothing necessarily wrong with that, and it's subjective to the viewer whether these kinds of attempts are art or not.

I firmly believe that if someone wants to be a "good" photographer, a part of that process deals with looking at images. The more, the better. And for me (and I think this might apply to many), DPC is a good place for that "looking" process.

Message edited by author 2005-08-29 17:04:07.

Sigma 85mm f/1.4 for Canon

08/29/2005 06:03:48 PM · #15

Maybe there is a "DPC Look"?
At least lately....
What do these photos have in common? (And please, we all know they're ribbon winners in the most recent past challenges.)

Is it the selective color palette?
The effective use of light?
What do you think?

RKT

Canon EOS-60D

08/29/2005 06:16:15 PM · #16

IMO I think the winning photo's KaDi has posted have real sense of "drama"...with a touch of whimsy too. They all also have really nice tonality, and mass appeal...definitely mass appeal... which is quite a feat considiering DPC is an international website...so maybe it's "world" appeal?

08/29/2005 06:25:01 PM · #17

This does not look like the ribbon winners..and yet is one of the best shots I have seen..and I am not saying for a minute tha tI don't appreciate well processed shots..was more hoping to see ones people thought were amazing but just didn't look like a dpc winner..

Sony DT 11-18mm f/4.5-5.6 Aspherical ED Super Wide Angle Zoom

08/29/2005 06:28:13 PM · #18

bucket,
Maybe you could say what you think "looks like a DPC winner"?

(Also, if you prefer, I could move my post to a new thread.)

Edit to say: I think some images could be "DPC winners" but just aren't as fit for the particular challenge they're in as some that place higher.

Message edited by author 2005-08-29 18:29:41.

JPR

Sony Alpha a55

08/29/2005 06:30:19 PM · #19

Originally posted by bucket:

That was already in my favorites. :)

There are so many great photographs and great photographers on this site. Look through my favorites to see many fine examples!

Sigma 85mm f/1.4 for Canon

08/29/2005 06:42:17 PM · #20

Originally posted by KaDi:

text

I think this might end up a negative thread if i start posting what i consider similarities..so my choice is to simply offer without comment shots that don't have that same look. The thing I worry about most with this site, is a willingness to examine where who we are...I agree this is an awesome site..I have learned so much from looking, and trying..but I do see shots with styles winning a lot..in any given challenge the top 3 will not vary from a Rothko to Van Gogh...and maybe that is where digital photography is at...I have seen shots that I knew would not win, and others I knew would..and not because one was better than the other..
so simply put, I would love to give voice so to speak to the DPC underground...and not to criticize the success of people who I love to learn from..I have lots of heida's shots as favs! It was the comment i got that has been in my head for awhile now...and no i don't mind you asking that question, as long as this forum doesn't become a rant against these people.

RKT

Canon EOS-60D

08/29/2005 06:46:33 PM · #21

I thought all of these were fantastic...I do tend to favor "dark" images and "nostlagic" subject matter...I also like alot of images that many see as technically "challenged" whether it be on purpose or not...grain, blur, lack of focus, odd color and tonality, etc., etc...I love it all.

08/29/2005 06:58:21 PM · #22

Originally posted by bucket:

I think this might end up a negative thread if i start posting what i consider similarities..so my choice is to simply offer without comment shots that don't have that same look. The thing I worry about most with this site, is a willingness to examine where who we are...I agree this is an awesome site..I have learned so much from looking, and trying..but I do see shots with styles winning a lot..in any given challenge the top 3 will not vary from a Rothko to Van Gogh...and maybe that is where digital photography is at...I have seen shots that I knew would not win, and others I knew would..and not because one was better than the other..
so simply put, I would love to give voice so to speak to the DPC underground...and not to criticize the success of people who I love to learn from..I have lots of heida's shots as favs! It was the comment i got that has been in my head for awhile now...and no i don't mind you asking that question, as long as this forum doesn't become a rant against these people.

I hope this doesn't end up a rant either.
Your post just reminded me that, in recent challenges, there are seemingly many similarities in the artistic choices made by the photographer and the voters.
For a while, there were a bunch of ribbon-winners that all had blue as a feature. Maybe it's just the fashionn of the day?
<> Despite some of my lower scores, I don't consider my non-top-20 placing photos "losers"...some of them would win in different challenges, competitions, commercially, on other photo sites...and lots of the time I have really entered to see if a new technique or and interesting idea would get positive feedback--I have not yet been terribly disappointed in this community. Lots of love going around here--and no smilie intended to follow this statement--just a (.)

Lots of love going around here.

08/29/2005 06:59:05 PM · #23

not all from challenges, but I think with a different look..

08/29/2005 07:00:42 PM · #24

Originally posted by bucket:

not all from challenges, but I think with a different look..

See. I don't see the "different look"
They are all limited in color.
They all have a clear subject of interest.
They are technically well rendered.
There is, as rkt said, drama in each of them....

Edit to say: I don't know what "mass appeal" is on a site by and for photographers. =)

Message edited by author 2005-08-29 19:01:59.