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DPChallenge Forums >> Side Challenges and Tournaments >> Know a great commentor? Yappie Nominations
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11/01/2006 10:41:47 AM · #1
Each week, the winner of Team Suck Competition gets to award a Yappie sucker for achievements in commenting. These can be for lifetime achievement, an individual comment or a string of comments.

Feel free to use this thread for collecting nominations from the general public.

11/01/2006 10:46:04 AM · #2
Team Minus is making a call for nominations for a Yappie.

In most cases, when people laud a commentor it's for a positive comment, but I have great admiration for a thoughtfully presented, helpful negative comment. Steve Davidson gave me just such a comment. His guess that I had never taken a photo before :) was incorrect, but he explained his thinking very well, so that I could get beyond his conclusions and find my own way towards improving.

I nominate stdavidson for his comment on



Hmmmm... I like the concept but the implementation doesn't seem to work so well. I'm not trying to be harsh but will make some comments...

I agree with the philosophy that an image with soft focused areas technically contains bokeh. But in a challenge about bokeh it needs to jump right out at you and say, "Now THAT'S bokeh!", otherwise it looks like any other soft focused image. Most good bokeh pictures are taken with the lens wide open for nice circular point light sources and with a shallow depth-of-field where the main subject is in sharp focus and the bokeh somehow highlights that main subject in a special way. All that is missing in your picture. That explains most of your low score.

The overall technical quality is poor but I suspect that may have a lot to do with the camera you are using. You want to know your equipment's limitations and work them to your advantage when possible.

The shadow in the foreground is distracting to viewers. That destroys the whole idea of your picture. This needed to be taken at a different time when the shadow was not there and/or post processed in a way that adds pleasing attention to the shadowed area.

This picture looks like it is strait out of the camera. That implies that you may be new to photography and/or unfamiliar with post processing. In the world of photography today you need to develop those skills. Fortunately, DPC is a good resource for helping you learn them.
11/01/2006 10:53:49 AM · #3
For lifetime achievement, I'll nominate hbunch who not only holds the record of most deep comments given through the Club at 505, but also helps hold the Critique Club together.
11/01/2006 11:07:07 AM · #4
Bear_Music for taking the time to show those with limited photoshop skills like myself the possibilities.

Before (my version)
After (Bear_Music version)

11/01/2006 05:20:30 PM · #5
I nominate jdannels, who gave me a post-challenge comment on my very first entry and currently my lowest score. He took the time to help out a newbie in a way that inspired me to do the same for other folks:

I would have made sure to to use the whole 150 kb limit, this is 54 kb, which means your file could have nearly been three times as large(with respect to detail). Take a look at this tutorial if you you use photo shop. I also think alittle bit of color in the image would have helped your score and some sort of noise reduction software like neat image or if you don't want to download the free version you can try using gaussian blur and fade the amount in the opacity. You have some good images in your portfolio but I think they need alittle work on post processing and if you look through the tutorials they can be a huge help. I know they helped me out alot. Hope this helps you.
11/08/2006 03:37:42 PM · #6
I nominate JuliBoc for her helpful comment on my poorly scoring Free Study entry.

Originally posted by JuliBoc:


This is a very pretty scene. I gave it 5 though, because my eye is lead by the shore line to the upper right, and when I get there the buildings look washed out and the opposite shore is too dark. In other words, when I get to the destination, there's not much to see. I think all this could be corrected in PS. I would try to make the bright trees a little more vibrant too -- not just saturation, but more highlights and maybe a bit of color adjustment. I might even try cropping the bottom to a little below the three distant ducks. I don't think the ducks in the foreground add much, and there is a lot of empty water in the lower right quadrant.

11/08/2006 03:38:58 PM · #7
Originally posted by meyers:

I nominate JuliBoc for her helpful comment on my poorly scoring Free Study entry.


please count this nomination for the OOFers...
12/06/2006 02:09:31 PM · #8
may I nominate Azrifel for his wonderful comments about my challenge photos?
here:
frozen echo
and for the critics here:
decadence

I don't know how it's usually done but maybe it's fine if everyone posts here? I hope other butterflies will nominate someone too:)

edited to ask: is it ok if I choose a nominee from the comments to my own photos?

Message edited by author 2006-12-06 14:10:54.
12/06/2006 02:27:09 PM · #9
I will have a nomination or two after the free study closes.
12/06/2006 02:48:24 PM · #10
Originally posted by silverfoxx:

edited to ask: is it ok if I choose a nominee from the comments to my own photos?


that's how it's usually done. the only thing I don't like is when someone nominates his/her own photo for an OOBIE!
12/06/2006 02:51:14 PM · #11
Originally posted by posthumous:

that's how it's usually done. the only thing I don't like is when someone nominates his/her own photo for an OOBIE!


Damn
12/06/2006 02:56:03 PM · #12
Originally posted by raish:

Damn


you vainglorious wretch!

I have a nomination for a comment that cracks me up:

Comment by bucket:
ok let's be clear...this type of work hasn't a chance in the DPC world...
get your act together, find a girl, dress her in soft whites, and take a close-up...

quite intriguing this feather caught by a thumb...really very original...and I can't help thinking that it forces the viewer to think a little too much...why? does he hate birds? or is this someone who has recently broken up with his wife, and then realized he no longer needs to sleep with feather pillows...he holds this one last remnant of their relationship up to the sky, he is crying (thus the motion blur around the thumb)...
you should consider doing a thumbscape series..really...just try to get the thumb not moving...(yeah I know, but c'mon look at your shutter speed...)...here comes the smiley...:)

=====================================

edited to add: it might help to see the photo



Message edited by author 2006-12-06 14:57:16.
12/06/2006 02:56:46 PM · #13
I'll quote this comment from ursula:
"There's something quite attractive about this image, it's not perfect, but it's beautiful in a strange sort of way. I like it. ~8"
which may not be a great piece of literature of itself, but I noticed one on a current entry that similarly recognises the potential of an ugly duckling, so I though she should be nominated in the true Yappie spirit.
12/06/2006 03:22:06 PM · #14
I'll second the bucket nomination for his comment on Don's pic - that's entirely too darn funny. I'll also second Ursula for going above and beyond in commenting on the Light on White challenge - seems she hit a lot of folks in that one!
12/07/2006 08:26:29 PM · #15
I'm torn, because I have two great comments on my B&W III entry. That was last month, I know, but I didn't nominate them yet, and they deserve recognition. Since I can't decide between the two, I'll nominate them both and make your decision more difficult.

First -
levyj413 for this constructive and very helpful comment (complete with photographic examples).

"Hi Julie. This composition is quite nice, but my eye wants something more. I'm guessing it's contrast.

I noticed you desaturated by using the saturation slider. Instead, try using the channel mixer. You'd be amazed at how different you can makethe same scene by using different amounts of the red, green, and blue channels.

In case channels are new to you, they're B&W versions that use different levels of gray, from black to white, to show how much of each of red, green, and blue appear in the photo. So something that's bright red will appear almost white in the red channel, but almost black in the blue. Every color combines red, green, and blue in different amounts, and channels separate those levels out. If you're using Photoshop, you can see the "channels" tab in the same box as the layers. Turn each of them on one at a time to see how they work.

You can really emphasize different things. For example, these are both the same shot, using only the red channel or the blue channel: [examples omitted here] For more help, check out this DPC tutorial on converting to B&W [link was provided].

Second -
glad2badad for this very appreciative comment, which showed me that I had succeeded in conveying my feeling about the scene.

"You just have to love that sky! :D I see that forming up and can't wait to grab my camera. Good job on controlling the whites and not blowing them out. The location you've taken this shot lends itself well to the overall feel and composition of this image. You can "feel" the breeze gusting on the water. The pier is abandoned (mostly) which aids in the "get out of here" mentally most people take with approaching storms (photographer's excluded of course). Then last, but not least, you have the interesting lines the pier adds, although as a leading line it keeps the viewer in the lower area of the photo and is minimal in helpful impact. There's probably much more that could be said about this photograph and the way it's put together. Could be a fun one to post to the forums after the challenge is over. :D Best of luck to you in the challenge.

Here's the photo the comments are referring to:
12/08/2006 02:33:35 PM · #16
I have to nominate this comment. It almost made me cry.

Comment by digitalknight:
your images always "speak" to me. I'm amazed at how many times I stop at your image to contemplate and comment in a challenge.

Thank you for being different - for challenging me in a field of pretty shiny photos -

edited to add photo:


Message edited by author 2006-12-08 14:34:37.
12/08/2006 03:11:07 PM · #17
Not necessarily nominations for Yappies, but I do want to publicly give a shout out (is that even a valid phrase these days?) to the folks who took the time to comment on my free study who did NOT like it. I realize when I submitted it that it wouldn't appeal to some, but I was actually quite pleased (believe it or not) that folks did indeed comment that they didn't like it and why. So to those few who are brave enough to actually say what they think - thanks!!
12/16/2006 05:01:02 AM · #18
I have a Yappie nomination but I cant share it until the sky challenge is over.

Message edited by author 2006-12-16 05:01:13.
12/20/2006 01:19:02 PM · #19
so, bucket and ursula lead with several votes:)
dear butterflies let's make our choice:)
12/20/2006 02:07:38 PM · #20
I would like to nominate CNovack for this comment on my pet portrait.And probably every other comment she left in this challenge.

Originally posted by CNovack:

I always find it a most expressive pose whenever a dog cocks their head to the side. To me it communicates curiosity, or the dog's attention has been captured by the viewer or both. Coupled with the open mouth "smile" this red kelpie really looks like he/she is hamming it up for the camera and that creates an instant appeal for the viewer. I like how the dog is captured with the great outdoors as the backdrop. However, I wish the lighting played more evenly across his/her face. The right side falls a little too much into shadow when I think that the rich tones of the Kelpie's color would really shine if it was evenly lighted.


She always spends the the time to look at the image and give a very indepth comment.
12/20/2006 02:08:23 PM · #21
what a great comment!
12/20/2006 02:09:49 PM · #22
Originally posted by keegbow:

I would like to nominate CNovack for this comment on my pet portrait.And probably every other comment she left in this challenge.

Originally posted by CNovack:

I always find it a most expressive pose whenever a dog cocks their head to the side. To me it communicates curiosity, or the dog's attention has been captured by the viewer or both. Coupled with the open mouth "smile" this red kelpie really looks like he/she is hamming it up for the camera and that creates an instant appeal for the viewer. I like how the dog is captured with the great outdoors as the backdrop. However, I wish the lighting played more evenly across his/her face. The right side falls a little too much into shadow when I think that the rich tones of the Kelpie's color would really shine if it was evenly lighted.


She always spends the the time to look at the image and give a very indepth comment.


We'll hold onto this nomination for the next round.
12/20/2006 02:14:16 PM · #23
I'd like to nominate Jeff levyj413 for his incredibly detailed and constructive comments. Here is an example from my free study:

Catherine, I think you did really well with the composition. The angles and colors are very nice. I agree with the score, though like Julianne, I'm having a little trouble figuring out exactly why. First, it could be sharper. It's a shot to be proud of, but to really pop, it needs sharpness. 1/50 was probably a little slow if they were moving, but I realize you were at dusk, so your options were limited, esp. as you were already at ISO 400. Try working with a wider aperture. I don't know how zoomed you were, but you might have been able to keep everything sharp even with a lower f-stop, which would've let you use a faster shutter.

Try this in processing: unsharp at 55, 1.4, 0. It seems to sharpen things up without too much haloing except under the male's neck. Since this is advanced editing, you can go in and erase that either by painting green or cloning a few pixels along that line.

I think you did a good thing making the background different from the tan, but maybe a reddish tint would've made the hen's top piece stand out more? Or make it darker.

One last suggestion: whens shooting, try different settings on multiple shots. Sometimes I'm surprised when I get home how much better an alternate setting works.
12/20/2006 02:30:10 PM · #24
Originally posted by noraneko:

I'd like to nominate Jeff levyj413 for his incredibly detailed and constructive comments. Here is an example from my free study:

Catherine, I think you did really well with the composition. The angles and colors are very nice. I agree with the score, though like Julianne, I'm having a little trouble figuring out exactly why. First, it could be sharper. It's a shot to be proud of, but to really pop, it needs sharpness. 1/50 was probably a little slow if they were moving, but I realize you were at dusk, so your options were limited, esp. as you were already at ISO 400. Try working with a wider aperture. I don't know how zoomed you were, but you might have been able to keep everything sharp even with a lower f-stop, which would've let you use a faster shutter.

Try this in processing: unsharp at 55, 1.4, 0. It seems to sharpen things up without too much haloing except under the male's neck. Since this is advanced editing, you can go in and erase that either by painting green or cloning a few pixels along that line.

I think you did a good thing making the background different from the tan, but maybe a reddish tint would've made the hen's top piece stand out more? Or make it darker.

One last suggestion: whens shooting, try different settings on multiple shots. Sometimes I'm surprised when I get home how much better an alternate setting works.


Holding for the next round of nominations.
12/20/2006 02:38:56 PM · #25
I want to nominate macrothing for saying what most people don't not just in my pic but others' too.

4 - The darker areas are difficult to discern, so perhaps a variation in lighting and/or angle/perspective may have given this extra. Frame seems a bit thick for this image, but your call.

sorry for the lack of linky , I'm browsing with a mobile..

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