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DPChallenge Forums >> Current Challenge >> am i being too critical ...B&W
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Showing posts 101 - 125 of 151, (reverse)
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 02/28/2008 05:26:09 PM · #101
apparently only the 'subject' had to be in b&w ..
i read the challenge description and fell into the trap, along with a whole heap of other ppl, thinking that the entire image had to appear black & white .. NO COLOUR ..
'subject' can be a very misinterpreted term .. subject can actually be the entire image in certain instances .. eg. a landscape can be a subject even tho its made up of various elements, like trees, hills, animals etc ..
i also went to heaps of trouble to get every hint of colour out'v my entry .. but on the positive side i'm happy that i did, even tho leaving a bit'v colour in would'v been easier .. it has been an excellent learning experience for me, not only setting up the shot but the post processing as well ..
if my entry doesnt go as well as others that have a hint, or even more, of colour i wont be complaining ..
but i really think that it should be made absolutely clear in the challenge description next time, whether colour in the image actually meets the challenge .. its a bit'v a pain trying to satisfy a challenge when you're not totally sure of the guidelines .. :)
02/28/2008 05:38:25 PM · #102
If you read back through the forums, you will see that virtually every single challenge we've ever posted has had a "discussion" where people debated the "correct" interpretation of the challenge title/description.

It is almost impossible -- and wholly unnecessary -- to write a challenge description which denies any opportunity for creative interpretation.

A challenge is not an advertising or journalistic assignment -- it is an opportunity for people to exercise both their artistic and technical skills, and in whatever proportion they like.

You as a voter may disagree with someone's interpretation or dislike their execution, but I'm getting pretty darned tired of that being labeled "wrong."

From the first Negative Space (ironically appropriate, eh?) challenge:


Message edited by author 2008-02-28 18:01:12.
 02/28/2008 05:56:17 PM · #103
Shannon, you are still on that merry go round? arent you getting dizzy yet???
 02/28/2008 06:00:42 PM · #104
generally the path of least resistance is to be painfully literal.

The more literal it is, the better. Anything creative to do with interpreting or making assumptions around the challenge description will be punished by one side or the other.

P A I N F U L L Y literal is the way to go, if you want to score universally well.

This one is a good example



Painting with light was the challenge. Painting with light was the picture.

All of these threads always are exploring the fringes or alternative ways of defining the challenge.
They are all usually perfectly valid and will all score terribly.

painfully literal. Straight down the middle, that's where the popular vote is.


02/28/2008 06:06:11 PM · #105
This has to be one of my favorite examples of creative interpretation of challenge rules.



ETA: (In spite of the fact that it's an over-used subject, and that it's in b/w.)

Message edited by author 2008-02-28 18:07:12.
 02/28/2008 06:08:49 PM · #106
Originally posted by marttila:
Yes Oscar, yours was the one I had in mind :P
I'll give it a 10! (Oh, the voting's over?)


I could've used some of those 10's during voting. lol
 02/28/2008 06:12:47 PM · #107
If what you are after is a high score, I agree with Gordon 100%.

Some bad examples from my own portfolio:

The challenge was Neon Lights

The challenge was Dr. Seuss (pen name of Theodore Geisel)

Personally, I prioritize creative interpretation over technical flawlessness -- and combining both in one image (like Gordon's example) makes it a real winner.
 02/28/2008 06:13:43 PM · #108
Originally posted by Gordon:

P A I N F U L L Y literal is the way to go, if you want to score universally well.

This one is a good example


...

Painting with light was the challenge. Painting with light was the picture.

...

Straight down the middle, that's where the popular vote is.


Yes, but even outside the context of that challenge, that's an awesome picture. I do like the literal interpretation of it, too.
 02/28/2008 06:21:05 PM · #109
Originally posted by desertoddity:
i accept both interpretations of the challenge and will not score one interpretation over the other. as long as the main subject is b&w or the whole photo, then it is not dnmc.

i don't understand how such a creative group of people can insist on interpreting the descriptions so literally. it's nitpicking.


The problem is that the description was ambiguous. The fact that it can be interpreted three different ways shows that. Presumably one of the three was the intent or perhaps not. Often the description is ambiguous which allows people to be creative in how they interpret it.

I for one read it as no color allowed at all, and was shocked when I initially saw the submissions. I haven't voted yet, but I don't plan to mark down for a little color in a photo. I'm a lot like epescala in that tend to vote on the technical merits of a photo and not whether it meets the challenge. I might comment on the fact that it doesn't meet the challenge, but I try not to let that reflect in my score.

Message edited by author 2008-02-28 18:21:35.
 02/28/2008 06:35:05 PM · #110
Originally posted by Moose408:
I'm a lot like epescala in that tend to vote on the technical merits of a photo and not whether it meets the challenge. I might comment on the fact that it doesn't meet the challenge, but I try not to let that reflect in my score.

FYI:
Originally posted by The Voting Rules:


• keep an open mind to other interpretations of the challenge topic.

• consider the challenge topic when voting, and adjust your score accordingly.
 02/28/2008 06:37:00 PM · #111
Originally posted by oscarthepig:
Originally posted by Gordon:

P A I N F U L L Y literal is the way to go, if you want to score universally well.

...

Painting with light was the challenge. Painting with light was the picture.

...

Straight down the middle, that's where the popular vote is.


Yes, but even outside the context of that challenge, that's an awesome picture. I do like the literal interpretation of it, too.


Exactly. The implication that this wasn't creative is a bit bizarre. Meanwhile, people make cheap verbal puns on a challenge theme and imagine themselves creative, then decry how the bourgeois voters are trying to box them in. Puh-leeze.

02/28/2008 06:38:50 PM · #112
My view is the photo needs to feel like a black and white photo. That is the essense of the challenge. Color is ok so long as it is very understated in the photo. If it "makes" the shot (like what selective desaturation tries to do) it is 100% DNMC, IMO.

Message edited by author 2008-02-28 18:41:09.
 02/28/2008 06:41:03 PM · #113
Originally posted by Moose408:
The problem is that the description was ambiguous.

Ambiguous or not, any challenge with a "II" after it means you have the benefit of past examples and discussion to use as a guide. There really shouldn't be much surprise, and this discussion is a rerun of last season.
 02/28/2008 06:45:30 PM · #114
Originally posted by citymars:
... Meanwhile, people make cheap verbal puns on a challenge theme ...


Hey, I like cheap verbal puns :P
 02/28/2008 06:47:53 PM · #115
Originally posted by scalvert:
Originally posted by Moose408:
The problem is that the description was ambiguous.

Ambiguous or not, any challenge with a "II" after it means you have the benefit of past examples and discussion to use as a guide. There really shouldn't be much surprise, and this discussion is a rerun of last season.


I wish those challenges would be hidden when they are repeated. While being able to see them does help people to figure out what might meet the challenge it also hurts creativity in general since people then get locked into shooting the same old same old.

Message edited by author 2008-02-28 18:48:35.
 02/28/2008 06:48:59 PM · #116
Originally posted by oscarthepig:
Originally posted by citymars:
... Meanwhile, people make cheap verbal puns on a challenge theme ...


Hey, I like cheap verbal puns :P


lol, thats 'rich' comming from you (doh, that wasn't a cheap pun)
 02/28/2008 06:54:16 PM · #117
Originally posted by Ecce Signum:
Originally posted by oscarthepig:
Originally posted by citymars:
... Meanwhile, people make cheap verbal puns on a challenge theme ...


Hey, I like cheap verbal puns :P


lol, thats 'rich' comming from you (doh, that wasn't a cheap pun)


I have no comment at this time. lol
 02/28/2008 06:59:54 PM · #118
shouldn't hit the back button and think I've not posted this already!

Message edited by author 2008-02-28 19:01:13.
 02/28/2008 07:02:34 PM · #119
Originally posted by yanko:
My view is the photo needs to feel like a black and white photo. That is the essense of the challenge. Color is ok so long as it is very understated in the photo. If it "makes" the shot (like what selective desaturation tries to do) it is 100% DNMC, IMO.

Succinct and correct, I believe.
 02/28/2008 07:02:59 PM · #120
I'm screwed then, I have about 3% colour in my shot. ={
 02/28/2008 07:03:30 PM · #121
Originally posted by yanko:
Originally posted by scalvert:
Originally posted by Moose408:
The problem is that the description was ambiguous.

Ambiguous or not, any challenge with a "II" after it means you have the benefit of past examples and discussion to use as a guide. There really shouldn't be much surprise, and this discussion is a rerun of last season.


I wish those challenges would be hidden when they are repeated. While being able to see them does help people to figure out what might meet the challenge it also hurts creativity in general since people then get locked into shooting the same old same old.

I am 2 for 2 in agreement with yanko.
 02/28/2008 07:06:59 PM · #122
Originally posted by JulietNN:
I'm screwed then, I have about 3% colour in my shot. ={

I think the only way not to be screwed in this challenge is not to enter. lol
 02/28/2008 07:07:00 PM · #123
Originally posted by citymars:
Exactly. The implication that this wasn't creative is a bit bizarre. Meanwhile, people make cheap verbal puns on a challenge theme and imagine themselves creative, then decry how the bourgeois voters are trying to box them in. Puh-leeze.


I'm not saying if it is creative or not, but it certainly is literal. If you find yourself having to argue about if a picture does or doesn't meet the challenge, then it doesn't it painfully well. And painfully literal is where the points are.


02/28/2008 07:08:05 PM · #124
This was probably one of my lowest scored voting ever. My overall avg vote given is a 5.97, and this challenge, from the 75 i voted on I gave an avg of 4.6667, there were a few really good ones, but most were just not appealing at all.
 02/28/2008 07:12:43 PM · #125
Originally posted by jrjr:
Originally posted by yanko:
Originally posted by scalvert:
Originally posted by Moose408:
The problem is that the description was ambiguous.

Ambiguous or not, any challenge with a "II" after it means you have the benefit of past examples and discussion to use as a guide. There really shouldn't be much surprise, and this discussion is a rerun of last season.


I wish those challenges would be hidden when they are repeated. While being able to see them does help people to figure out what might meet the challenge it also hurts creativity in general since people then get locked into shooting the same old same old.

I am 2 for 2 in agreement with yanko.


The main problem is to do that, you'd have to switch of the internet

//web.archive.org/web/20060804094943///dpchallenge.com/

//web.archive.org/web/20070219060106/www.dpchallenge.com/challenge_results.php?CHALLENGE_ID=529

Message edited by author 2008-02-28 19:14:03.
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