90% to ribbon - DPChallenge Forums

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

03/30/2009 04:44:38 AM · #1

I have finished in the top 10% for a few challenges now, which I am happy with, but I just can't seem to really hit the spot with the DPC crowd. I have had some success with the onexposure community, but the general feel of that site is quite different from DPC. Any suggestions?

Tygerr

Nikon D7000

03/30/2009 06:15:29 AM · #2

My 2 cents...

Just keep doing what you're doing. I think it would be a mistake to try and alter your photography to suit what the voters want on this site.
That's not the same as saying "don't improve your technique" and "don't try anything different". Even master photographers can learn new techniques and improve aspects of their photography. So I think you should be trying new things out all the time, and improving the aspects of your photography you're not happy with.

But what I'm really saying is that you should make your photography a personal journey. As long as you keep producing the best you can possibly produce, you'll continue to improve and build up a portfolio of quality work that will gain you respect regardless of whether it brings in any ribbons.

I've looked at your landscape entries, and your photos are really good. Given different circumstances (like a different challenge theme, or different photographs that yours were competing against), any one of them might have picked up a ribbon. So sometimes the ribbon thing is a bit of luck. And voting is very subjective and based on the voters' interpretation of a theme. Just because an image doesn't get a ribbon, it doesn't mean it's not a great image.

So focus on making great images, and hopefully some day the ribbon will come.

Now if only I could listen to my own advice and make some great images of my own... :-)

03/30/2009 06:23:37 AM · #3

Originally posted by Tygerr:

Thanks Tygerr, I guess you're right. Patience is a virtue, and I should just try different things.

03/30/2009 08:46:52 AM · #4

Originally posted by prperold:

I have finished in the top 10% for a few challenges now, which I am happy with, but I just can't seem to really hit the spot with the DPC crowd.

No suggestions, just wanted to add that I'm in the same place as you are. I am reaching a point where I am caring less about the overall broad appeal value of the score and instead, I am often looking to hit the appeal factor for certain types of folks.

If I nail a ribbon it will simply happen on it's own, there are only a relative handful of people here that can consistently hit that broad appeal factor. (I do get a kick out of hearing someone wonder why their entry "sucks" so bad that it is only worth a 6.1 average score!)

citymars

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

03/30/2009 09:07:50 AM · #5

Wow, Philip. Five out of six of your DPC entries have been in the top 10% -- the most recent was in the top ten entries. I don't think you realize how remarkable that is.

I'm not particularly interested in landscape photography, but even so I love your entries so far. I'm disappointed to see you didn't enter the Hidden Gem/1000 challenge, but I look forward to seeing what you do in the future.

Tygerr's advice is great, by the way. It equally applies to those of us who have never had a photo in the top 10%. :-)

03/30/2009 09:19:22 AM · #6

Oh, heck, I didn't even look at his profile before! Joined in January, and half your entries are over a 6! You will soon enough be one of those people complaining about a low 6 score being a poor score for you. I take my previous statement back, I am not in the same boat with you. It took me months to hit a 6 and they are still infrequent for me.

Added:
I think many of the folks that start scoring high and winning challenges early on fit one or both of two categories:
1- Before finding this site, they have already spent years and effort learning what many of us are still working on.
2- Gobs of innate talent.

I need to not compare myself to someone who does this well right after joining. Every new member at this site is not starting out from the same level.

Message edited by author 2009-03-30 09:24:45.

03/30/2009 09:56:32 AM · #7

Bear in mind that 3 of your 4 highest scores have been in free studies, where the bar (for ribboning) is MUCH higher. Had you garnered similar scores in regular, weekly challenges you might well have a ribbon by now. On the other hand, all your high scores are landscapes, and so you are competing against VERY good images when you enter them. Well they are excellent landscapes, they fall just a bit short of the "DPC ideal" as far as being "colorful" goes, and that may have cost you a little bit.

R.

03/30/2009 02:43:40 PM · #8

Great advice. Thanks guys. I have just bought my first macro lens, so hopefully you'll see some versatility from me. But I do enjoy landscapes, so I guess I'll keep on competing with the guru's, and one day give them a run for their money :)

03/30/2009 02:57:51 PM · #9

Originally posted by prperold:

But I do enjoy landscapes, so I guess I'll keep on competing with the guru's, and one day give them a run for their money :)

Try some water drops,

IreneM needs some stiff competition.

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

03/30/2009 03:36:58 PM · #10

Originally posted by Yo_Spiff:

Originally posted by prperold:
But I do enjoy landscapes, so I guess I'll keep on competing with the guru's, and one day give them a run for their money :)

Try some water drops, IreneM needs some stiff competition.

Haha, I've seen her work, and to beat her at her own game is a tall order. I guess everybody has to try doing a water drop shot or two when they buy their first macro lens

Tygerr

Nikon D7000

03/30/2009 03:45:00 PM · #11

Originally posted by prperold:

Originally posted by Yo_Spiff:

Originally posted by prperold:
But I do enjoy landscapes, so I guess I'll keep on competing with the guru's, and one day give them a run for their money :)

Try some water drops, IreneM needs some stiff competition.

Haha, I've seen her work, and to beat her at her own game is a tall order. I guess everybody has to try doing a water drop shot or two when they buy their first macro lens

Ohhh.... Is that what I'm supposed to be doing with this macro lens? Hold on - I gotta go get some water drops set up in the studio (and all this time I kept going around shooting dead bugs...) :-)

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

03/30/2009 03:48:06 PM · #12

Originally posted by Tygerr:

(and all this time I kept going around shooting dead bugs...) :-)

So THAT'S how everybody gets those super close, pin sharp macros of bugs that fly off when I get within a couple of feet. Dead. Nice trick.

AdiGri

Canon EOS-30D

03/30/2009 03:51:34 PM · #13

Your pictures are awesome and it is just a matter of time before you get a ribbon. I still can't figure out how you guys take such sharp images.

Nikon D800

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G

03/30/2009 03:59:17 PM · #14

it took me 2 years and 50 challenges to ribbon!

03/30/2009 05:24:32 PM · #15

Originally posted by Yo_Spiff:

Originally posted by Tygerr:
(and all this time I kept going around shooting dead bugs...) :-)

So THAT'S how everybody gets those super close, pin sharp macros of bugs that fly off when I get within a couple of feet. Dead. Nice trick.

Don't forget the "freeze 'em for 10 minutes" trick either :-)

R.

SaraR

Sony Alpha a7R III

Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM

03/30/2009 05:32:28 PM · #16

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

Originally posted by Yo_Spiff:

Originally posted by Tygerr:
(and all this time I kept going around shooting dead bugs...) :-)

So THAT'S how everybody gets those super close, pin sharp macros of bugs that fly off when I get within a couple of feet. Dead. Nice trick.

Don't forget the "freeze 'em for 10 minutes" trick either :-)

R.

Seriously?

Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

03/30/2009 05:43:36 PM · #17

Originally posted by SaraR:

Originally posted by Bear_Music:
Don't forget the "freeze 'em for 10 minutes" trick either :-)

Seriously?

Absolutely. Classic trick, slows the metabolism down and makes 'em easier to deal with. They recover just fine, no ill effects.

R.

SteveJ

Canon EOS-7D

03/30/2009 05:46:41 PM · #18

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

Originally posted by SaraR:

Originally posted by Bear_Music:
Don't forget the "freeze 'em for 10 minutes" trick either :-)

Seriously?

Absolutely. Classic trick, slows the metabolism down and makes 'em easier to deal with. They recover just fine, no ill effects.

R.

Yep, but they look sluggish after. Nature does pretty well at that, but you need to be at a higher attitude to get the desired results. Try some Johnson Baby Oil, you get some really smooth, cool drops...and they smell like babies:))

darnok

Nikon D850

Carl Zeiss 50mm ZE f/1.4 Planar T for Canon

03/30/2009 06:28:31 PM · #19

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

I have done the chilled bug trick before - feels like cheating though. The challenge of trying to get a shot of a live bug adds to the fun :)

yanko

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

03/30/2009 06:57:48 PM · #20

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

Works great on hoppers. I found this guy in my kitchen once and tried out that technique (see below). Normally I just shoot them where I find them, which is usually outdoors but in this case he probably would have been eaten by one of the cats had I tried shooting him on the floor.

LVicari

Canon EOS-50D

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

03/30/2009 07:01:17 PM · #21

You guys have it all wrong. Water Drops are too hard, bugs are a lot of work. The "easiest" way to ribbon here is to create a strong silhouette. Easy to do in terms of exposure and execution. Here are some of the many examples

and so on...

Get the picture?

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III

03/30/2009 08:44:57 PM · #22

Originally posted by LVicari:

The "easiest" way to ribbon here is to create a strong silhouette. Easy to do in terms of exposure and execution.

He's right, you know.

roz

Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm 1:2.8 Macro

03/30/2009 09:39:38 PM · #23

i'd be suggesting moving very very slowly and never throwing your shadow over a bug ..
i find it much easier to photograph them in their natural environment .. a lot easier than freezing them and then trying to then put them in a position that mimics nature ..
and if its summer where you live there would be lots of insects to choose from ..
another tip is photographing them in the very early morning .. it works a bit like the freezer, coz they're more sluggish then .. :)

Message edited by author 2009-03-30 21:40:36.

04/13/2009 05:25:29 PM · #24

Originally posted by LVicari:

You guys have it all wrong. Water Drops are too hard, bugs are a lot of work. The "easiest" way to ribbon here is to create a strong silhouette. Easy to do in terms of exposure and execution.

Latest case in point:

prperold just took a blue with

...

R.

Message edited by author 2009-04-13 17:25:57.