| Author | Thread |
|
|
01/11/2003 01:11:53 AM · #1 |
Every week, we have a dicsussion here about what the challenge means and how the topic is defined on an individual basis. It doesn't seem to matter much about how a challenge description is worded. There are always several different and conflicting ideas about what it really means.
I have read so many different ideas of what a 'landscape' is this week that it just annoys me... lol... "Landscape" is a very broad category in my opinion. In my mind, a landscape is any photo that shows a scene, whether it be urban, rural, or otherwise. I also believe that a landscape can contain objects that are not part of the natural surrounding, such as buildings and people.
Part of learning photography, and art in general, IMO, is being able to accept new ideas and concepts. Have an open mind. Be willing to accept interpretations that you may not have thought of yourself. It's a great way to expand your own ideas and improve your own work :)
|
|
|
|
01/11/2003 01:24:12 AM · #2 |
Very well put Setz. I don't think anyone could've said that better. And personally I couldn't agree more.
|
|
|
|
01/11/2003 01:24:41 AM · #3 |
Would you feel the same had the topic been "SEASCAPE" ?
|
|
|
|
01/11/2003 01:37:57 AM · #4 |
Now, I don't want to start this whole thing over again, and not to quibble over symantics, but land is still land even if it has a building on it...seascape has nowhere close the ambiguity that landscape does...I guess that's because the buildings they try to build on the water don't stand up really well.:)
The point is.....see previous Setzler post.
|
|
|
|
01/11/2003 01:46:10 AM · #5 |
I agree with you too John.
My view: Landscape is the lay of the land and what is on it. You hear the saying "the landscape has changed". To me, that means the look of the land has changed, such as, it now has buildings on it, or there is now a lake where there wasn't before. Or there used to be a lot of trees there but the landscape has changed and now there are few. I have seen landscape pictures with one tree in it, or even a stump. I am open to variations of landscapes, as long as they end up reflecting something about the land and what is on it.
|
|
|
|
01/11/2003 01:51:12 AM · #6 |
This is very true. Landscape is a very broad term and we need to be open-minded when voting.
Likewise, fairly ofter we have a post similar to yours, in the 'why can't we all get along' vein. This is also problematic. One must not forget the inherent conflicts associated with this site! In being a 'challenge' site, we introduce a whole range of associated attitudes, opinions, criteria, biases etc. that come with competition.
Art as competition to me is a concept which is inherently flawed. Art can't really be scored. It's about eliciting emotion, not medals or ribbons. A piece might mean nothing to someone, but it doesn't mean that another person can't be moved to tears over the same image. Helmut Newton might be thought of as a total smut merchant to a soccer mom from Utah, but it doesn't make him that to someone else.
Thus, I look at this site as not a vehicle for art but rather a game. If the goal is to win, personal biases, predjudices etc. are not only a part of this site, but absolutely vital. We are rating images, ranking and scoring based on what we like and what we don't. If everyone had an infinitely open mind and respected others opinions and saw other points of view and was kind and nice and all touchy feely, we'd all end up with 10s. After all, a person's vision and effort must have gone into every image posted here. Someone struck by the muse and thusly posting their vision should and does have feelings just like us, and expresses them. Who are we to judge those feelings?
But we do, don't we! Part of this judgement stems from their preconceived notions of, among other things, what a landscape should and shouldn't look like. The challenge topic introduces elements which conflict with an artistic expression. We are constrained! Live with it, deal with it, play the game.
The beauty of the internet is that there are all sorts of sites for everyone. My favourite is photo.net because I can see that 1000 people viewed my image this week...to me that's fantastic, a miracle even. 1000 people seeing what I've done, even if I get not one rating.
James.
|
|
|
|
01/12/2003 07:47:05 PM · #7 |
I too have been reading the "what is a landscape" posts, and it restricted my entry because I tried to keep all happy.
Then I thought about "landscape gardeners" - that job description in itself implies how small and varied a landscape can be. My original instinct (before reading the arguments) was to take a landscape of my kitchen sink... Perhaps I should have went with my instincts. :-) |
|
|
|
01/12/2003 09:24:06 PM · #8 |
Originally posted by jimmythefish:
Art as competition to me is a concept which is inherently flawed. Art can't really be scored. It's about eliciting emotion, not medals or ribbons. A piece might mean nothing to someone, but it doesn't mean that another person can't be moved to tears over the same image. |
Very true. This is the strangeness of this site. But somehow putting our artwork in the context of a competition can give artists a buzz. Sometimes being misunderstood feels good if just one or two people "get" it. Other times you find you've pushed some buttons that get you a huge response from all kinds of people, and that feels good too. It's all about ego! Human nature is a funny thing. |
|
|
|
01/12/2003 09:29:25 PM · #9 |
Just think how boring it would be if everyone were the same?
Variety is truly the spice of life. Viva la difference!
|
|
|
|
01/12/2003 09:32:34 PM · #10 |
I personally prefer landscape photos that have some object of interest in it other than just 'land'. An interesting tree... an old abandoned car... a person... a building... something that gives the eye a place to land and find focus after absorbing the whole scene... just some thoughts...
|
|
|
|
01/12/2003 09:47:24 PM · #11 |
Very true. This is the strangeness of this site. But somehow putting our artwork in the context of a competition can give artists a buzz. Sometimes being misunderstood feels good if just one or two people "get" it. Other times you find you've pushed some buttons that get you a huge response from all kinds of people, and that feels good too. It's all about ego! Human nature is a funny thing.
Right you are. So, if people are enjoying the site in different ways, this is another supporting argument for the individuals making the site what it is, and playing to an audience rather than trying to get the audience to go along with your way of thinking. Hey, I got pissed off about this when I first joined this site. But, just as people like the colour blue over red, so they're going to think that a landscape shouldn't have ocean in it. Is that correct? Does the dictionary definition call for land over water? No, but it doesn't matter! Part of the game is figuring out a response, not what a resonse should be if everyone were Art History majors. |
|
|
|
01/12/2003 09:54:08 PM · #12 |
Originally posted by jmsetzler:
I personally prefer landscape photos that have some object of interest in it other than just 'land'. An interesting tree... an old abandoned car... a person... a building... something that gives the eye a place to land and find focus after absorbing the whole scene... just some thoughts... |
John, very interesting point. I was out taking pictures today and had a shot of a valley from a hilltop clearly in my mind for submission in today’s landscape challenge. After great efforts, none of the shots were useable whatsoever. With all of the snow that we have here and with the glare of the sunlight due to the time of day, the 3D aspects of the river valley was completely lost in the images. It all seemed to blur or blend together as there were no clear lines of demarcation for contours or suitable shadows to outline and frame the terrain. It all looked totally flat!
After a bit of panic that my plan did not work out as conceived, I was able to find another shot on the walk home that was finally submitted. But, without hard, scaled objects in the scene, it totally lost its dimension. So, to your point, I wish I had a building or a structure of some sort today. |
|
Home -
Challenges -
Community -
League -
Photos -
Cameras -
Lenses -
Learn -
Prints! -
Help -
Terms of Use -
Privacy -
Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2024 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 04/16/2024 03:17:51 PM EDT.
