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10/05/2005 03:31:42 AM · #1
Now this is just asking for trouble - according to almost all references I've checked, this meaning of the word is the most obscure. Personification refers to endowing a person with an absolute quality - 'he was the personification of punctuality' and so on - rather than inanimate objects; many dictionaries don't even carry the definition used in the challenge details.

The literary trick of endowing the inanimate with human qualities is called anthropomorphism. Might I suggest a challenge title change? Else there'll just be a swarm of people getting it wrong because to many the title and details will have mutually exclusive definitions.

E
10/05/2005 03:38:36 AM · #2
Personification is giving human qualities to animals or objects.
from
Literary term dictionary

Personification is giving human traits (qualities, feelings, action, or characteristics) to non-living objects (things, colors, qualities, or ideas).

For example: The window winked at me. The verb, wink, is a human action. A window is a non-living object.
from
IM schools

Personification: Figure which represents abstractions or inanimate objects with human qualities, including physical, emotional, and spiritual; the application of human attributes or abilities to nonhuman entities.
from

American Rhetoric.Com

These were just the 1st three I came across on a google search.

Message edited by author 2005-10-05 05:34:36.
10/05/2005 03:45:35 AM · #3
Originally posted by e301:

many dictionaries don't even carry the definition used in the challenge details.


Mine does, in fact it contains both, and since it's the oxford english dictionary I think you're safe enough leaving the challenge as it is.

Personify - represent (thing or abstraction) as having personal nature; symbolise (quality) by figure in human form; (esp, in p.p.)- embody in one's own person or typically exemplify (quality): personification.

I wouldn't worry overly about it Ed. Whichever version of the definition you chose, as long as it's executed well enough to be clear to the viewer it shouldn't matter.
10/05/2005 05:33:17 AM · #4
I'm with Ed, here. Otherwise it's just going to be another Hidden Faces Challenge.
10/05/2005 05:33:30 AM · #5
Can I just say that this (the challenge description) is the meaning of the word that was used in my O-level English all those years ago.
10/05/2005 06:17:56 AM · #6
here is some natural "personification" //www.infotravelromania.ro/foto/busteni/sfinx.jpg . It is called the "sfinx" and you can admire it in the Bucegi Mounatins, in Romania. ohh, I wanna go homeeeee....too bad I can't do that for the moment, I have to work :-(...in Belgium....snif, snif
10/05/2005 06:46:31 AM · #7
"inanimate " object, doesn't work for me and the limitation bugs me.

Please stop with these can-of-worms Challenge details. I immediately thought of shooting an animal and now as it stands I won't enter. Just imagining someone judging solely on the detail description is enough of a deterrent.
10/05/2005 07:05:28 AM · #8
Originally posted by AJAger:

Can I just say that this (the challenge description) is the meaning of the word that was used in my O-level English all those years ago.


Same here, except when I did them they were called GCSEs and it was only 3 years ago :P
10/05/2005 07:17:49 AM · #9
Originally posted by pawdrix:

Please stop with these can-of-worms Challenge details.

Please keep these can-of-worm Challenge details. They promote healthy debate and foster a deeper and more accepting understanding of nuance.
10/05/2005 07:26:05 AM · #10
Originally posted by Koriyama:

Originally posted by pawdrix:

Please stop with these can-of-worms Challenge details.

Please keep these can-of-worm Challenge details. They promote healthy debate and foster a deeper and more accepting understanding of nuance.


More accepting? I don't know about that...

I enjoy discussion but I hate seeing comments that say "Does Not Meet The Challenge" and many voters don't read these forums. I get annoyed when I see mine or other good images go down the pipes because of this stuff.

Happens all the time...
10/05/2005 07:29:18 AM · #11
Originally posted by pawdrix:

Originally posted by Koriyama:

Originally posted by pawdrix:

Please stop with these can-of-worms Challenge details.

Please keep these can-of-worm Challenge details. They promote healthy debate and foster a deeper and more accepting understanding of nuance.


More accepting? I don't know about that...

I enjoy discussion but I hate seeing comments that say "Does Not Meet The Challenge" and many voters don't read these forums. I get annoyed when I see mine or other good images go down the pipes because of this stuff.

Happens all the time...

I thought of adding a smiley mark after my comment but decided against it thinking that the irony was obvious. Maybe not.
10/05/2005 08:30:12 AM · #12
I remember the Minimalism debates and the few threads dedicated to it and then the threads started by people who were getting nailed by the voters, that OBVIOUSLY hadn't read what had been settled on as an acceptable entry...

It's all good until your the one staring a 4.8 straight in the face, that the update botton can't do away with, no matter how many times you hit it...

But now that I think about it there are millions of "inanimate" objects that can be personified...so why flirt with the masses?

"...the sea was angry that day, my friends. Like an old man trying to return soup at a Deli" -George Costanza (Seinfeld)
10/05/2005 08:42:24 AM · #13
Originally posted by pawdrix:

Originally posted by Koriyama:

Originally posted by pawdrix:

Please stop with these can-of-worms Challenge details.

Please keep these can-of-worm Challenge details. They promote healthy debate and foster a deeper and more accepting understanding of nuance.


More accepting? I don't know about that...

I enjoy discussion but I hate seeing comments that say "Does Not Meet The Challenge" and many voters don't read these forums. I get annoyed when I see mine or other good images go down the pipes because of this stuff.

Happens all the time...


This is where the voters usually go wrong and it shouldn't deter you from entering a challenge, in fact you should enter knowing that you did it right and some people just don't get it.

May I suggest to all voters of all challenges (that read this thread) that if you do not understand the details of the challenge or maybe don't clearly see how the image fits the challenge then maybe you should just not vote on it. Leave a comment stating it wasn't clear to you and leave it at that. Don't instantly give a 1 because you can't see the human aspect of the image or how it otherwise fits the challenge. (If the challenge says shoot a rock and someone shoots the empty sky then maybe you can give them a one but if they shot the moon in the sky then they have meet the challenge and should be voted accordingly.) Maybe if you don't have enough creativity and/or imagination to get it, then you don't have the ability to effectively and accurately vote on it.

I think way to often a voter does not read the details close enough and actually understand the challenge and is too quick to make sure they vote on all images, so they just hurry through and click a score.

Just my 2cents

(I wish I was going to be in ST. Charles, MO this weekend, I found a really cool barn there that appears to be winking when one of the large windows is closed. Really cute)
10/05/2005 09:11:47 AM · #14


Perfect example of anthropomorphism - the personification of an animal.

Hope this helps people understabnd what the challenge details are getting at.

10/05/2005 09:21:50 AM · #15
I'm afraid we're going to see lots of snapshots of tree trunks. LOL

Good luck all. I find this challenge much more inspiring than pride. Get ready for lots of soldiers and flags. :~(
10/05/2005 09:25:41 AM · #16
OK, we can debate the specifics of the word personification until the cows come home, but the specifics are clearly outlined in the challenge details...

Personification occurs when inanimate objects are endowed with human qualities or represented as possessing human form or personality

Someone "personifying" punctuality does not meet this particular challenge IMHO. A window "winking" at someone does.

An inanimate object endowed with human qualities. A face in the clouds could be loosely translated as personification.

Personally I think that this is a very valid debate that can be quickly addressed by simply reading the challenge details. As for my voting is concerned, if it's not an inanimate object or does not portray human qualities, it gets a low score. Simple!
10/05/2005 09:40:59 AM · #17
Originally posted by Jutilda:

Good luck all. I find this challenge much more inspiring than pride. Get ready for lots of soldiers and flags. :~(


I was hoping for lots of lions...
10/05/2005 09:41:07 AM · #18
Originally posted by mesmeraj:



Perfect example of anthropomorphism - the personification of an animal.

I agree that is one eample personification. But not appropriate for this challenge, since a dog is an "animate" object. To me, the challenge can be summarized as: Take a photo of an inanimate (non-human-looking) object but yet still shows human characteristics or evokes a human feeling.

The "non-human-looking" clause is very important, as it is intended to prevent people from using "woodies", dolls, etc. since that would be way too easy.
10/05/2005 10:01:28 AM · #19
Originally posted by EddyG:

Originally posted by mesmeraj:



Perfect example of anthropomorphism - the personification of an animal.

I agree that is one eample personification. But not appropriate for this challenge, since a dog is an "animate" object. To me, the challenge can be summarized as: Take a photo of an inanimate (non-human-looking) object but yet still shows human characteristics or evokes a human feeling.

The "non-human-looking" clause is very important, as it is intended to prevent people from using "woodies", dolls, etc. since that would be way too easy.


Totally agree with Eddy here! Though Lexi is cute as a button, she is definitely NOT inanimate. Shame, I would love to use her again! :)
10/05/2005 10:39:56 AM · #20
...and Eddy's reasoning is exactly why I won't enter. I understand that it's my personal hang up...but I can't hang with that logic.
10/05/2005 10:43:59 AM · #21
Challenge Details: Personification occurs when inanimate objects are endowed with human qualities or represented as possessing human form or personality. Take a photo of something non-human-looking but yet still shows human characteristics or evokes a human feeling.

That's the challenge description. It's pretty cut and dry. Clearly says "non-human-looking".
10/05/2005 11:01:10 AM · #22
Look up the word Personification and it's no longer cut and dry

Unless the word Personification itself means nothing?
10/05/2005 12:03:56 PM · #23
Originally posted by pawdrix:

Look up the word Personification and it's no longer cut and dry

Unless the word Personification itself means nothing?


but we're not going by the "looked up" meaning, we go by the challenge details and the challenge details should be ALL you go by. Some people found different meanings and this is why they give us the details to follow and abide by. Follow the details set forth when shooting and voting and we would all live happier lives...well ok you should comment too but that's 14 other threads. ;)
10/05/2005 12:31:36 PM · #24
Is this a Dictionary Challenge site or a Photo Challenge site??

Sheesh... Close the books, put them back on the shelf, pick up your cameras, go out and photograph something.....
10/05/2005 12:48:54 PM · #25
We've actually got a (small) group over on flickr--Animate Objects--that basically has the same rules as this challenge.

You may be interested in seeing a few examples of endowing inanimate objects with human qualities.

Admittedly the pictures in the group pool right now may not have done well in this challenge, because sometimes the personification is not obvious, relying on the comments, background story, etc. to "get it."

Message edited by author 2005-10-05 12:49:33.
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