What was wrong with this photo? - DPChallenge Forums

04/10/2006 12:10:15 PM · #1

I had thought that I understood the tastes of the DPC voters with some degree of accuracy, but the last challenge left me totally puzzled. I was pretty sure that my entry

would end up in 6's or at least in high 5's. Admittedly, it is not very original (it is a flower :)) but I thought it was decently shot, and there are tons of flowers above mine all the way to the top 10. The most frustrating part is a lack of comments (2 - i think this is the smallest number I got ever) which indicates total lack of interest in the photo. What went wrong here? Anybody care to explain? Thanks!

Message edited by author 2006-04-10 12:44:46.

Neil

Fujifilm X-T30

04/10/2006 12:17:55 PM · #2

I didn't vote on it, but I agree it's a high 5 or even low 6 photo.

Some possible issues I see:

1) It's lovely but subtle lighting; subtle doesn't always play well on DPC
2) The flower is wilted, at least leaves are showing signs of dying
3) The composition is a bit too much towards the corner

Though I never can really guess what's in the voters minds, as you can see from my very mediocre score on Yellow. If you don't mind, I'd appreciate your thoughts on why mine crashed and burned!

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D IF

04/10/2006 12:35:19 PM · #3

Neil,
thanks for your comments! I thought that it is either wilt of the flower or the lack of water droplets :). Actually I liked it wilted - together with subdued lighting it added character to the shot, in my opinion. As for the composition - I did it on purpose, I think it is more dynamic this way. I actually used the same composition once before,

with somewhat better result :)

I left you a comment on your Yellow entry.

pawdrix

Nikon D700

04/10/2006 12:44:23 PM · #4

Lev-It's a very nice image but to my taste a little dark, a little wilted and a little ordinary. I like the border but I'm not sure how much I like where it cuts or blends with the glass on the lower left. Maybe the "border nazis" got ya?

I didn't vote in the Challenge but it seems like it's kinda where it belongs on the average.

Message edited by author 2006-04-10 12:45:22.

Neil

Fujifilm X-T30

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

04/10/2006 12:57:08 PM · #5

Lev, thanks for your comment.

RE composition, looking at it again for more specifics: It's not being in the corner that matters, because I'm sure at least part of the flower is "close" to the thirds intersection. It just seemed a bit too high up. What if there were as much space above the flower as to the right? It's only a small difference, but that might balance it better.

Well at least we can commiserate. ;)

Beetle

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

04/10/2006 01:07:09 PM · #6

I didn't vote, but when I looked at it just now, I felt let down.

Daffodils have such a happy bright color and are one of the clearest symbols of spring.

However, instead of happy and bright, I saw one solitary flower, wilting, in dark light.

Your image - to MY eyes - looks depressing, perhaps even foreboding.
I am not against photos of that sort of mood, but I prefer it when the mood matches the subject - e.g. an abandoned building, cemetary, forest (and many many more) are great for a dark mood; but daffodils are NOT on that list.

Please don't get mad at me. Those are MY emotions, and feelings aren't right or wrong, they just ARE.

Kelli

Canon EOS-D60

Canon EF 28-135mm F/3.5-5.6 IS USM

04/10/2006 01:15:28 PM · #7

I gave you a 5. I also thought it looked rather depressing, though well done technically. It seemed the flower was dying and yellow is such an uplifting color. The dark background also seemed just wrong somehow. I don't really know how to explain what I mean by that. As someone else said, just a feeling.
Maybe you could let me know what you think of mine as it did much worse than yours did.

04/10/2006 01:20:58 PM · #8

Karin (Beetle),
I think you nailed it: the dissonance between common perception of daffodils as a standard symbol of spring rejuvenation and the lonely and dark presentation of this shot. In fact, this turning a cliche upside down is exactly what made this shot interesting for me, but obviously not for many others. My idea was that the life of a daffodil (or a person, for that matter) is short, and spring bloom is always followed by decay. It is a bit depressing, but it is life. Does art have to be uplifting? ...and besides, i love the look of wilted flowers :)

Anyway, thank you for pointing this out directly to me, I think I got it now!

Message edited by author 2006-04-10 13:54:08.

Raynox Pro Digital 0.66X Wide Angle Conversion

04/10/2006 02:41:50 PM · #9

Originally posted by kdsprog:

Kelli, thanks for your thoughts, however I disagree that yellow is necessarily an uplifting color. Yellow can be menacing. Yellow can be sick. Yellow can be anything, depending on context. Of course feeling is feeling, can't argue with that.

I left a comment on your Yellow shot.

Message edited by author 2006-04-10 14:42:42.

RolandB

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

04/10/2006 03:12:47 PM · #10

When I first saw this during the voting, it was a breath of fresh air... a totally different way of handling a flower. It was moody, made a statement, and had absolutely beautiful lighting.

I thought the overall composition was excellent, and the lack of water drops seemed appropriate... the thing was dying!

I liked the sharpness. So many pictures in the challenges seem to suffer from lack of sharpness, as if when resizing, no correction is made.

I really liked it... gave it a 7.

Kaups

Canon EOS-50D

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

04/10/2006 03:13:27 PM · #11

I'm not sure what it is about it but I don't like the lighting. Composition is great and I didn't even notice the wiltedness.

kenskid

Nikon D700

04/10/2006 03:25:26 PM · #12

Lighting seems fine...the only thing I don't like is that the flower is dying.

KS

shots

Fujifilm FinePix S7000

04/10/2006 03:34:36 PM · #13

I tend to agree with commenters about the condition of the specimen, but only insofar as it's condition relates to the setup of the composition. The "long stalked" elegant style of the composition would suit a perfect specimen. However, I think that the lighting in your shot is superb in it's rendering of the textures and detail of the flower head. I wonder weither a tighter crop of the head would have made a more powerful composition, and a more pleasing image. I'm a newbie on this site, and not an expert photographer, but I found that my eye was drawn towards the flower head, and not the stalk or vase....

well done anyway...nice shot !

vadvirag

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

04/10/2006 03:38:59 PM · #14

Originally posted by kenskid:

Lighting seems fine...the only thing I don't like is that the flower is dying.

KS

Yes, everyone dies one day.

Lev, I left you a comment. You can be sure there is nothing wrong with your photo. Unless the one little fact that people hate to see suffering children, pets and plants, however it's part of our lives and acting as an ostrich does not make a change at all.

Message edited by author 2006-04-10 15:39:55.

alanfreed

Nikon D6