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End of the Road in Oz
2nd PlaceEnd of the Road in Oz
scalvert


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Dead End (Advanced Editing IV)
Collection: Favorites - Ribbons
Camera: Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT
Lens: Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM
Location: Easton, CT
Date: Nov 6, 2005
Aperture: f/5.0
ISO: 200
Shutter: 1/40
Galleries: Humorous
Date Uploaded: Nov 6, 2005

This started out as a simple idea (I already had the brick road and ruby slippers from the Yellow challenge), and turned into an exercise in determination. First, I had to find striped socks, and they're not exactly in fashion. Time to improvise. You're looking at a pair of children's white leggings filled with polyester pillow stuffing and wrapped with electrical tape. The "dress" is a loose piece of the black fabric that I use for backdrops.

Next, I had to find something to cover the edges of the board (that's real brick facing on 3/4" plywood). Home Depot doesn't carry artificial turf in the Fall, so I just arranged clumps of grass around the edges. It's tedious, and I was a little sloppy in my haste to finish before I lost the sun. The colored leaves could have been distributed better, too.

Finally, I waited until deadline day to shoot so I could get some nice morning light. I woke up to heavy fog. Grrr!! It was supposed to rain later in the day, so I carried everything across the street to a vacant farm house to shoot whatever I could under the gloomy clouds. The flat lighting made it really hard to see the bricks. Naturally, the sun came out in the late afternoon, so I dragged everything back down there and set it up all over again (that brick panel weighs well over 100 lbs). I took about 250 shots to get this one, all in RAW because I figured I'd have to do a Photoshop War Dance to compensate for the lousy light (it wasn't as bad as I thought).

Processing: Saturation, Exposure and White Balance in RAW. Saturation and color shifting on the yellow brick, Levels, HSL, Curves and USM throughout. I cloned out marks on the brick, a few blades of grass, and touched up the black tape, legs, and a support under one shoe. I wanted to scrunch the dress completely under the siding, but settled for smoothing out the top edge.

Whew... I hope it was worth the effort!
(I guess it was) ;-)

Statistics
Place: 2 out of 173
Avg (all users): 6.9231
Avg (commenters): 8.3056
Avg (participants): 6.7129
Avg (non-participants): 7.1215
Views since voting: 15739
Views during voting: 480
Votes: 208
Comments: 103
Favorites: 24 (view)


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AuthorThread
11/20/2005 10:55:51 PM
With all of the time and work that went into this arrangement, not to mention the lighting, exposure and so forth, you should have gotten first place.
Great work.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/20/2005 02:01:28 AM
wehearheisawizzofawizzifeverawizztherewas

Nice set up and congrats on the ribbon!

Message edited by author 2005-11-20 02:02:23.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/18/2005 03:44:44 PM
Extremely creative and cleaver. Shot well done. A well deserved ribbon, congradulations. Van
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/18/2005 02:18:45 PM
wow neat shot. i really like this shot. i like the bright yellow road just like the movie. like the old house. once again great shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/18/2005 10:02:00 AM
This is so funny. One of my all time favorites. Thanks for the smile!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/17/2005 08:27:02 PM
Wow, that is just fantastic.

What a great take on the contest and so very well done.

Great job !
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/17/2005 08:05:24 AM
I found these legs at a Party Store for Halloween. These look great. Congrats on your win. VERY well deserved !
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/16/2005 09:21:14 PM
Excellent image..lol.. poor ole witch. Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/16/2005 03:03:01 PM
nice....i love it, i was just watching like 2 nights ago
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/16/2005 09:22:54 AM
You are the master.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/16/2005 05:35:07 AM
Awesome shot well done
i didnt notice the grass or that any photoshop had been used glad your effort payed off
funny :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/15/2005 04:41:52 PM
Wow, you worked your butt off, it shows and it paid off! Great shot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/15/2005 12:29:58 PM
Shannon, you need a life!
LOL
Great shot btw. Ever think of doing graphic arts for a living?

  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/15/2005 07:56:22 AM
Great idea! Wonderful job on the colors!
Congrats! :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/15/2005 07:31:22 AM
imaginative, great work, very good colors
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 10:21:21 PM
I guess there is no place like home. YAY! Must be fun doing shots like this.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 09:37:18 PM
HOLLLLY COW! Well, that WAS a lot of work. I was just mentioning on another site how much some of us really do for a good turnout in a contest so it is sad when someone low balls you in voting. I can't BELIEVE someone gave you a 3 and 4's! I gave this a ten, and I was wondering how you did it! LOL...Now that I know, it all makes sense. Thank you. You are a genius!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 08:25:45 PM
I guess I'll never win a ribbon. I am not going through that much work for a photo (unless I'm getting paid big) LOL.

My hats off to you! Congrats.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 08:14:09 PM
I had fun looking at this image. Too bad I can't vote. I would have given this an easy 10!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 05:48:58 PM
Congrats on the ribbon! Was pleased to see this on the front page this morning. Very well done!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 05:38:10 PM
Congratulations Shannon!! Happy to see you had time to garner another Ribbon with this very cool image! It is So You! Great Work as usual!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 03:50:23 PM
love the idea... and you pulled it off very well!! love the explanation almost more than the photo, loL!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 03:24:39 PM
OUCH!! Now that's gotta hurt...loved that movie as a kid!! Great job!!

  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 02:32:09 PM
Terrific, Shannon--like Bear, I am not construction-oriented, and admire people who can concpetualize, build and shoot their visions. Congrats on your payoff!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 02:30:10 PM
Really neat idea. Loved it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 02:12:00 PM
Brilliant, congrats! For some reason I didn't get to vote on this one, I didn't see it. I think I only voted on 50% of the entries for this challenge. Good one!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 02:09:45 PM
Congrats on your ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 01:17:03 PM
Love this one Shannon. Great photo and well deserved ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 11:44:52 AM
Very, very well done!

  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 11:12:31 AM
Well worth the effort =)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 11:11:50 AM
Such a great picture. You deserve it!

Thanks for the smile!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 09:46:19 AM
Congratulations Shannon! Well-deserved ribbon! LOL You are the MASTER of elaborate setups!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 08:20:39 AM
Innovative as usual Shannon!!! Congrats!! :-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 07:24:19 AM
Congrats on another ribbon Shannon! I had this pinned as yours just by the creativity alone before I remembered the yellow bricks and slippers from your other one. Great job, and I'm glad to hear that it's not your house... I was ready to bring paint and brushes over Thanksgiving weekend when we're out that way!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 07:12:53 AM
Awesome job..! Congrats..!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 07:04:44 AM
Excellent!!!! Congrats Shannon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 06:26:43 AM
Congrats! Figured this had to ribbon. Enjoyed reading all abt your creative set-up.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 05:27:20 AM
Great setup excellent photo congrats on the red!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 02:13:07 AM
Terrific, this made me laugh. I love to read the how's and why's of the work.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 01:57:01 AM
Worth the effort, indeed! It's always interesting to read about the great lengths you go through for your entries -- good to see it pays off! Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 01:53:48 AM
Ditto to all the wonderful comments! Great set-up and execution(no pun intended) Again! Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 01:36:09 AM
Originally posted by scalvert:

First, I had to find striped socks, and they're not exactly in fashion


WHAT!!!
Should have come to me hahah. I'm the queen of out of fashion pantihose.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 01:30:58 AM
Ha! I thought that was yours! I read up on your red slippers shot from a while ago, and so when I saw the yellow brick road, I had a clue it was you. Nice work on the ribbon. Excellent shot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 01:09:19 AM
Your creativity imagination and effort you put into your creations always amazes me. I am always fascinated by your work. Congratulations on a well deserved ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 01:00:38 AM
I knew it! Congrats.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 12:46:33 AM
Hey Shannon: this humor angle has been handled so well to yield a worthy entrant. Congratulations on your RED. Exceptional work.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 12:36:53 AM
Congrats.....very well done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 12:24:24 AM
It was definately worth the effort .. this was a 9 in the challenge .. fantastic work .. congrats on your 2nd place!!

Message edited by author 2005-11-14 00:26:21.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 12:24:09 AM
I suspected this was yours because I remembered you had the yellow brick road setup and because it's so clever! Congratulations!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 12:22:32 AM
Fun story and great shot. We are SUCH opposites; I can't imagine "constructing" a shot that way anymore... Congrats on red!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 12:18:17 AM
love it
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 12:14:50 AM
great shot shannon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 12:11:10 AM
Congratulations!!!! I thought this one would be among the winners.

Reminds me of the old joke, "How do contortionists die?" "They meet their end."
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 12:11:08 AM
can't wait to see next year's version ;-)
congrats, shannon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 12:09:44 AM
I remember those bricks from your other submission, and knew this was you! :-) Congrats and I'm so glad you didn't give up with the weather, your the man, man.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 12:06:22 AM
I knew it! I knew it! Shannon this is great!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2005 12:06:09 AM
Woot! Nice job Shannon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
11/13/2005 11:51:12 PM
Ohhh I recognize the yellow brick road. Might I say this is a Scalvert original? Great humor and colors. 9

Edit: Bumping to 10 for oroginality :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/13/2005 11:46:23 PM
Great sense of humor wuth singing colors. Bump.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/13/2005 09:31:30 PM
My fav of the challenge. Well thought out, imaginative. I hope no witches were harmed in the making of that shot...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/13/2005 09:21:45 PM
do I recognize this yellow brick road and ruby red shoes? :)

  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/13/2005 03:52:19 PM
Of course I gave this a 10. What could be better and more imaginative than this!?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/13/2005 01:24:25 PM
lol, what fun!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/13/2005 07:08:07 AM
Humorous capture, very well presented. I love the idea, which is surely creative for this challenge and the colours as well. As I am a summer phanatic, autumn also means me the end of the best days of a year.
Good luck!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/13/2005 01:27:00 AM
great find, super color.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/12/2005 01:09:54 PM
this is so funny..!! Good job!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/12/2005 09:01:18 AM
i like this one...=) i hope this makes it
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/12/2005 12:14:33 AM
I gave out two 10s in this challenge and this would be my pick for first place. I absolutely love it. It cracked me up. Colors are terrific and it's easily recognizable. Good luck!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/11/2005 09:59:52 PM
lol i like this very much
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/11/2005 04:38:23 PM
Good job, this is well done and alot of work
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/11/2005 07:58:05 AM
Wonderful photo! The colors and composition are great. This is in my top 10.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/11/2005 04:42:23 AM
That yellow brick road looks familiar :) Great humor in this photo and well shot (I like the low angle)! Nice concept as well! Good luck!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/10/2005 09:47:12 PM
LOL. and you even composed it well. good colors. DOF. but who cares about that crap, this is just dern funny!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/10/2005 09:03:56 PM
This got my 2nd highest vote. Not because it is my favorite movie of all times,but because it is a great picture!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/10/2005 08:31:19 PM
LOL Cute idea!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/10/2005 05:41:40 PM
This is so fantasy-like. Love the idea and whole composition of lines, contrast and colour. Different and interesting!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/10/2005 04:16:29 PM
VERY CREATIVE
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/09/2005 03:13:29 PM
ha! hee hee
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/08/2005 11:33:25 PM
cute
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/08/2005 10:25:45 PM
I thought it was ROnald McDonald in the thumbnail. Nice job.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/08/2005 08:58:06 PM
. . . and the winner is. . .
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/08/2005 10:37:37 AM
Yes, it meets the challenge, but...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/08/2005 09:55:27 AM
creative…inventive…well done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/08/2005 08:32:38 AM
Imaginative with nice composition.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/08/2005 03:35:36 AM
you really flattened the witch... great PIC....inventive... colorful..and a great idea
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/07/2005 07:30:32 PM
LOL! The wicked witch is dead!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/07/2005 06:45:47 PM
Haha, this is really a cool idea, I'd give it a 10 ..
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/07/2005 06:11:57 PM
lol! Well captured end and one of my favorites in this challenge
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/07/2005 04:55:27 PM
okay, not only do I LOVE OZ, your clarity, focus, setup, idea are all great...my fav of whole challenge 10+ gl
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/07/2005 04:41:10 PM
Cute. Nicely colored. If this wasn't for Halloween, kudos for the setup work for the challenge. 7
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/07/2005 03:58:20 PM
Wicked !! It was the witches end, but Dorothy's beginning. Great color and love the added fall leaves. Nice job.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/07/2005 02:08:08 PM
and you thought no one would remember...good luck!


Message edited by author 2005-11-14 00:10:18.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/07/2005 12:11:23 PM
One of the truly original shots in this challenge in my opinion. Very well composed and shot. Focus is spot on and colors are great. PLacement of the subject is very nice as well. I hope this ribbons! Well done!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/07/2005 10:11:25 AM
outstanding!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/07/2005 08:40:03 AM
ROFL This is pretty darn funny. The shininess of the yellow brick road seems a bit plastic and fake. Maybe if you did a slight desat and maybe did some dodge and burn to it. Just a thought. I still like it and love the old building's peeling paint along with the strewn sycamore (? ) leaves. Fun and entertaining.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/07/2005 07:25:29 AM
Another great example of the creative mind of SCalvert? (please excuse me if I'm wrong.) This is GREAT, and an excellent take on the challenge!!! Composition, lighting are all superb, and the fall leaves are a nice touch. Well done!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/07/2005 02:27:50 AM
hahaha someone has a wicked sense of humour
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/07/2005 01:19:44 AM
LOL...This is HYSTERICAL! I want to know WHERE in the world you found a place for this shot! Did you actually paint that brick? LOL....
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/07/2005 01:08:55 AM
Loved it! Where in the world did you find a Wicked Witch of the West to kill? :-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/07/2005 12:27:31 AM
reusing your props again, Shannon? great job and excellent challenge interpretation. The autumn leaves are a great detail.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/07/2005 12:25:34 AM
LOL, clever concept! Nice bright colors.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/07/2005 12:22:43 AM
so clever! and very well done! you're going to rock this one!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/07/2005 12:18:25 AM
This is so cool!
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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