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Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Desolation II (Advanced Editing IV)
Collection: Stories
Camera: Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT
Lens: Sigma 18-50mm f/3.5-5.6 DC for Canon
Location: Tranquility, NJ
Date: Jun 18, 2006
Aperture: 8
ISO: 100
Shutter: 100
Galleries: Animals, Black and White
Date Uploaded: Jun 18, 2006

 crop, blue channel, curves

post-challenge:
This is my dog, Gracie, right after we gave her a bath. I got some complaints about how she blends into the background, but some understood that this adds a sense of desolation to the picture.

Statistics
Place: 173 out of 197
Avg (all users): 4.8564
Avg (commenters): 5.0714
Avg (participants): 4.9268
Avg (non-participants): 4.7980
Views since voting: 1108
Views during voting: 323
Votes: 181
Comments: 19
Favorites: 0

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AuthorThread
 02/29/2012 12:37:51 AM
That is the last thing I would've said about this shot, that the subject blends too well with the BG. I'm romanced by the heightened contrast. Totally. The body language of the dog speaks eloquently of after-bath tristesse. I fail to find desolation in this shot, though, but perhaps that's because my little dog recovers her optimism the moment she's all dry. Thanks for posting it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/27/2006 12:12:11 AM
Originally posted by DrAchoo:
I see you felt this added to the desolation feel, but I'd push you a bit and ask you how?


Metaphorically. It represents the sense of being overwhelmed by your environment, of losing your sense of identity. It even suggests death, the way the body is reclaimed by the earth. Yes, I'm a poet. :)

But I also have a taste for the flatness of an image. I like the way this picture has one texture throughout and the dog as such is seen only as a disruption of the texture. Instead of "popping" from the frame, the dog humbly melds into the environment, and that humility is echoed in her expression.

After all, I could have easily distinguished the dog from its environment by leaving in the color. :)
 06/26/2006 02:45:19 PM
Interesting picture. Two things jump out. You use an atypical definition of desolation (more emotional content rather than a physical sense). That probably cost you a bit, but I think it's just as valid as any other. The biggest issue with the picture is the dog's fur blends so well with the texture of the grass. This is especially evident around the dog's head where it is downright lost in the background. I'm not even sure where the dog's left ear is. Her left eye is also lost.

I see you felt this added to the desolation feel, but I'd push you a bit and ask you how?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/26/2006 01:28:48 AM
I gave this an 8 and thought it was a strong entry for this challenge. And oh yeah I got the same carbon copy comment from American_Horse. Realy nice when you get copy and paste like comments.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
06/25/2006 06:46:42 AM
What a sad face! As presented here in B&W, it's hard to distinguish the dog from the background which is kind of interesting in a way, but probably won't help you score-wise in the challenge.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/24/2006 10:18:49 PM
Poor thing, looks so sad....
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/23/2006 08:19:57 PM
fascinating study with an artistic graphical ptresentation. 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/23/2006 06:34:43 AM
Cute but the detail is too blended for these tones.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/23/2006 01:54:13 AM
Thats a great expression you captured on this dog's face. His fur and the grass are almost identical in texture and tone so it makes him disappear.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/22/2006 10:51:40 PM
this is nice, as it fits the definition pretty well. the crop seems a bit tight tho. i think the use of the rule of thirds could have helped the composition a bit. also, i like the feel you get from the high contrast, but seeing as how the texture of the grass and the dog's fur are very similar, the dog sort of blends in a little too much.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/20/2006 07:48:16 PM
OMG was she OK? This is very busy...hard to distinguish grass vs dog...color may have been better?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/20/2006 06:37:01 PM
Looks like he was beat up.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/20/2006 03:23:03 PM
isn't this a private moment? :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/19/2006 06:47:01 PM
This dog blends into the background too much making it hard to see the dog.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/19/2006 04:57:49 PM
Perfect image for this challenge.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/19/2006 02:28:44 PM
Sorry, but I am not convinced of Desolation.

comp weird, lighting flat, blacks too deep, whites not there, good texture,
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/19/2006 02:03:07 PM
The camoflaged dog amid an all-to-busy view of texture does have an overall depressing effect. Desolation indeed.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/19/2006 10:39:58 AM
The black and white doesn't help this image. The dog gets lost in the grass. Almost looks camouflaged.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/19/2006 05:16:23 AM
Not too keen on the harsh tonal contrast. The crop you have used feels awkward somehow, neither close enough or wide eough to give context.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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