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The American Pastime
The American Pastime
arron_christensen


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Games II (Advanced Editing VII)
Camera: Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT
Lens: Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Location: Home
Date: Apr 27, 2008
Aperture: f/1.8
ISO: 200
Shutter: 1/15 sec
Galleries: Sports, Still Life
Date Uploaded: Apr 27, 2008

 So this is actually a re-shoot of something I did for an assignment in my college photography class. It was meant for the social commentary segment, and I think it clearly states the message that the sport of baseball has forever been altered by the use of performance enhancing drugs. I am a huge baseball fan (second only to hockey) and I am saddened to see this beautiful game go through what it has over the past few years. I don't feel bad for the players though, as most make more that I can even dream of.

Photoshop was real simple. Curves, hue/sat to make the stitching redder, cloned out on bright spot on the syringe, burned some bright stitching so it would not distract, resize, usm, save for web.

I really hope this shot does not get beat up for being so serious, as I'm sure that there will be lots of joy portrayed in the games challenge. I guess I'll just wait and see.

Statistics
Place: 33 out of 123
Avg (all users): 5.8256
Avg (commenters): 6.7500
Avg (participants): 5.7241
Avg (non-participants): 5.8772
Views since voting: 926
Views during voting: 333
Votes: 172
Comments: 18
Favorites: 0

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AuthorThread
 05/11/2008 08:15:11 PM
CRITIQUE CLUB CRITIQUE
by karmat

Good take on the challenge. It obviously meets the challenge, I think, as it is about a game, but it also tells a story, or has more purpose than just a picture.

Compositionally, it feels a bit tight, cropwise. I think extending the left and right side a bit (more on the left) would give it a bit more room and make it feel a bit more balanced. I do like how the overall composition moves diagonally through the frame -- this gives it some "movement" and it is not as static as it would be if the needle were lying beside the ball.

Technically, the exposure seems pretty good. I think the lighting, overall, could be a bit more dramatic to make it feel not as flat. Also, it seems as if the needle is leaning toward you (or perhaps away) and that makes it fall outside the focus plane. Since the needle is as important as the ball, I think, if it were focused it might be more effective. Another interesting twist would be to shoot it so that the needle were focused and the ball was not.

An excellent take on the challenge, and very nicely done.

Karma
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
05/04/2008 11:00:20 PM
Oooh... photo with a message!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/04/2008 06:19:16 PM
Nicely done. lighting is perfect and subject and commentary are interesting.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/04/2008 04:11:43 PM
Would have liked if the whole seringe was in focus. Nice textures on the old ball.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/03/2008 03:31:25 PM
nice! i was wondering if someone would do something like this-8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/01/2008 10:51:18 AM
Sad but very well communicated idea.
Nice composition.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/01/2008 08:28:08 AM
ohhhhh controversial....But good. Strong message, nice photo (maybe could have done with an asterisk on the ball!)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/29/2008 07:11:43 PM
Here's an image that has a story, as per next challenge. Kudos for creativity and execution.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/29/2008 05:28:15 PM
Definitely making a statement :) I'm glad you chose to use a dirty ball here too, just seems right considering your message
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/29/2008 03:16:28 PM
I'm missing the connection - maybe as I'm not American?

Technically very good, with good lighting and use of fepth of field.

Well done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/29/2008 09:14:19 AM
LOL, breat representation of the problem with MLB today.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/29/2008 12:25:30 AM
I could definitely see this image being used in a magazine or newspaper article about steroids in the MLB.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/28/2008 10:59:43 PM
Great shot! Narrow DOF seems to detract from the image rather than enhance it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/28/2008 01:03:18 PM
Nice idea. Well, horrible horrible idea actually to shoot up drugs into your baseball, because then it would leak all over when you throw it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/28/2008 05:02:26 AM
Nice expose. I'd prefer it if there were a bit more background texture, but DPC does like clean and simple.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/28/2008 02:33:56 AM
Mmmmm same concept as a pic a few back... like I said tot hat one.. STRONG STATEMENT about a Game.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/28/2008 01:29:50 AM
Poignant!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/28/2008 01:28:21 AM
I LOVE this. But I'm sorry for the low vote. I like the texture on the ball, and as a first look I liked this a lot better. After examining the image. The angel is off, the balance is off, and the position of the seringe is off. You have good photographic talent. But your eye for art/studio balance is obviously not the best...

5/10
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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