We were supposed to take Isaac and his cousin Ethan to Disneyland for the first time on September 11, 2001, but the park was closed ... we ended up going the next day, though from the relative lack of crowds, a lot of people didn't.
This was taken in the Mickey Mouse house in the Toontown section. Candid, snapshot -- I'm not sure, but I guess I went with the "most meaningful" criterion for selecting, though a version of this did get an "Honorable Mention" over at Jones Soda.
-Handheld, Auto mode
-Noise-reduction with PictureCooler
-RGB Curve
-Crop a little from right
-Resize
-USM at 88%/0.8 dia/TH = 7
-SaveAs JPEG at quality 9/10 = 187KB
Resized original:
A version previously posted as a print image: [thumb]20205[/thumb]
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It strikes me that this photo and the story behind it demonstrate precisely the difference between DPC scores and artistic greatness.
DPC is all about a 2-second look, and for many people, a mental checklist: sharp? subject on a thirds line? lit perfectly? Every hair on every head perfectly in place? That's what the voting format and the need for voting on hundreds of photos creates.
In contrast, a photo hanging in a museum is almost exactly the opposite. It's an invitation to intimately examine not only the photo, but the feelings the photo generates within you. You get a chance to breathe, to soak in the title, read the story, and consider how it relates to your own life.
Two radically different ways of experiencing photos. Neither is intrinsically better or worse than the other.
But while this is going straight into my favorites list, I can see why it scored low on DPC.
Thanks very much for sharing the photo and the story!
The date makes this so poignant... the planes were all out vacant from our skies and the world as we knew it was completely upside down, but these sweet little boys were at Disneyland, where everything is magical and surreal... and life continued and the boys grew and are probably just entering teenagerhood. It's a great photograph.
I am assuming by your title that there is a connection to september 11th, but I dont see that in the shot. As for the shot itself, i find the focus to be soft.
I'm trying to figure out the story of the two boys, why they're standing in front of a lit up heart shaped mirror, and what they're grabbing. I can't seem to piece it all together. But somehow, I still like the photo, though since it was entered into this challenge, it must have even more personal meaning for you. It will be interesting to read the story behind this one!
hmmm, is this like a fun house, or like a disney amusement, i'm not sure, but the boys sure seem to be having a good tune, kinda cool to see their reactions thru the use of a mirror
The date of the title immediatley grabs me. I have to assume that was intentional, and you are trying to convey that these small children had absolutely no idea how their world and their future had just changed. I can't give it more than a 5 for the snapshotty photography, but it has far more impact than the scores will tell.
Talk about a title changing everything. I see stories within stories. And themes within themes. I imagine of all the photos in this challenge it will be this one that stays with me the longest. 10
regardless of whether this was taken on that date, the title, combined with the image, is very powerful. Kind of a 'life goes on on the other side of a tragedy' type thing. Wish it was a little sharper, but that may add some emotion to the image so I hesitate to suggest it. Boys will be boys - very poignant. I remember exactly what I was doing on that date - its a strange thing, memories... 10
This is one of those photos where the critics will complain about focus or camera shake, but the subject is what counts, and that smile is great! Cute kids...
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