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DPChallenge Forums >> Current Challenge >> Animal shots in Off Screen Expectation
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 03/10/2004 01:38:37 PM · #1
I'm having trouble evaluating the animal pictures in this challenge, because many of them seem to meet the challenge in that the animal is looking at "something" off screen, and many of them are good shots technically, but here's my hiccup. Most of the animal shots are pictures of an animal's sort of natural expression, not conveying any surprise, fear, shock, etc. Therefore, as a viewer, I do NOT find myself wondering what they are looking at, because this is how they almost always look anyway. Make sense? And those shots of pets waiting for treats don't seem to have much pop either, because as the viewer, I'm not really caring too much what the unseen treat is. I guess when I look at the entries for this challenge, I ask myself -- do I want to see what's off screen? If so, it meets the challenge and then I can evaluate the technical stuff. If not, it doesn't. What do others think -- am I judging the animal entries too harshly?
03/10/2004 01:47:58 PM · #2
I am rating the pictures as if I can tell there is something on the other side of the border, Some animals have a natural look no matter what is there, If the shot is well done and I can imagine something past the border then I rate appropriately. I try not to get into the duldrum of "Oh just another animal Picture" some of these animal shots are good and should be rated by merit
 03/10/2004 01:50:26 PM · #3
I wholeheartedly agree. An animal just looking at "something" doesn't interest me unless the expression suggests something amazing or at least out of the ordinary. I guess some of these could be construed as something "yummy" off-screen, but I'd have to feel like an animal was looking at filet mignon rather than just plain chow.
 03/10/2004 01:59:27 PM · #4
Of course I try to rate pictures for their own standard but I have to say that I´m getting pretty bored on this "dog-shots". I try to be fair but just cant rate thease images high unless they are technically and visually very good.
 03/10/2004 04:24:52 PM · #5
Where is the expectation part in this challenge entries? I think I can count the ones that give the feeling of expectation on one hand.
 03/10/2004 05:51:18 PM · #6
If you dont like an image or it doesnt interest you then vote it as such, just like you do with all the other challenges. Whether or not you personally think dog chow is yummy has no bearing on whether the subject thinks dog chow is yummy. I'm a vegetarian and dont think filet mignon is yummy either, dont mean I'm going to vote someone down if I think that is what they used.
03/10/2004 06:00:46 PM · #7
Originally posted by moodville:
If you dont like an image or it doesnt interest you then vote it as such, just like you do with all the other challenges. Whether or not you personally think dog chow is yummy has no bearing on whether the subject thinks dog chow is yummy. I'm a vegetarian and dont think filet mignon is yummy either, dont mean I'm going to vote someone down if I think that is what they used.


I don't particularly care for filet either. My point was simply that the Challenge implies that the suggested off-screen subject shouldn't be dull. Do you get the sense that the "something" outside the frame is a gem or just another rock, so to speak.
 03/10/2004 06:20:57 PM · #8
I am not sure that the "subject" off screen has to be yummy..just compelling in some way...could be sad, reminiscent, pathetic, dreary...just not on screen.
 03/10/2004 07:22:00 PM · #9
Originally posted by scalvert:
Originally posted by moodville:
If you dont like an image or it doesnt interest you then vote it as such, just like you do with all the other challenges. Whether or not you personally think dog chow is yummy has no bearing on whether the subject thinks dog chow is yummy. I'm a vegetarian and dont think filet mignon is yummy either, dont mean I'm going to vote someone down if I think that is what they used.


I don't particularly care for filet either. My point was simply that the Challenge implies that the suggested off-screen subject shouldn't be dull. Do you get the sense that the "something" outside the frame is a gem or just another rock, so to speak.


And so you are judging what is dull without actually seeing what it is? And if it's not dull to the subject but dull to you then it's not meeting the challenge? Was everyone suppose to poll the voters to find out what they consider to be exciting and only use that as their off screen prop? As always people are entitled to their opinions and can vote any image any score they want based on whatever weird system they want to use, but sheesh, cant we just look at the purty pictures instead of nitpicking them apart and trying so hard to find something wrong with every single one of them?

03/10/2004 07:24:41 PM · #10
But do we rate higher the shots not related, or not technically good (a group of people with photographs does not phase me either)...what is the difference there?
 03/10/2004 08:37:59 PM · #11
Originally posted by moodville:
And so you are judging what is dull without actually seeing what it is? And if it's not dull to the subject but dull to you then it's not meeting the challenge? Was everyone suppose to poll the voters to find out what they consider to be exciting and only use that as their off screen prop? As always people are entitled to their opinions and can vote any image any score they want based on whatever weird system they want to use, but sheesh, cant we just look at the purty pictures instead of nitpicking them apart and trying so hard to find something wrong with every single one of them?


YIKES! You're digging waaaayyyy too deep here. I never said the off-screen object had to excite ME- you made that assumption yourself. Very simply, the Challenge specifically states that you're supposed to " imply something exciting, frightening, REALLY COOL, yummy, tempting, or otherwise compelling." If the subject just appears to be looking at air or a rock with no particular interest, then that isn't compelling. If the same subject appears to be fascinated by the rock, then it is. To address your specific question- if an image depicts an animal blankly staring off into space, then yes, I'm going to judge that off-screen object as dull without actually seeing it. So there! :-b

I'd still be voting on the quality of the image at hand, but with the Challenge directive in mind. As someone suggested in an earlier thread... if a magazine editor assigned you to photograph a particular subject and you came back with a fabulous photo of something entirely off-topic, then you still haven't completed the assignment (purty picture or not).
 03/10/2004 08:49:32 PM · #12
Originally posted by boomer:
... those shots of pets don't seem to have much pop ... -- am I judging the animal entries too harshly?


being an animal lover myself i have taken tons of dog pictures - of my own dawgs and their dawg-friends... i love them all! the question to ask yourself here: does it work as an entry to a photography contest? i mean, any photography challenge, not just for this particular one... if i honestly don't think so i would score it low... and visa-veisa... i was at a complete loss in the silence challenge looking at one of the dog pictures, so i just left a comment to that effect and didn't even rate that submission at all....................
 03/10/2004 08:50:10 PM · #13
Enough of discussing certain types of photos while the voting is on,keep your toughts for yourself and comment after the challenge is over!
It is very unfair for people who submit photos with animals and in their opinion fully meet the challenge.


03/11/2004 02:58:32 AM · #14
Originally posted by pitsaman:
Enough of discussing certain types of photos while the voting is on,keep your toughts for yourself and comment after the challenge is over!
It is very unfair for people who submit photos with animals and in their opinion fully meet the challenge.


Hmmm I have to agree with pitsaman here. Although I did not submit a picture of an animal, and I don't like them particularly, I do think that commenting on any particular ones before the voting is done will bias any reader who has yet to vote.
 03/11/2004 08:36:28 AM · #15
This seems to happen twice a week, every week, every month, continuously. Wish it would stop.
 03/13/2004 09:43:50 PM · #16
Originally posted by pitsaman:
Enough of discussing certain types of photos while the voting is on,keep your toughts for yourself and comment after the challenge is over!
It is very unfair for people who submit photos with animals and in their opinion fully meet the challenge.

I'm gonna agree with pits too, it may be detrimental for the undecided or "have not voted yet's" to read this thread. I think it's important to discuss the challenges, but still keeping a photo's details obscured.
 03/13/2004 10:00:38 PM · #17
sure i agree as well.... talking about the challenge at hand perhaps persuades some peoples votes, however, talking about a genre ... say pets or animals... there is ALWAYS going to be a pet or animal in the challenge.. so saying we have to wait until the voting is over... will never come... because the next challenge with more pets will be right there to greet us.
 03/13/2004 10:13:26 PM · #18
Originally posted by leaf:
sure i agree as well.... talking about the challenge at hand perhaps persuades some peoples votes


Thats why I dont think there should be ANY talk about a current challenge...I just dont think its fair.
 03/14/2004 12:55:09 AM · #19
I like reading about the current challenge. Do you really think these discussions sway votes? I hope that is not true, but perhaps I am too trusting. It has always been pretty apparent to me that most DPCers have a pretty healthy dose of their own strong opinion! :) (Would be difficult to "sway" those opinions I think.)

I speak only for myself, but I don't see a general discussion doing any harm during the voting - even discussions such as this about a particular type of photo. I do agree that it's not right to discuss one specific photo until after voting.
 03/14/2004 12:59:14 AM · #20
I actually think that some of the animal shots meets the challenge more then the human shots.Be it human or animal a "10" is a "10".

Message edited by author 2004-03-14 00:59:54.
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