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DPChallenge Forums >> General Discussion >> Where is Ubique?!!!
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06/13/2012 02:30:42 AM · #1
I was going through my favorite horse images today which included this favorite from Ubique:



To my disappointment, apparently the Ubique Boutique has been closed when I click on his name. ::pout::

I treasure not only the image above but his generous and gracious words of wisdom to me.

Although I am not smart enough to beg a question properly, I'd certainly beg to know when we may warmly welcome his return?

Until that time, I offer this thread as a place to post any favorite images, posts or comments from this fascinating and unique artist. If you go through your favorites, you can use the links there to post here.
06/13/2012 02:59:51 AM · #2
Here is a recent comment from Ubique.

Knowing that you're always declaring yourself so keen on genuine criticism rather than mere fawning as feedback, I trust that you'll be quite OK to receive an unsoftened contrary view of this picture. It's a challenge called 'Imagination' and yet the winning entry exhibits none in its conception or execution, and requires none in its appreciation. Thus of course its popular acclaim, which you recently made very plain was your goal with your DPC entries. So while I reckon any genuinely curious observer would consider your picture the antithesis of Imagination, I do sincerely congratulate you on so resoundingly achieving your objective.

And one of my favorites from him.


06/13/2012 03:05:51 AM · #3
Originally posted by bspurgeon:

Here is a recent comment from Ubique.

Knowing that you're always declaring yourself so keen on genuine criticism rather than mere fawning as feedback, I trust that you'll be quite OK to receive an unsoftened contrary view of this picture. It's a challenge called 'Imagination' and yet the winning entry exhibits none in its conception or execution, and requires none in its appreciation. Thus of course its popular acclaim, which you recently made very plain was your goal with your DPC entries. So while I reckon any genuinely curious observer would consider your picture the antithesis of Imagination, I do sincerely congratulate you on so resoundingly achieving your objective.

And one of my favorites from him.



And one of my faves from his as well,...hopefully he will be back soon....we need more honest insightful people like him on here!

Message edited by author 2012-06-13 03:06:26.
06/13/2012 03:07:54 AM · #4
Oh yeah totally love these

Oh yes and the best comments from Paul come from these photos that I took he is DEEP!!

Message edited by author 2012-06-13 04:17:33.
06/13/2012 03:16:48 AM · #5
Absolutely awesome photographer, probably the best I've seen here, very disappointing, unbudgeable opinions break everything.

Message edited by author 2012-06-13 04:37:29.
06/13/2012 04:07:14 AM · #6
It is definitely a big loss and I hope he decides to return in the future. His talent and keen and honest opinion will be sorely missed.
06/13/2012 04:43:18 AM · #7
Shame. I just looked through a set of pictures in the mundane challenge. They were pictures of mundane things looking for all the world like mundane things, with the occasional mundane title having the correct mundane name of the object in the photograph. Not that it's an easy challenge, but it may go some way to explaining the absence...

ETA - possibly the best comment I've ever had -

This is my top choice for the Free Study, which surprises me in that it's not at all my usual tipple.

It's gloriously understated in so many ways. It is very difficult to take a memorable photograph that gets its power from no particular thing in terms of a subject, concept or photographic technique, and yet you have done it. It's the difference between great classical music and Guns 'n Roses' "Welcome to the Jungle" – the former is about the complex whole being eased incrementally into your soul, while the latter is about a single idea being pounded repeatedly into your head. Your beautiful photograph takes the Mozart option.

It's just occurred to me that I haven't said exactly why I like your photograph so much, only that I do like it. Here's why:

Susan Sontag observed that in the early days of photography, photographs were expected to be idealized images, and that that remains the aim of most amateur photographers, for whom a beautiful photograph is a photograph of something beautiful, like a woman or a sunset.

She wrote that over 30 years ago, before the digital age. It remains true, but now I'd add to it the further amateur aim of producing startling, technology-enabled, 'wow'-type images. Incredible macros, astonishing stop-action, gravity-defying digital gimmickry, often exploiting the heretofore undreamed of capacity to produce and process hundreds of 'takes' looking for that one crowd pleasing fluke shot where the water drop takes the form of Elvis's profile, or whatever. These images have in common a reliance on a single, simple idea expressed in unequivocal terms. Everything that's not the idea is a 'distraction', even unto having no background at all, no secondary elements, no compositional originality, and certainly no requirement for more that a moment's thought by the viewer. Images designed to fit within the attention span and aesthetic horizons of a digital-age audience.

Which brings me to your photograph. It's probably not a great photograph (I'm not sure that I'd know that) but it is very, very good, and certainly transcends the limited and banal amateur ideals by a nice margin.

So what I am saying is that I appreciate your photograph not only for what it is, but for what it is not. It's a very fine example of both. Thank you.


Ubique, of course, thank you sir.

Message edited by author 2012-06-13 05:49:53.
06/13/2012 05:13:17 AM · #8
Wow. I hope he's well and happy, but this is a significant loss. Without question an essential part of DPC since I've been here.
06/13/2012 05:21:24 AM · #9
Shucks I certainly hope this guy has not left us.. Let me know because last time I checked he was in the Cape of Good hope South Africa. Ill personally go knock on his door if he left us... :) He has left some invaluable comments on my images especially B&W work which I cherish

06/13/2012 06:07:00 AM · #10
Ubique. Paul is a wonderful talented photographer and great commenter. I hope he will come back here soon.
06/13/2012 06:09:53 AM · #11
hopefully this is just another spin through the down-cycle. he was one of the estranged members i had in mind when i shot requiem for xion, boysetfire, ubique, et al three and a half years ago. that particular challenge prompted a pretty interesting discussion about the state of dpc.

it's a shame, because paul's views were a breath of reality that offered a sense of honesty.
06/13/2012 07:40:32 AM · #12
While I don't have the tenure here to make much of a statement, I'll add my own light chiming to this.

I didn't witness the original "imagination" comment, that was posted herein, or whatever aftermath may have occurred, but to see that comment edited and changed to what it was disturbs me. It disturbs me that a user (any user) - but particularly one whose opinion is clearly well respected - may have felt that their hand was forced by others to change honesty into icing. If there is one thing that photography does not need right now, it's lack of honest critique or lack of truth in anything for that matter.
06/13/2012 07:54:21 AM · #13
I'm curious to know what happened to his original comment on the Imagination challenge blue ribbon winner.
When I first read his comment, I thought it was spot on and I had the exact same sentiment. Now to see it's been changed to something completely trite leaves me wondering what happened behind the scenes.

Original
Originally posted by ubique:

Knowing that you're always declaring yourself so keen on genuine criticism rather than mere fawning as feedback, I trust that you'll be quite OK to receive an unsoftened contrary view of this picture. It's a challenge called 'Imagination' and yet the winning entry exhibits none in its conception or execution, and requires none in its appreciation. Thus of course its popular acclaim, which you recently made very plain was your goal with your DPC entries. So while I reckon any genuinely curious observer would consider your picture the antithesis of Imagination, I do sincerely congratulate you on so resoundingly achieving your objective.


Edited
Originally posted by ubique:

Breathtaking! I certainly gasped when I saw it.


Certainly a 180 degree change.

CS
06/13/2012 08:41:55 AM · #14
Originally posted by cosmicassassin:

Edited
Originally posted by ubique:

Breathtaking! I certainly gasped when I saw it.


Certainly a 180 degree change.

The change of the comment is in itself a comment. Paul has always surprised me with his comments, often finding substance in an entry of mine that I thought was pure eye candy, but passing by others that I thought for sure would catch his attention..

Can someone explain to me what happened to drive him away? It's obvious that I missed something.

Message edited by author 2012-06-13 08:43:43.
06/13/2012 08:42:58 AM · #15
-dupe-

Message edited by author 2012-06-13 08:43:25.
06/13/2012 08:47:52 AM · #16
Originally posted by Yo_Spiff:

Originally posted by cosmicassassin:

Edited
Originally posted by ubique:

Breathtaking! I certainly gasped when I saw it.


Certainly a 180 degree change.

The change of the comment is in itself a comment. Paul has always surprised me with his comments, often finding substance in an entry of mine that I thought was pure eye candy, but passing by others that I thought for sure would catch his attention..

Can someone explain to me what happened to drive him away? It's obvious that I missed something.


I'm hoping someone from SC will offer an explanation.
06/13/2012 09:02:44 AM · #17
He was forced to change his comment on the Imagination blue ribbon after his initial comment was reported for slander, even though it was simply honest criticism. He viewed it as a form of censorship and left.

CS

Message edited by author 2012-06-13 09:04:00.
06/13/2012 09:05:48 AM · #18
I now believe he was forced to change his message by SC. If that proves correct then it was a terrible mistake that will lead this place nowhere good artistically. The original comment I believe was very fare and true and if I'd been able to put it so skillfully in to words like Paul, I might have done so. If we cannot accept decent and honnest critique on a photo without running to SC to complain about personnel attacks, then we shouldn't enter a challenge at all. I shoot some pretty lame non artistic shots sometimes and yes they do score better mostly, I've actually got a couple in like that right now, if I were to get a similar comment on them, it would make me laugh because It would be so true.

I hope DPC hasn't just gone and lost its credibility, this is a place for artistic expression after all and not solely for personnel goals.

We all know who has been and is causing the rather disdainful atmosphere here and yet somebody else pays for it, truly unjust.
06/13/2012 09:12:34 AM · #19
Gosh...I had no idea...::beams innocently::

The purpose of this thread is to highlight the Best of Paul Martin and invite his return.

More of his images, comments, posts, and threads please...

Thank you.

Message edited by author 2012-06-13 09:14:30.
06/13/2012 09:16:06 AM · #20
I wonder who could have raised up suck a stink and made such a disgusting fuss over a fair comment. Shame on them for being so shallow and single minded.

Edited to Add: Bravo person who I have no idea as to who it is. Bravo.

Message edited by author 2012-06-13 09:17:32.
06/13/2012 09:17:58 AM · #21


...so someone felt "picked on"? Is this what this is about?

ETA...look at the comment under this photo of Paul's...

ETA...nevermind, all the comments were removed.

Message edited by author 2012-06-13 16:30:10.
06/13/2012 09:20:44 AM · #22
I don't see a thing wrong with the original comment. It was polite, but harshly honest. Paul should have received a PM thanking him for explaining his vote on it. I've occasionally had an exchange of ideas with someone who has differing views. Though we never convince the other, it has helped me to understand what generates all those 1's 2's & 3's on otherwise high scoring entries. This should have been such a case. From what I have read, my opinion is that it was handled poorly.
06/13/2012 09:21:44 AM · #23
Ohhh NOW I know who it was. Well done Margaret, who you gonna go after next???

Originally posted by MargaretN:

Oh, well, you didn't want to respond to my PM from few days ago. Pity. I will miss your comments and images.
Adieu, Paul. You picked on the wrong person.
Margaret


Message edited by author 2012-06-13 09:31:11.
06/13/2012 09:25:31 AM · #24
... [had nothing constructive to add]

CS

Message edited by author 2012-06-13 09:26:50.
06/13/2012 09:27:02 AM · #25
Originally posted by jagar:


We all know who has been and is causing the rather disdainful atmosphere here and yet somebody else pays for it, truly unjust.


Be careful John. You may be picking on the wrong person.

Originally posted by MargaretN
Oh, well, you didn't want to respond to my PM from few days ago. Pity. I will miss your comments and images.
Adieu, Paul. You picked on the wrong person
Margaret

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