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02/28/2004 06:36:29 AM · #1
If every active member of DPC thought up a challenge, even removing duplicates, we'd have a huge bucket of challenges to choose from.

Here are some I thought of. I realise there are some similar challenges, but I tried to choose them from early 2003 if possible.

Balance - Take a shot that shows balance in your composition.

Proportion - Take a shot that shows proportion.

Photo Diary - Take a shot that represents a day in your life. (Candidate for a no editing challenge.)

Low Tech - Shoot something NON-ELECTRONIC that would be considered old technology.

Late night - Take a photograph late-night, and be creative.

Hope - Photograph something that represents hope.

Deep depth of field - We've had a shallow DOF challenge. Let's see shots with deep depth of field!

Natural lighting - No studio lighting here! Shoot something using only natural lighting.

Comfort - It doesn't have to be fluffy. Shoot something that comforts you.

Weekend - What do you do at the weekend? Show us!

Decisions - We all have to make them. Creatively shoot a decision.

Magazine Cover Revisited - Choose your favorite magazine, and try to take a cover photo! The title of your photograph should be the name of your magazine.

Newspaper - Take a journalistic shot that would appear in a newspaper.

Where you live - Show us your village, town or city, from a new perspective. Put the guide books to shame, and be creative!

Advertisement Revisited - Your job is to photograph a product and have it appeal to your audience: the users of DPChallenge.

Multi-Image Compositions Revisited - Tell a story or create a theme with two or three seperate photographs in the same composition. This technique is referred to as a diptych or a triptych, respectively.

Extraordinary - We've had a Mundane challenge. Now shoot something extraordinary!

Now post a suggestion or two of your own! Don't worry if they've been done before, they could always be revisited.
02/28/2004 07:07:58 AM · #2
Nice Work Paul! You are inspirational!

Anyone else?

:)
02/28/2004 08:00:04 AM · #3
I suggested something like "Pop Culture" a couple of weeks ago. I think that would be very fun, and artistic!
02/28/2004 08:14:47 AM · #4
I like alot of these topics. I agree that "Pop Culture" has alot of potential.

My topic idea is " Strength - photograph your representaion of strength and power"
02/28/2004 10:30:58 AM · #5
Serendipity

The word 'serendipity', coined by Horace Walpole in 1754 to express his delight at a fortunate yet accidental discovery, is based on an old name for Sri Lanka (Serendip) and a local fairytale of three princes who "were always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things which they were not in quest of....". Create an image that represents Serendipity.

Tribute
Study the work of a well-known photographer and take an image inspired by his/ her work. The image should not be a copy but should seek to convey your chosen photographer's style, subject matter and/ or techniques.


Yellow

Photograph your interpretation of the color yellow. The color yellow must lead to the impact of the photo.

Peace
Take an image that conveys harmonious relations, reconciliation, inner contentment or serenity.

Shutter Speed
Create an image where your choice of shutter speed leads to the main impact. Choose fast shutter speeds to freeze motion or slow ones to capture motion blur.

Travel Guides
Take an image that represents an area as a visitor might see it. Enter landscapes, buildings, people, animals or a detail studies that might be used in a travel guide book to your chosen destination.


Curves II
Use your creativity to photograph curvature.

People II
Formal and informal portraits, candids, group shots – just ensure that people are the focus of your image.

Moods
Take a portrait that captures an emotion.


02/28/2004 10:35:56 AM · #6
Backlighting
Backlighting is the idea of shining light at an object from behind, or lighting areas behind the object you want to highlight. Photograph anything you want but use backlighting to enhance the photo.

(or change the "details" as you see fit)

M
02/28/2004 11:05:55 AM · #7
Originally posted by mavrik:

Backlighting
Backlighting is the idea of shining light at an object from behind, or lighting areas behind the object you want to highlight. Photograph anything you want but use backlighting to enhance the photo.

(or change the "details" as you see fit)

M


That sounds like a fantastic one! I think we would get some real interesting shots with that one.
02/28/2004 11:12:24 AM · #8
how about these:

Music

Faces

Wind

Rush Hour

Botany

Wealth

Poverty

Horizon line

Vanishing Point
02/28/2004 12:37:09 PM · #9
I like poverty,
and cultural events would be good,
the classics--(potraits,photojournalism,landscapes,nudes,b&w)
children,
seniors,

more free studies would be my votes....
02/28/2004 12:41:38 PM · #10
I think another free study here in the near future would be kinda neat seeing that I became a member right after that one ended. :)
02/28/2004 01:30:38 PM · #11
Originally posted by goinskiing:

Originally posted by mavrik:

Backlighting
Backlighting is the idea of shining light at an object from behind, or lighting areas behind the object you want to highlight. Photograph anything you want but use backlighting to enhance the photo.

(or change the "details" as you see fit)

M


That sounds like a fantastic one! I think we would get some real interesting shots with that one.


Thanks - I was listening to what EddyG said in the other post about "methods" and learning challenges - like his Painting with Light challenge. If there's anything 90% of us need is more practice with lighting techniques.

M
02/28/2004 02:43:03 PM · #12
I definitely like "technique" challenges! But they are definietly harder to come up with than "subject" challenges. So if you have any "technique" challenge ideas, post away... I'll make sure that these suggestions get added to the challenge database (at least if you do a good job of providing the all-important "Details"!)

That being said, I personally also like challenge topics that have the side-effect of producing prints that are "saleable" on DPCPrints. Such topics usually can provide at least one good print, and sometimes more. Some of the topics suggested here (although interesting ideas) do not lead to the kind of photos that you'd hang on the wall. I'm not saying we shouldn't do challenges like "Poverty", just expressing my personal opinion about the kind of challenges I like...

Also, it seems to me (again, my opinion) that challenges that don't have a clear subject matter (i.e., challenge is "emotional" in nature or otherwise difficult to capture in an obvious way) usually result in a less-than-stellar set of submissions when viewed as a whole. Yes there will always be some good pictures in any challenge, but having to wade through a bunch of sub-par, shoe-horned pics during the ranking process just leads to voter burn-out and "I can't do it!" threads.

Finally, I like new challenge topics rather than ones that have been done already -- with the exception of the "standards" which are good to revisit occasionally. For example, we've already had Yellow, Wealth ("Money"), Late Night ("Night On The Down" or "After Dark"), etc.

Message edited by author 2004-02-28 14:55:58.
02/28/2004 02:50:30 PM · #13
Originally posted by EddyG:

I definitely like "technique" challenges! But they are definietly harder to come up with than "subject" challenges. So if you have any "technique" challenge ideas, post away... I'll make sure that these suggestions get added to the challenge database (at least if you do a good job of providing the all-important "Details"!)

That being said, I personally also like challenge topics that have the side-effect of producing prints that are "saleable" on DPCPrints. Such topics usually can provide at least one good print, and sometimes more. Some of the topics suggested here (although interesting ideas) do not lead to the kind of photos that you'd hang on the wall. I'm not saying we shouldn't do challenges like "Poverty", just expressing my personal opinion about the kind of challenges I like...

Also, it seems to me (again, my opinion) that challenges that don't have a clear subject matter (i.e., challenge is "emotional" in nature or otherwise difficult to capture in an obvious way) usually result in a less-than-stellar set of submissions when viewed as a whole. Yes there were always be some good pictures in any challenge, but having to wade through a bunch of sub-par, shoe-horned pics during the ranking process just leads to voter burn-out and "I can't do it!" threads.


Couldn't have said it better myself. I feel that the technique challenges are the ones that seem to produce some of the most stellar images. Even if I don't submit to these ones, I always learn a lot from the challenges.
02/28/2004 02:56:14 PM · #14
Backlighting and shutter speed, as mentioned above by Mavrik and Kavey respectively, appeal to me.

Confluences would be a good topic for a challenge. For those who don't know what a confluence is, please visit this site: //www.confluence.org/ , if you are so inclined.

Cheers
02/28/2004 03:04:27 PM · #15
Originally posted by orussell:

Backlighting and shutter speed, as mentioned above by Mavrik and Kavey respectively, appeal to me.

Confluences would be a good topic for a challenge. For those who don't know what a confluence is, please visit this site: //www.confluence.org/ , if you are so inclined.

Cheers


Way cool! I think DPCers could add quite a few more to this project.

Very interesting!
02/28/2004 03:13:56 PM · #16
I like a lot of the challenge topics that people have suggested, but I want to introject my opinion that challenge topics should lend themselves to a broad range of shots, unlike what a narrowly interpreted concept like conflict might stir, because a challenge should give lattitude in the actual subject, resulting in fewer toy setup studio shots, which I think are the most boring shots to view and rate. Yet, some of the challenges I've seen since I've been here are difficult to shoot unless you do a table studio setup.

That being said, my favorite suggestion (which I submitted a while back but not yet realized) is:

Abstract. Abstracts are about lines and shapes. If it is recognizable as an object - it is not an abstract.

Some others that would be fun:

Triptych. A triptych is a three panel art work. Upload a picture consisting of three panels to tell a story or illustrate an object or concept. (Special rules).

Impressionistic. Learn about some of the techniques of impressionism, and generalize them to a photograph while staying within the DPC rules.

humans that look or act like their pets Some of the funniest pictures show humans and how they look and act like their pets. Ok, it won't be museum art, but we could all use a good laugh.
02/28/2004 04:50:20 PM · #17
Hmmm... Techniques eh?

Motion Blur
Zoom on a stationary subject or pan a moving subject to create motion blur. Search for subjects that will be enhanced by this treatment.

Lighting
Use light to inject drama and create mood in your image.

Multiple Light Sources

Silhouettes

Wide-Angle

Framing
Create an image where the foreground subject frames the rest of the image.

Viewpoint
Take an image from an unusual viewpoint to improve composition and add interest.

Parallel Lines
Photograph a subject where parallel lines provide or strengthen the composition of the image.

High Contrast
Use high contrast to create impact in your image.

Panorama
Enter a panoramic image into this challenge. Take into account the special compositional needs of a good panorama.

Black and White
Reduce the world to a palette of grays and focus on light, shade, line, texture and form.


02/28/2004 05:47:14 PM · #18
I think another multi-image composition one would be rather fun to do.
02/28/2004 06:08:59 PM · #19
rust - take a picture of some sort of rusty/corroded metal in a creative way.

silhouette - find a subject that makes an interesting silhouette - trees are excluded as main subject, the subject should appear predominantly black.

technology - show everyone how technology has improved your life in some way - digital cameras excluded possibly

chaos - creatively photograph chaos is some way shape or form.

window view - like a landscape, find an interesting window view, the window glass or frame must be included in the photo ie. make it obvious it's been taken from a window.


02/28/2004 06:19:57 PM · #20
Originally posted by goinskiing:

I think another multi-image composition one would be rather fun to do.


i highly agree. i'd love another triptych (sp?) competition
02/28/2004 07:55:35 PM · #21
Originally posted by goinskiing:

I think another free study here in the near future would be kinda neat seeing that I became a member right after that one ended. :)


How about a modified Free Study. It wouldn't have to be a month long, maybe two weeks, and have the normal one week for voting. The topic would be Something New. You have to enter a shot of something you have never entered before taken in a place you have never taken pictures before.
02/28/2004 08:01:24 PM · #22
Originally posted by coolhar:

Originally posted by goinskiing:

I think another free study here in the near future would be kinda neat seeing that I became a member right after that one ended. :)


How about a modified Free Study. It wouldn't have to be a month long, maybe two weeks, and have the normal one week for voting. The topic would be Something New. You have to enter a shot of something you have never entered before taken in a place you have never taken pictures before.


How would it be a free study then?

No, I know what you mean, but I think that the idea of having it "modified" is a great idea, especially the two-weeks instead of a month (a month is agonzingly long) and one week for voting (because anything longer than a week is again, too long).
02/28/2004 08:03:45 PM · #23
Postcard 2or Landmarks
Mechanical Photograph something that is mechanical and doesn't use electronics as a means of operation.Shiny metallic pictures of gears and stuff.
02/29/2004 12:11:41 PM · #24
Any more? I'll collate all the challenges on Monday morning and produce a final deduped list in order of popularity.
03/01/2004 07:17:24 AM · #25
As promised, here's the deduped list of challenge suggestions. 65 in total! Well done everyone!

Backlighting * 2 - Backlighting is the idea of shining light at an object from behind, or lighting areas behind the object you want to highlight. Photograph anything you want but use backlighting to enhance the photo.
Pop Culture * 2 -
Poverty * 2 -
Shutter Speed * 2 - Create an image where your choice of shutter speed leads to the main impact. Choose fast shutter speeds to freeze motion or slow ones to capture motion blur.
Silhouette *2 - find a subject that makes an interesting silhouette
Triptych * 3 - A triptych is a three panel art work. Upload a picture consisting of three panels to tell a story or illustrate an object or concept. (Special rules).

Abstract - Abstracts are about lines and shapes. If it is recognizable as an object - it is not an abstract.
Advertisement Revisited - Your job is to photograph a product and have it appeal to your audience: the users of DPChallenge.
Balance - Take a shot that shows balance in your composition.
Black and White - Reduce the world to a palette of grays and focus on light, shade, line, texture and form.
Botany -
chaos - creatively photograph chaos is some way shape or form.
Comfort - It doesn't have to be fluffy. Shoot something that comforts you.
Confluences -
Cultural Events -
Curves II - Use your creativity to photograph curvature.
Decisions - We all have to make them. Creatively shoot a decision.
Deep depth of field - We've had a shallow DOF challenge. Let's see shots with deep depth of field!
Extraordinary - We've had a Mundane challenge. Now shoot something extraordinary!
Faces -
Framing - Create an image where the foreground subject frames the rest of the image.
High Contrast - Use high contrast to create impact in your image.
Hope - Photograph something that represents hope.
Horizon line -
Humans that look or act like their pets - Some of the funniest pictures show humans and how they look and act like their pets. Ok, it won't be museum art, but we could all use a good laugh.
Impressionistic - Learn about some of the techniques of impressionism, and generalize them to a photograph while staying within the DPC rules.
Landmarks -
Late night - Take a photograph late-night, and be creative.
Lighting - Use light to inject drama and create mood in your image.
Low Tech - Shoot something NON-ELECTRONIC that would be considered old technology.
Magazine Cover Revisited - Choose your favorite magazine, and try to take a cover photo! The title of your photograph should be the name of your magazine.
Mechanical - Photograph something that is mechanical and doesn't use electronics as a means of operation.Shiny metallic pictures of gears and stuff.
Moods - Take a portrait that captures an emotion.
Motion Blur - Zoom on a stationary subject or pan a moving subject to create motion blur. Search for subjects that will be enhanced by this treatment.
Multi-Image Compositions Revisited - Tell a story or create a theme with two or three seperate photographs in the same composition. This technique is referred to as a diptych or a triptych, respectively.
Multiple Light Sources -
Music -
Natural lighting - No studio lighting here! Shoot something using only natural lighting.
Newspaper - Take a journalistic shot that would appear in a newspaper.
Panorama - Enter a panoramic image into this challenge. Take into account the special compositional needs of a good panorama.
Parallel Lines - Photograph a subject where parallel lines provide or strengthen the composition of the image.
Peace - Take an image that conveys harmonious relations, reconciliation, inner contentment or serenity.
People II - Formal and informal portraits, candids, group shots – just ensure that people are the focus of your image.
Photo Diary - Take a shot that represents a day in your life. (Candidate for a no editing challenge.)
Postcard 2 -
Proportion - Take a shot that shows proportion.
Rush Hour -
Serendipity - The word 'serendipity', coined by Horace Walpole in 1754 to express his delight at a fortunate yet accidental discovery, is based on an old name for Sri Lanka (Serendip) and a local fairytale of three princes who "were always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things which they were not in quest of....". Create an image that represents Serendipity.
Something New - Shoot something you have never entered before taken in a place you have never taken pictures before.
Strength - photograph your representaion of strength and power
technology - show everyone how technology has improved your life in some way
The Classics - potraits,photojournalism,landscapes,nudes,b&w [Ed. Not sure if this was separate or together?]
Travel Guides - Take an image that represents an area as a visitor might see it. Enter landscapes, buildings, people, animals or detail studies that might be used in a travel guide book to your chosen destination.
Tribute - Study the work of a well-known photographer and take an image inspired by his/ her work. The image should not be a copy but should seek to convey your chosen photographer's style, subject matter and/ or techniques.
Vanishing Point -
Viewpoint - Take an image from an unusual viewpoint to improve composition and add interest.
Wealth -
Weekend - What do you do at the weekend? Show us!
Where you live - Show us your village, town or city, from a new perspective. Put the guide books to shame, and be creative!
Wide-Angle -
Wind -
Window view - like a landscape, find an interesting window view, the window glass or frame must be included in the photo ie. make it obvious it's been taken from a window.
Yellow - Photograph your interpretation of the color yellow. The color yellow must lead to the impact of the photo.

Message edited by author 2004-03-01 11:05:44.
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