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The Maid's Dream
2nd PlaceThe Maid's Dream
gyaban


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Unusual Uses For Everyday Objects (Expert Editing)
Camera: Canon EOS-5D Mark II
Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
Date: Aug 12, 2012
Date Uploaded: Aug 16, 2012

[Aug. 22nd, 2012 12:55:39 PM]

It's been 2 months since my previous entry. I worked on several photo projects, but nothing convincing came out: quite frustrating. Inspiration is not always easy to domesticate.

For this challenge, at first I had no decent idea, once again. Then I tried to think differently, and see the world through someone else's eyes.
I tried to imagine the thoughts of a maid, tired of all the cleaning, flying towards better horizons. I know I would often have similar dreams if I was a maid. Let's face it, who never dreamed about escaping from their workplace and lazying somewhere in the sun instead? ;-)

Some details about the photos and processing:
- The buildings are located in "La Defense", the business district next to Paris
- The stars were shot during a clear night (8 secs, f/2.8, iso 3200). The moon was added in post-processing.
- The flying machine is real (as opposed to fully created in Photoshop): it was constructed directly in my home-studio, although I had to shoot the 2 wings separately due to lack of brooms. Of course it does not really fly ;-) It was attached to a beam to hold it in the air.
- The wings were photographed upside down (with the whole lighting setup inverted to match the scene) so that the fabric would not look like statically hanging downwards, but like inflated by the air.
- My wife kindly posed (again!), the feet on a chair to hold them in the air. The broom in her hands was positioned between 2 chairs: it's bending naturally, I did not edit that.
- The fire was shot during a barbecue evening (I purposely made some big flames using lots of small branches).
- I traveled to the ocean once again to grab some water photos. I would have preferred some waves, but well, no wind this time. At least I was there in time for the sunset: I needed the reflection in the water (I edited its color obviously).

I had some good fun creating this picture, and I'm happy if some did like it. Thanks for all the comments and votes.

Statistics
Place: 2 out of 33
Avg (all users): 7.8788
Avg (commenters): 8.9091
Avg (participants): 7.5789
Avg (non-participants): 7.9292
Views since voting: 4657
Views during voting: 522
Votes: 132
Comments: 46
Favorites: 8 (view)

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AuthorThread
 09/14/2012 08:41:17 AM
Originally posted by gyaban:
Originally posted by hihosilver:
I do feel disappointed not to see any twist of imagination here other than in the wings


You are right, this really lacks imagination. No concept at all, no idea, no nothing (except the wings, of course). I am starting to do landscapes from now on. Or flowers, we'll see.


Mmmmm...You are right too in that I should mind my manners more than my opinion. No matter what "escape" you find in any future "landscape"...I do hope you surprise your lovely wife daily with the flowers she deserves. Photograph them if you wish...or not. ;-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/10/2012 03:41:57 PM
Originally posted by hihosilver:
I do feel disappointed not to see any twist of imagination here other than in the wings


You are right, this really lacks imagination. No concept at all, no idea, no nothing (except the wings, of course). I am starting to do landscapes from now on. Or flowers, we'll see.
 09/10/2012 03:28:29 PM
The technical aspects of this image far outweigh the core idea which I find rather benign. I respect Timfythetoo because he dressed himself up as the tooth fairy and didn't pass this task on to anyone else (especially not his wife). I'm not suggesting that you dress yourself up as the maid (or am I?!), but I do feel disappointed not to see any twist of imagination here other than in the wings. And, I do like the wings this time!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/30/2012 11:02:12 AM
Little late in my congrats, but congrats on the red!! Fun shot! And great to see you again. :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/26/2012 07:45:46 PM
You ROCK, Christophe! Congrats.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/26/2012 06:45:14 PM
Amazing as usual. Congrats on your ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/25/2012 02:47:51 PM
Seriously you should be working for Disney or Pixar and bringing major $$$$$$$$$$

You are a genius!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/24/2012 08:34:25 PM
Perfection, as usual. Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/24/2012 07:46:58 PM
Your attention to details, in this instance inverting the wings to give the affect of catching wind, is what sets you apart from the pack. Good job!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/24/2012 12:59:22 PM
Perfectly done, as usual.

Congrats on your Red, Christophe!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/24/2012 07:45:53 AM
Outstanding work, well done sir!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/24/2012 07:14:22 AM
As predicted,Congratulations.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/24/2012 05:58:00 AM
Brilliant concept and execution. Congrats!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/24/2012 05:44:23 AM
To come up with this idea, and then make it reality, is pretty amazing. congrats and super job.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/24/2012 04:55:41 AM
Congrats Christoph, hope she cleans as good as she flies, impressive.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/24/2012 03:33:58 AM
excellent combination to make a fun final image. big thanks for the details!! very very very helpful!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/24/2012 01:35:55 AM
Congrats, Christophe. My favorite part, as always, is the lighting.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/24/2012 12:36:40 AM
Nice to see your work again, Christophe!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/24/2012 12:16:35 AM
I was wondering how you got the wings to look as if they were lifted by air. Great job
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/24/2012 12:07:40 AM
This is actually one of my favorites of yours. Well done!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
08/23/2012 10:32:36 PM
Magnificent, imaginative creation! Best in show. 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/23/2012 09:19:16 PM
Elaborate construction. 7
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/23/2012 08:13:18 PM
Just love how she is bringing all her tools with her. Even in her dreams she is only a maid.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/23/2012 01:47:02 PM
The moon is too centered over the buildings - LOL ;)
HAHA - great as per always.Just amazing. I can't even fathom how you composite these in a week or less.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/23/2012 12:02:03 PM
To say this stands out is an understatement!

First class work.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/23/2012 06:12:26 AM
dont try this at home 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/22/2012 06:25:14 PM
Uber creative. 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/22/2012 01:59:38 PM
A veritable smorgasbord of things to observe in this image. Although, I don't think that the setting is conveyed as well as it could be. The maid seems very separated from her surroundings in an artificial way. Maybe that's just me.


Still an 8...gyaban?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/21/2012 02:45:53 PM
I like it in a Worth1000 kind of way - it is interesting, but I think much too busy to be truly effective. Still, I can't do this kind of imagery as I'm kind of a putz when it comes to effectively using Photoshop so I've got to give points for clearly superior ability using composite imagery. Well done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/21/2012 10:16:56 AM
Another one of those obvious winners for the expert editing challenges.

This one is especially fun though, with all the "hidden" aspects.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/20/2012 12:00:34 PM
Excellent work.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/19/2012 10:37:11 PM
baaahahahahaahahaaa...this is wonderful! If it isn't Christophe, congrats on fooling me! 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/19/2012 04:50:35 PM
Seems to be more of a nightmare!!! But really impressive pp'g skills, even if I don't quite understand the "dream"
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/19/2012 09:04:21 AM
In the running for a ribbon in my view As there are only 33 entries I will place them for my own fun 2nd
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/18/2012 11:17:18 AM
Top 5
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/17/2012 04:22:43 PM
Great idea. Well Executed. Only snag for me is the upper right corner seems a bit flat to me. But overall, love it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/17/2012 01:41:27 PM
Another digital winner. 40 hours? Down to the bend in the red handle from her weight and the glow of the aerosols on the wing structures. Fabulous detail. Is she a French maid? :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/17/2012 01:15:18 PM
Great work Christophe! I love the fantasy in this, the look off to the distance and pose works great, the "Da Vinci flying machine" is superbly assembled, and if aerosol cans existed i'm sure he'd have added them as a propulsion source as well!
Kudos for stepping up and really showcasing the idea here!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/17/2012 01:02:57 PM
Oh dear, Christophe, I hope the voters aren't anal about the challenge description... ("Depict an unusual use for an everyday object with your entry")... thinking that it has to be only ONE everyday object.

This is fabulous (as usual).

(commenting only)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/17/2012 10:45:07 AM
Nice to see your work again. Not my favorite entry from you, that is just personal taste i am sure, but still very well thought out and done. 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/17/2012 10:05:43 AM
That is certainly quite a dream.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/17/2012 08:07:49 AM
Difficult to ignore who is the author of this one :)
Great and creative job as usual
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/17/2012 03:44:57 AM
Very creative and well executed - one of my top picks.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/17/2012 01:22:27 AM
LOL... Congrats on the blue in advance. ;)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/17/2012 12:55:54 AM
Incredible, Christophe. So many clever uses of the cleaning utensils, it takes a while to see them all. Your command of light is amazing. Vive l'Expert Editing! ;)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/17/2012 12:05:18 AM
Another Blue for Gyaban!! You crafted one amazing image here...
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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