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Eve
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Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Origins (Expert Editing)
Camera: Canon EOS-5D Mark II
Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
Date: Nov 15, 2012
Date Uploaded: Nov 15, 2012

[Nov. 17th, 2012 01:05:41 PM]

While some ideas or photo concepts reach my mind quite naturally, I must confess that this one was hard to come up with. Speaking about the origins of life in a metaphorical way is definitely a challenge, since people can obviously have very different interpretations of the subject. This is why I choose to combine several concepts together: Eve and the forbidden fruit, a broken egg, plants, life, death. While I am not myself a religious man, so many incredible pieces of art have religion as an inspiration: I would be a fool to ignore that fact. So I decided to follow the steps of many famous artists in History, modestly and respectfully, since my goal was not to be provocative in any way. I must say I am very proud of the result, and I hope some will like this combination of classicism and modernism.

Regarding the making of the image, my dear wife was once again wonderful. Not only did she accept to pose, but she also had great ideas to help with the composition (particularly the plant shape) and colors: I would never have reached this result without her. Besides the main photo, I also took shots of a broken egg shell (I used it combined with her body), plants, leaves. The hair is also my wife’s, although it has been shot separately, and recolored.

With this image, I believe I am getting closer to what I truly want to express through my work, style-wise and meaning-wise. I am of course aware that some could hate it for several reasons, but I feel the need to keep trying new things and walking forward on the creation path.

Thank you very much for all the feedback: votes, comments, favorites. They are very meaningful and important to me.

Larger version

Statistics
Place: 1 out of 41
Avg (all users): 8.2523
Avg (commenters): 9.6818
Avg (participants): 7.0435
Avg (non-participants): 8.5682
Views since voting: 6658
Views during voting: 474
Votes: 111
Comments: 45
Favorites: 27 (view)


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AuthorThread
02/24/2013 01:26:30 PM
Wow remember this image. So graceful with a renaissance feel.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/28/2012 08:41:34 PM
Congratulations Christophe!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/28/2012 09:27:27 AM
How could anyone possibly hate the work of a genius? And you, are a genius.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/25/2012 10:03:10 PM
Well done and congratulations Christophe & Mrs Christophe. From your notes I suspect there may be a subliminal inspiration emerging that, perhaps, as an artist and scientist, you are struggling with (successfully), something that we all hopefully share at one level or another. I immediately thought of this as a source, with all due modesty to Mrs C, something that even Einstein himself identified as a crucial part of his science. Not religion, but the spirituality of the mind. Given that, I wont be urging you for top job in the Vatican ;)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/25/2012 12:59:07 AM
Love it! I can't imagine why anyone would hate it, but there are some low scores. Makes no sense to me. The concept, the execution, the light, are all exquisite. I am in awe of your creativity.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/24/2012 10:07:32 PM
I always seem to be late to the commenting race. :)

Magnificent idea -- and it's amazing that you can make it a reality.

It always makes me a little sick when I look at the larger versions, however. I'm always disappointed when I have to shrink to shrink down my own work, but when I see what it does to yours, it almost makes me want to cry! Your details are magnificent. Thanks again for your descriptions. :)

Huge congrats on the blue!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/24/2012 02:22:17 PM
You're in a class of your own. (You'll have to think about doing some tutorials for us and then later you can bundle them together and make some money by publishing them.)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/23/2012 06:06:13 PM
I ended up bumping this up up one notch(forgot to update my comment, apparently).

It's interesting to me that when I looked at this now, the insides are perfect. I think the light available when I'm viewing an image affects my monitor. That means, most likely, that all images are voted differently at different times of day. Hmmmm...

Anyway, I digress... This is, I repeat, magnificent.

Message edited by author 2012-11-23 23:25:39.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/23/2012 05:58:27 PM
Congratulations on the ribbon, Christophe. Masterfully done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/23/2012 04:37:57 PM
Congatulations! You and your wife make an incredible team. This one is truly a masterpiece.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/23/2012 01:55:22 PM
Congrats!! I absolutely love the symbols and ideologies encompassed with this one.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/23/2012 01:17:38 PM
Amazing. I agree, I think it is one of your top 3 that I like the best. Keep walking your path and congratulations.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/23/2012 12:14:09 PM
Definitely my favorite of all your expert editing shots. A remarkable entry.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/23/2012 11:33:46 AM
I think it may be your best also,Congratulations once again.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/23/2012 09:08:13 AM
IMO, this is your best work. Congrats on a masterpiece.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/23/2012 07:56:32 AM
Amazing, Christophe. Definitely one of your best. Congrats on the blue!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/23/2012 05:19:26 AM
In my humble opinion this is the best of your work so far! Visually appealling and thought provoking.........I love the way you have combined the classic religous masterpieces and modern digital photography to capture the challenge description. Besides all of this and leaving the highbrow crap aside that I have just dribbled, this picture rocks!!! Freakin awesome dude!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/23/2012 03:54:05 AM
That's twice in the last ten challenges You're becoming a regular jmritz!
:-)


I don't really get this in totality, but its pretty cool and funky in an acid induced way! Your composites are incredible. Its a real work of art you made here!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/23/2012 03:42:52 AM
This is a true work of art cristophe, i'm happy you're finally achieving your goals. and Congrats on the blue!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/23/2012 02:12:49 AM
This well transcends DPC ribbons. DPC is very lucky that you use its challenges for inspiration. I hope that Expert Editing challenges will continue as this is where your blend of photography and digital manipulation is at its extreme best :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/23/2012 01:18:24 AM
Well done on another mentally stimulating artistic creation, be there a love/hate relationship with the viewers. Whilst I find more beauty in the 'natural' world than the 'creative' one that you live in, I still understand the boundaries of art must always be pushed for us to grow, if you will pardon the pun. Kudos to Madame Kiciak for baring more than many would for their husbands 'hobby'. Now please take a well deserved break and let someone else win a ribbon or two! Joyeux Noël et une Bonne Année à vous deux.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/23/2012 01:08:12 AM
Congrats, Christophe. This is possibly one of your finest pieces. You'd better keep your wife :-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
11/22/2012 11:55:08 PM
Fabulous image. I LOVE the eggshell/body morph - it is done so well. The lighting is brilliant and the beautiful hair makes a superb background for her face and body. Top pick.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/22/2012 11:48:23 PM
Incroyable!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/22/2012 06:50:18 PM
Well this is just incredible work. I wish her head wasn't so close to the edge but a very small nitpick for a stellar creation 10 and a fav
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/22/2012 01:30:00 PM
Wonderful, great image and fantastic processing (as usual).
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/22/2012 01:16:06 PM
thought it was a lil over-softened then i finally noticed the egg crack and poof - it made sense. well done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/22/2012 12:11:59 PM
Wow!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/21/2012 08:21:08 AM
Beautiful! Absolutely love this entry. The bed of dried leaves is a great touch.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/21/2012 03:52:16 AM
There's the blue!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/20/2012 01:02:39 PM
The "insides" are way too light... but the rest...?

Magnificent!!

8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/19/2012 05:10:20 AM
a creative take on this with very nice lighting and i'd say the whole package. for me ties with sam's shot. great work.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/18/2012 11:50:04 PM
Obvious winner.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/17/2012 04:04:51 PM
WOW! Very creative 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/17/2012 11:59:55 AM
Beautiful image! I love everything about it, fantastic composition! Previously an 8 I am bumping it up to a 10!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/17/2012 09:44:12 AM
Wow. this is some photoshopping skills I could never acheive. Very nicely done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/17/2012 01:18:55 AM
wow! o doubt, wonderful job!10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/16/2012 03:49:49 PM
Absolutely gorgeous; digital art at it's finest, imo. Great take on the challenge.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/16/2012 11:52:11 AM
Best in show award, congrats, very artistic
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/16/2012 11:23:13 AM
Wow, amazing work!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/16/2012 11:06:34 AM
I think this may well be the winner if not very close.
Wonderful image in every way,Congratulations.10.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/16/2012 09:58:17 AM
The broken egg concept is thought provoking.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/16/2012 05:43:22 AM
I'm guessing Christophe. A wonderful image as usual. The more I look at this the more there is to appreciate.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/16/2012 03:07:15 AM
UNBELEAVEABLE...................10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/16/2012 12:24:17 AM
This is extraordinary on so many levels. Not only is it technically breathtaking (I particularly love the luminous edging of the arms), but the concept as well is just superb. My ONLY nit (and it is minuscule), is that the hair in the center does not seem to flow from her head, but has been added after. It is possible that it was not and it is just the angle, but it looks odd. Also, the way the leaves fade off on the right seem a bit odd somehow, not matching the pp'g in the rest of the image. As I said, such incredibly tiny issues. For me, the clear blue.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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