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Growth Opportunity
2nd PlaceGrowth Opportunity
EddyG


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Mundane (Advanced Editing I)
Camera: Canon EOS-10D
Lens: Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
Location: My basement
Date: Feb 22, 2004
Aperture: 11
ISO: 400
Shutter: 1/60 sec
Galleries: Still Life, Advertisement
Date Uploaded: Feb 22, 2004

Does it get much more mundane than a rubber band?

I was at OfficeMax picking up a few things when I happened to notice that they sold a pre-made rubber band ball. With the "Mundane" challenge in the back of my mind, I remembered seeing a shot something like this a few years ago in an office-supply type catalog. So I bought the rubber band ball and a pound of colored rubber bands and had some fun...

(Second in my series of challenge-inspired "office organization tools" shots. The first was my paperclip entry in the "Simplicity" challenge called Homage to Johan Vaaler. Next up: staples... =)

Shot with the Canon 50mm/1.4 on a tripod. I intentionally tried to keep the lighting in the back darker and the further-away rubber bands out-of-focus to give it a "more distant" look. I took some shots with even shallower DOF, but I figured that type of effect would probably get hammered, so I'm submitting this one taken at f/11.

Minimal post-processing: bumped up the saturation and cropped to the 5x7 aspect ratio. This image was difficult to compress; I had to save it at JPEG quality 50 (!) to get it under 150K.

Useless trivia: there is exactly one white rubberband in the photo. I didn't think you'd notice it, but you can definitely see it.

Statistics
Place: 2 out of 169
Avg (all users): 7.0000
Avg (commenters): 8.4286
Avg (participants): 6.9800
Avg (non-participants): 7.0299
Views since voting: 12747
Votes: 167
Comments: 57
Favorites: 54 (view)


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AuthorThread
09/13/2006 11:52:37 AM
great composition
  Photographer found comment helpful.
05/28/2004 01:03:11 PM
Just added this to my favorites. Such a clever idea and very well executed.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/05/2004 05:36:05 PM
Fabulous job, Eddy! It took me about 5 seconds to locate the white rubber band (near the top of the screen, right of center, eh?)

Nice work!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/04/2004 07:09:47 PM
Nice Job Eddy--
When I made my comment "Rubberband Man", I was actually referring to the Office Max comercial--
I see these things everyday, I work at Office Max :)
We keep them up front for impulse buyers like you, lol--
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/03/2004 12:41:18 PM
Congrats on the ribbon. I actually found the white rubber band.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/03/2004 03:17:02 AM
Excellent!!! In composition, contrast, light and of course the title.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/02/2004 04:23:37 AM
Very inspiring as it encourages making intriguing compositions from cheaply obtainable materials.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/02/2004 12:06:55 AM
Super work, Eddy! Really lively, fun image. Congratulations on the ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/01/2004 07:41:22 PM
I actually happen to like the out take better.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/01/2004 04:08:22 PM
Maybe this is a bit rude, but to me this is the only image in the top three that really meets the brief, as the others are at least partially someone else's art. Well done on a great concept and flawless execution
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/01/2004 03:25:32 PM
Very nice shot [and I saw the one white band]..even if it's not your own original concept, I still like it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/01/2004 09:47:06 AM
Thanks for all the comments everyone!

One of the hardest parts about this entry was coming up with a title for the shot. I submitted it with something "mundane" like "Keep on rollin'" (or something equally lame) and at the last minute, the much-better title "Growth Opportunity" just hit me.

For anyone interested, here is an "out-take" that shows an alternative composition I was considering:
03/01/2004 08:03:12 AM
Congrats Eddy, way to go!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/01/2004 07:33:16 AM
Brilliant, Eddy! great work!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/01/2004 12:48:46 AM
very interesting and creative
Congrats on the ribbon
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/01/2004 12:33:24 AM
Congrats Eddy. Knew this was a ribbon the second I saw it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
02/29/2004 11:15:50 PM
Cute, and well captured. I think perhaps it could use a splash of color ( ;-) )
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/29/2004 09:14:00 PM
Very creative idea. Love the vibrant colors of the rubberbands. The white road that was created gives a sense of movement for the rubberband ball. The diagonal orientation of the white road gives it a dynamic feeling. "10"
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/29/2004 07:22:38 PM
RubberBand Man--- Very original Shot, nice work
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/29/2004 04:42:24 PM
Great job of being creative, so many entries are so similar, yours stands out. This also fits the subject very well, rubber bands are very ordinary. I think you should've used a smaller DOF, or somehow stopped the viewers eyes from moving up, and off the page.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/28/2004 09:19:33 PM
Awesome. 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/28/2004 09:08:08 PM
Clever idea and great colors
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/28/2004 08:05:36 PM
This is what this contest is all about. How cool is this??? And how ever were you so incredibly patient to arrange all those rubber bands so evenly?? This needs to be one of those motivational posters - very nice job! 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/28/2004 06:43:54 PM
That is soo cool. Very creative idea. I would have tried to tweak the light a little to make it brighter and maybe more contrast. Very good anyway tho.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/28/2004 02:31:14 PM
Clever idea! Needs to be in a magazine ad! 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/28/2004 01:34:38 PM
Great idea and a great photo !
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/28/2004 12:56:19 PM
Colorful... too busy .. crop it tighter. And it is not mundane.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/28/2004 10:14:34 AM
Interesting idea an shot well performed. Congratulations.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/28/2004 07:20:30 AM
lol. i like it. 7
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/27/2004 09:52:29 AM
may favorite of the challenge. clever and simple. mundane objects put together in a very interesting way. well done!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/26/2004 06:50:51 PM
Funny and well thought out. The title completes the amusing set up.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/26/2004 02:06:36 PM
Ok, this is one of the most original ideas I've seen yet. Nicely done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/25/2004 08:56:57 AM
Very effective interpretation of the challenge
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/25/2004 08:48:03 AM
I adore the concept of this one. You deserve full marks if only for effort - I'm well impressed. Nice one. 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/24/2004 11:17:17 PM
Great and creative idea, a lot of time put into it. Nice colors too. Well done...

Keep it up...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/24/2004 06:56:56 PM
Nice one... 10 from me... Dooo can't wote.... sowy.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/24/2004 05:25:33 PM
This is great! Composition is great - sweep of line and position of ball work well. Colours are just so zingy! Very quirky and hence very cool!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/24/2004 11:51:36 AM
This is a riot! :) Very creative!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/24/2004 09:57:38 AM
This is one of those shots that leaves me smacking myself on the forehead and doing a Homer Simpson "Doh!"... Why didn't I think of that???? Great work. Any time I have that reaction to an image, it definitely deserves a 10.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/24/2004 12:07:37 AM
THIS IS A LOT OF WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!great!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/23/2004 09:50:07 PM
I can only comment, not vote, so let me just say this is FANTASTIC! I hope you get a ribbon. I really like your idea and execution. Good luck!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/23/2004 09:14:41 PM
Colorful, good composition, interesting to the eye. Congrats, hope you do well.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/23/2004 06:47:43 PM
Whoah! Craziness! Did you set all of those out? This definitely makes the mundane seem anything but ordinary!! And I love the design and the title for it.. very very clever. Nice work!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/23/2004 06:31:10 PM
Great shot - exceptional use of color, and a good idea to boot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/23/2004 05:33:26 PM
There`s been a bit of work put out on this image....but it`s been worth it...9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/23/2004 03:21:41 PM
excellent! like the color, the twist on the rubber bands, the composition.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/23/2004 01:44:49 PM
quite creative!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/23/2004 01:40:41 PM
Wow! Where did you get all those elastics. A great idea for this composition and a great title.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/23/2004 11:59:51 AM
Exellent Idea! Great composition and wonderful colors. Great use of DOF also. Fits challenge to a "T"! Well done! Should definetly be a Top 5, in my humble opinion. :-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/23/2004 10:54:09 AM
I Like it, makes a great inspirational poster
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/23/2004 10:31:41 AM
This is a very cool photo. Very original idea, great use of color and shapes. My pick for 1st place. Well done!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/23/2004 03:47:04 AM
This is great! Really clever! The colors and sharpness are both superb!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/23/2004 02:05:37 AM
Very. very creative.... Rubber bands i think? very cool. 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/23/2004 01:11:35 AM
Very very cool! Love this composition and idea. My only complaint is that the flat bands are not very sharp. Did you do this intentionally? Hope this does good but afraid it won't cause its definately not inside the box!!!
TC
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/23/2004 01:07:11 AM
Great idea, good color.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/23/2004 12:18:53 AM
Cool idea! How long did this take you? Love it :D 10!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/23/2004 12:14:59 AM
WOW!!! This is a brilliant shot! I love it! Grat lighting, DOF, colors, it's got it all! Congrats, you get one of my rare 10's!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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