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08/29/2002 04:38:28 PM · #1 |
i just wanted to post that I think a lot of people should be prepared next week for a large number of pictures with blur, grain, and included distracting elements, like powerlines, cars in the pic and whatnot.
alot of these pics are taken of strangers from a great distance and may require cropping , which will tend to reveal grain in the digital image file and isnt' some fault of the photographer.
many will probably taken quickly, on the fly, and may have blur and camera shake.
also opportunity may knock when some distracting element like a power line or a car is in the picture.
Voters should be prepared for all these things, revise expectations accordingly, and try to look beyond these superficial elements at what the photographer was trying to see and/or say.
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08/29/2002 04:47:56 PM · #2 |
| Read: Magnetic's picture is the blurry one with the power lines and car in the background. ;) |
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08/29/2002 04:50:40 PM · #3 |
People should also prepare for a very wide range of scores (probably a lot on the low end for questionable shots) because, in the end, we are still judging an image, which has to appeal to us visually on some level.
So, I'm expecting a lot of new RANT postings after voting is done for the candid challenge. :) |
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08/29/2002 04:58:49 PM · #4 |
Actually, I'm trying to help a lot of people out who are struggling with taking pictures of strangers and maybe live in areas with fewer photo opportunities. I work in downtown Washington, DC, and I have the luxury of millions of different opps - plus I'm not shy about it either :P.
In a lot of ways this challenge is more like photojournalism than any others, and if you take a look at your newspaper, you'll see that capturing a moment in a newsworthy way is less about composition and art and more about being brave, steady, quick on the draw - and above all, lucky :)
It doesn't make sense to judge this challenge the same way you would judge a still life challenge - dont you agree? ;)
Originally posted by magnetic9999:
i just wanted to post that I think a lot of people should be prepared next week for a large number of pictures with blur, grain, and included distracting elements, like powerlines, cars in the pic and whatnot.
alot of these pics are taken of strangers from a great distance and may require cropping , which will tend to reveal grain in the digital image file and isnt' some fault of the photographer.
many will probably taken quickly, on the fly, and may have blur and camera shake.
also opportunity may knock when some distracting element like a power line or a car is in the picture.
Voters should be prepared for all these things, revise expectations accordingly, and try to look beyond these superficial elements at what the photographer was trying to see and/or say.
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08/29/2002 05:02:33 PM · #5 |
I don't think i'll change any of my voting criteria. If the shot is blurred in such a way that the candid moment is lost, then it'll be graded accordingly. There have been plenty of candid moment pohtographs that are in focus. Georgia O'keefe and Orville Cox by Ansel Adams is one of these candid shots.
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08/29/2002 05:08:11 PM · #6 |
I agree. "If it is lost".
But I think I'm less likely to nitpick technical criteria on this one than on alot of others.
Originally posted by paganini:
I don't think i'll change any of my voting criteria. If the shot is blurred in such a way that the candid moment is lost, then it'll be graded accordingly. There have been plenty of candid moment pohtographs that are in focus. Georgia O'keefe and Orville Cox by Ansel Adams is one of these candid shots.
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08/29/2002 06:26:06 PM · #7 |
Originally posted by magnetic9999:
But I think I'm less likely to nitpick technical criteria on this one than on alot of others.
'Take your camera with you everywhere this week, and capture a candid moment. Try to emphasize the mood of the moment while not forgetting the technical elements of photography. Your submission must be taken this week (8/26-9/1).'
Technical elements such as focus, etc aren't thrown out the window just because it's harder to get a shot without doing so. |
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08/29/2002 06:38:15 PM · #8 |
Perhaps.
But grain/pixelation, in particular, is going to be difficult to avoid in a lot of cropped long shots. I happen to know a lot of people are using that technique to overcome their fear of confronting strangers.
That's an attribute that's not in the control of the photographer - well, that's not true: they could always buy a more expensive or newer camera ;) .. |
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08/29/2002 06:50:21 PM · #9 |
Taking Cover by timj is a candid shot and is an excellent image! So, it can be done.
Hope there won't be too many snapshots and not too many shots of submitter's kids/dogs/cats doing cutie things. |
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08/29/2002 06:52:40 PM · #10 |
| Well, if you use the second dictionary definition and not the first... it as admitingly set up I believe. |
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08/29/2002 07:43:26 PM · #11 |
Well, I sumitted my very first photo this week for "Candid"... and I admit the photos is grainy with lots of distractions. But I think the picture maintains the "candidness". hehe
By the way, I took the picture at a stoplight, in my car, while I was about to drive off... kinda had the camera out the window in my hand stretched way the heck out! Hahaha!! But it was a rare moment that I didn't think would happen again. Be sure to look for mone folks!
Tony Melendez
bamaster |
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08/29/2002 08:40:31 PM · #12 |
I think what will be most different in the voting this week is that many of us will be able to empathize with the really good thought that went behind the photo and the frustration of not being able to capture it accurately. That said, I hope that most of you are better at candid shots than I am. LOL
I don't think I will change my voting any. I think I will just empathize a lot in my comments.
Candid photo shooting is definitely an area for me that needs work, so having this challenge is kinda like forced homework. LOL.
Good luck everyone!
Dawn |
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08/29/2002 08:54:15 PM · #13 |
Originally posted by magnetic9999:
i just wanted to post that I think a lot of people should be prepared next week for a large number of pictures with blur, grain, and included distracting elements, like powerlines, cars in the pic and whatnot.
.............
You may be right, but don't undersell those who participate here ( and I don't think that you really do).
I've been coming here for a few months now - and I have both seen a lot of good photography, and a lot of improvement. What we may have is a wider range than usual.
I for one can't wait to see the submissions.
My expectations are high.
Jim
* This message has been edited by the author on 8/29/2002 8:53:34 PM. |
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08/30/2002 12:39:58 AM · #14 |
Originally posted by bamaster:
By the way, I took the picture at a stoplight, in my car, while I was about to drive off... kinda had the camera out the window in my hand stretched way the heck out! Hahaha!! But it was a rare moment that I didn't think would happen again. Be sure to look for mone folks!
Tony Melendez
bamaster
I'm glad someone else uses the "shoot from where you can get the camera" technique. I've shot quite a few pictures in that attitude, but usually while driving around, including my first and second Challenge entries, and these "roughly-edited" pictures taken on my recent vacation.
Interestingly, my likely "Candid" shot doesn't seem to have much grain/focus problem...
--Paul |
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08/30/2002 12:42:22 AM · #15 |
| There is no excuse for a bad picture. |
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08/30/2002 02:10:09 AM · #16 |
| Zeissman, for someone who has done a lot of complaining about the way others have judged YOUR photos to be technically bad, you are very narrow minded. I thought you made some good points when people voted down your baby photo because it was too dark over the baby's face, so why can't you look at other people's photos the same way you want them to look at yours? Why can't you imagine that things you think make a photo "bad" might be intentional or desirable to the photographer? |
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08/30/2002 04:37:05 AM · #17 |
Candid means not posed or not rehearsed, it does not mean fleeting or all of a sudden.
There's no reason you can't get a "candid" shot with all the elements of a good photo - i.e. composition, lighting, color balance, depth, etc.
Maybe I don't understand. Is the actual taking of the picture supposed to be a "candid" action? Do we have to surprise ourselves by snapping a picture of something all of a sudden? I suppose if that's the case then I certainly would expect to see composition problems (or image pixelization due to repairing composition problems), distracting elements and other flaws. But if the shot itself can be planned, allowing you to decisively and purposefully capture a candid moment, then maybe there's no reason for your disclaimer.
Take another picture.
Originally posted by magnetic9999:
i just wanted to post that I think a lot of people should be prepared next week for a large number of pictures with blur, grain, and included distracting elements, like powerlines, cars in the pic and whatnot.
alot of these pics are taken of strangers from a great distance and may require cropping , which will tend to reveal grain in the digital image file and isnt' some fault of the photographer.
many will probably taken quickly, on the fly, and may have blur and camera shake.
also opportunity may knock when some distracting element like a power line or a car is in the picture.
Voters should be prepared for all these things, revise expectations accordingly, and try to look beyond these superficial elements at what the photographer was trying to see and/or say.
* This message has been edited by the author on 8/30/2002 4:42:04 AM. |
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08/30/2002 07:47:47 AM · #18 |
I agree with what Magnetic is saying. Many of our members are a bit nitpicky about perfection. Let's face it, very few shots are going to be perfect. I've gotten a lot of "if this were straight" or "if that wasn't in the top of the photo" this week. There are just some things I can't do anything about unless I chose something else as my subject. I liked what I came up with and worked with my saturation to make my subject stand out.
Forgive me for ranting a little bit. I'm just trying to say that I will try to judge the candid pictures on the essense of the subject for the week. |
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08/30/2002 07:52:13 AM · #19 |
I am going to look for photos that appear to be more candid. This indludes 'spur of the moment' shots that are not technically perfect. Technical excellence doesn't matter to me in this challenge... To me, subjectivity is all that matters this week.
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08/30/2002 08:13:07 AM · #20 |
That's what makes this such a great website. If everyone has the same opinion and looks at the same things then what's the point? Everyone here is trying new things, and using their cameras for good instead of evil. That's all that matters, right?
Enjoy your time capturing candid moments and use what you can from the feedback you get. Aside from constructive things that can help you, who cares what anyone else says?
Originally posted by jmsetzler:
I am going to look for photos that appear to be more candid. This indludes 'spur of the moment' shots that are not technically perfect. Technical excellence doesn't matter to me in this challenge... To me, subjectivity is all that matters this week.
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08/30/2002 08:23:26 AM · #21 |
I doubt very seriously that I will make any 'constructive' comments on photos in the candid challenge. I hope to see a lot of 'spur of the moment' images. When shooting in this mode, I do not believe that it's my place to tell the photographer my opinion on how it could have been done better. If the photographer spent too much time on composition and following the general rules of photography, the photo would not likely be candid. I want to see candids rather than planned and rehearsed still life photos :)
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08/30/2002 09:10:22 AM · #22 |
People vote for what they like and justify it with technical discussion.
It happens in art school, it happens in the middle of advertising meetings and it happens on DP Challenge.
I will vote/score according to what I like as will most all of you. Whether it is technically brilliant, passable or completely amaturerish I will leave up to the editors :-)
* This message has been edited by the author on 8/30/2002 9:09:28 AM. |
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08/30/2002 09:55:38 AM · #23 |
Everyone here is trying new things, and using their cameras for good instead of evil. That's all that matters, right?
I try to use my camera for evil whenever possible... robbing banks, taking blurry photos, assult... you know the usual stuff. |
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08/30/2002 11:49:55 AM · #24 |
Originally posted by jmsetzler:
If the photographer spent too much time on composition and following the general rules of photography, the photo would not likely be candid.
I disagree. I think that capturing a candid moment is definitely a photography skill -- one that we must learn and one that is difficult for many. But I think bearing in mind the general rules of photography is what makes a good candid good.
Of course, there are photos that are not technically great that do SUCH a good job of capturing the moment that you overlook the flaws -- but that should be the exception and not the rule, IMHO.
I doubt very seriously that I will make any 'constructive' comments on photos in the candid challenge.
That's too bad. You have a really good eye for composition, and many of us could benefit from your feedback. But of course, that's your perogative.
My thoughts,
Dawn |
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08/30/2002 12:16:23 PM · #25 |
And limited by the camera's ability. My G2 will not be able to focus fast enough to capture most of it, but my old Canon film camera could, wish I had a D60 :) G2 has a notorious slow focus, as are many digital cameras unless it's an SLR.
Originally posted by just-married:
Originally posted by jmsetzler:
[i]If the photographer spent too much time on composition and following the general rules of photography, the photo would not likely be candid.
I disagree. I think that capturing a candid moment is definitely a photography skill -- one that we must learn and one that is difficult for many. But I think bearing in mind the general rules of photography is what makes a good candid good.
Of course, there are photos that are not technically great that do SUCH a good job of capturing the moment that you overlook the flaws -- but that should be the exception and not the rule, IMHO.
I doubt very seriously that I will make any 'constructive' comments on photos in the candid challenge.
That's too bad. You have a really good eye for composition, and many of us could benefit from your feedback. But of course, that's your perogative.
My thoughts,
Dawn[/i]
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