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03/25/2007 07:15:54 PM · #126 |
Originally posted by WriteHeart:
Anyone from the AU5 club want to create a team for the WPL contest? I don't know anything about the contest since I just started here, but it seems like teams such as Team Suck are having way too much fun and I would like to be a part of it. Anyone game?
What does it take to start a team anyway, is it possible to start a new one? |
You should probably hold off on team formation until the new rules/structure are anounced (fairly) soon, as there will probably be some rules about team composition ... you may certainly keep the idea in mind informally.
WPL is a head-to-head league/tournament based on team scoring, superimposed on DPC challenges. |
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03/25/2007 07:21:40 PM · #127 |
Originally posted by NikonJeb:
Originally posted by jackal9:
Where to start...lol. I need to get better at "seeing" the shot in my head before I press the shutter release rather than shooting a ton of frames and hopeing something good will result. |
Originally posted by klstover:
One thing I would recommend is - go outside and walk, or wherever you like to shoot photos. Have this be a just-for-you session; leave DPC out of it, and go in with no expectations to get a perfect shot. If you see something you want to take a photo of, limit yourself to ONE frame. And go nice and slow: turn and tilt your camera before you take the shot, fiddle with settings, decide if you want flash, etc. And then do it. You'll have a hard time at first but if you tell yourself that it's just for practice, it'll be easier because you're not under pressure to take a lot of photos in the hopes that one will be just right. I think it does get easier if you practice. |
I'd like to second that "just-for-you" thing.
If you shoot for the voters, you will be in a perpetual place of self-criticism and disappointment 'cause the only way you get better is to make mistakes, learn from them, and along the way, develop the skills that make *YOU* the better version of the photographer you are now.
Nothing and nobody will ever be able to see the world the same way you do in your mind's eye and camera lens.
What you want is to develop your technique and to do that you need to master the camera and understand the composition of the shot, both in technical skills and the subject matter.
One thing that I suggest is to vote every single challenge you can for a while.....look at the shots, and comment. What you'll find by default just by looking at copious quantities of shots is that you'll notice what you do and don't like in photography, how the shots missed the mark for you, and what you'll do to make your work more closely mirror what you want it to.
Then after you vote, look and see how the entries you really like fared. I think you'll be surprised at the disparity in the placement.
You may decide that you saw three shots in particular challenge that you thought were far and away the best.......only to find that while two of them were in the top 25, the third got 187th place.
It just means that the 187th place shot, the one you actually liked second best, didn't speak to as many people the same way that it did to the photographer, and you, or that the style and technique was different enough that it didn't appeal to everyone. You'll appreciate much more how the scoring desn't necessarily indicate the measure of a shot as much as the likes of the viewer.
Finally, decide what you want to learn, and start asking around. There are tons of really good photographers and computer users here that can help you with tips and techniques for things you don't even know exist yet......and when you discover that you can master them as well, it's an awesone feeling.
This place has certainly brought miraculous changes in my photography, but more importantly, I have much more time to have the delight and awe in the world around me now that the mechanics of photography, composition, and post processing have become more second nature.
And I have sooooooooooo much to learn yet!
Edited for typos and poor grammar....the deluge of verbosity is
obligatory.....8>) |
Thank you both so much for the comments!!
I actually shoot for the most part for myself, of late I have shot more for the challenges and I do understand what you mean by the "perpetual place of self-criticism" I really hadn't realized it before though.
I am, at this point, strugging with composition issues, I have gotten better to the point that at least now for the most part I can pick out problems after I shoot, lol. I still find myself shooting way to loose and then cropping large amounts of useless space out of my shots to get what I want, thanks for the advice I will try what you guys have said and post some results later.
Thanks again!!
Jack |
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03/25/2007 07:25:11 PM · #128 |
Personally I am not interested in creating a WPL team. If someone wanted to create an auxillary/nonofficial AU5 thread (after new rules were announced) and do something on their own (as long as it conformed to the new rules) then I'd be okay with it.
Team Suck is not actually part of WPL. They have sub-teams and "compete" amongst themselves, not against WPL. That's been fun for me because it is pretty relaxed and happy. Something like that I'd be a little bit more okay with. But I would really recommend you head over to the Team Suck thread because they're pretty awesome about taking on new members. The atmosphere over there is compatible with the atmosphere we've been establishing so I think AU5ers would be great TSers. |
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03/25/2007 07:26:08 PM · #129 |
Originally posted by WriteHeart:
Anyone from the AU5 club want to create a team for the WPL contest? I don't know anything about the contest since I just started here, but it seems like teams such as Team Suck are having way too much fun and I would like to be a part of it. Anyone game?
What does it take to start a team anyway, is it possible to start a new one? |
"What does it take to start a team anyway, is it possible to start a new one?
Yeah, sounds fun, I have no idea where to start but it sounds fun!! |
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03/25/2007 07:26:17 PM · #130 |
Originally posted by jackal9:
I have gotten better to the point that at least now for the most part I can pick out problems after I shoot, lol. |
Awesome! Look forward to the posted images :-) |
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03/25/2007 07:26:51 PM · #131 |
Note: Going to be away from home for a couple days and will have minimal if any computer access.
Hugs! |
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03/25/2007 07:28:03 PM · #132 |
Originally posted by klstover:
Personally I am not interested in creating a WPL team. If someone wanted to create an auxillary/nonofficial AU5 thread (after new rules were announced) and do something on their own (as long as it conformed to the new rules) then I'd be okay with it.
Team Suck is not actually part of WPL. They have sub-teams and "compete" amongst themselves, not against WPL. That's been fun for me because it is pretty relaxed and happy. Something like that I'd be a little bit more okay with. But I would really recommend you head over to the Team Suck thread because they're pretty awesome about taking on new members. The atmosphere over there is compatible with the atmosphere we've been establishing so I think AU5ers would be great TSers. |
Okay, that's cool. Thanks!! |
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03/25/2007 07:29:43 PM · #133 |
Originally posted by klstover:
Originally posted by jackal9:
I have gotten better to the point that at least now for the most part I can pick out problems after I shoot, lol. |
Awesome! Look forward to the posted images :-) |
I shot a prime example today but as I have entered it in a challenge I will hold off posting them for now. Thanks!! |
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03/25/2007 10:27:37 PM · #134 |
Originally posted by klstover:
Team Suck is not actually part of WPL. They have sub-teams and "compete" amongst themselves, not against WPL. That's been fun for me because it is pretty relaxed and happy. Something like that I'd be a little bit more okay with. But I would really recommend you head over to the Team Suck thread because they're pretty awesome about taking on new members. The atmosphere over there is compatible with the atmosphere we've been establishing so I think AU5ers would be great TSers. |
I'd just like to second Kelly's comments, and even clarify them a little farther.
The competition aspect is pretty much backwards.....if your team "Wins", you get "Punished" as you have to make selections and vote on the OOBIEs and Yappies, and the person who demonstrates the most egregious lack of suckness by having a momentary lapse and scoring the highest, has to make well-reasoned, helpful comments on *ALL* the Team Suck entries!
So there's actually a downside to doing really well......8>)
You find yourself really working hard to make your comments right and being very careful and considerate of who gets the OOBIE/Yappies....it's not an easy task.
It's HARD WORK!!!!!!
Seriously, WPL is about the competition, and Team Suck is about how to improve your skills and to work with each other to help cultivate the strengths, which surprisingly, a lot of us haven't had anyone to point them out to us, and working on the weaknesses, both real and perceived.
What makes Team Suck so special is that it's like a panel of experts in a participating symposium......we help each other get to where we want, AND......to where we need to be. Not that any of us is better than the others, the really good scores show that there's almost always one Team Suck member that does really well, it's just that it's very infrequently that it's the same person.
And we have all gotten markedly better just since I've been here and that hasn't been that long. We really make a difference for each other.
It's just plain awesome.
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03/25/2007 10:30:32 PM · #135 |
Originally posted by klstover:
Regarding the AU5___ graphic:
I kinda screwed it up, so even if you put in the correct code it might be messed up. I've been going with the AU5 in my signature as well.
Maybe someone would like to make us a graphic that works?
There have been ideas floating around like something based off the unworking graphic or a gold (Au = gold) ribbon that glitters. |
Umm.....I use this: {thumb]483112[/thumb}
And just use the squared off [ ] ones on either end where I have the { }.
And it'll look like this: 
Just put it like that in your preferences, it'll parse in the code by itself.
Edited to test the icon......
Message edited by author 2007-03-25 22:35:12.
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03/25/2007 10:36:18 PM · #136 |
| Thanks Jeb! I've got it now! |
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03/25/2007 10:46:13 PM · #137 |
Originally posted by NikonJeb:
Originally posted by klstover:
Team Suck is not actually part of WPL. They have sub-teams and "compete" amongst themselves, not against WPL. That's been fun for me because it is pretty relaxed and happy. Something like that I'd be a little bit more okay with. But I would really recommend you head over to the Team Suck thread because they're pretty awesome about taking on new members. The atmosphere over there is compatible with the atmosphere we've been establishing so I think AU5ers would be great TSers. |
I'd just like to second Kelly's comments, and even clarify them a little farther.
The competition aspect is pretty much backwards.....if your team "Wins", you get "Punished" as you have to make selections and vote on the OOBIEs and Yappies, and the person who demonstrates the most egregious lack of suckness by having a momentary lapse and scoring the highest, has to make well-reasoned, helpful comments on *ALL* the Team Suck entries!
So there's actually a downside to doing really well......8>)
You find yourself really working hard to make your comments right and being very careful and considerate of who gets the OOBIE/Yappies....it's not an easy task.
It's HARD WORK!!!!!!
Seriously, WPL is about the competition, and Team Suck is about how to improve your skills and to work with each other to help cultivate the strengths, which surprisingly, a lot of us haven't had anyone to point them out to us, and working on the weaknesses, both real and perceived.
What makes Team Suck so special is that it's like a panel of experts in a participating symposium......we help each other get to where we want, AND......to where we need to be. Not that any of us is better than the others, the really good scores show that there's almost always one Team Suck member that does really well, it's just that it's very infrequently that it's the same person.
And we have all gotten markedly better just since I've been here and that hasn't been that long. We really make a difference for each other.
It's just plain awesome. |
Oh okay, well that kinda sheds a whole new light on things...Thank you for the info!! Team Suck sounds very cool! Where do I apply?? |
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03/25/2007 10:50:15 PM · #138 |
Originally posted by jackal9:
I am, at this point, strugging with composition issues, I have gotten better to the point that at least now for the most part I can pick out problems after I shoot, lol. I still find myself shooting way to loose and then cropping large amounts of useless space out of my shots to get what I want, thanks for the advice I will try what you guys have said and post some results later. |
Okay.....QUALIFIER!!!!! This is *MY* opinion and in no way reflects anythiong on anyone else and I'm not open to argue about it......it's my OPINION!!!!!
That said, I love Photoshop.
I do not know how to graft dragon heads onto George Bush's body or Catherine Zeta-Jones' body onto my sister's head.
What PS enables me to do is to balance what I saw through the lens, what I saw in my mind's eye, and what actually showed up on my screen when I downloaded it and opened it up.
What PS allows me to do is to crop it......that lets me get rid pof some of the stuff I wasn't looking at correctly when I shot it.
It allows me to change the exposure(I shoot in RAW), and I maybe hurried too much and didn't set my shutter right.
It allows me to change the saturation, as it looked more vivid as I remember.....and I can brighten it.
What also happens is that I *DO* see what I'm doing wrong as I go through the steps of making my finished photo look like what it was that I envisioned when I snapped the shutter.
Yeah, I have done some wacky stuff, but mostly what I use PS for is to clean up my mistakes, purists be damned, 'cause I sure as heck ain't pure in my shooting.
To me it's more about getting the shot to look the way *I* want it to look.
The two shots that I have been most pleased with have the least amount of PS work and have scored the best for me, so the learning I have been doing by being here is definitely working.
Both of the shots I'm talking about also have the honor of being the absolute right shot at the right time for a challenge, and their scores reflect that.
So I guess what I'm saying is, don't worry about the minor technicals, as you get better, they have a way of working their way into your technique. I sure crop a lot less than I used to and I don't spend anywhere near the time editing that I used to......and I feel that it's a delightful combination of the mentoring I've received here, my own learning curve, and a sh*tload of practice.
Here's your assignment.
Shoot a lot.....shoot everywhere......shoot everything.....doink with ALL of them 'til you like 'em.
Have fun!
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03/25/2007 11:44:52 PM · #139 |
Originally posted by NikonJeb:
Originally posted by jackal9:
I am, at this point, strugging with composition issues, I have gotten better to the point that at least now for the most part I can pick out problems after I shoot, lol. I still find myself shooting way to loose and then cropping large amounts of useless space out of my shots to get what I want, thanks for the advice I will try what you guys have said and post some results later. |
Okay.....QUALIFIER!!!!! This is *MY* opinion and in no way reflects anythiong on anyone else and I'm not open to argue about it......it's my OPINION!!!!!
That said, I love Photoshop.
I do not know how to graft dragon heads onto George Bush's body or Catherine Zeta-Jones' body onto my sister's head.
What PS enables me to do is to balance what I saw through the lens, what I saw in my mind's eye, and what actually showed up on my screen when I downloaded it and opened it up.
What PS allows me to do is to crop it......that lets me get rid pof some of the stuff I wasn't looking at correctly when I shot it.
It allows me to change the exposure(I shoot in RAW), and I maybe hurried too much and didn't set my shutter right.
It allows me to change the saturation, as it looked more vivid as I remember.....and I can brighten it.
What also happens is that I *DO* see what I'm doing wrong as I go through the steps of making my finished photo look like what it was that I envisioned when I snapped the shutter.
Yeah, I have done some wacky stuff, but mostly what I use PS for is to clean up my mistakes, purists be damned, 'cause I sure as heck ain't pure in my shooting.
To me it's more about getting the shot to look the way *I* want it to look.
The two shots that I have been most pleased with have the least amount of PS work and have scored the best for me, so the learning I have been doing by being here is definitely working.
Both of the shots I'm talking about also have the honor of being the absolute right shot at the right time for a challenge, and their scores reflect that.
So I guess what I'm saying is, don't worry about the minor technicals, as you get better, they have a way of working their way into your technique. I sure crop a lot less than I used to and I don't spend anywhere near the time editing that I used to......and I feel that it's a delightful combination of the mentoring I've received here, my own learning curve, and a sh*tload of practice.
Here's your assignment.
Shoot a lot.....shoot everywhere......shoot everything.....doink with ALL of them 'til you like 'em.
Have fun! |
LOL, graft your sisters head on Cathrine Zeta-Jones body, good one.
Thank you for the advice and as of late I have really tryed expanding on the things I shoot, not long ago about the only thing I shot was sunsets (we have some VERY colorful ones here), but after joining this site I got interesting in expanding the things I wanted to get images of, I have become very interested in doing more detail shots and portrait type stuff, so yes I will take your advice and "Shoot a lot.....shoot everywhere......shoot everything.....doink with ALL of them 'til you like 'em."...Oh yeah, By The Way...I LOVE photoshop as well!!!! I will get a much better understanding of what it is capable of and how to achieve it...That said, I find I still use the Crop tool to a larger degree than I should, lol, but I'm getting there...slowly, lol.
Jack
PS, I loved your old truck shot...being and old car fanatic as well it really struck a cord...great shot... |
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03/26/2007 12:02:35 AM · #140 |
Originally posted by jackal9:
Oh okay, well that kinda sheds a whole new light on things...Thank you for the info!! Team Suck sounds very cool! Where do I apply?? |
Just go on over to the Team Suck clubhouse, join in the fun, ask questions, share your views, hag around, and you'll just end up on a team after a while.
Here: //www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=read&FORUM_THREAD_ID=538472
Obviously, this is the first page.....just mosey on over to the current page and say hello!
Message edited by author 2007-03-26 00:03:01.
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03/27/2007 08:54:15 PM · #141 |
Okay, I am back!
Glad to see the support going on here and yay for a new TS member. |
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03/27/2007 11:58:40 PM · #142 |
New image - one that reflects our Golden nature!
Same location (483112) but is now a jpg instead of a gif.
If anyone has any problems with it... ask someone who knows what they're doing, not me. Erp! |
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03/28/2007 12:09:37 AM · #143 |
| I broke everyone's au5 graphic. If you replace "gif" with "jpg" I think it should be fine. |
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03/28/2007 12:39:34 AM · #144 |
4.5730 All I can do is "Keep on trucking!" :)
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03/28/2007 12:49:20 AM · #145 |
| Well, though my average is barely above a 5 (5.035 or something like that) I'd love to support you all fully and hope to do better myself! |
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03/28/2007 01:00:33 AM · #146 |
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03/28/2007 01:22:02 AM · #147 |
Originally posted by klstover:
Okay, I am back!
Glad to see the support going on here and yay for a new TS member. |
Thanks!!
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03/28/2007 02:04:23 AM · #148 |
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04/01/2007 05:32:42 PM · #149 |
Glad to see that none of the AU5 members are going crazy over the April Fools Day Jokes. Personally, I think they are hilarious!
I can't wait to see what shots people took for the Vanish challenge. I was just getting it all set up when I saw that they changed it. I haven't even thought of the Change challenge, but I figure that these are helping me to grow. I will be able to produce shots that the clients ask for. (I need a shot with 30 family members, grandma's old teeth, our deaf and blind bald cat and a peg-legged parrot).
Thanks DPC for helping me to grow as a photography, and for the day of fun.
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04/02/2007 12:31:16 AM · #150 |
I'm no longer a member of au5 :-( I am still a supporter though and with a score of "Avg Vote Received: 5.0144" I could become a member again at any time.
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