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DPChallenge Forums >> Challenge Results >> Keep It Simple -DOH! My Myth Mistake
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 07/28/2010 09:52:24 AM · #1
So why is the score not reflecting what one hopes for?

I took a good hard, long look at the top 10 of the past 5 challenges and then compared them to my Mythical entry. I think I know why it may have not done as well as I hoped.

I noticed how the majority have a backdrop that allows the main subject to shine. In other words the backdrop is not overly busy.

For example:

My Entry


A Reworked version


Thoughts????
 07/28/2010 09:57:29 AM · #2
Sorry, I gave your image a 4. It doesn't look believable, it just looks like a toy has been put on a random bush. I think the biggest problem is the perspective of the dragon. You could have chosen an angle that makes it look bigger and thus more real/menacing.
 07/28/2010 10:05:02 AM · #3
Originally posted by odriew:
Sorry, I gave your image a 4. It doesn't look believable, it just looks like a toy has been put on a random bush. I think the biggest problem is the perspective of the dragon. You could have chosen an angle that makes it look bigger and thus more real/menacing.


Thank you for being honest.

I shake my head at that it looks like a toy - I did quite a bit of work with textures (I wish it could have been bigger to see the details in lizard skin and dragonfly wings) and I thought the crocodile eye would really make it believable.

Hmmm, as to the angle to make it look more menacing - I took it at that angle because it is a small dragon - hence the dragonfly. Guess some don't like a fairy sized dragon but look for a huge menacing dragon perhaps?

For comparision

Original


Entry


Message edited by author 2010-07-28 10:13:42.
 07/28/2010 10:12:56 AM · #4
I liked it. I gave it an 8. Of course, I'm a rookie! :)
 07/28/2010 10:15:02 AM · #5
I gave your image a 5.

While you may have put some post effort into the toy dragon, I also felt what odriew mentioned, that it was just a toy on a bush. I'm sure some missed the dragonfly as well.

I don't think i would have scored it higher with the alternative you posted. I think the main killer in your image was the bush. It really emphasized that the dragon was merely a toy.
 07/28/2010 10:15:46 AM · #6
Your entry does look much nicer than your original photo, good job with that editing.

The background does make a large difference. With that dark background, it looks like he is near a cave, which does give it slightly more realism.

But I do have to agree on the toy aspect. I believe the main reason for this is because of placement. Sitting on the brush doesn't say "action" to me. If it were flying above (think fishing line), and the plants was slightly blurred due to DOF, then it would have done better. At least I would have given it a better vote, and I voted high already :)

Message edited by author 2010-07-28 10:16:53.
 07/28/2010 10:15:51 AM · #7
I loved the dragonfly... How long did it take to get that image :)
 07/28/2010 10:36:44 AM · #8
Originally posted by coryboehne:
I loved the dragonfly... How long did it take to get that image :)


The separate picture of the dragonfly - that took a good 30 minutes to get a good close-up for those guys just don't like getting approached! Took off every time I got within 5 feet. I guess this one was just tired and allowed me to get within 3 feet of it.
 07/28/2010 10:49:13 AM · #9
Originally posted by CNovack:
Originally posted by coryboehne:
I loved the dragonfly... How long did it take to get that image :)


The separate picture of the dragonfly - that took a good 30 minutes to get a good close-up for those guys just don't like getting approached! Took off every time I got within 5 feet. I guess this one was just tired and allowed me to get within 3 feet of it.


:) Thus far, dragonflies have been 90% of what I've been shooting with my 100-400..
 07/28/2010 10:51:02 AM · #10
Originally posted by Timosaby:
I gave your image a 5.

While you may have put some post effort into the toy dragon, I also felt what odriew mentioned, that it was just a toy on a bush. I'm sure some missed the dragonfly as well.

I don't think i would have scored it higher with the alternative you posted. I think the main killer in your image was the bush. It really emphasized that the dragon was merely a toy.


I do see your points - the small size made it harder to overcome the thought that this is a toy regardless of all the work to make it real and the other compositional elements within the image (the interesting juxtaposition of a dragon hunting a dragonfly).

Hmmmm, I am not a fan of the title carrying the shot I wonder if I had titled it "The Fairy Dragon Hunts" if it would have done better - huh, will never know if that would have truly been effective.
 07/28/2010 10:55:19 AM · #11
To me, it looked TOTALLY believable as the entry. I did think the background was busy and was a distraction. It took me a while to find the dragonfly.

I didn't vote, but would have given it a 6.
 07/28/2010 10:57:05 AM · #12
Just to throw my two cents in...

I thought it was a great job, the textures really helped, and the dragonfly was genius..

You got a 9 out of me :)
 07/28/2010 11:53:28 AM · #13
Looks like you went to school on this shot and learned something to improve your photography. Nice job ob that. I do say the cleaner background is better. Might have achieved a clean effect with a much bigger apperture too. I don't know what lens you used, but opening the aperture as wide as possible would probably blur the background enough to make it look green.

07/28/2010 02:36:03 PM · #14
My two cents: This was an expert editing challenge. Most voters were expecting to see something fantastic and extraordinary. You did a great job on the dragon, but the scale of the leaves kills it for me. I like your edit a little better and I think if you had a fiery cave entrance in that dark area or some other eye-catching element to distract from the leaves and/or add to the scene, it would have done better. Maybe something like this. ;-)

Sometimes we get so focused on details that we fail to step back and look at the overall picture - things like inaccurate comparative scale can not be overcome by the terrific effort you put into the main subject.

Hope that helps.
 07/29/2010 08:37:25 AM · #15
The great thing about DPC is that if you ask - you get to see both sides of the coin:-):-):-)
Thank you all for the critiques and the compliments. They help with me getting better in my photography and PP (in which you never stop learning)
 07/29/2010 08:38:54 AM · #16
Originally posted by Art Roflmao:
My two cents: This was an expert editing challenge. Most voters were expecting to see something fantastic and extraordinary. You did a great job on the dragon, but the scale of the leaves kills it for me. I like your edit a little better and I think if you had a fiery cave entrance in that dark area or some other eye-catching element to distract from the leaves and/or add to the scene, it would have done better. Maybe something like this. ;-)


:-D One cannot get the full DPC experience until they have been immortalized by Art:-)

Originally posted by Art Roflmao:
Sometimes we get so focused on details that we fail to step back and look at the overall picture - things like inaccurate comparative scale can not be overcome by the terrific effort you put into the main subject.

Hope that helps.


And Art you are are right in that "getting focused on the details that we fail to step back and look at the overall picture". Scale (another dragon reference:-) ) is something that I needed to make more believable. Perhaps a better title or overlaying the wings with butterfly detail so that "fey/fairy" comes across more clearly. It needed that extra something to get over the scale issue. Certainly the busy backdrop obscured the dragonfly to some and the new 'cave-like' backdrop made it easier for both main elements to be seen (the kicker is that I could have used that backdrop because it was taken in the challenge dates). Lessons learned - Even with the flaw of scale, I still like my composition. And I feel that the updated one with the cave background is better than the first rendition.

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