ok, so what could i have done better?

Sony 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 E-mount

11/19/2002 12:32:56 AM · #1

since i got a lot of comments refering to the artistic decisions i made and how bad they apparently were, i wanna know what people think i could have done better.

here's the original and the finished product

JamieWillmott

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

11/19/2002 03:35:51 AM · #2

The image seems a bit over exposed out. Negative space tends not to work so well for a 'macro' subject - IMHO. I did think it was an interesting picture though.

jmsetzler

Sony Alpha a6000

11/19/2002 06:53:37 AM · #3

I think it's a great shot and it carries a nice surreal effect with it... DPC voters don't seem to care much for 'surreal' and creative use of focus.

I wouldn't change a thing about it :)

I think this is a great shot and it is definitely worthy of printing... I think it would fair much better on several different sites in cyberspace.... I'm not sure if shots like this, no matter how good they are, will ever do well on this site unfortunately :(

* This message has been edited by the author on 11/19/2002 6:50:59 AM.

hokie

Nikon D2X

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED

11/19/2002 07:05:43 AM · #4

I agree with John.

I would not change a thing about it.

You were one of my higher rated photos last week and in the future as you look back on this photo it will be considered even more favorably than now.

Remember, this is a popularity contest first and foremost. That requires a different approach. My photo this week, in my opinion, is one of my three best regardless of score and no score will change my mind. Was it a popular photo? There were 110 more popular. Would I change anything about it? No :-)

11/19/2002 06:20:52 PM · #5

yeah, well the problem is that i never do stuff to appeal to other people. i do it because its what i want to do

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM

11/19/2002 07:19:44 PM · #6

I do like the suddle look of the original picture, reminds me of something I would see on a greeting card. The second one is nice too, but I would have liked more of the flower. I find my self searching for the rest of the flower. Did you try to take a picture of just one or the whole bundle of flowers? I would love to see them. I love the negative space you have in the photo as well. You didn't diserve such a low score. Hope you take this as kind words, Knowing that I am just learning too.
Sonja

paganini

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

11/19/2002 07:32:53 PM · #7

For once, I agree with John :-)

The lighting is nice, though it is a bit overexposed even to get this effect... but hey, i get the feeling when i look at it and thus it's a good photo.

I expected the "cliche" macro shots to do well here, as have been demonstrated with the results. That's the way it is, artistic photos tend to get voted down. Blurred photos such as yours would not fare so well, even though it is a really nice photograph.

Originally posted by jmsetzler:
I think it's a great shot and it carries a nice surreal effect with it... DPC voters don't seem to care much for 'surreal' and creative use of focus.

I wouldn't change a thing about it :)

I think this is a great shot and it is definitely worthy of printing... I think it would fair much better on several different sites in cyberspace.... I'm not sure if shots like this, no matter how good they are, will ever do well on this site unfortunately :(

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

11/19/2002 07:49:49 PM · #8

Originally posted by Sonifo:
Did you try to take a picture of just one or the whole bundle of flowers? I would love to see them

i took around 25 random shots of the flowers in my living room. i'm a firm believer in the random shot (especially since my camera is so crappy as to not actually look through the lens, but little window above and to one side of it, so trying to find a particular shot disconnected from my computer would be pointless)

you can see the others that i thought were interesting here in the outtakes folder, as well as the various other versions of the finale product in the other folder (not all dpchallenge legal)

and thanks for the comments guys. makes me feel better than my score did. lol

digitallywet

Canon EOS-D60

11/19/2002 10:20:00 PM · #9

Originally posted by Arachnophilia:
yeah, well the problem is that i never do stuff to appeal to other people. i do it because its what i want to do

It's funny you ask for ways to improve your image, and obviously enter the competition for self gratification and are yet to recieve it ...
and then you go and say this ... defeating the point of wanting advice or entering a competition if the image was solely for you in the first place !

why enter an image if all you are going to do is complain about bad results .... that goes for all of you !!

11/19/2002 10:23:30 PM · #10

My favorite out of the bunch is #14. I like that you included the stem. You did good. Keep up the good work. Don't let the low score get you down. Have you seen my flower shot? It was for the challenge light source. Flower of Love I love flowers shots, but I think that is because I am so new to photography.

artemis8

Canon PowerShot S200

11/19/2002 11:20:50 PM · #11

I liked almost everything about your picture except the cropping/framing. The sharp cut-off along the bottom edge, especially in the middle clashed with the blown-out, fuzzy focus, soft feel that you seemed to be going for. I think I would have liked it a lot more if just the stems got cut off by the edges, not the petals.

11/19/2002 11:36:30 PM · #12

Originally posted by Sonifo:
Have you seen my flower shot? It was for the challenge light source. Flower of Love

yes, i saw that one, and gave it a ten, btw. i think the color towards the bottom makes it very interesting.

11/19/2002 11:58:12 PM · #13

Thank you for the ten. I would love to see more flower shots if you have any.

11/19/2002 11:59:00 PM · #14

Originally posted by digitallywet:
why enter an image if all you are going to do is complain about bad results .... that goes for all of you !!

well, i asked what i could have done better because there are a lot of people on here who are very good (professional?) photographers, whereas i am not.

you'll have to excuse me if i like showing my stuff even if not everyone (or anyone) likes it. sometimes, the mark of good art is that everyone hates it.

i just merely was curious to see what kinds of choices other people would have made with this, even if i reject most of them.

11/20/2002 12:00:32 AM · #15

Originally posted by Sonifo:
Thank you for the ten. I would love to see more flower shots if you have any.

heh. maybe i'll have to take some more, cause i don't exactly have very many. i'll have to try some different styles too.

11/20/2002 12:06:33 AM · #16

I was looking at your photos and notice this one. Quine I love it. How did you get her face to be so white. I have been working on this photo Marti for a couple of weeks and would love to get her face whiter and less shadow. Do you have any advice?

11/20/2002 12:20:11 AM · #17

that photo was actually taken by a friend of mine (of herself, btw) for the illusions challenge. my initial goal in post-processing was the bring out the makeup she was wearing (makeup being the illusion, see?) and i ended up with something more less like that, and took it to extreme.

here is her actual submission, and the instructions are in the description. there's another resize and crop on the end of those steps actually, but that was just to remove the black line her camera puts on the bottom of her picture.

we were very careful to document all the steps (saving a picture at each incriment) because we were sure someone was going to call for a dq. and no one did.

i use paintshop pro, btw. but i'm sure it can be replicated rather easily and probably more effectively in photoshop.

* This message has been edited by the author on 11/20/2002 12:17:42 AM.

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

11/20/2002 01:06:17 AM · #18

Originally posted by Sonifo:
...I would love to see more flower shots if you have any.

I took this the other day...I have a lot of flowers but they're not posted in a convenient location right now...click on the link to see it larger:

Sundae Rose, Monday Morning

11/20/2002 01:59:19 PM · #19

Is the rose under a glass bubble or is it in a vase? Nice macro, GeneralE. I love the macro shot of flour. Is that spices? I think it is very unique and I love the colours.

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

11/20/2002 03:29:07 PM · #20

Originally posted by Sonifo:
Is the rose under a glass bubble or is it in a vase? Nice macro, GeneralE. I love the macro shot of flour. Is that spices? I think it is very unique and I love the colours.

Hey Thanks! The rose is floating in one of those stemmed and fluted ice cream glasses used to serve sundaes in restaurants, which is how I came up with the title. Here's a longer shot which shows the setup:
Rose & Leaf #6

this thread, along with some related images. All of the flour and rose photos are in the same folder at pBase. I shoot a lot of pictures of flowers (not so often flour); getting them edited and posted is always the problem...

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

11/20/2002 04:10:29 PM · #21

So I cruise by the iWon.com portal and their photo of the day is by someone I don't know in my city!
"Rose of the day"
Careful -- this link will probably only work 20-NOV-2002.

* This message has been edited by the author on 11/20/2002 4:09:18 PM.

11/20/2002 07:32:40 PM · #22

Hey I like the new picture of the rose in the vase. I also notice the key picture when I was browsing farther. I like the picture that you put "War is not healthy for children and other living things". Very nice.

Originally posted by GeneralE:
I posted a key to the flour photo in this thread, along with some related images. All of the flour and rose photos are in the same folder at pBase. I shoot a lot of pictures of flowers (not so often flour); getting them edited and posted is always the problem...[/i]