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There is no Spoon
There is no Spoon
mbardeen


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Off-Centered Subject (Classic Editing)
Camera: Canon PowerShot G3
Location: My Bedroom
Date: Jun 15, 2003
Aperture: f/8.0
ISO: 50
Shutter: 1 sec
Galleries: Abstract, Still Life
Date Uploaded: Jun 15, 2003

 Intentionally overexposed. Intentional soft.

I was going for stark and simple. I first converted this to B&W, but came back to the colour version - gave a feeling of reality being inside the cup and everything else outside being fuzzy.


Statistics
Place: 67 out of 138
Avg (all users): 5.8387
Avg (commenters): 7.4706
Avg (participants): 5.9545
Avg (non-participants): 5.5556
Views since voting: 1023
Votes: 124
Comments: 19
Favorites: 1 (view)

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AuthorThread
 06/29/2003 02:41:41 PM
Greetings from the Critique Club:

Hi Mat,

I really like your photo. I didn't realize that there was a reference to the Matrix. I don't know too much about the movie. I just liked the picture and voted it fairly high in the challenge.

Challenge: The coffee cup is off-center in the picture and the spoon is sitting off-center on the cup, so you definately met the criteria for the challenge. I really like the unique-"ness" of it.

Composition: Very simple composition. I'm glad you stuck with the color version because I really like the color of the reflection in the cup. Where was this taken? It looks like a reflection of sky. In any event, it is very pretty and blends in well with the color of the cup.

Technical: I would not change a thing. I am impressed with your post-production work. The overexposure works well here. I like how the spoon disappears into the background. The soft focus give the coffee cup a frosted look.

Overall: I have nothing bad to say about your photo. I scored it a 9 during the challenge and am surprised at your score. I would have expected it to be in the mid to high sixes with a possible ribbon. I'm not understanding why 20 people score this below a 5. Perhaps they don't realize that overexposure and soft focus can work well in a photo.

Keep up the good work
Connie
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/23/2003 03:16:01 AM
For those that didn't get the title - it's a reference to The Matrix. It is a hint that reality (in the movie) is not quite what it seems.

The overexposure and harshness were deliberate, I wanted the reflection to look real and everything else to look dreamlike and unsubstantial. In my mind this picture is off-center in a conventional way as well as in a metaphorical way.

Thanks for the comments!
-Matt

Message edited by author 2003-06-23 03:16:17.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
06/22/2003 11:25:45 PM
Excellent, nothing like a Magritte reference in a challenge entry!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/22/2003 11:06:44 PM
The lighting is very harsh on the spoon. Nice reflection on the water.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/21/2003 12:35:37 PM
off centre but balanced. Well done. Like how we lose your spoon in the high key. Lovely.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/20/2003 02:32:53 PM
spoon blends in with the background. Intriguing shot though 6
 06/20/2003 09:39:34 AM
Good image. I don't understand the title though. Of course that won't influence my scoring.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/19/2003 03:25:44 PM
Beautiful. I love how the spoon gets lost into the white background. ~9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/19/2003 11:21:47 AM
This would have ribboned in Matrix, when people were thinking about it. I LOVE the way the spoon disappears into the background. If I had the creativity to think of this shot, I would have shot this same thing. Excellent shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/17/2003 05:20:49 PM
i love the high key lighting here...it suits the photo very well. great composition. very nice work!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/17/2003 08:01:34 AM
Interesting lighting on the shot. If you could have blown out the whole handle beyond the cup, that would have made for a good illusion. 7
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/16/2003 09:23:35 PM
I like the simple composition, I don't get the title though...
nice uncluttered reflection & lighting...
JB
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/16/2003 04:55:30 PM
I think the reflection on this was very well done. It looks like it's reflecting the sky. I don't get the title, sorry, I guess I'm dense. : )
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/16/2003 01:50:27 PM
The exposure's kind of blown out - the whitish bits of the spoon blend into the white background. Which, now that I look at the title again, may be what you intended.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/16/2003 10:57:18 AM
Whoa -- are we back on the Matrix kick again...? :) Nice, simple image. A tad blown out for my tastes, but still cool.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/16/2003 05:15:15 AM
the matrix challenge is over. this is a really great shot though, so i'll accept the late entry! very nice.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/16/2003 02:23:47 AM
Nice High Key effect
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/16/2003 02:12:27 AM
Cool coffee shop shot. Particularly like the lighting in this.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/16/2003 12:33:36 AM
The photo is to bright, but its really good nontheless. 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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