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The Strength to Choose; The Power to Kill.
The Strength to Choose; The Power to Kill.
sevenine0


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Strength (Basic Editing I)
Camera: Canon PowerShot G5
Location: my living room
Date: Apr 10, 2004
Galleries: Political, Persuasive
Date Uploaded: Apr 13, 2004

smoking kills

Statistics
Place: 220 out of 282
Avg (all users): 4.3710
Avg (commenters): 4.7619
Avg (participants): 4.1810
Avg (non-participants): 4.5030
Views since voting: 1156
Votes: 283
Comments: 26
Favorites: 0


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AuthorThread
04/27/2004 10:43:19 AM
*** Greetings from the Critique Club ***

Hi Cole.

Challenge
I think you have a good shot there, but I don't think it fits the challenge entirely. The title seems to shue-horn the photo into the challenge, and it would not surprise me if you took it for something else. I would not phrase it like it were a strength to choose, would rather say the power to choose (different meaning in my mind at least). In this case it would be strength to be able to avoid the addiction.

Composition
Composition seems pretty basic here, and it works well. Putting the ashtray in front with the egg and the chicken behind it works very nicely for my eyes. This angle works well for this kind of propaganda, it puts the egg "in-your-face" and the chicken behind like it's not thinking about the egg (if you know what I mean...)

Lighting
I think the lighting is excellent in this setting. the egg is well lit and the ashtray and chicken are sufficiently lit, but in a way that makes these elements secondary to the egg (nicely done). Background all-black and totally non-distracting. Good.

Camera work
Excellent work on the camera, I know what it's like to operate this kind of equipment (have a G3 myself) and working in these kind of conditions is not easy at all. I especially noticed how nice your DOF is, all of the ashtray is crystal clear, while the chicken is just perfectly blurred into the background. Excellent work, I thought this was a DSLR shot when I saw it first.

Post-Processing
Not sure what you did in PS (or similar) but it looks unedited and that is always good. You probably had to do something to get the background as black as it is and while keeping the objects right, and you seem to have done very nicely. Would like to see this a bit sharpened, but I'm not sure it would be better, this looks really nice.

Title and Info
Like I said before, the title seems to shue-horn the shot into the challenge, although it has a kind of propaganda ring to it (I am icelandic, english is not my native language like you can see on my spelling ;). Info is not good enough in my opinion, you did not enter the basic info (aperture, iso, shutter) that is very easily available both in camera and in most viewer software. In "Photographer's Comments" I would like to see how your setup was done, how you got the background so nicely black and what you did in post-processing (although it's right, smoking does kill). I always check these things when I'm browsing DPC, it's a great learning tool for me and others.

Overall (my opinion)
Overall, I think it's a very nice shot, but maybe in a wrong challenge, and I think that explains the low score. You obviosly spent a lot of time and effort on this and the outcome is great IMHO. The Beau (?) on the egg might be a tiny bit lower to show the form of the egg, but that's about all I can suggest. You really pulled good work out of your G5, should not let the low score get you down, keep on submitting.

Hope this helps,

Best regards, Tyrkinn
04/21/2004 06:36:45 PM
i had alot of fun taking this pic. the turkey in the background is smoking and the egg in the ash trey with a baby ribbon on its head to symbolize smoking having the strength to harm unborn babies. also the chicken symbolizes quiting cold turkey.ash tray could be the baby cradle also but dosnt need to symolize that. every image has a purpose. anti smoking. thanks to all who gave me feed back!! good times!!

Message edited by author 2004-04-21 18:38:43.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
04/20/2004 09:27:55 PM
I'd have ranked this one higher if I could tell what it was.Is that a chicken the background?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/20/2004 06:48:00 PM
WTF??
04/20/2004 05:36:27 PM
I have looked and looked at this and am not sure what all I am looking at. I can't make out what that thing is in the ashtray with the ribbon on it. This is clearly a message about smoking but I am not getting the whole message. The turkey seems to have a cigarette in it, I am not sure why. If it is a dolls head in the ashtray is not at all clear.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/20/2004 11:40:44 AM
brilliant, dark and twisted. amazing colours too, i love this photo.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/19/2004 08:59:58 PM
If I'm seeing what I think I'm seeing then this is far too deep for DPC! A very interesting and almost surreal image. Nicely captured smoke too. Very thought-provoking.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/19/2004 07:13:09 AM
Can't quite work out what the objects are - is it an egg in the ashtray with a roasted chicken in the background?!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/19/2004 01:48:39 AM
It is good, and it makes one think...It was not what I expected as I waited for the rest of the picture to download.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/18/2004 05:39:12 PM
I would've liked to see brighter highlights in this otherwise great photo. The turkey(?) in the background is an interesting touch, but I think it's a bit distracting although it plays on your subconscious by association (quitting cold turkey). Also not sure about the rock(?) with the ribbon tied to it in the ashtray. This image is just full of mystery!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/18/2004 07:23:31 AM
I'm sorry, I don't get it......chicken and egg? Don't smoke?..........Oh hang on..dangers of passive smoking to young??!! Hmmm! Overly obscure and not easy to fit with strength.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/18/2004 03:46:53 AM
??
04/18/2004 02:11:29 AM
this is curious, but I can't relate it to the challenge.
04/18/2004 01:49:38 AM
Is that a turkey smoking in the background? Subject is unclear.
04/17/2004 07:29:32 AM
It seems a strange place to cook the baked potatoe to go with the dead bird in the background.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/16/2004 09:33:59 PM
I REALLY like this theme you've created and the title did help me... the blurry (cold) turkey in the background works very well for me... yet I just havn't been able to figure the ribboned item in the ashtray with the butts.... I'll keep trying and if/when I do I'll vote it up another point.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/16/2004 10:09:05 AM
It really bothers me that I can't tell what the thing with the bow on it is. It is a mushroom? Why is there a turkey in the background.

Technically very good, but the imagery is confusing.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/15/2004 12:43:28 PM
?
04/15/2004 08:33:15 AM
this is sure different, I like the message and the creative way you displayed it as it evokes emotion. Technically speaking: lighting could be used better to highlight foreground, both elements dead center creates a weaker composition.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/14/2004 12:36:24 PM
What am I missing? Cigarettes? Chicken? An egg in a ribbon??????
04/14/2004 12:25:44 PM
I'm officially lost.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/14/2004 10:13:36 AM
Huh? What is that thing in the ashtray? And is that turkey smoking? Strange image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/14/2004 02:20:46 AM
Very interesting photograph. Though I feel lighting could use some improvement; a spotlight effect on the egg could put more emphasis on the subject you are trying to personify.
Great idea though!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/14/2004 02:00:12 AM
absolutely amazing
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/14/2004 01:12:23 AM
ehhh ... strange
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/14/2004 12:54:15 AM
haa i got it (; ya i knoo what u mean and i like it ya, u get top scores cuz ur cool lol, and cuz this IS an awesome pic
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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