I also have a shot at a personal best, but it'll probably drop a bit in the scrubber. But it should be on my top row, and I'm quite happy about that.
I, too, have a shot where some people really like aspect A of it, and others think it would look better without aspect A. That's fine by me. Photography is very subjective. I actually have another shot that doesn't have aspect A, and I like it as well or maybe better than the one I entered. In other words, I don't mind at all that I'm getting conflicting comments - means at least folks are noticing the photograph, and noticing the bits of the photograph, which is good. As for how they express their opinions, that can vary based on personality, native language, education level, and a whole host of things - don't take it personally, and it's up to you as to what you choose to do with the information.
Rainy blah day here, so I have the perfect opportunity to finish voting. Only made it about halfway through and that took nearly three hours!
Rob, that makes sence
i Have commented on Street far more than any other challenge, i only hope that i have not just said "This is wrong" and left it at that. I tried to say what i may have done with that shot.
Darren,
You have commented on my shot, and your comment was exactly the kind I would prefer. Your comment made a suggestion (not stating something was objectively wrong, but as what you would do) and noted the things you liked about the shot.
I can't believe someone suggested you sell your camera. That is wrong on so many levels, but it does fit one aspect of human nature. I've taken a quick look through your portfolio, and there is no question you have a good eye and are very creative (I especially like the failed hard drive shot). To have that diminished when you're starting out can be nothing other a desire on someone's part to be mean.
My only qualm is comments that don't realize they're opinion; critical opinion is fine by me (as Melethia notes, some people like, some people don't); but, voicing opinion as objective evaluation is wrong. Yes, articulation of criticism can be affected by a host of variables, but I don't find that any of the possible ones excuse the misconception that your opinion is more important than your opinion. I have often written, "This doesn't work for me because"; what follows the because is irrelevant, and can be as damning or trivial as the commenter likes. But simply saying, "The red tone ruins this" or "not a shot you should have entered" is rude whatever your excuse.
On scores, mine has slowly climbed throughout the day, which is a nice change since the general day 1 to day 6 decrease I'd seen so far. Now at 5.8333. Not likely to beat my personal best (my first challenge), but should be a 2nd best, which I'll take for sure! Good luck everyone shooting for ribbons and bests!
I've got to get back to the challenge and tweak my voting and make some comments and post my day 24 pic in the 30 day where I live project . . .
My opinion - there are very few photographs, entered in this challenge, that grasp what 'Street Photography' really is. To me a 'Street' photograph is like a sentence i.e. a unit (grammatical / visual) that is syntactically independent and has a subject that is expressed.
I think we may have a similar view of what street photography is, but on further reflection I think one of the things we are seeing in this challenge is how difficult it is to find a picture that captures an emotion and tells a story when you have only a week to do it. Great street photography can be very serendipitous, where the confluence of good light, a great subject, and a camera at the ready all come together at just the precise moment. Many of those elements are outside of the photographers control to a far greater extent than in other types of photography. My guess is that a lot of the entrants here truly do grasp what street photography is, but ended up submitting an entry that was not quite what they wanted, even it was the best they came up with in a week. I know that I'm not totally please with my entry; photographically its an interesting image, but does not come close to telling the kind of story that I would have liked.
Excellant excellant point..So much of street photography is about capturing a moment, not manufacturing one...and I know , myself, and alot of other people had to deal with Extreme cold and wind that week..certainly limited alot of golden opportunities...not all, but I think warmer weather may have helped alot of us get better shots :)
And where does it say that "street" people have to be poor, poverty, wearing rags, dirty, unhappy etc etc. It seems so many immediately visualize a street scene as down-trodden and derelic. I believe we have all seem very happy and clean street people who are indeed street people. Stop and think what variations can be found in street scenes.
I personally think that street photography is all about life. It's about capturing people, ordinary people, extraordinary people, happy people, sad people going about their daily lives in public places.
It's about people interacting with other people and/or their environment, it's about trying to capture those miniature stories that happen every day on the streets, be it a homeless person sitting on a corner or a mother of two dragging her kids to the shops or an old woman walking her dogs, or two young lovers making out.
It's life
It is hard though to capture a good street photograph because it's about moments that just happen but can't really be controlled.
You can however get better at spotting when those moments are happening and grabbing them with your camera. I'm definately not brilliant at it yet but I love trying and sometimes you're lucky and you're there you can capture magic in a bottle (which I did early one morning when I shot my Lighting III entry)
Just got back from holiday. Was able to check my score from soem internet cafes, but didn't have time to share with you guys. Well on track for a PB, praying even for a top 10.
Gotta say what a cool challenge. I haven't had one drag me so far out of my comfort zone in a long time. I was excited at first and ran right out and shot for an hour or two.. but that just didn't cut it. I ended up with 4 trips in a week before I felt like I understood the meaning of the challenge well enough to find the shot. Anyway, scores be good or scores be not as good, it was a fun challenge and I hope others enjoyed it as well.
Think I'll shoot differently when I'm out & about from now on because of the lessons I learned this week. :)
im a little bummed, i like my shot but i had to take it fast so its not done to my likeing, i would have liked to get in closer. I think if i had done it all as i had wanted id get like top top 30 or higher imo. Oh well it was a cool challenge all the same.
Gotta say what a cool challenge. I haven't had one drag me so far out of my comfort zone in a long time. I was excited at first and ran right out and shot for an hour or two.. but that just didn't cut it. I ended up with 4 trips in a week before I felt like I understood the meaning of the challenge well enough to find the shot. Anyway, scores be good or scores be not as good, it was a fun challenge and I hope others enjoyed it as well.
Think I'll shoot differently when I'm out & about from now on because of the lessons I learned this week. :)
I agree - this sure pushed me as a photographer. I only had time for an hour of shooting before I went on holiday, and was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. As a result I included street photography in my efforts while on holiday with mixed results and loads of personal satisfaction. Seems I might have discovered a whole new area of photography for me to enjoy.
In recent weeks I have ploughed loads of effort into studio-style photography with heaps of frustrution and very little reward. I want desperately to be competent at working with lights in anticipation of our first child due in July, but it just doesn't seem to be my thing. Now street photography is the opposite...
