Originally posted by levyj413:
If your goal is to maximize your DPC score (which is a very different goal from simply taking a good portrait), then take a posed shot that's about waist-up or even a little less of the torso, clearly showing the face, with nice catchlights, and that's well-lit and sharp. Everything you do differently from that description is likely to reduce your score.
This really isn't hard to define in terms of what DPC likes. Just go to the challenge history page and search for previous portrait challenges. There are zillions of them. |
I wouldn't necessarily say this is because of what DPC "likes" but rather what DPC as a whole is most familiar with. The fact that we constantly have these threads trying to define the challenge topic is proof that people don't know how to vote and need clarification. If there are a few people here confused then there are many more like them who don't see these threads so what ends up happening in all the challenges is the lowest common demonator wins out almost every time. Because not everyone might consider a candid photo a portrait or an animal photo a portrait those will get some low votes due to a belief that they are DNMC and thus the potiential of those photos become limited where as the most typical portrait that is what everyone would consider IS definitely a portrait (i.e. your lowest common demonator, which you're trying to describe) will avoid those low votes, assuming of course the technicals are up to par.
But to your point, I would add you must show either show beauty or wisdom or both in your portrait in order to do very well. If you focus on something else in your portrait it will be destined to fail in the challenge. So in other words shoot a pretty young woman or the old/elderly as those two are the easiest to show beauty and or wisdom.
Message edited by author 2008-05-25 17:46:48. |
