It sucks to see many great entries (excluding mine-mine was terrible) in the abstract emotion challenge all missing the top ribbons. No offense to the winners.. but only 1 of the top 3 is truly abstract IMO and deserves to be with the ribbons.
Whats relieving is that the other great entries such as , , , , actually came close to the podium.
Apparently the audience didnt get the challenge theme very clearly.
why are peanuts more abstract than onion and knife?
personification does not equal abstract
That is just my opinion, and I hope you understand that I am entitled to that.
ETA: By the way your entry is actually abstract with my definition... its pretty good in fact.
Entitled to an opinion indeed, but you also must realize that if you're going to make subjective claims such as, "only 1 of the top 3 is truly abstract IMO", then you'll find that you'll receive a great deal more respect and validity if you are willing to give that opinion some reasoning to back it up.
Playing the "That's just my opinion" game can often be exasperating.
why are peanuts more abstract than onion and knife?
personification does not equal abstract
That is just my opinion, and I hope you understand that I am entitled to that.
ETA: By the way your entry is actually abstract with my definition... its pretty good in fact.
Entitled to an opinion indeed, but you also must realize that if you're going to make subjective claims such as, "only 1 of the top 3 is truly abstract IMO", then you'll find that you'll receive a great deal more respect and validity if you are willing to give that opinion some reasoning to back it up.
Playing the "That's just my opinion" game can often be exasperating.
Thanks, and I am sorry me having an opinion is exasperating. And I am not playing a game.. I am serious. Really.
Here is my reasoning: if I can see a recognizable object clear/crisp or hazed in an image, it is not abstract for me. On those grounds, perhaps the peanuts picture is on the edge. I am taking it out.
Again, it is -just my opinion-. And I am not an expert.
why are peanuts more abstract than onion and knife?
personification does not equal abstract
That is just my opinion, and I hope you understand that I am entitled to that.
ETA: By the way your entry is actually abstract with my definition... its pretty good in fact.
Entitled to an opinion indeed, but you also must realize that if you're going to make subjective claims such as, "only 1 of the top 3 is truly abstract IMO", then you'll find that you'll receive a great deal more respect and validity if you are willing to give that opinion some reasoning to back it up.
Playing the "That's just my opinion" game can often be exasperating.
Thanks, and I am sorry me having an opinion is exasperating. And I am not playing a game.. I am serious. Really.
Here is my reasoning: if I can see a recognizable object clear/crisp or hazed in an image, it is not abstract for me.
Again, it is -just my opinion-. And I am not an expert.
Yet, when asked why you would choose a photo of peanuts over something with just as recognizable an object in it on the front page as "more abstract", you simply chose to say "that's my opinion".
You've now defined your reasoning, and it still leaves me bewildered.
This is kind of why Abstract as a concept here on DPC may probably remain one of those things that will always be a giant boiling pot. We can't even reasonably explain our own opinions ;)
*EDIT* ah, I see, you solved it by removing the image of the peanuts. Clever.
Apparently the audience didnt get the challenge theme very clearly.
Thanks for the nod Prash. I was not too surprised that the top entries may not be strictly abstract. I struggled with the definition of abstract and spent much of the entry week trying to educate myself a bit about abstract art and I still don't feel like I know much about it. What I soon found, however, was that my concept of abstract and surreal had previously been confused.
I tossed my first entry since it was actually surreal and went at it again to try meeting the challenge. It also occurred to me during that process that many voters will not know the difference between the two, so I expected to see the confusion we see regarding DNMCs and yes, two of the top entries strike me as more surreal than abstract, but I am just a novice, so I very well may just be showing my ignorance. Still, the top pic's are fantastic photographs in their own right imho.
I entered, I did urrgg so-so. And I can honestly say, I still have no idea what abstract is. What I thought it was is not, what I think it is now, is not, and looking through the challenge again, I still do not know what it is.
why are peanuts more abstract than onion and knife?
personification does not equal abstract
That is just my opinion, and I hope you understand that I am entitled to that.
ETA: By the way your entry is actually abstract with my definition... its pretty good in fact.
Entitled to an opinion indeed, but you also must realize that if you're going to make subjective claims such as, "only 1 of the top 3 is truly abstract IMO", then you'll find that you'll receive a great deal more respect and validity if you are willing to give that opinion some reasoning to back it up.
Playing the "That's just my opinion" game can often be exasperating.
Thanks, and I am sorry me having an opinion is exasperating. And I am not playing a game.. I am serious. Really.
Here is my reasoning: if I can see a recognizable object clear/crisp or hazed in an image, it is not abstract for me.
Again, it is -just my opinion-. And I am not an expert.
Yet, when asked why you would choose a photo of peanuts over something with just as recognizable an object in it on the front page as "more abstract", you simply chose to say "that's my opinion".
You've now defined your reasoning, and it still leaves me bewildered.
This is kind of why Abstract as a concept here on DPC may probably remain one of those things that will always be a giant boiling pot. We can't even reasonably explain our own opinions ;)
*EDIT* ah, I see, you solved it by removing the image of the peanuts. Clever.
I am glad you noticed my statement "On those grounds, perhaps the peanuts picture is on the edge. I am taking it out.":-)
I am also glad that you took the time to positively analyze what I said rather than negativizing it and looking for semantic flaws in what I said because our definitions of abstraction dont match.. appreciate it!
Again, this is not personal. And in all decency, and with all the respect I have for everyone around here, I still feel there were better entries out there deserving a ribbon IMHO (again, mine EXCLUDED).
I am thankful for this 'rant' section on the forum.. another reason I love DPC.
Apparently the audience didnt get the challenge theme very clearly.
I tossed my first entry since it was actually surreal and went at it again to try meeting the challenge. It also occurred to me during that process that many voters will not know the difference between the two, so I expected to see the confusion we see regarding DNMCs and yes, two of the top entries strike me as more surreal than abstract, but I am just a novice, so I very well may just be showing my ignorance.
I dont think you are ignorant. I agree with your top choices. And one of them, the one that got a ribbon, is also a great image IMO. The other two arent abstract enough for me. I agree that to understand certain technicalities, it helps to have been on DPC for a long long time. But with certain things, like what is abstract, I dont think even experience will help.. as I still see a divide in people over this definition... just as K10DGuy put it: "Abstract as a concept here on DPC may probably remain one of those things that will always be a giant boiling pot."
...I tossed my first entry since it was actually surreal and went at it again to try meeting the challenge. It also occurred to me during that process that many voters will not know the difference between the two, so I expected to see the confusion we see regarding DNMCs and yes, two of the top entries strike me as more surreal than abstract, but I am just a novice, so I very well may just be showing my ignorance. Still, the top pic's are fantastic photographs in their own right imho.
I didn't realize it at the time but based on what you mention and the images shown, I guess I shot a surreal image instead of abstract too. On the plus side, I know think I know what surrealism is lol.
I voted a 10 on 21 entries. Six of those made it to the front page. One of them placed 112th. My own placed 129th, with a score of 4.3. I very much enjoyed voting this challenge because I connect well with abstract art, but once again was not brave enough to leave comments.
I can not predict with confidence the mood of voters here. Now that this challenge is over, I can see that 'abstract photograph' here means the noun is 'photograph,' the modifier is 'abstract.' In other words, a photograph with abstract qualities. (For me, it meant an 'abstract' that has 'photographic' qualities.) Because it has to be a good photograph first, before it is anything else, the presence of an identifiable subject is OK, even necessary. If it's a pure abstract, it may as well be art (with photographic qualities).
Here is my reasoning: if I can see a recognizable object clear/crisp or hazed in an image, it is not abstract for me.
Just as a counterpoint: by its very nature an emotion is an "abstraction"; so it makes sense that recognizable objects are the abstraction of emotions, in the same way that two negatives make a positive...
