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"Will Work 4 Challenge Points!"
"Will Work 4 Challenge Points!"
777STAN


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Desolation II (Advanced Editing IV)
Camera: Minolta DiMAGE 7i
Location: My back yard.
Date: Jun 17, 2006
Aperture: F/6.7
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1/125
Galleries: Cityscape, Humorous
Date Uploaded: Jun 18, 2006

 Layers, Enhanced Contrast/Lighting/Saturation, Sepiatone, Clone Tool, Magic Wand. If anyone cared to write my life's story, the last few challenge entries for me would be included in a chapter entitled, "Artist Hits The Skids!"
The last line in the chapter would read, "A few points for the poor, Gov'ner?" (Oh, well, at least my lens hood makes a great pot for panhandling flowers.)

My intent with this photo was to create a believable & humorous metaphor. Since nothing in life has ever come easily for me, I am committed to laboring in a plodding fashion on my photographic skills & living in my "cardboard box of the mind" in a DPC back alley until I "get the clue" about what it takes to be a great photographer.
"Making a mockery of people who are less fortunate than I am" is not a concept that resides in my heart, but I was willing to take the chance that the majority would not take it that way in order to get my point across that I am a man with a mission and I am here to stay...Photographer for Life! (However, I deeply regret any offense I have caused to anyone.)
Finally, I have learned so far that the commenting photographers on DPChallenge that I have read personally appear to have a penchant for high contrast, crisply-focused, brilliantly colored photographs. This, of course, is a great goal for occasions that call for that style. However, it is my humble opinion that low contrast, muted colors with a somewhat disheveled appearance and expression with the muddled presentation of "poor" photography is a "slam dunk" for an over-all score above five for me since that idea "nails" the purpose of the challenge. (Anyway, that's what I think!)
Thank you to everyone who made a comment. I do understand each of your points of view & how you came to each of your beliefs.

Statistics
Place: 182 out of 197
Avg (all users): 4.6772
Avg (commenters): 4.9333
Avg (participants): 4.7654
Avg (non-participants): 4.6111
Views since voting: 1137
Views during voting: 359
Votes: 189
Comments: 19
Favorites: 0

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AuthorThread
Canon EOS-5D
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM
 07/01/2006 01:46:32 AM
I think this is pretty funny really. Wasn't offended at all with the topic or representation. Good job.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Google Pixel 2
 07/01/2006 12:15:07 AM
Greetings from the Critique Club!

Hello! I love this idea, very funny and unique. Those challenge points can be hard to get though as you are finding out.

Reading your notes, you were right in that for what you were going for in ideal was right on but as you also know the DPC Voter can be an unforgiving mistress and a cruel one at the same time. Looking over your profile and some of your other shots it would seem to me that your biggest obsticale or thing to work on is framing/composition and lighting. Both can be very hard to do at times.

On this particular shot, the idea is there but the feeling of desolation doesn't really come across, in that you don't look desperate in either appearance or surroundings. I know you were going for the laugh here and you did succeed in that sense but if you want to start going for more than just the laugh you need to consider all the elements of the shot, the way it's set up, does it draw the viewer in, will it keep their attention and does it tell a story all at the same time? Hard things to do and not always accomplished in every shot, just look at some of my stuff!

And the lighting, you were going for a mood and you could have still captured that mood with just a touch more contrast, muted colors are fine in some shots but with something like this where you have so many things competing for my attention, the muted colors really just make it all blend in together in the end and nothing holds my attention in the end.

Again, great idea and if you ever reshoot it I would love to see it, or even play with this one some more. Try some different cropping and post processing maybe.

Good luck in future challenges and I hope my comments help.

Deannda
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-40D
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
 06/26/2006 08:43:23 AM
I gave this a 7. It fits the challenge and it's funny. DPCers hate funny!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
Canon EOS-10D
Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM
 06/25/2006 03:05:06 PM
good idea, needs a little contrast
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM
 06/25/2006 11:13:58 AM
funny .. but the image doesn't convey desolation. 4
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Sony DSC--RX10 II
Sony E 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ OSS
 06/24/2006 07:36:01 PM
Good idea but the picture is washed out as well as the photographer!! Needs more contrast.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT
Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 IF EX DG HSM for Canon
 06/24/2006 01:36:08 PM
don't get how this is desolation pic seems a little whited out needs more saturation of color
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark III
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0 L USM
 06/23/2006 06:21:48 PM
Hehehehe...this is cute!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT
 06/23/2006 04:19:42 PM
Funny, but not desolate.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT
Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM
 06/23/2006 03:36:43 AM
wow, that's a sweet camera! lol
this has a kind of cluttered artsy feel to it. I don't now whether it's just my monitor ir not, but the shadows seem kind of gray and the whites seem a bit blown out. the slight desaturation adds to the feel of the image, tho.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II
 06/23/2006 12:32:50 AM
you seem to be making a mockery of people who actually have to live like this. and I don't know what your camera being in the shot adds to the picture
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D80
Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 18-135mm f/3.5- 5.6G ED DX
 06/21/2006 10:41:59 PM
LMFAO awesome
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D70
Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED
 06/20/2006 08:02:03 PM
LMAO! Technically though I think it needs a bit more punch perhaps...it's like there is a haze over the entire image...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon Coolpix 2100
 06/20/2006 06:02:33 PM
just like it.....
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D3
Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.8D
 06/20/2006 07:17:52 AM
NIce lens you've got there:)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D300
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G
 06/20/2006 02:53:26 AM
very flat tones, needs a contrast bump.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
XIAOMI Redmi Note 8 Pro
 06/19/2006 06:58:21 PM
:) nice :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-300D Rebel
 06/19/2006 04:13:32 PM
A bit humorous, but not very convincing as destitute.

comp nice, good movement, color flat and over bright, blacks not bad, whites blown, ok texture, sharp enough, light flat,
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D7000
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II
 06/19/2006 05:09:33 AM
Okay then... 4 challenge points. Funny idea. But overall the contrast is a bit dull, and the composition is muddled.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
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