I'm entering this knowing full well it will score poorly. Why? Because I shot tons of stuff for this challenge - including this - and none will score above a 6. I like this one best. It will fail to meet the challenge in some voters' eyes, and simply fail in other voters' eyes as a poor image, with nowhere for the eye to go, too much information, no rule of thirds, too much contrast or not enough contrast, and a host of other issues. Yet I'm entering it anyway. All just to torment you, the DPC voter. I'm in a perverse mood.
I've been here a long time. I've commented on many thousands of pictures. I've cast tens of thousands of votes. There are lots of success stories here at DPC, of people who through their participation have improved immensely, honed their craft; who have gone on to win accolades, either of the gif variety or of the more substantial real life variety. I am not one of those people. I made good progress in the first six months or so once I learned little things like sharpening (I still don't sharpen enough sometimes), levels adjustments, and not to overwrite my original file. But that was the end of that. Since then it's been pretty much a nice steady flat line of non-progress with the occasional good score - but nothing earth-shattering, no significant increase in skill. To wit (I've always wanted to say "to wit" though have no idea if I've used it properly): those birds are still in my top five scoring pictures - that shot was taken nearly two years ago.
It's not DPC's fault. For those who wish to learn and advance, it's all here - the information, the talent, the advice, the examples. Those that can learn, will. Me, I'm apparently too stubborn to learn or simply incapable of absorbing and applying the lessons. But fear not - I shall continue to torture DPC voters, because quite frankly I enjoy taking pictures.
"Pedestrian" is an amazingly apt title for this. (Thanks to Timfy for the suggestion.)
The in-color version:
Statistics
Place: 127 out of 290 Avg (all users): 5.4415 Avg (commenters): 6.8750 Avg (participants): 5.1899 Avg (non-participants): 5.6239 Views since voting: 1467 Views during voting: 267 Votes: 188 Comments: 36 Favorites: 8 (view)
great shot Deb, strqnge I haven't seen it before. I like it that you can wander around this image with your eyes and discover little things... like the bike painted in the corner... or a couple of zebra patterns here and there, or a guy almost hidden by the tree, but with his shadow "betraying" him. etc.
I still marvel at this, and still have the little pc sized print you sent where I can see it every day. And now, reading carefully your comments, I marvel too at how wrong you were. I am beginning to think also that the dpc experience/exercise is not so much for "advancement" as for deepening into what it is one wants to do with one's camera, intensifying one's acumen.
Incredibly rich in Melethia 'apercus.' (Always wanted to use that word - it would be better with the little tail under the 'c,' but my graphics haven't advanced that far). And making a grand patterned sweep of human patterns.... If there were a doctoral program in patternology, this photo could be your thesis.
Incredibly rich in Melethia 'apercus.' (Always wanted to use that word - it would be better with the little tail under the 'c,' but my graphics haven't advanced that far). And making a grand patterned sweep of human patterns.... If there were a doctoral program in patternology, this photo could be your thesis.
I never got back around to commenting on this, but I love it! I would have scored this high. Lots of eye candy and patterns and geometry. It is busy, and as you suspected, you're offering up a lot for the DPC voter to scrutinize. Keep doing what you're doing though -- this is good stuff.
If I remember correctly I think I gave this a 7. I am not sure why you got so many low votes on this one. There are patterns everywhere on this.
I foun d it to be sharp, clean, in focus, good use of colour. Being BW took away some of the busyness of the photo. There where alot of people in the photo which didnt help, but trying to get them to go away would have been impossible!!! Well unless you started tossing water ballons!.
No I think you hit the challenge on the head with this one, many patterns from square to wiggly to clean lines.
Deb, this is one of those images that makes me stop to linger, to enjoy. There's so much to see, so many stories to tell. What a wonderful talent you have. And yes, I see all the patterns too.
I didn't get this one coming around in my voting. I would have likely given it a 5. I've been considering this one on and off this morning, so I could try and give you some useful input. It leads the eye, but I'm not sure what it leads it to. There are numerous small subjects in the image, none of which really stand out and grab attention, but are also in front of the pattern. Perhaps a more abstract or closer in view would have scored higher. I personally tend to like images that show texture. This is one of those images that I have a hard time commenting on as it doesn't out stand out to me in either a positive or negative way.
Edited to add:
I just looked over your own notes and it appears you nailed it already yourself. I can sometimes do that on my images, knowing beforehand what the comments and low votes will be for. This challenge took me for a surprise though.
i loved this picture. while the patterns didn't stick out for me to begin with (though i did see them on more scrutiny), i thought the picture was fantastic. the trees, the pavement, the people walking, the black-and-white-ness of it, all fit really well.
interestingly, my mom (who's on dpc as well) considered your photo her favorite [over mine :(] :).
If you haven't learned anything at DPC then you must have been great when you got here. Just one example is what you did in the desert. The portfolio from that "trip" is the result of a photographer being in the desert, not just a soldier with a camera.
Your analysis sounded far-fetched when I read it, but when I actually look at the picture it makes sense. I think it's the grid on the sidewalk: it looks like this photo was drawn on graph paper... an engineer's draftwork... to study this notion of patterns in the universe.
Patterns, patterns, everywhere! I think the voting pattern of the commenters more closely resembles what the score should be. This is a beautiful picture with much to interest the viewer. I learned at your feet, lol, I guess that's what's wrong with my scores. I adore your style (and your wit, to wit isn't bad either). I think you are reaching people though, 30 votes of 7 or more and zero 1's.
There is so much going on in this photo, that I don't even want to start commenting on it. I will only want to say that I colud look for hours, to all those little details and still find smth new.
Keep shooting this kind of pics Deb, I really do like them. Who cares if DPC do not appreciate them as they should, they are great!
Most underrated in the challenge. just look at all those patterns: four different in the pavements; the borders of the pavement; the zebra crossing; the parasols; the steps; imagine the row of trees continued endlessly right from the image...
So Deb...You feel like me? I really like this image and your decision to go b/w. I find your vision and view point refreshing and I tend to be drawn to your work. This is another example - What is the pattern? Do I see the same one as the photographer? Your work challenges us a bit more and I think that is actually a very good thing, but unfortunately not very rewarding if you are trying to go for a 6+ score...
Let's see, what to say, what to say ... *rummages around his store of "how to tell Deb she's so wrong about her talent" words*
This is a classic Deb Fort shot, which is very much a compliment. It has natural lines, an interesting story, and is of an utterly mundane subject. That's your special gift, Deb: taking interesting pictures of mundane subjects. I've lost track of how many posts I've read where people desperately want what you have.
Deb, I just love this shot! To heck with the voters who couldn't see the pattern. I see at least 9 patterns here! this image just begs to have the viewer linger over and explore. And the B&W conversion is spot on! Well done, and adding to faves.
Lol - that is one heck of an essay. Ok if this scored poorly, then my photo is crap because it scored lower than yours.
Ok here's the patterns I see, for those that fail to see them (geez):
1) Two trees connected by the double line.
2) All the little squares
3) The white lines of the cross walk.
4) The barrier sticks running along the curb. (ooh and their shadows!)
This is not a pattern thingy but I just noticed this and it's pretty cool - you have a bike, it's shadow, and then there is a white symbol of the bike in the street. Very coolies.
This is superb - the strong dynamic diagonal composition is what first impresses, and then the placement of the 'actors' within the frame, which could not be bettered if you had stage managed it! The lines leading the eye around the frame mean that the viewer lingers, discovering more and more visual treats. I love the ambiguity of the title - pedestrian as a noun or as an adjective? For me, the title concentrates my mind on the individual crossing the road - what intrigues me is his head-bowed shadow. So much to see and enjoy - one for my favourites, to return to again and again.
for me, the pattern theme doesn't read strong enough here. But it's still quite a nice photo. Good perspective, and I like that you chose to make it black and white.
I like this for a couple of reasons. One, there are a lot of patterns in there so there is a lot to look at. Also, it is kinda nice to not be looking at a picture of just a texture,but of texture that seems to have a purpose. On a different level,I couldn't help but wonder how many of these people are going through the same "pattern" everyday. Nice shot. Hope it does well.
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