I couldn't believe the subject of this challenge. I knew without a second thought. Every picture is to tell a story, well, for me this tells a story. The picture is generic, mundane, run of the mill tourist snapshot. But, the title tells the story.
I took this shot with my SMC-A 50mm F1:2.0
After the voting
I am sending this more or less open Private Message to all those who commented and scored my crime scene challenge entry “Crime Scene: 2000 through 2008”. I really appreciate the votes, both high and low, and the comments. And for the title, I stand corrected. I dates should have been mid afternoon January 20, 2001, through mid afternoon January 20, 2009. I beg your forgiveness for shortening the title.
There seemed to be two types of comments. One type addressed the technical merit of photograph and the other related primarily to its compatibility with the challenge subject. I will address them separately.
On the technical front, I agree wholeheartedly with each and every one. While I might be able to make the argument, as some of you suggested, that the excess contrast, demonstrating the separation of rich and poor, and the crookedness of the shot were there to add to the metaphor, I won’t go there. I simply got it wrong. The comments on the technical merit are very valuable and I have taken them to heart.
I especially appreciate that comments that had little to do with photo’s technical and/or artistic merit and instead gave me insight into the emotions I stirred. This image/title combination was designed to illicit an emotional response. As the photo generated five times as many comments as I have had on any previous challenge, I believe I was successful. Clear, open, forthright debate is what we have need a lot more of in the past several years. I am glad I could contribute to opening doors for that debate.
For what it’s worth, I voted for Republicans for my whole life, until 2000. I still believe in the overall concepts of small government, fiscal responsibility, and staying out of other people’s lives. However, I feel those ideals have gone missing in the neocon’s philosophy with, IMNSHO, quite unfortunate results.
But, that is a subject for a different venue. With complete honesty and without reservation, I thank all of you for your votes and comments. They will all help me to do a better job at what I am here to learn: photography.
Statistics
Place: 50 out of 62 Avg (all users): 4.8418 Avg (commenters): 5.4194 Avg (participants): 4.7647 Avg (non-participants): 4.8580 Views since voting: 1250 Views during voting: 486 Votes: 196 Comments: 44 Favorites: 0
haha, kudos for the bravery to submit this. It's a clever take on the challenge, whether one agrees with it or not it's clever. And seriously, this site isn't political? I'd venture to say a good number of the photos on this site make some kind of political/ethical/moral, etc statement or suggestion (and let's not get into the forums). It's art people, just cause you don't like the statement doesn't mean he doesn't have the right to post it. Thanks for the laugh Bill. Also, I think it's one of your stronger photos, especially as I assume you have done little post processing. I'll just give my usual advice, get braver with photoshop and you can take this to another level :)
First off, no crime committed since Clinton left. Secondly, Bush did not take office until 2001 and will leave, sadly, in 2009 to either McCain or Obama. Shame you had no creativity for this challenge, thus as well deserved DNMC and 1.
angry voter?...sure the shot isnt totally technically sound,but the idea for the shot certainly is...everytime bush opens his yapper its a crime in my opinion(but the crimes started waay farther back than the bush camps),lol i didnt vote,but i give this a posthumous 10 for political bravado and wit!
What do you think you are going to get by making a political statement in a photo contest? high votes from those that agree with you? perhaps, but what about the other 50% who do not agree with you? so...it can't be that...then what? vent some anger perhaps?...do you feel better now?
I am not voting in this challenge because I am in it, but if I was voting I would score you photo very low, because your arrogance in trying to inject politics in this game would make me see with more severe eye the blown out areas atop the building, the unbalanced composition due to the foreground tree, the excessively hard light with exagerated contrast...and so on. In reality, this a reasonably nice picture, with positives such as beautiful green colors and a very nicely exposed sky, it is too bad that you decided to waste it.
jesus! take it easy francis! ive seen way worse shoehorns and i personally think he's right! great shot wehrmacher!
What do you think you are going to get by making a political statement in a photo contest? high votes from those that agree with you? perhaps, but what about the other 50% who do not agree with you? so...it can't be that...then what? vent some anger perhaps?...do you feel better now?
I am not voting in this challenge because I am in it, but if I was voting I would score you photo very low, because your arrogance in trying to inject politics in this game would make me see with more severe eye the blown out areas atop the building, the unbalanced composition due to the foreground tree, the excessively hard light with exagerated contrast...and so on. In reality, this a reasonably nice picture, with positives such as beautiful green colors and a very nicely exposed sky, it is too bad that you decided to waste it.
Take it easy my friend ;-) Who's the angry guy here?
A photo is an idea and the realization of it. Whether you agree or not to the idea itself, the idea here is excellent!
What do you think you are going to get by making a political statement in a photo contest? high votes from those that agree with you? perhaps, but what about the other 50% who do not agree with you? so...it can't be that...then what? vent some anger perhaps?...do you feel better now?
I am not voting in this challenge because I am in it, but if I was voting I would score you photo very low, because your arrogance in trying to inject politics in this game would make me see with more severe eye the blown out areas atop the building, the unbalanced composition due to the foreground tree, the excessively hard light with exagerated contrast...and so on. In reality, this a reasonably nice picture, with positives such as beautiful green colors and a very nicely exposed sky, it is too bad that you decided to waste it.
I'd be willing to venture that this is not going to score well due to the political statement involved. Foliage on the right side seems a bit dominant in this composition though still a decent image overall.
I bet you're going to get quite a few interesting comments on your take for this challenge. As for me personally, it made me laugh - in part because I agree. As for the image, it's good, clean and crisp. Looks like it belongs on a post card or in a brochure for the tourists. Points for tongue-n-cheek humor.
HA! I considered doing just this, but decided I like to keep politics out of my DPC participation. Well, mostly. So I'll give you an extra point because I'm sure some are whacking you for it.
Since this is advanced editing, it would've been even better if you'd cranked up the contrast and darkened the sky to look threatening.
First off, no crime committed since Clinton left. Secondly, Bush did not take office until 2001 and will leave, sadly, in 2009 to either McCain or Obama. Shame you had no creativity for this challenge, thus as well deserved DNMC and 1.
Sky is a little blown out. If the White House was filling more frame that would help. Too much tree on the right. But this is funny and topical - 7 for making me laugh and show my wife this picture.
Nice picture. It has a very pleasant look and feel. It seems a bit flat perhaps because everything is in focus or perhaps the lighting. Strong political statement it is easy to undertand the photo message when matched with the subject of the challenge.
What do you think you are going to get by making a political statement in a photo contest? high votes from those that agree with you? perhaps, but what about the other 50% who do not agree with you? so...it can't be that...then what? vent some anger perhaps?...do you feel better now?
I am not voting in this challenge because I am in it, but if I was voting I would score you photo very low, because your arrogance in trying to inject politics in this game would make me see with more severe eye the blown out areas atop the building, the unbalanced composition due to the foreground tree, the excessively hard light with exagerated contrast...and so on. In reality, this a reasonably nice picture, with positives such as beautiful green colors and a very nicely exposed sky, it is too bad that you decided to waste it.
Great idea. It's a bit too dark in the shadows, and the sky has almost no definition. This takes away from the score. Still for bringing a smile a nice 7.
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