Aug '06 Challenge Photos - "Absence"

Which photo is your favorite?

  • augPhoto01

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • augPhoto02

    Votes: 4 6.7%
  • augPhoto03

    Votes: 2 3.3%
  • augPhoto04

    Votes: 2 3.3%
  • augPhoto05

    Votes: 2 3.3%
  • augPhoto06

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • augPhoto07

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • augPhoto08

    Votes: 1 1.7%
  • augPhoto09

    Votes: 1 1.7%
  • augPhoto10

    Votes: 7 11.7%
  • augPhoto11

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • augPhoto12

    Votes: 10 16.7%
  • augPhoto13

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • augPhoto14

    Votes: 2 3.3%
  • augPhoto15

    Votes: 2 3.3%
  • augPhoto16

    Votes: 1 1.7%
  • augPhoto17

    Votes: 3 5.0%
  • augPhoto18

    Votes: 2 3.3%
  • augPhoto19

    Votes: 1 1.7%
  • augPhoto20

    Votes: 3 5.0%
  • augPhoto21

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • augPhoto22

    Votes: 1 1.7%
  • augPhoto23

    Votes: 1 1.7%
  • augPhoto24

    Votes: 1 1.7%
  • augPhoto25

    Votes: 1 1.7%
  • augPhoto26

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • augPhoto27

    Votes: 1 1.7%
  • augPhoto28

    Votes: 1 1.7%
  • augPhoto29

    Votes: 1 1.7%
  • augPhoto30

    Votes: 2 3.3%
  • augPhoto31

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • augPhoto32

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • augPhoto33

    Votes: 2 3.3%
  • augPhoto34

    Votes: 1 1.7%
  • augPhoto35

    Votes: 3 5.0%
  • augPhoto36

    Votes: 1 1.7%
  • augPhoto37

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • augPhoto38

    Votes: 1 1.7%
  • augPhoto39

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • augPhoto40

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    60
  • Poll closed .
Alright so first off I just want to say congrats to Bogdan Dinca for submitting augphoto12, "Chairs". Great photo Bogdan.

96-augPhoto12-chairs.jpg


Thanks to everyone who submitted this month
 
I understand how a many people had difficulty understanding how many of the photos fit for this month’s theme. I just wanted to share a few things.
Many of the submitted images did come with optional titles, but because the submitters failed to follow instructions they were omitted. I know many of the images would have made more sense had the photographer’s original titles also been included.
I also wanted to ask if there were any brave individuals that would like to explain why they choose to submit a specific image. I'm not saying we want to judge any specific image here, but just get a better idea as to what the story is behind the image.
 
wooohoo congrats! and....i got 4 votes :D:D:D:D mine was photo 2 :D:D:D thank you all :D
 
Congratulations Bogdan Dinca! That was the one I finally voted for. Great idea and a beautiful photograph.

I'll be brave and say mine was Photo 11. I went with the idea of absence of a loved one, missing someone. It probably wasn't very well executed and a little bit cliche, but that's what the subject said to me at the time.
 
I submitted photo19, which has a very personal feeling of absence to me because i took it the night that my grandmother passed away, she was a very special woman, who made everyone feel like family from the first time she met them. I didn't expect that loss to convey in the image, but it was taken at night so I was stretching it with the absence of daylight, maybe that didn't come across either... :lol: i know it was a little different than an empty chair or bench, but if 40 people submitted a photo of an empty chair it wouldn't have been as much fun... personally i was enthralled with all of the different interpretations... :thumbup:

And congrats bogdan dinca... well deserved!
 
The story behind number 35...

So, my photograph was number 35. I actually liked the title "Absence", so I didn't add anything. My attempt was to portray the absence of a father that was away at war.

The boy is holding a dog tag that his father sent him that says "Operation Iraqi Freedom", but all that is really legable in the photograph is "Iraqi". This was okay with me because I wanted the image to draw in the viewer first, then upon closer inspection, the feeling of absence would follow.

I asked my subject to look sad, to think of his father, and I believe he accomplished that well with the downward cast eyes and the slump of his shoulders. I wanted the image to create emotion in the viewer, but subtly. I didn't want it to look posed, or set up.

Great photograph Bogdan Dinca!
 
I am doing a happy dance because I got a vote! I fully expected a shutout because what I like in a picture (and what I shoot) rarely appeals to the general public. Among an august group of pro- or aspiring pro-photogs here, where each person only has one vote, to think that someone thought my entry was the best of 40 entries really made my day.

Mine was #38 which was a kinda random shot of empty grandstands at Dover International Speedway. What says 'absence' better than 1,000 empty seats at a sports arena?

One vote ain't bad at all for a non-staged shot with no pretty border or watermark, and (gasp) in color. I'll take that to the bank and think about how to underwhelm the masses this month for "In flight".
 
You should, Dana, you should! It's good to hear what people say about their photos later, and nice to find out who took which in the end!!! I like this. Makes the challenges even more interesting!
 
TwistMyArm said:
Many of the submitted images did come with optional titles, but because the submitters failed to follow instructions they were omitted. I know many of the images would have made more sense had the photographer’s original titles also been included.
I'm sorry, but I disagree. I think that I alhtough I followed the instructions, the optional title was still ommitted. I agree that, especially for a theme like this, the title may shed some light over what this photo meant for the shooter (not my case though).

Now, I'm a total noob (don't even have a camera - I just ordered it yesterday, I can't wait for it to come), but I just don't understand the winning photo. I looked, and looked at it and for a while thought that I had them in the wrong order or something. So, can somebody from the 10 people that voted for it (OK, except for Bogdan), tell me why they liked the photo? Or why they voted for it?

For me, I liked 35 a lot (and voted for it). I think that the boy conveys absence more than any other picture. Perhaps only 19 touched me like 35, but that was only after I read its meaning to the person that took it.

As far as I'm concerned, there is no message hidden in my photo (30), actually, too little is hidden there :D. I'm *very* glad that two people liked it especially since it's clear that they didn't like it for its technical quality.

All the best,
Mihai
 
Mihai said:
For me, I liked 35 a lot (and voted for it). I think that the boy conveys absence more than any other picture.

So, can somebody from the 10 people that voted for it (OK, except for Bogdan), tell me why they liked the photo? Or why they voted for it?
Mihai

Wow! Thank you!

I actually didn't vote for number 10, but it was one of my top two. There are chairs and tables stacked neatly. Lines running everywhere with nothing to break them up. It is lacking people and color and vibrance as though it has been put on pause, waiting for the next party or group to come through. To me, it isn't a sad or dramatic absence, but that doesn't make it any less lacking. Technically I also found it to be a good photo which I believe is just as important as the theme.
 
Mihai said:
I'm sorry, but I disagree. I think that I alhtough I followed the instructions, the optional title was still ommitted. I agree that, especially for a theme like this, the title may shed some light over what this photo meant for the shooter (not my case though).

Now, I'm a total noob (don't even have a camera - I just ordered it yesterday, I can't wait for it to come), but I just don't understand the winning photo. I looked, and looked at it and for a while thought that I had them in the wrong order or something. So, can somebody from the 10 people that voted for it (OK, except for Bogdan), tell me why they liked the photo? Or why they voted for it?

For me, I liked 35 a lot (and voted for it). I think that the boy conveys absence more than any other picture. Perhaps only 19 touched me like 35, but that was only after I read its meaning to the person that took it.

As far as I'm concerned, there is no message hidden in my photo (30), actually, too little is hidden there :D. I'm *very* glad that two people liked it especially since it's clear that they didn't like it for its technical quality.

All the best,
Mihai

I didn't vote for my picture :D
 
Thanks Jen, I never considered those elements. I think that you "thought" about it, while I went for the "feeling". This picture didn't tickle any of that for me :). No offense Bogdan.

I didn't vote for my picture

OK, I'm sorry then, but that makes it even more interesting... which one did you vote for and why did you like the other one better?

All the best,
Mihai
 

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