Photo Assignments,,,, ??

[handicap18]

I'm bumping this thread up from the vault. This is so that people can see what we went though about a year ago with the original idea I had.

The issue of editing had been brought up before and my personal attitute towards it is to try to keep it minimal. If you need to enhance the pic a bit or take out a hand that accidently appeared or something similar that is fine. My view is that when I used film I never did any post processing or correction or anything like that. That is a bit old school and I do realize that we are in a new era of photography and the computer is a big part of it, but I do try to learn the asspects of light and how everything effects the image. Using post processing takes away from that IMO. If something is edited this might be the place to add what you did along with your exif data. This way others can learn even more.

Also take a look at the following links for the previous Monthly Photo Assignments we have already done. This will give the newer people an idea of what the real idea of the assignments are. In the end it comes down to taking pictures. Using your camera rather than having it sit in the closet or where ever. You spent the money, now go and use it. And along the way you'll hopefully learn something new.

June '06: Buildings/Structures

July '06: Water

August '07: Animals

Sept '06: Sports/Action

November '06: Low Light/Night

December '06: Holidays

January '07: Winter



Now on to the original post:
Here is a proposal for a DISboard photo assignment. I got the idea from a photography board and thought it would be a good idea over here. I think this type of thread would give everyone an extra incentive to go out and use thier camera. A lot of people might be basic shooters who might want to expand their photography a bit but aren't sure what to do.

I'm thinking that it would be a monthly thing. Each month a different topic. I don't really want to limit the number of pictures to be posted by an individual, but I also don't want just a few people to post dozens and dozens. The "rules" would be fairly simple. Keep to the subject and keep the editing down to the absolute minimum, if at any editing at all. As has been stated on other threads, this is a photography board, not an editing board. I was also thinking that each topic wouldn't necessarily close at the end of each month. Someone might not be able to get a chance for a particular month, but would another. So the topics would stay open, but the next months topic would probably be more highlighted.

I thought a month would give more than enough time to find some extra time to do a personal photo shoot. I think a week wouldn't be long enough. I came up with 12 different topics. I figured this could get us though the first year.

In no particular order:
Sports/Action
Low light/night
Flash
Portraits
Landscapes
Animals
Nature
Buildings
Depth of Field
Water
Children
Holidays

This doesn't have to be about taking Disney pictures, though they sure are welcome. They could be your hometown, favorite city, backyard, zoo, what ever/where ever.

This is mostly to get people out using their cameras. Getting to know your camera. Finding out what your camera might do that you didn't know it could do. Finding out what you can do that you didn't know you could do. Most, if not all, P&S digital cameras can be used in full manual mode. This might give people the opportunity to try using that feature.

We could probably start relatively soon and include the rest of May as part of June to get the ball rolling.

What does everyone think? Good idea. Bad idea. More topics. Other topic suggestions?

 

[RadioNate]

I'd love to participate. I LOVE photos but I'm not a good photographer. I just can't seem to get the shots I picture in my mind.

I have an S2IS right now but am considering a dSLR, I just want to pratice some more before I spend the $$$. The S2IS gives me a point and shoot with some control.

I like the topics (and the order too, lol).

 

[mommystieg]

I think that is a great idea!!

 

[Kelly Grannell]

neat idea!

 

[fitzperry]

Brilliant idea. Count me in!

 

[aliwolly]

Excellent Idea!!

 

[tiger95]

Very cool idea.

 

[The_Grim]

Great idea! I'd be down for that!

 

[goodferry]

Great Idea!

 

[DebºoºS]

Great idea! A month would be good for me since I like to use film. Have digitals but like film.

Yea I know I'm a 35mm throwback

 

[boBQuincy]

snip... The "rules" would be fairly simple. Keep to the subject and keep the editing down to the absolute minimum, if at any editing at all. As has been stated on other threads, this is a photography board, not an editing board.

What does everyone think? Good idea. Bad idea. More topics. Other topic suggestions?

Good idea, although there are many other boards doing similar things so in this case perhaps Disney related photos would be best.

One point that keeps coming up is editing. Photography *is* editing, and always has been. From selecting lenses, setting exposure, selecting film, printing paper, developer, darkroom manipulation, etc; photography has always been about taking a 3 dimensional full size scene and capturing it in a 2-D rectangular space.

It has always been about taking a scene with a brightness range of 10,000:1 and translating it onto a piece of paper with a brightness range of 100:1.

Editing, whether done in the camera, the lab, the computer, or somewhere else is a necessary and integral part of photography. Knowingly or not we edit brightness, color, range, size, motion, on and on.

To me it seems the issue is more about computers than it is about editing, where we are ok with anything done before the image is transferred to the PC but nothing afterwards. The PC is today's darkroom, the software may be scary but it is the same processes and procedures done for many years by the master photo printers.

If our goal is to become better photographers we might do well to emulate the greats, the ones whose photos hang in the museums and galleries. They had no rules about editing and most of the great photographers edited heavily. Their photographs should inspire us.


boB

 

[handicap18]

Valid points Bob. The idea I had with this is mostly for people to become more aware of their camera. The vast majority of people that come to this particular (from what I gather) are amerture photophraphers. A lot have never used any type of SLR camera. Most will take pictures of their vacations, their childrens activities, family functions and the like. They may, however, have a bit more liking for photography than just the basics. This might give them a bit more incentive to take some time for themselves and take a day or a few hours in a month and go exploring with their camera. Maybe take a drive to the ocean or lake or a trip to the zoo with the kids or head to the city just to take a few pictures. They can also see others pictures and maybe get some ideas and learn from them and hopefully improve their picture taking. Maybe they'll turn that dial off the icon of the lady's profile or the mountain or the person in the running position and turn it to the M, or the S or the A instead.

From people I talk to most of them don't want to spend time in front of their computer tweaking pictures. Boosting contrast or brightness or color saturation. Most people seem to want to take the picture, print it and enjoy it.

As for Disney related photos, they most certainly are encouraged. After all this is a Disney related forum. However, many of us don't get to go to Disney every month. For example, I'm going in a few weeks, but might not get to go again for a few more years.
By including mostly non Disney pics, people who don't get a chance to go to Disney all the time can participate and maybe these assignments will help them pratice and get to know their camera better for their next Disney trip. As for other photo boards doing it, well, thats where I got the idea from. I only visit 1 other board every now and then. I'm guessing that a lot of people here don't visit a lot of photo boards. Though I have been known to be wrong in the past.

With being said, I'll come up with a final list to present to the board tomorrow or Wed (depending on how busy work is) then maybe we can start the June assignment by the end of the week.

Its nice to see the positive responses. I think this could be a very good thing.

 

[roger_ramjet]

Since assignments are not supposed to be competitive, I think editing should be allowed. Not all editing is blindly pressing buttons and applying filters - it's harder than it seems, and when done well it can really enhance a photo - but it should be a good photo to begin with, or no amount of editing can really help. It simply adds a cosmetic touch.

Anyway, I'm all for it. It's a good idea and allows people to share ideas and techniques without the competitive edge.

 

[boBQuincy]

Most of my editing is to make the brightness range of the scene fit the range of the printing paper and to make the scene appear as I visualized it (as in Ansel Adams "The Negative" and "The Print"). Its only things like a monorail exiting the Swan Resort that really goes over the top.

Maybe they'll turn that dial off the icon of the lady's profile or the mountain or the person in the running position and turn it to the M, or the S or the A instead.

I *LOVE* it! Someone at work asked me about taking portraits and I couldn't remember the name of the setting so I told them to use the "Lady's Head" setting. They said it worked!

However, many of us don't get to go to Disney every month. For example, I'm going in a few weeks, but might not get to go again for a few more years.

No, say it ain't so! How can you get by without a WDW trip no more than that?
Honestly, you are probably right, and many people can't focus (pun intended) only on photography when they're trying to have a great time, keep up with the kids, etc. And no matter how many times we go, the trip *always* seems too short and I feel I am wasting fun time waiting for the monorail so I can take the photo.
It's an obsession.

Though I have been known to be wrong in the past.

Me too. People say I never seem to let it bother me... I wonder what they mean?

Its nice to see the positive responses. I think this could be a very good thing.

Absolutely! If it gets people out to take photos it's good. Practice is a great way to improve at most anything. Whether you go along with editing or not I applaud your efforts to get people more involved with photography.
Btw, I am an amateur photographer since I never seem to charge anyone for photos.



boB

 

[BeautyLLM]

Great idea..count me in!

 

[Tink10]

Being such a newbie, I think that this would be a great oppertunity for me to learn quite a bit......Great Idea!

 

[jenny2]

You can count me in, too!!

 

[DukeStreetKing]

I'm in. When do we start?

 

[sk8belle]

I'd like to try this, too. Thanks for organizing!

 

[MICKEY88]

Good idea, although there are many other boards doing similar things so in this case perhaps Disney related photos would be best.

One point that keeps coming up is editing. Photography *is* editing, and always has been. From selecting lenses, setting exposure, selecting film, printing paper, developer, darkroom manipulation, etc; photography has always been about taking a 3 dimensional full size scene and capturing it in a 2-D rectangular space.

It has always been about taking a scene with a brightness range of 10,000:1 and translating it onto a piece of paper with a brightness range of 100:1.

Editing, whether done in the camera, the lab, the computer, or somewhere else is a necessary and integral part of photography. Knowingly or not we edit brightness, color, range, size, motion, on and on.

To me it seems the issue is more about computers than it is about editing, where we are ok with anything done before the image is transferred to the PC but nothing afterwards. The PC is today's darkroom, the software may be scary but it is the same processes and procedures done for many years by the master photo printers.

If our goal is to become better photographers we might do well to emulate the greats, the ones whose photos hang in the museums and galleries. They had no rules about editing and most of the great photographers edited heavily. Their photographs should inspire us.


boB

while your points are valid, the editing you speak of was or is done by a low percentage of photographers, the average person, takes a picture and has it printed, no darkroom manipulating etc.

although emulating the greats is not necessarily a bad thing, why not be original, and develop ones own style...


but more importantly I think it's a simple point, as with the photo contests, the person taking the time to run the thread, should do it as they wish, since there are a group of people that keep pushing for the allowance of editing, why doesn't one of these people start a weekly or monthly photo thread that not only allows,but encourages editing...???