06-30-10 – Rain, Rain, Go Away

Lensbaby 2.0, it was on slickdeals.

There’s actually a lot of theme ideas I’ve thought about suggesting but decided not to because it wouldn’t be fair and encourage the casual poster to participate. This contest is one of the things I do and work on every week, photography being one of my prime hobbies. If we had a theme say, “Japan: pictures of Japan. Must be taken in Japan,” well then I would be screwed and upset that week.

IMHO taking a narrow approach regarding the theme doesn’t always breed more creativity. Challenge is good but what fun would a week be where only 100 photos get entered? For example, if you don’t get snow where you are, my personal take is, crush up some ice cubes and make a lego snowball fight or something. As a voter I’m more interested in seeing a solution to the problem than no entry from your talented lens.

/just my 2cs

I want to second that, an idea that is clearly not what the theme intended but still “fits” the theme will win my vote any day of the week! For example, I have NOTHING for next week. I live in NYC, I don’t even have a driver’s license much less a car! I could get in a taxi…but shooting from the back seat of a taxi while he whips through traffic paying for every second…not so much. I am brainstorming on how to meet the criteria of the theme without having access to a vehicle. I may fail and have nothing, but my brain is working churning out ideas for shots that might work later. Someone who makes rain where there is none AND takes a good pic, will get my vote.

BTW: I almost stood in my shower fully clothed with an umbrella while the water ran over me, I scrubbed the idea not because it was out of theme, but just to messy to clean up.

I didn’t think we would seriously do an all-Japan theme but I needed an example of an extremely restrictive theme. I’ve wanted to suggest something like “Real America” however, especially since 4th of July is here, something like “what does America mean to you?” with apple pies and flag waving kids, etc. But we have a lot of people who don’t live in America that participate so I wouldn’t suggest a theme like that even if a lot of people might want to do it.

Alright, serious time now. I wouldn’t actually be against a theme of “Real America” or “Americana”, even though I live in Japan. For one, there are enough things American around the world to make this topic viable. “Pictures only taken in Japan” of course limits the shooting location unfairly, but “Real America” allows a broad enough of a range of subjects to make it possible.
And, as touched on above, it also gives scope for reinterpretation of the theme, whereas specifying shooting location is solely constrictive.

While we are on the subject, one reason why I am not really in favour of Farkastronomy II; the Return to Endor, is that astronomy pictures restrict too much in terms of equipment. Sure, we can all stick on our biggest zoom and take a moon shot, but 150 pictures of the moon gets pretty boring. Only the few among us with telescopes can really go beyond that (and maybe a few wide angle star shots for those who live in places without light pollution). Therefore, the theme is, I think, too restrictive in terms of equipment. It’s rather like saying: “show me what you can take with a fisheye”, rather than “Fish”

The macro theme I though was acceptable as long a close-ups (and not true 1:1 macros) were allowed. Many DSLRs and P&S have a macro mode that allows you to get close enough, so ok by me. Also, the Prime Lens theme is ok as long as we allow people without prime lenses to go out with their zooms fixed to a certain length (although this will require exceptional amounts of self-control not to subconsciously zoom in or out!).

That’s my take on it. I think I may have wandered off topic.

I spoke too soon; I AM going to do worse this week than last week lol.

Ugh, you and me both. I certainly wasn’t expecting to be in the top ten or anything, but having one vote out of the 900 cast at this point is a bit of a downer. Did I post some drunken rant insulting every Farker and the horse that they rode in on? If so, I apologize to you and your steed.
I’ll post my entries in the gallery – if anyone has a comment, good or bad, please let me know.

Thanks, Elsinore! And to anyone who voted for me!

@Zero Exponent – Take a look at anyone’s Farktography history and you will find that there are usually some “bottom-of-the-barrel” images in our varying profiles.