Landrum Kelly Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 I hate to sound so negative, but I have been presuming that the worstphotos were tending to come across through the Rate Recent category,only to find that some of the most gauche work on the site is goingall the way to the Top Rated Photos. There is no solution for thatthat I can see, since popular tastes are what they are. Even so, I amstruck by the unevenness of the entries that make it to the TRPs. Iknow that others have critiqued the TRPs for years, but it juststruck me today that, if one really wants to find the worst, sometimesthe easiest way is to see what the _demos_ call the best. If thatsounds elitist, so be it. This is a great site, but there is andapparently cannot be a way to direct us to the best photos short ofthe usual browsing. --Lannie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelChang Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 Lannie, I think the problem is exactly the attempt at categorizing photos by their Apparent Quality. I've come to the conclusion long ago that every picture has special significance to its author, and to rate it is about as insensitive as categorizing people and rating them by their lack of manners, not to mention that it's an inexact science. <br><br>I believe good pictures are everywhere if one's intent is to learn, likewise less than perfectly executed images are also widespread if one wishes to engage in some meaningful way. To reduce what comes from the heart into meaningless integers becomes just that - meaningless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gib Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 one place to try is any of my folders. The other possibility is to go the the top rated top page and instead of clicking on next, click on previous....this will bring you to the end of the line, photos that get a few ratings and usually not very high ones. what I find sometimes that a lot of photos dont seem to be at a minimum of intent = composition choices, some kind of appropriate exposure (lots of shots that could use fill flash either at the moment of capture or in post processing manipulation), sharpness - and maybe some more editing, checking on the emotional/intellectual power or impact of the shot....the anti-bland. I happen to specialize in the near bland and the bland. but I do have fun taking the photos. : ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johncrosley Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 W.J. Gibson stole my thunder. I was about to say, look at some of my 'attempts' as opposed to my more successful photographs, and you'l surely find something to dislike. John (Crosley) ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Landrum Kelly Posted October 16, 2005 Author Share Posted October 16, 2005 I forgot to mention my own, but you guys are unnecessarily self-deprecating. --Lannie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Landrum Kelly Posted October 16, 2005 Author Share Posted October 16, 2005 Bill, I have tried to do what you said and I hit "Previous." You are on to something, and, though I embarrassed myself even in my solitude, I found myself laughing out loud, knowing all too well that many of mine are laughable as well. I think that I shall stop shooting for awhile and start working on "Photo.net: The Novel." It will be about all the trysts on PN, of course: "Desperate Photographers," whatever. --Lannie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Landrum Kelly Posted October 16, 2005 Author Share Posted October 16, 2005 N.B.: Just send your confessions to me, folks, if you want to be included in the novel. No, there will be pictures there, especially not the nudes that you are exchanging with each other. --Lannie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knicki____ Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 Now Lannie, why would you want to view the worst when you can look at pretty landscapes over and over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mg Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 Philosophers are often great humorists: I've known that for quite some time, but thanks for reminding us. :-)) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neild Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 I've looked over the 'world of bad' works of WJ and John, but they are better than mine are. So are Knicki's and so are yours Lannie. I need not even say anything about Marc - he is clearly better than I am, and so is Michael... I cannot say whether I am the worst on PN, but come on guys: I'm worse than you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomas_breazeale1 Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 I attempt nude photography once in awhile but cannot find any models anymore who want to undress for my camera after seeing the results... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mg Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 2 solutions to your - admittedly major - problem...:-) 1) Come to France ! :-)) 2) Try to get models to undress for you rather than for you camera. Who knows, it may work wonders ! :-) Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Landrum Kelly Posted October 17, 2005 Author Share Posted October 17, 2005 Nothing that I have said is as funny as that, Marc, but you might be right about that strategy--depending. As for the others, the consistently worst photographers are not reading this because they have no idea that they are so bad. It is sort of like the paradox of wisdom, is it not? You are only wiser when you begin to realize how little you know, and you are wisest of all when you realize that you know nothing. I am getting there. Vis-a-vis photography, may I say, to paraphrase Linda Ronstadt, that I must be getting better because I know only one thing: I'm no good, I'm no good, I'm no good, baby, I'm no good. --Lannie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afs760bf Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 "As for the others, the consistently worst photographers are not reading this because they have no idea that they are so bad." Not so, Lannie, I AM reading this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oceanphysics Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 I hadn't tried the back-arrow thing. Very cool! And I agree -- many of the worst-rated photos are more interesting than the top ones. It seems to me the top photos are mostly ones that demonstrate some technical mastery, either of photography or Photoshop. A lot of people are impressed by this, because they know they don't have the technical skills to do similar work. But mostly they are unimaginative, and quite a few are in really bad taste. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dguindon Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 There should be a new catagory for PN, "worst photo of the week". That way I could win. I can see the comments now...absolutely terrible photo, good job! 1/1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markplawchan Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 I would humbly submit my photos as the worst on PN--particularly since I demonstrate absolutely no mastery of photoshop or photography.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Landrum Kelly Posted October 18, 2005 Author Share Posted October 18, 2005 Wow! Such humble people with such great portfolios. --Lannie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gup Posted October 18, 2005 Share Posted October 18, 2005 If any of you were being honest you would answer the original question, "in the streets and documentary forum". Gup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knicki____ Posted October 18, 2005 Share Posted October 18, 2005 The original question of Lannie's or some other original question that happens to be in the street and doc forum? I am lost as to which question is the original and to which I should be answering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neild Posted October 18, 2005 Share Posted October 18, 2005 Knicki, he means that you should be looking in that forum to find the worst photos... whereas we all know that *I* have the worst photos! Clearly, he is mis-informed... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neild Posted October 18, 2005 Share Posted October 18, 2005 Hey Don! Your photos are pretty bad, it is true... but mine are much worse! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomas_breazeale1 Posted October 18, 2005 Share Posted October 18, 2005 Yes..its a huge problem but unfortunatly for me(fortunatly for the women)old habits are hard to kill.........so........I am buying a one way ticket to Oui Land and reading tips by Ann Landers on proper seduction techniques for poor photographers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perry Posted October 18, 2005 Share Posted October 18, 2005 It would appear, by the many claiming to have the "worst" photos, that they are rated no more objectively than those rated as the best photos.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Landrum Kelly Posted October 18, 2005 Author Share Posted October 18, 2005 Peter, you hurt me so much. I do not see how you can look at my 'dozer' shot on my main page and fail to see that it is one of the great undiscovered masterpieces of fine art photography. Yes, I admit, this thread has all been about sour grapes from the beginning, but I have come to my senses: I desperately WANT my 'dozer shot to be up there with the TRPs, or else at least to garner the PoW which I so richly deserve for doing the best farm equipment fine art shot in history. Perry, that's not a bad shot of a snake. --Lannie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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