Photography

**termy** · 10-18-2019, 07:53 AM

Naturally, photography may mean different things to different people.

And what someone think is nice, it could be ugly to another.

And etc etc

But am quite puzzled how this image could be voted to be a second prize entry in a competition.

And apparently is some competition by Sony.

Sony Japan | ???????? | ?Sony World Photography Awards 2019??????????

Attached Images

Last edited by termy; 10-18-2019 at 08:21 AM.

**manishved** · 10-18-2019, 07:55 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by termy

Naturally, photography may mean different things to different people.

And what someone think is nice, ot could be ugly to another.

And etc etc

But am quite puzzled how this image could be voted to be a second prize entry in a competition.

And apparently is some competition by Sony.

Sony Japan | ???????? | ?Sony World Photography Awards 2019??????????

In this day and age of structured activities, it is refreshing to see someone playing on the street

photoptimist · 10-18-2019, 08:01 AM

Two options:

1) A bunch of social media friends said "Wouldn't it be fun to get a flash mob to up-vote a dumb image on Sony's dumb contest?"

2) It won for the irony of portraying an extremely ordinary Japanese alley with one tiny extraordinary very un-Japanese detail (the girl climbing the pole).

Dartmoor Dave · 10-18-2019, 08:07 AM - **2 Likes**

That particular photo doesn't do much for me personally but following the link led me to the work of Christy Lee Rogers, who I'd never heard of before. And wow! It's been a long time since I've stumbled across photography of such beauty and originality that it made me gasp aloud, but her work does. CHRISTY LEE ROGERS

**MossyRocks** · 10-18-2019, 08:10 AM

Originally posted by manishved

In this day and age of structured activities, it is refreshing to see someone playing on the street

That is about the only thing the image has going for it.

Originally posted by termy

But am quite puzzled how this image could be voted to be a second prize entry in a competition.

I don't see the appeal in the image at all and I would probably have just binned it. Harsh midday light, centered small dark subject, meh composition, lines that don't take me anywhere or make things interesting, a shot from a standard standing position. I actually didn't notice the girl climbing the pole until after reading the other comment. It isn't ugly or beautiful it is just uninteresting at least an ungly photo might be good because it is interesting or well composed this I find bad because it is completely uninteresting.

**WillWeaverRVA** · 10-18-2019, 08:21 AM

As photo contest images go, this one is awful, but photo contests are basically just popularity contests, and it's easy enough nowadays to get a bunch of people to upvote something for whatever reason. I've lost a few photo contests to pictures that were downright terrible from an artistic standpoint.

**termy** · 10-18-2019, 08:25 AM

Originally posted by photoptimist

Two options:

1) A bunch of social media friends said "Wouldn't it be fun to get a flash mob to up-vote a dumb image on Sony's dumb contest?"

2) It won for the irony of portraying an extremely ordinary Japanese alley with one tiny extraordinary very un-Japanese detail (the girl climbing the pole).

Come to think of it.

This point ie "un-japanese detail" (ie that japanese girl climbing on a pole, in open public).

Maybe. Perhaps.

But seriously. 2nd prize????

Good grief.

Lambic · 10-18-2019, 08:48 AM

I don't get it either. As noted, the subject doesn't particularly stand out.

**gump** · 10-18-2019, 08:54 AM

Having been messed-up by anthropology I would add, different culture-different mind-set. Were the judges all Japanese or a mixture of ethnic backgrounds? I have submitted to contests where the judging seemed based on the technical aspects of the photo. If i were a judge I would favor photos that simply gave me an "emotional punch."

Karen the Star · 10-18-2019, 08:59 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by gump

Having been messed-up by anthropology I would add, different culture-different mind-set. Were the judges all Japanese or a mixture of ethnic backgrounds? I have submitted to contests where the judging seemed based on the technical aspects of the photo. If i were a judge I would favor photos that simply gave me an "emotional punch."

As a Japanese, Let me tell you, on twitter I also see too much Japanese think this photo is unqualified and madness to be runner up
for most of the people they do think so
well, there will be some one who are so called "photographer" stand out and recommend this photo as "fantastic" however they can't exactly tell us why and how and where...
so I think this is just another kind of "The Emperor's New Clothes" which story was written by Hans Christian Andersen,

**sergysergy** · 10-18-2019, 09:44 AM

some pictures you can like more or less but this one is quite random. unless it is related to the theme of the contest I have no idea why people would vote for it (maybe bots and social media are the culprits)

Roadboat24 · 10-18-2019, 10:44 AM

Photography is Fickle.

**StiffLegged** · 10-18-2019, 10:59 AM

I don't read Japanese and the English version of the linked page is a bunch of press releases. What's missing is the snapshot shown above.

Either the story is nonsense or the pic has been removed.

edit: no, the link supplied is more than one link, you want the one with all the question marks. Perhaps someone hacked the page or there's some fine art mumbo jumbo going on. Phooey.

**MossyRocks** · 10-18-2019, 11:03 AM

Originally posted by Dartmoor Dave

following the link led me to the work of Christy Lee Rogers

After seeing your post I checked it out and the images there are much better than this one. Even if I don't personally like some of them they are all still good.

Originally posted by Karen the Star

I think this is just another kind of "The Emperor's New Clothes"

After seeing the other images they have done I am thinking that as well.

I've seen a couple of pictures where I just wonder what the hell were people thinking and the general consensus has been similar to mine. This one falls in that category. A while back there was a similar thread about a photo from some famous Russian photographer and in comparison this image is substantially better but that isn't saying much. Unfortunately I can't find the other image I am thinking of so it might have been something someone else showed me but again it was from a famous photographer and sold for some huge amount but was just a meh image unlike the one above I linked to which I find to be just bad and uninteresting.

Karen the Star · 10-18-2019, 11:34 AM

Originally posted by MossyRocks

After seeing your post I checked it out and the images there are much better than this one. Even if I don't personally like some of them they are all still good.

After seeing the other images they have done I am thinking that as well.

I've seen a couple of pictures where I just wonder what the hell were people thinking and the general consensus has been similar to mine. This one falls in that category. A while back there was a similar thread about a photo from some famous Russian photographer and in comparison this image is substantially better but that isn't saying much. Unfortunately I can't find the other image I am thinking of so it might have been something someone else showed me but again it was from a famous photographer and sold for some huge amount but was just a meh image unlike the one above I linked to which I find to be just bad and uninteresting.

It's time to say NO to to Pretentious Photograph
Let's hand in hand, take more normal and beautiful photos,
If you use twitter you can look at here
Twitter
don't be worry, Twitter will translate Japanese to your language.
I just don't know why, this is not the problem about Freedom of expression
It's about "random" and "baffling photography"----The Emperor's New Clothes is ruining photography
Karen feel so hurts about the condition now....
Karen has a dream, getting an international champion photography rewards, then as a famous Photographer, Karen will fix this...

10-18-2019, 07:53 AM	#1
termy Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2019 Posts: 1,154	Photography Naturally, photography may mean different things to different people. And what someone think is nice, it could be ugly to another. And etc etc But am quite puzzled how this image could be voted to be a second prize entry in a competition. And apparently is some competition by Sony. Sony Japan \| ???????? \| ?Sony World Photography Awards 2019?????????? Attached Images Last edited by termy; 10-18-2019 at 08:21 AM.

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10-18-2019, 07:55 AM - 1 Like	#2
manishved Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: N. Calif Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,651	Originally posted by termy Naturally, photography may mean different things to different people. And what someone think is nice, ot could be ugly to another. And etc etc But am quite puzzled how this image could be voted to be a second prize entry in a competition. And apparently is some competition by Sony. Sony Japan \| ???????? \| ?Sony World Photography Awards 2019?????????? In this day and age of structured activities, it is refreshing to see someone playing on the street

10-18-2019, 08:01 AM	#3
photoptimist Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2016 Photos: Albums Posts: 5,121	Two options: 1) A bunch of social media friends said "Wouldn't it be fun to get a flash mob to up-vote a dumb image on Sony's dumb contest?" 2) It won for the irony of portraying an extremely ordinary Japanese alley with one tiny extraordinary very un-Japanese detail (the girl climbing the pole).

10-18-2019, 08:07 AM - 2 Likes	#4
Dartmoor Dave Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Dartmoor, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,882	That particular photo doesn't do much for me personally but following the link led me to the work of Christy Lee Rogers, who I'd never heard of before. And wow! It's been a long time since I've stumbled across photography of such beauty and originality that it made me gasp aloud, but her work does. CHRISTY LEE ROGERS

10-18-2019, 08:10 AM	#5
MossyRocks Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Minnesota Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,982	Originally posted by manishved In this day and age of structured activities, it is refreshing to see someone playing on the street That is about the only thing the image has going for it. Originally posted by termy But am quite puzzled how this image could be voted to be a second prize entry in a competition. I don't see the appeal in the image at all and I would probably have just binned it. Harsh midday light, centered small dark subject, meh composition, lines that don't take me anywhere or make things interesting, a shot from a standard standing position. I actually didn't notice the girl climbing the pole until after reading the other comment. It isn't ugly or beautiful it is just uninteresting at least an ungly photo might be good because it is interesting or well composed this I find bad because it is completely uninteresting.

10-18-2019, 08:21 AM	#6
WillWeaverRVA Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Richmond, VA Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,071	As photo contest images go, this one is awful, but photo contests are basically just popularity contests, and it's easy enough nowadays to get a bunch of people to upvote something for whatever reason. I've lost a few photo contests to pictures that were downright terrible from an artistic standpoint.

10-18-2019, 08:25 AM	#7
termy Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2019 Posts: 1,154 Original Poster	Originally posted by photoptimist Two options: 1) A bunch of social media friends said "Wouldn't it be fun to get a flash mob to up-vote a dumb image on Sony's dumb contest?" 2) It won for the irony of portraying an extremely ordinary Japanese alley with one tiny extraordinary very un-Japanese detail (the girl climbing the pole). Come to think of it. This point ie "un-japanese detail" (ie that japanese girl climbing on a pole, in open public). Maybe. Perhaps. But seriously. 2nd prize???? Good grief.

10-18-2019, 08:48 AM	#8
Lambic Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Vancouver Island, Canada Posts: 95	I don't get it either. As noted, the subject doesn't particularly stand out.

10-18-2019, 08:54 AM	#9
gump Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Canton, Ohio Posts: 1,016	Having been messed-up by anthropology I would add, different culture-different mind-set. Were the judges all Japanese or a mixture of ethnic backgrounds? I have submitted to contests where the judging seemed based on the technical aspects of the photo. If i were a judge I would favor photos that simply gave me an "emotional punch."

10-18-2019, 08:59 AM - 1 Like	#10
Karen the Star Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Sapporo, Hokkaido Posts: 150	Originally posted by gump Having been messed-up by anthropology I would add, different culture-different mind-set. Were the judges all Japanese or a mixture of ethnic backgrounds? I have submitted to contests where the judging seemed based on the technical aspects of the photo. If i were a judge I would favor photos that simply gave me an "emotional punch." As a Japanese, Let me tell you, on twitter I also see too much Japanese think this photo is unqualified and madness to be runner up for most of the people they do think so well, there will be some one who are so called "photographer" stand out and recommend this photo as "fantastic" however they can't exactly tell us why and how and where... so I think this is just another kind of "The Emperor's New Clothes" which story was written by Hans Christian Andersen,

10-18-2019, 09:44 AM	#11
sergysergy Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,170	some pictures you can like more or less but this one is quite random. unless it is related to the theme of the contest I have no idea why people would vote for it (maybe bots and social media are the culprits)

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10-18-2019, 10:44 AM	#12
Roadboat24 Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2017 Posts: 486	Photography is Fickle.

10-18-2019, 10:59 AM	#13
StiffLegged Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2018 Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,615	I don't read Japanese and the English version of the linked page is a bunch of press releases. What's missing is the snapshot shown above. Either the story is nonsense or the pic has been removed. edit: no, the link supplied is more than one link, you want the one with all the question marks. Perhaps someone hacked the page or there's some fine art mumbo jumbo going on. Phooey.

10-18-2019, 11:03 AM	#14
MossyRocks Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Minnesota Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,982	Originally posted by Dartmoor Dave following the link led me to the work of Christy Lee Rogers After seeing your post I checked it out and the images there are much better than this one. Even if I don't personally like some of them they are all still good. Originally posted by Karen the Star I think this is just another kind of "The Emperor's New Clothes" After seeing the other images they have done I am thinking that as well. I've seen a couple of pictures where I just wonder what the hell were people thinking and the general consensus has been similar to mine. This one falls in that category. A while back there was a similar thread about a photo from some famous Russian photographer and in comparison this image is substantially better but that isn't saying much. Unfortunately I can't find the other image I am thinking of so it might have been something someone else showed me but again it was from a famous photographer and sold for some huge amount but was just a meh image unlike the one above I linked to which I find to be just bad and uninteresting.

10-18-2019, 11:34 AM	#15
Karen the Star Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Sapporo, Hokkaido Posts: 150	Originally posted by MossyRocks After seeing your post I checked it out and the images there are much better than this one. Even if I don't personally like some of them they are all still good. After seeing the other images they have done I am thinking that as well. I've seen a couple of pictures where I just wonder what the hell were people thinking and the general consensus has been similar to mine. This one falls in that category. A while back there was a similar thread about a photo from some famous Russian photographer and in comparison this image is substantially better but that isn't saying much. Unfortunately I can't find the other image I am thinking of so it might have been something someone else showed me but again it was from a famous photographer and sold for some huge amount but was just a meh image unlike the one above I linked to which I find to be just bad and uninteresting. It's time to say NO to to Pretentious Photograph Let's hand in hand, take more normal and beautiful photos, If you use twitter you can look at here Twitter don't be worry, Twitter will translate Japanese to your language. I just don't know why, this is not the problem about Freedom of expression It's about "random" and "baffling photography"----The Emperor's New Clothes is ruining photography Karen feel so hurts about the condition now.... Karen has a dream, getting an international champion photography rewards, then as a famous Photographer, Karen will fix this...