POLL ****** December Theme ********************

[jhain]

I liked the way Kelly set up the poll last time, but, have little expertise with which to replicate it. As I subscribe to the KISS theory -( Keep It Simple, Stupid) -here we are back to the old way.

Taking the proverbial hustle and bustle of the next few weeks into account I plan on wrapping up the contest by the 20th. I left out my personal picks- choosing one common object or choosing a novel or story to illustrate- for the same reason. Just seems like too much of a time crunch to do either of those topics this month.

So:

[JeffR]

1. Wow, a 5-way tie

Looks like cats may have to be the tie-breaker!

[Ms. Toad]

2. I voted for noon, December 16

But if it wins I would prefer that the time be flexible - perhaps any time between noon and midnight. At noon I will be in a frenzy preparing my house for our annual party, and the picture wouldn't be terribly interesting - the best time for me would probably be around 9:00 pm after most of the guests have left and the detritus of Christmas crafting is scattered in a gluey-glittery trail between the craft room and the tree (although a close second if I can avoid identifiable face shots would be around 7 pm when there are a half dozen children up to their elbows in cookie icing and sprinkles).

[alfredo]

10. that's the challenge: to find a good subject right where you

are at that time.

[superconnected]

3. I broke the tie with 'tis the season

Can't help it, love poinsettes, xmas lights, trees, noel, candy canes, snow, plastic santas and all the other mass marketing crap that show up in our living rooms and on our lawns. I even like xmas cards and cats climbing the tree. It's also a wonderful chance to photograph the color red. Even if it's a peace angel or an imprint snow angel or some kid with a hat and gloves on, I'm into it.

[Blue_In_AK]

4. Bah, humbug.

(Not really. I think I could handle it.)

[F.Gordon]

5. Tough one. Like em' all

:dilemma:

[Eurobabe]

6. And Tis the Season breaks into the LEAD!

LOL

[JeffR]

7. ***More votes needed***

!

[CC]

8. You do get to be the

tie breaker if one is needed. Though "Surreal Tis the Season" would work and be pretty fun to do.

[Richard D]

9. Bah . . .

Voted for surrealism. December 26th is one of my favorite days of the year.

[jhain]

11. only a few more hours...

Going to wrap this up this evening .
Vote Vote Vote

[F.Gordon]

12. MWM seeks All Knowing and Powerful Contest Hostess

... for long walks on the beach, quiet candle lit dinners, and some friggin' clarity on this Surrealism thing.
:silly:

My simple question wrapped in an enigma and shadowed by large relentless evil wraiths that chase me in my dreams is this....

Uhhh... does anything go?
:shrug:

My first thought was that this topic/theme would lend itself well to fotochopping. Filmsies may have some interesting double/triple exposures.

This is a snap that myself and another strange guy setup in photography class many moons ago. I apparently found this and did some fotochopping on it but I don't remember when.
:smoke:

Is this kinda' thing too "out there"? Over the top? That is assuming that Surrealism does get the most poll votes. Jus' askin'. :crazy:



Edit? MWM needs clarity

[jhain]

13. Well, Hell's Bells, F. Gordon

I am a mere conduit for the contestants, am I not? Surely, you are not suggesting I be given editing powers. That could go to my head. Hmmm..... Buy me a candle lit dinner and we can talk.


I already went and copied this in case Surrealism won out so I shall paste it here for you now.

Certainly your anti-freeze addicted THING qualifies according to the all knowing Wikipedia:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Surrealism is a movement stating that the liberation of our mind, and subsequently the liberation of the individual self and society, can be achieved by exercising the imaginative faculties of the "unconscious mind" to the attainment of a dream-like state different from, or ultimately ‘truer’ than, everyday reality.

Surrealists believe that this more truthful reality can bring about personal, cultural, and social revolution, and a life of freedom, poetry, and uninhibited sexuality. André Breton said that such a revealed truth would be beatific, or in his own words, "beauty will be convulsive or not at all."

In more mundane terms, the word "sureal" is often used colloquially to describe unexpected juxtapositions or use of non-sequitars in art or dialogue. When the concept of surrealism has been "applied" by associated groups of individuals, it has often been called a "surrealist movement," whether cultural (including artistic) or social.

[JeffR]

14. I posted this, unhelpfully, back in October

So I'll unhelpfully post it again.

From Andr���é Breton's Surrealist Manifesto:

"SURREALISM, n. Psychic automatism in its pure state, by which one proposes to express -- verbally, by means of the written word, or in any other manner -- the actual functioning of thought. Dictated by the thought, in the absence of any control exercised by reason, exempt from any aesthetic or moral concern.
...

Surrealism is based on the belief in the superior reality of certain forms of previously neglected associations, in the omnipotence of dream, in the disinterested play of thought."

[Blue_In_AK]

15. May I just say...

YIKES!!! I may have to sit this one out. I don't have a clue what you just said. Either of you. This is difficult for a realist such as myself to wrap my brain around.

[JeffR]

16. Hey, I didn't say I had a clue either

Just passing on the info for whatever use it may be.

[jhain]

17. It's the old Reality Based thing again, isn't it?

It always comes back to bite me.

[CC]

18. That would work and I like

it.

For those that do not want to venture in to the major photochopping found this site with some surreal pics.

[Blue_In_AK]

19. Thank you, CC

That helps a lot. I didn't even think of sunsets and clouds. I've got some way bizarre sunset shots and those flying saucer clouds up at Denali were pretty cool, too.

Does this qualify, do you think? That's water at the top.



or maybe this one with the people. :shrug:

[CC]

20. I would think it would

qualify. The Denali cloud ones would defiantly work. When I looked through the photos the first person I thought of was you when I saw the landscapes. I thought of a few that qualified that you have on you site.

I also like how the site shows some that are surreal just because to the different POV the photog used. All the words above were not helping me at all so just googled surreal photos. Course my brain feels numb when it comes to photography because it I have been so focused on the kitchen.

Also check the site out for selling stock photos. They seem to have a pretty good deal with the commission set up. Not sure I have any good "stock" photos but it might be worth looking through or keeping in mind. You have at least a few good photos to use as stock photos, specially the plane taking off (or was it landing).

[jhain]

21. oooooooooooooooooooo

they just make me go 'OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO'

Wow, they are amazing, Blue. And not just black & white, either!
The first one especially seems quite SURREAL. Almost as if you combined two photos from two different places..

Just amazing.

[JeffR]

22. jhain, stop this crazy thing!!!!!!

(sorry, been dying to use that line in a post title)

Placebo was the originator of the Surrealism idea, but doesn't seem to have been around lately. I don't know what his take was on setting conditions for the theme, if any, but it's really your call. The first issue that occurs to me is what degree of post-processing should be permissible. Obviously through software one can make any "normal" image surreal, or unreal. So should extreme processing be off-limits?

This is assuming, of course, that Surrealism wins.

[jhain]

23. I am sitting here watching

and hoping it doesn't. For the very reason you mentioned. Sheesh. Any combination of any 'effects' buttons on any free photo choppy program could produce 'surrealism'. There are real artists in the field and then there are people like, uhh, me who download freebie choppy thingys and click away.

Like Blue, I am a realist photographer. The lure of the art, to me, is the capture of the actual moment- that nanao second even -of action and/or light and/or expression...Like a cat's tongue while slurping up goldfish water. I assumed that the subject would be a photo of 'exisiting' surrealism...not created surrealism. I never even thought about manufacturing it with effects.

Yet, F. Gordon's Prestone swilling person is certainly surreal.

(And, I have already felt his wrath while in contest mode. F.G's not the Prestone Stranger. Crap, now I will have nightmares of picking up strangers. And, it should be known that I have a SEVERE, visceral response to consuming blue food or drink. That color does NOT occur naturally in ANY foodstuffs. I have banned it from my house...that gatorade sludge or blue M&Ms...........shuddddderrrr)


Oh yeah, contest.

So.......... it would seem to me that it is all or nothing. How the H E Double Hockey Sticks could I police 'extreme' vs ' non extreme processing?

This is "Democratic" Underground- I shall leave the poll until tomorrow morning and hope to find a few more opinions here after I go have my surreal nightmare.

[jhain]

24. P.S.

Psssst!

It *IS* the season...more of you go vote for that one.
Surrealism /extreme processing can belong to the winner of this month's contest.

Really now... 'Tis The Season could be snow or cookies or lights on palm tress or ripped up wrapping paper or swimsuits in New Zealand or a poor (forgotten by Bush) vet sleeping on the street.

Or kittens. Yeah, kittens.... I shall dream of kittens. With red bows on and they are purring.....

[JeffR]

25. This may be a blue morning for you

unless there's a voting bloc waiting in the wings for an upset.

If you're soliciting opinions, IMHO the theme ought to be about subject matter rather than processing. That makes it more challenging, natch.

No reason why 'Tis the Season couldn't be done next month, retrospective-like. 30 shots of post-Christmas mall lineups, dessicated turkey carcasses, and Uncle Billybob with a lampshade on his head at the New Year's Eve shindig... That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.

[jhain]

26. How come

only 10% of the people who viewed this actually VOTED? Strange, that.

I suppose I must face facts.

Personally, I have the two high ( puh ) scorers merged together in my grey matter. Surrealism of the Season...

[Whoa_Nelly]

28. Per my post response to JeffR

If you should do a 24-hour quick poll to make the final choice, your idea of Surrealism of The Season would be an interesting choice to add :)

[Blue_In_AK]

34. Surrealism of the season?

You mean like my neighbors' little lit-up wire reindeer perched forlornly in the midst of all the junk cars in their front yard?

[Whoa_Nelly]

35. Ahhh...would that be the Yard Art people you told me about a while back?

:rofl:

Actually...sounds like you have a regular treasure trove for all sorts of shots with neighbors like that! ;)

[Blue_In_AK]

37. They drive me nutz...

Personally, they're very nice people, but their sense of aesthetics (lack of) really sucks.

[jhain]

38. Yes. *just* like that

They sound like they are related to my neighbors. Do they have alot of big, loud dogs and do the people run all over the roof at times? My kids dubbed my neighbors "The Bumpasses" the first moment they saw them descend upon the place, I live in moratal fear of calling them that to their faces.

Bless you, Blue.

[Blue_In_AK]

41. They have one loud dog

and I haven't seen them running all over the roof, but their kids do climb all over my Mayday tree. At one time there were 10 people living over there in that little 3-bedroom, Mom and Dad and the eight kids. Now I think some of them have grown up and moved on. But I think every one of the boys has a dead car.

[Whoa_Nelly]

27. 'Twas the Season....like that idea:-)

Have been wondering about Surrealism and how close to actual photo the submission should be. I know I always enhance, modify, and otherwise clean up any photo for whatever reason is important to me.

I have a couple of shots that with very little digital darkroom adjustments, the photos themselves would remain intact, meaning these wouldn't be skewed to have enhancements/changes that weren't in the original photo. I would think it important that the submission be as close to the original photo as possible...should be about submitting the photographer's "eye" in selecting and framing the original piece, and not be about the open-ended possibilities of taking a so-so to great photo and making it something it was never intended to be.

That's just my 2 cents about surrealism photos for this particular contest. However, that's not to say that on down the road there could be a contest for outlandish digital darkroom crazy/silly/intense...could be fun.

While Surrealism appears to be the "winner" of this poll, maybe do a quick 24-hour poll to include the 2-3 other suggestions that received a high vote count. People who voted for Surrealism may have changed their minds.

[jhain]

29. I like the way you think... n/t

[F.Gordon]

30. In the past there have been 'run off polls'

Just the top two vote getting topics/themes battling it out. In this case... "tis the Season" and "Surrealism". Or ya' could keep it the way it is. Or you could declare me the "winner" with Anti-Freeze Thing and we can just call it a day. :7

[jhain]

31. Decisions...decisions....

At some point in the wee hours of the morning while I was trying not to have a nightmare about picking up a Prestone Stranger...I realized that anti freeze is green. Windshield washer fluid is blue. So, if I declare you the winner you have to change your title.

Or I could just declare myself the winner for the 2nd month in a row with my snowpeople huddled around their campfire. Maybe I am on a roll.

[F.Gordon]

33. That's it then.... jhain wins the December contest

Congrats!!!
:applause:

Wow!! Two months in a row. You are awesome!!!!!
:wow:

[jhain]

36. Thank You, Thank You. I'll be here all week

I took 2nd and 3rd places, too, in the Seasonalistical Surrealism Sweetness category.
I told you I was on a roll:

[F.Gordon]

39. ..

:spray:

I don't know any other way to break this to you gently, but did you ever see the movie......The Omen?? (the 2nd pic)
:scared:

Oh, and I want to see a pic of Hobbs wrapped in xmas lights.

[jhain]

40. never saw the omen

but I did really use that photo as my cmas card about a decade ago. People STILL bring it out with their decorations and hang it up every year. Someone just commented on it a few days ago. My children, of course, still depise it. Geez, guess a sense of humor skipped their generation. Hmph.

As for Hobbs in lights....send me a big box of band-aids first. He would slash me to death.... and what if he jumped in the sink?

[F.Gordon]

32. I should have never posted that snap

People who voted for Surrealism may have changed their minds.

I like Surrealism (voted for it) but maybe I scared everyone off with Anti-Freeze Thing
:rofl:

There are ways to do "in-camera" (no fotochopping) stuff for Surrealism but it certainly is more difficult than a "normal" snap. And then there are those (maybe all of one) that own either Lens Baby, Shift/Tilt, or Fish Eye Lenses. All would work well for Surrealism. Lomography Film cameras would work well for Surrealism but I don't know if anyone here owns any of these either, and with film there is always the time factor..... snap, develop, digitize, etc, etc.

You could also use a piece of colored plastic and hold it over the flash on the digie to get a Surreal color wash without fotochopping. You could experiment with things like alfredo did with different kinds of glass or plastic. Not everything requires $1,000 worth of fotochopping software. Sometimes you just have to get a little creative.

One of the reasons I like Surrealism, besides fitting my "normal" footprint :P, is that I'm nostalgic. Surrealism was born largely from an anti-War movement. Artists were disgusted with the "real" world that created the horrors of War.

Just my 17 cents. :crazy: