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Canon DSLR Challenge | all galleries >> Challenge 66: Bluejeans (host: Sergio Rojkes) >> Eligible > Cool Teen Jeans *
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22-APR-2006 jnconradie

Cool Teen Jeans *

near Centurion, South Africa


(Alternative crop)



Other Variations:


(1) original version


(2) cropped as per Markjay's suggestion


Canon EOS 20D ,Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Xr Di-II LD IF
1/250s f/8.0 at 200.0mm iso100 hide exif
Full EXIF Info
Date/Time22-Apr-2006 12:40:44
MakeCanon
ModelCanon EOS 20D
Flash UsedNo
Focal Length200 mm
Exposure Time1/250 sec
Aperturef/8
ISO Equivalent100
Exposure Bias
White Balance (-1)
Metering Modematrix (5)
JPEG Quality (6)
Exposure Programprogram (1)
Focus Distance

other sizes: small medium original auto
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Canon DSLR Challenge28-Apr-2006 05:03
OY! I'm validated! LOL! ;) ~ Lonnit
Guest 27-Apr-2006 21:48
This image has a nice comfy feel to it...I particularly like the spot of crimsom and worn pocket. I do think this is the strongest of the different crops for this challenge. -Michael
Canon DSLR Challenge27-Apr-2006 19:57
I think there's no doubt that this crop emphasizes the jeans. Obviously you get no argument from me on that. LOL! Of course I support you on sticking to this crop for this challenge. I think it's the right call. And on a hand challenge, it'll work very well with a hand-emphasis crop. :) Thanks for posting an image that inspired good discussion. ~ Lonnit
jnconradie27-Apr-2006 19:14
Dear All, thank you for the constructive feedback and varied opinions. I enjoy reading these and learing from you. That is after all why I added the little "*" after the title, not so? My personal preference is to remain with this version, simply since I think it is slightly more "on topic" than the others. But that this is a subjective and personal matter is clear from the comments. Thanks again! ~jnconradie
Canon DSLR Challenge27-Apr-2006 17:42
Oh, look at the irony of this - I'm beating myself up b/c I can't feel Traveller's building image, yet here I am feeling so much from this image and I seem to be the only one that is feeling it! Well, at least I know my feeler isn't broken - perhaps it needs a calibration, but apparently it IS functioning is SOME manner! LOL! ~ Lonnit
Canon DSLR Challenge27-Apr-2006 17:40
Apparently I must be in error. Everyone's in agreement that the other was better, except for me and the artist who took my recommendation. LOL! I'm telling you, though, I swear I feel cozy comfort in this image. How could something that feels so right be so wrong?

OTOH, could it be that, as usual, I'm not such a mainstreamer and the mainstream way is the other crop and mine is the more unusual one? Maybe this crop is perceived more like some of my more experimental stuff - stuff that people who like that sort of thing really like but that mainstreamers don't? OTOOH, if you put a 3x3 grid over this, you will see how beautifully the parts of the image fall to the rules of thirds. The lines of the image really lay well. My eyes wander the image nicely as well. I don't know - I'm stumped. I just LIKE this. Nobody else thinks it's cozy? It doesn't bring to mind a feeling of the comfort of wearing old broken in jeans and a nice soft cozy sweatshirt? I don't even dress like that and yet it still brings back old memories of that cozy feeling. Guess I'm weird. What a shock - Lonnit's a freak. LOL! ~ Lonnit
Canon DSLR Challenge27-Apr-2006 05:06
Was worried that my comment might seem a bit harsh, but it isn't. What I meant is that I liked the original & Markj's versions best, and imo this crop take away some of the beauty of the photo. Like the contrast between the blue clothes and the tanned hands -- aam1234
Guest 27-Apr-2006 05:01
Sorry, I thought I was logged in as myself. I was the one who wrote:
OK, here are my thoughts: MarkJ's crop is more about the hands and this crop more about the hole in the pants and the red stuff that's there. Generally speaking (disregarding the challenge theme), I prefer MarkJ's crop.

And when trying to post this, I was the one who unintentionally erased a Markjay comment. Luckily, I was able to repost it, by using my back button and cache. Only, now the sequence of the comments is kind of screwed up... sorry!
Canon DSLR Challenge27-Apr-2006 05:00
Oops, unintentionally erased this from 26-Apr-2006 14:52:

Well, here goes again :-)
We'll probably agree to disagree but... this one does not work for me. Amazing how different a point of view art can drum up! Now, my eyes are fixated on the hands and not the jeans but, if that's what you are aiming at, then you have succeeded. I will disagree with Lonnit that the image is comfy... I'm not comfy with PART of a hand showing and one full hand showing, it's disjointed IMO. IF you are going to use the hands.... you gotta see both of 'em! Thank you for being so gracious about all our opinion / critques. That is not an easy thing to do sometimes. In the end, you need to go with YOUR gut feeling.
Glad to have you participating! Markjay
Canon DSLR Challenge27-Apr-2006 04:04
And I'm right about the crop too. LOL! ;) ~ Lonnit
Canon DSLR Challenge27-Apr-2006 01:18
Lonnit, I don't think anyone would consider our exchange an argument in any way. You and I enjoy each others' work and, have many times had opposing opinions in our critiques. So anyone reading these... Lonnit is right, these are nothing more than different points of view, all welcomed and sometimes educational too :-) Markjay
Canon DSLR Challenge26-Apr-2006 22:41
Who said that?

The crop that makes it an image about hands is probably indeed a better photograph, but then it's a story about hands, not a story about jeans. I suggested this crop to make it a story about jeans. When we do a hand challenge, it could be recropped to make it a story about hands and it will be a nice picture for that challenge too. They both work and maybe the other would be a little more pleasing - hand shots are very intersting - but this way it's just more on topic while being a very pleasing image. BTW, this isn't an argument, it's a discussion - in case it sounds like an argument. :) ~ Lonnit
Canon DSLR Challenge26-Apr-2006 20:35
OK, here are my thoughts: MarkJ's crop is more about the hands and this crop more about the hole in the pants and the red stuff that's there. Generally speaking (disregarding the challenge theme), I prefer MarkJ's crop.
Canon DSLR Challenge26-Apr-2006 19:57
You're fixating on the hands? Weird. When I let my eyes wander, they roam the image and then land on the dark area of the jeans. If I linger to long there, I am drawn up for a very brief moment by the white thumb nail, but then settle back to the dark area of the jeans. So, I'm getting some nice movement here but still weighted towards the jeans. My thoughts on the hand was that it didn't matter that it was incomplete b/c it's not the subject, it's background. The incompleteness of it makes it unimportant. If it were an image about hands, then I'd agree with you 100%. I think this is one of those times where the rule is meant to be broken. I agree with the graciousness as well. :) These discussions are always good exercise. ~ Lonnit

jnconradie25-Apr-2006 19:03
Thanks for the feedback and detailed analysis, Lonnit.

Thanks for the comment, aam1234. I guess the one thing it all proves: different things work for different people. :-) Your view is respected and appreciated, though.

~jnconradie
Canon DSLR Challenge25-Apr-2006 05:15
My order of preference: 1- Markjay's version 2- The original. Sorry, but didn't like the current version at all, the cropped fingers is a deal breaker for me -- aam1234
Canon DSLR Challenge25-Apr-2006 01:37
Oh, this looks great. It's such a nice, comfy, cozy feel to this crop. Love the squared look. The elbow and left thigh fall so nicely to the bottom thirds line, the arm sweeps gently from the upper left corner down to the lower thirds line at the right, the left arm and right thigh run across the upper thirds line, the edge of the right cuff runs directly down the right thirds line, the loose threads land in the intersection of the lower thirds line and the right thirds line, the shirt comes nicely in from the upper right corner then picks up the seam on the cuff to continue sloping down pointing towards the intersection of the left frame with the lower thirds line, the upper part of the red patch runs along the bottom thirds line and points into the the lower right intersection of thirds.... Now , with all that perfection of composition, is it any wonder this has such a comfortable feel? Wonderful image, and the contrasting colors of skin tones to blue is excellent, along with that small red patch of interest, not to overwhelming to be distracting. Superb job!

Ok, so yes, you see precisely how anal I am about my rules of thirds. I use them on EVERY shot, unless there are other leading lines that take priority over the composition. It's my obsession about thirds that is the reason why I hear, more than anything else, that my strongest skill is composition. It's the thing I obsess over most.

So, that simple chop you just made brought this image from nice to incredibly warm, comfortable, and inviting. It just feels good, and relaxing, to look at. Dang good job - I think you really captured what you were after. Kudos! ~ Lonnit
Canon DSLR Challenge24-Apr-2006 21:10
Thank you for the feedback. After playing around with various alternatives, I now post this version along the lines of Lonnit's recommendation (I hope?) but also give links to the "original version" and to the "Markjay version". Comments / preferences? ~jnconradie
Canon DSLR Challenge23-Apr-2006 20:48
but then it becomes and image about hands, not jeans. I prefer, if you're going to crop, doing so just above the left hand thumb nail. Then it's definitely a story about jeans. ~ Lonnit
Canon DSLR Challenge23-Apr-2006 20:34
Cropping decsions are tough...but I think I have to agree with MJ on his suggestion. Best Wishes, Traveller
Canon DSLR Challenge23-Apr-2006 17:26
Your image has a nice "feel to it". IMO (*) cropping just above the jeans rivet makes this image MUCH more visually pleasing. I tested this by simply scrolling my viewing window so that it naturally cropped out the area I'm suggesting you crop. Like all critiques... this is just one. I really like this. Markjay