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ctfchallenge | all galleries >> Challenge 149 - Breaking the Rules >> Challenge 149 - Eligible > Cloudy Sky At Stonebridge Mall
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21-DEC-2007 John Prichard

Cloudy Sky At Stonebridge Mall

Stonebridge Mall, Frisco, Tx

Looking up while waiting outside the underwear store, I try not to get anything interesting into thirds. However, the 3rd shot I am keeping has the clouds go through the thirds proving a much stronger picture. Darn. I did severely underexpose having to go into manual to get the effect. And one of my interest elements is at the half way point. In photoshop, I improved contrast in competing elements not on the thirds and left the flood lights in. Maybe this will help qualify.

When I am finished I notice a couple of people close also looking up wondering what I am taking a picture of. The nearest guy says a single questioning word, "Plane?". I answer back, "No. Sky". He mutters, "Oh". I then quickly show him what I got on the large 3" display and he says, "Oh!" and walks off.

Canon PowerShot G9
1/320s f/4.0 at 7.4mm iso80 full exif

other sizes: small medium original auto
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ctfchallenge24-Dec-2007 17:31
Qualified via underexposure. Rule of thirds has been followed. Nice shot!!! ~ Lonnti
ctfchallenge23-Dec-2007 15:41
Thanks TV, Mikey, Rod, and Kelly. Glowing comments coming from you all are extra special to me. This group (as I had hoped) has added a new dimension to the camera for me. I have only considered the camera for me to be a good recording tool of the places I visit and the things I have done. But sometimes, like this time, I just see a little beauty that only I seem to appreciate and you have given me ideas/tools on how to represent it.

I have decided to give a little technology back to you artists so that you can put this into your toolbox. I will be replacing my outrageous driveway photo in exhibition with a photo to demonstrate a little something that has been in our discussion group lately. Look for it soon.
John
ctfchallenge23-Dec-2007 14:36
Boldly done sir! While you've mentioned the broken rule of "proper exposure" and the resulting limited tonal ranges in your defense statement, I think it worth saying again; boldly done sir!

John, I must confess that every time that I've taken my camera out at a shopping mall I've gotten busted by the man and told no photos are allowed inside and for me to stop. Out of polite consideration for who I was with on those occasions, I didn't create a scene or face arrest in spite of the compelling reasons to fight for freedom. Maybe next time I should go to the Stonebridge Mall. ;) - Kelly
Rod 23-Dec-2007 06:01
I think the main rule you have broken here John is shooting picys like an artiiiist & not an engineer:-) I'm very impressed wiv your shots for this challenge. This one I like a lot, well done mate.
ctfchallenge23-Dec-2007 05:30
I like this shot and your humorous explanation, John. Of course, I'm kind of an abstract lover. BTW, there are several rules you did break: 1) Large areas of empty space. 2) No easily identifiable subject, just a bunch of stuff going this way an that, being here and there. 3) Being as there is no identifiable subject, the rule of thirds becomes irrelevant (non-existent) here. Call 'em rules or principles, you broke 'em without knowing it ... maybe. As for why you broke 'em, you'll have to make that part up yourself. "B^D) Cheers, -mikey
ctfchallenge23-Dec-2007 00:19
It's too bad there are no obvious "rules" broken (I didn't know what "rules" were until I joined this photo challenge). After 48 college credits of art, I'm familiar with most of the compositional principals cited such as golden mean (ratio) and dividing the canvas or picture plane into thirds. But these are not "rules" so much as known compositional principals to be considered but not necessarily applied. Modern artists have pretty much blown out these old "principals" as they have established the integrity and flatness of the picture plane, a benchmark reached with early Picasso when he pasted a clipping of newsprint to a drawing. This represented an evolution of 500 years or so since the time of Massaccio and perfect perspective in the high Renaissance.

What I like about Lonnit's topic is its emphasis on being aware of the "rule" as a teaching point. Very educational - like an art class assignment. So, if you were an artist of any of several past generations, there are many rules you could be violating here. Lets go to the Renaissance where high minded themes especially religious themes were considered essential so your casual indifference to academic "rules" approaches blasphemy.

So forget that. What I wanted to say is that this is enjoyable in a modern context and technically well done. I would have called it "Bounce" because it achieves a visual sensation of a vector starting upper left and bouncing back to upper right. The fact that the lower point of impact with the frame is on the thirds line makes is not so rule-breaking. Of course you could reshoot at 33.3333335% to put it off the rule. -tv
ctfchallenge22-Dec-2007 17:26
If this doesn't qualify since it hardly breaks any rules, I will understand. I have others. I made this Mall visit pay off. Unfortunately the only rule broken in the underwear store is that you probably shouldn't take a picture in the underwear store. My wife comments the same. (not a life like mannequin I'm not a complete perv). John