OT stuff from Aphrodite discussion

Batman · Post by **Batman** » 2004-09-04 09:50pm

Zaia wrote:How the hell can I compete with any of that?! Come on!

Why don't you let us be the judge of that? There certainly seems to be an explicit demand to post your pic and since unlike several of the posters, you aren't a minor,that would give us elders a chance to vote for someone who doesn't make us feel like we're pedophiles...

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2004-09-04 11:27pm

Batman wrote:Why don't you let us be the judge of that? There certainly seems to be an explicit demand to post your pic and since unlike several of the posters, you aren't a minor,that would give us elders a chance to vote for someone who doesn't make us feel like we're pedophiles...

*turns the Hose on Batman*

Alright, stop it, guys. Zaia has already listed why she isn't going to post photos in the Aphrodite contest and it's not going to change because guys keep asking. So lay off her, huh?

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2004-09-07 02:07am

Zaia wrote:How the hell can I compete with any of that?! Come on!

Because you are the Zaia.

(Note to picky mods: This does not constitute pressure to post a pic. I just point out that she is The Z.

)

bohemianfey · Post by **bohemianfey** » 2004-09-07 04:14pm

Dargos wrote:bohemianfey is very nice...how bout a nice "real" pic without all the artsy fartsy stuff.(hope that didn't come out too crass, I do not mean to be rude)

Most of the pictures I've posted have other uses beyond the Aphrodite contest. I have a lot of other things I do with photography so I just end up posting those here. I personally don't understand how knowing how to use a camera is "demerit" for this sort of thing.

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2004-09-07 04:18pm

bohemianfey wrote:I personally don't understand how knowing how to use a camera is "demerit" for this sort of thing.

He probably sees it as an unfair advantage. *Shrug*

Post by **Zaia** » 2004-09-07 04:24pm

Rogue 9 wrote:
bohemianfey wrote:I personally don't understand how knowing how to use a camera is "demerit" for this sort of thing.
He probably sees it as an unfair advantage. *Shrug*

If that's the case, it's not accurate. Photography and photoshopping are both part of the contest, like it or not. Why shouldn't Fey use the skills she has and post the pics she likes best of herself? If Gil wanted only candid shots, he would have said so.

That said, they're all absolutely gorgeous and I'd hate to have to pick my favourite (although I'm madly in love with IB's hair).

Batman · Post by **Batman** » 2004-09-07 04:49pm

Zaia wrote:
Rogue 9 wrote:
bohemianfey wrote:I personally don't understand how knowing how to use a camera is "demerit" for this sort of thing.
He probably sees it as an unfair advantage. *Shrug*
If that's the case, it's not accurate. Photography and photoshopping are both part of the contest, like it or not.

Actually, that's not a given. While Gil did give quite detailed instructions of what sort of pics were admissible, he did not specify what was the aim of the contest.
Given the history of those contests, the assumption that it was about the cutest/most gorgeous/most attractive/hottest/sexiest/pickyouradjectiveest female, while NOT being a given thanks to Gil never saying so, is certainly not a farfetched one.

Why shouldn't Fey use the skills she has and post the pics she likes best of herself? If Gil wanted only candid shots, he would have said so.

Conversely, if Gil HAD wanted this to be about photgraphy/photoshopping skills he ALSO would have said so.
I am, by no means, arguing bohemianfey deserves demerits for being good at photography, I'm merely arguing that the assumption that the contest qualifications include those skills is baseless.

That said, they're all absolutely gorgeous and I'd hate to have to pick my favourite (although I'm madly in love with IB's hair).

You'll get no argument from me. Well, apart from the one about picking a favorite.

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2004-09-07 05:19pm

Zaia wrote:If that's the case, it's not accurate. Photography and photoshopping are both part of the contest, like it or not. Why shouldn't Fey use the skills she has and post the pics she likes best of herself? If Gil wanted only candid shots, he would have said so.

Gil's Judgement: If she's got photography skills, the more power to her. I greatly respect people who know how to use SLR cameras in an age of point and click digital cameras who can take superior shots of themselves and others. Most people don't know the first thing about composition and photography and their pictures are weak sauce because of it.

I don't encourage photoshopping the content of images beyond cropping, but good composition should be a bonus, I think, not a demerit.

(It should be noted that I'm irritated with point and click digital photography right now, mostly due to a people who look at me like I'm speaking esperanto when I say things like "F-Stop" and "Shutter Speed". Growl.)

Batman · Post by **Batman** » 2004-09-07 05:45pm

Gil Hamilton wrote:raphy right now, mostly due to a people who look at me like I'm speaking esperanto when I say things like "F-Stop" and "Shutter Speed". Growl.)

In defense of people who look at you like you're speaking esperanto when you say things like "F-Stop" and "Shutter Speed", ther ARE some of us who don't know shit about photography.
If, of course, you're reffering to people who DO pretend to know about photography-growl away...

Lonestar · Post by **Lonestar** » 2004-09-07 06:53pm

Batman wrote:<snip>.

Jesus, you're such a sea lawyer.

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2004-09-07 06:58pm

Batman wrote:In defense of people who look at you like you're speaking esperanto when you say things like "F-Stop" and "Shutter Speed", ther ARE some of us who don't know shit about photography.
If, of course, you're reffering to people who DO pretend to know about photography-growl away...

For reference, if your curious.

The F-stop of the camera is one of the rings on the barrel part of camera. You fiddle with it to control the amount of light that gets into the camera. In mechanical terms, it controls how wide the opening in the iris, and the higher the number, the smaller the hole and thus less light. Controlling the amount of light is useful, so you can get the right level of exposure for your film.

This works in conjunction with... the Shutter. The Shutter is your friend. The Shutter is love and life and happiness. More to the point, the Shutter is what allows you to take pictures of moving objects and make them not blurry and streaky, not to mention helps control the exposure of your picture. It's a mechanical device that opens and closes the iris of the camera, exposing the film to light. You can set the shutter for open and close quite rapidly or set it to stay open for a long time. That is the shutter speed. The camera I've been lusting for has a shutter speed ranging between 1/1000th of a second to a full second (I've head of cameras that go up to 1/10,000th of a second!). Video cameras actually work the same way. An NTSC Video Camera records film at 30 frames a second, meaning that the iris of the camera is opening and closing at 1/30th of a second while film reel shoots film behind it at a matching rate. For still photography, however, that can be unacceptable. For instance, if I'm taking a picture of a car, it's going to moving pretty quickly, and a shutter speed of 1/30th of a second is unacceptable. I'd probably dial my shutter to 1/500 sec, which is more than enough to snap a photograph of a moving car.

But Gil, you might say, what happens if your shutter speed is too quick? Not very much light can get into a camera if the iris is opening and closing that quickly. You're right. That's where Photography Skills comes in and practice, not to mention the F-Stop comes in. If you are taking a picture of a swing dancers in a club, you are going to need a high shutter speed, because they are moving quite quickly. However, it could be dim lighting, so you want to dial your f-number really low (the lower the number, the wider the hole) and get as much light as you can in there. Sometimes, you've got to make a compromise and accept a slower shutter speed for it to come out bright enough, even if there is a little blurriness (which isn't necessarily a bad thing, mind you).

Conversely, if you are out on a bright sunny day, you may want a faster shutter speed to cut exposure time, so your picture isn't overexposed. For example, dummies who say the Moon Landing never happened will occasionally point to photographs showing the lunar landscape and horizon and go "Where are the stars? They are in the middle of space, so the stars should be bright, but they aren't there! Lies!" This is where you smack them with a rolled pamphlet with the Sunny 16 rules printed on it. Sure the stars are bright on the moon, but the lunar surface is vastly brighter thanks to bright sunlight hitting it. The Apollo astronauts had to dial up their shutter speed because they were taking pictures of bright lunar rocks and other astronauts which would have been greatly overexposed had they left the shutter open long enough to pick up the stars, so the sky in those pictures are pitch black.

Sorry to lecture, but I don't often get a chance to rap about photography.

*The NBC jingle plays and a sign saying "The More You Know..." appears*

Batman · Post by **Batman** » 2004-09-07 07:03pm

Just as long as you're aware that I never bothered to read any of that.

Tsyroc · Post by **Tsyroc** » 2004-09-07 07:07pm

Gil, you forgot to mention different film speeds.

aerius · Post by **aerius** » 2004-09-07 08:21pm

Tsyroc wrote:Gil, you forgot to mention different film speeds.

And film formats, and colour balance, and saturation (Fuji Velvia anyone?), and the joys of colour slide film.

Bleh, funny thing is most of my best pictures were taken with $5 disposable cameras.

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2004-09-07 09:10pm

Tsyroc wrote:Gil, you forgot to mention different film speeds.

Curses!

Batman wrote:Just as long as you're aware that I never bothered to read any of that.

Then wallow in your ignorance!

Post by **Zaia** » 2004-09-07 11:44pm

Batman wrote:Actually, that's not a given. While Gil did give quite detailed instructions of what sort of pics were admissible, he did not specify what was the aim of the contest..

A sentence in Gil's OP reads, "Contestants may put as much effort or time into this as they want, but that is not necessary to the competition." To me, putting little effort would be pointing and shooting a pic or two. More effort would be, well, more effort. More skills, staging, lighting, makeup, wardrobe (or lack thereof), skillful cropping, tinting--whatever. To me, his statement saying that contestants may put in however much effort they like means they can do what they want to make their photos look the best they possibly can with their abilities. If that means making photography your hobby for ten years in order to prepare for the Aphrodite competition (hey, some ladies take it very seriously

), then so be it. That should not be a demerit.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2004-09-07 11:49pm

So let me get this straight: is this a contest for the prettiest lady or the best picture? Because photographic technique has nothing whatsoever to do with "prettiest lady", but it has a lot to do with "best picture".

Post by **Zaia** » 2004-09-08 12:14am

*sighs* Isn't this supposed to be fun?

Edit: In my opinion, the list of rules is quite extensive. If someone was going to be penalized for having talent with a camera, they should've been instructed to use a disposable piece of crap and not make any adjustments to the pics at all, not for borders, cropping, anything. No such rule exists, therefore no one should be penalized for anything. Just pick the one you like best.

The Kernel · Post by **The Kernel** » 2004-09-08 12:28am

Zaia wrote:*sighs* Isn't this supposed to be fun?

Edit: In my opinion, the list of rules is quite extensive. If someone was going to be penalized for having talent with a camera, they should've been instructed to use a disposable piece of crap and not make any adjustments to the pics at all, not for borders, cropping, anything. No such rule exists, therefore no one should be penalized for anything. Just pick the one you like best.

Amazingly, I find myself agreeing completely with you on this. You guys are sucking the fun out of what should be a rather informal and laid back affair. Really, who gives a fuck about the photographic quality of the picture? Use your eyes and judge for yourself who you think the most beautiful girl is; for Christsake people this isn't a versus debate.

Post by **Zaia** » 2004-09-08 12:31am

The Kernel wrote:
Zaia wrote:<snipitty doo-dah>
Amazingly, I find myself agreeing completely with you on this.

I found that highly amusing. Thanks.

Dargos · Post by **Dargos** » 2004-09-08 04:11am

Jeez, I didn't mean for my comment about wanting a basic picture of bohemianfey to cause such an uproar.

bohemianfey wrote:Most of the pictures I've posted have other uses beyond the Aphrodite contest. I have a lot of other things I do with photography so I just end up posting those here. I personally don't understand how knowing how to use a camera is "demerit" for this sort of thing.

I was a bit vauge, I guess. I requested a "plain jane" picture to better compair your natural beauty with the other goddeses of SD net. Your skill with the camera is not a "demerit" in anyway. If I offended you , please accept my most humble apologies.

To the rest of the participents, please do not allow my remarks to kill this most remarkable and interesting compitition. All Honor and Glory to the Goddeses of SD.NET

Post by **RogueIce** » 2004-09-08 05:35pm

It's odd. I wonder if any of the guys would complain if they were bugged for nudie shots.

Hm, well, it probably won't happen. But still, it's a theory. Now if only I knew how to test it (I obviously can't ask now, as they would know I'm not being serious. Well, that and they'd all wonder why I, of all people, would want them in the first place).

And pfff, why bother jmac for nudie pics? All we have to do is blackmail aerius into doing the dirty work for us.

(Yes, this is a joke. Well, at least insofar as the nudie pics are concerned. People might want to blackmail aerius on sheer principle)

Lonestar · Post by **Lonestar** » 2004-09-09 01:44am

RogueIce wrote:It's odd. I wonder if any of the guys would complain if they were bugged for nudie shots.

I would, but, by that same token, I've been careful not to harrass and/or comment on our female's photos. Any of them. And so, I would throw a fit if anyone asked for nekkid pics of me.*

(Except for IBs original with the nose ring...for some reason I'm mildly repulsed by any piercings besides ears...sorry IB. That was the only one I commented on.)

*I don't want to ruin the wimmim and th' Gay Homosexuals for life in their relations, by forcing them to set their expectations too high after seeing me.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2004-09-09 02:51am

The Kernel wrote:Amazingly, I find myself agreeing completely with you on this. You guys are sucking the fun out of what should be a rather informal and laid back affair. Really, who gives a fuck about the photographic quality of the picture? Use your eyes and judge for yourself who you think the most beautiful girl is; for Christsake people this isn't a versus debate.

Hey, it wasn't my idea for my comment about compensating for differing picture qualities to set off a debate.

Lonestar · Post by **Lonestar** » 2004-09-13 10:34pm

With regards to Crimson Raine's most recent post:

Somehow I knew this wouldn't end well.