Ground Level Macro & Close-Up

Challenge #23 in the Language Of Light series. Hosted by OldArrow.

Challenge has finished

The largest percentage of photos are taken from the eye height of an upright standing photographer. Generally, the percentage of photos becomes smaller as the point of view gets lower... which is normal to the most. But how many photos are taken down low, near the ground? There are many themes that deserve a bit of calisthenics! What have you photographed at ground level? NOTE: Please read all the rules before submitting your work.

Show full rules

Announced:

Thursday, 31st May, 2012 (GMT)

Submissions:

Thursday, 7th June, 2012 – Wednesday, 13th June, 2012 (GMT)

Voting:

Thursday, 14th June, 2012 – Wednesday, 20th June, 2012 (GMT)

Processing rules:

Digitally taken photos only - MUST have full EXIF.
Longer side of the photo MUST NOT be over 1600px.
Format and aspect may be as you please.
Minor post-processing interventions are acceptable.
No composite photos: one-shot photo contents only.
No frames nor borders.
No watermarks, no date/time nor any other identification allowed.

Capture date rules:

No restrictions.

Additional rules:

Photos must be taken at ground level.
Your point-of view has to be level with your theme.
The ground has to be visible in the picture.
DO NOT comment under individual entries until the end of Voting Period so as not to influence fair judgment. Comments will be removed.
Sandbagging, vote soliciting or any other improper voting attempt will cause disqualification. Begging for undeserved glory is low and disgusting. Entries showing tendencious voting pattern may be removed.

Maximum number of entries per user:

Maximum number of entries in challenge:

100

submission
phase has

ended

88 entries

voting
phase has

ended

1674 votes

Voting results: 88 entries Slideshow of 7 6 Page: 4 Rows:

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Sample entries

These entries were provided by the challenge host(s) as samples and cannot be voted on. Upload sample image.

Challenge comments

Total comments: 18

Some very pretty shots here... Thanks all!
Congrats, Winners!

0 upvotes

but the result is great

0 upvotes

... and finally 100 entries! Believe it or not, it took 184 attempts, 36 complaints, 19 withdrawn, and 65 disqualified entries to reach!
In all, that is one good, bad example... :(
Oh, well.
Something useful: http://danutza88.deviantart.com/journal/Difference-between-macro-and-close-up-photography-224073904

Comment edited 3 minutes after posting

2 upvotes

Wow...We have to build up a statue for you!
What a feat! :D

0 upvotes

OMG, I got (rightfully) DQed. Afterwards I noticed that I had put the width of the picture to 1800px in stead of 1600px. Aaaarghhh. Me muchos stupidos. And now the challenge is full of course.... O well, better luck next time (or paying more attention to what I am doing!).

0 upvotes

Two days before the Submitting phase ends:
There are now 179 entry attempts resulting in only 98 acceptable images, and 36 complaints have been issued in this challenge!
Those which simply won't read the (simple) rules should think about that.
I can't help anyone to read, but 1600px means the same in every language. Quite a large percentage of DQ'd entries have been removed for being oversized. Other did not fit within the requested range of Macro or Close-up,
For all who'd like to learn about the Macro and Close-up, so as to know what to do in some subsequent challenges, here is a simple explanation worth reading: http://www.nikonians.org/html/resources/nikon_articles/other/close-up_macro/macro_1.html

4 upvotes

Hi There,
This image of mine was DQ for reason. No ground visible.
http://www.dpreview.com/challenges/Entry.aspx?ID=631979&View=NewFirst&Rows=4
The graas and Leaves are out of focus but very visible. The lightish green/white colour is all grass in the background. Kindly advise as I re-submitted the image. Please don't DQ it again. :-)

0 upvotes

Since I'm trying to be a host and not a jailor, I'll let your entry ride, believing that your object has been shot on the ground.
Please do us all a favor in the future and submit works which visibly comply to the requirements. That's the best way to avoid twilight-zone situations.

0 upvotes

Mine was disq'd despite many similar shots still being in the competition... And if it wasn't a 'close up', why did I have to use extension tubes to take it, eh?

Anyway, hypocrisy aside I don't really see the point entering challenges if the hosts are all like this, so in future, I won't.

0 upvotes

Lighten up, man! It's not a big deal. Host your own challenge if you want to make the rules.

3 upvotes

Your entry can be regarded as a rim case of a Close-up and I'll let it ride. It can also cause complaints the way it did, which was the reason I DQ'd it.
You're welcome to post a comment as to the way my challenges are run, but I'd appreciate a tad more polite approach, since there is absolutely no hypocrisy in anything I do.

0 upvotes

Thanks, all, for pointing out the wrong or inappropriate entries. And, while the term Macro is more or less clear (from 3:1 thru 1:3), the definition of a Close-Up may differ somewhat. It seems that there will always be those that won't readily understand the aims of some challenge, but this is supposed to be fun and learning experience.

1 upvote

These do conform to the "rules"
http://www.dpreview.com/challenges/Entry.aspx?ID=630551&View=NewFirst&Rows=4
http://www.dpreview.com/challenges/Entry.aspx?ID=630584&View=NewFirst&Rows=4

But not this one ..
http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/6722023807/photos/2014634/imgp8410_c_unsh_rs1500px

curious way to observe challenge rules !!!
well, .., maybe next time my pic will agree you
cheers, :-))

Comment edited 38 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

Well, you'll understand that I can't spend all day policing the Challenge. I look at the entries every free moment I have. But I do other things too. So have patience. Thanks!

2 upvotes

A number of entries are looking DOWN at the subject, rather than ACROSS it.

0 upvotes

It's explained below. Entries with too steep camera angle (where at least the upper part of the subject is not approximately level with the lens have been DQ'd. Some tiny objects on the ground will have to be taken at a slight angle, though. Such shots can be said to be within the rule.

Comment edited 3 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

The rule doesn't make sense. If the camera is low to the ground but level with a subject that's very close to the lens, then the ground will NOT in most cases be in the picture (supposing that the subject fills the frame). This is well illustrated in one of the sample entries!

Can we have this rule amended please?

Comment edited 1 minute after posting

0 upvotes

The reasonable angle is understood, especially if your subject fills the frame. The aim of this Challenge is to photograph your theme on the ground but not from way up there, rather as close to the subject level as possible, taking into the consideration the dimensions of the objective, of course.
You don't have to dig up a hole for the camera :)
Also, the ground does not have to fill the frame; it merely has to be present in the picture so as to show that the object photographed was on the ground.

Comment edited 2 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

Total comments: 18

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