Mon 28 Apr 2003
Let the contest BEGIN!
Posted by Marc under Travel Tales
[28] Comments
Today Michele bought herself a brand spankin’ new Canon Powershot A60, as promised earlier on this website. So, to inaugurate her purchase, we’ve decided to have a good old-fashioned shootin’ contest. Yee-haw! We’ve decided to take 3 pictures every day and post them to see who takes the better pictures. Naturally, I am going to win (Marc). But I need YOU to help me. That’s right, you people who read this blog as your daily sustenance…we need you, the people, to COMMENT and tell us who the better photographer is.
The rules are as follows: Pick your favorite photo in your comments, and if you want to, say why it’s your favorite. We will tally the results before Michele leaves on Saturday. So the last day to vote is this Friday at high noon Japan time, which makes it Thursday at 11pm EST. Questions – like why does Marc want to have his ass kicked on the internet? Or comments like why does Michele put up with such tomfoolery? Then fricking comment, people!
Sorry about that. Where were we? Oh yes, the pictures from today in Kyoto! Here they are, and to choose, #1 is the top left, and #6 is the bottom right:
April 29th, 2003 at 9:48 am
My vote is for what I’m calling picture #4. The one where you can see the steeple through the flowering tree. Marc, if this isn’t your picture, I’m sorry, next time you’ll have to leave us hints so we know which ones to vote for.
Tom
April 29th, 2003 at 10:57 am
i like #3 the best.
April 29th, 2003 at 11:06 am
Tom,
Do not be afraid to voice your true opinion.
Alex … the sweet, sweet lemon
April 29th, 2003 at 12:07 pm
first of all, i would just like to say that i am commenting on these photos via my very own, brand-new-to-me iBook! hee, hee, hee! so there, you and your new digital camera!
my favorite is #1. it looks like a cemetary and i love a cemetary.
did i mention that i have a new iBook? and thanks, marc, for the music link. perfect timing! miss you both.
xo,
leigh
April 29th, 2003 at 12:07 pm
5{ apher…. I vote for #1. Might not have an obvious point of interest, but this is why it works. Though I do agree that 3 & 4 are nice pics with the framing and all. But nontheless, 1 & 5 are indeed the strongest.
Good luck Marc!
Skleather
April 29th, 2003 at 12:08 pm
I like #1 best and I want Michele to come back to us! (But I’m glad you’re having fun, you shutterbug, you.) As I’ve mentioned before, my true favorite pictures are always the ones of the two of you together. Awww….
Lisa McKellog
April 29th, 2003 at 12:14 pm
I like the cemetary pic best. I’ve never seen an Asian tombstone before. Huh, go figure! I like the pic of the bell second. (Pretty colors!) Those squat toilets are a blast, huh? I’m so thrilled to be able to share in that experience with you. (What?)
April 29th, 2003 at 12:23 pm
I vote for number 5…the colors are awesome! And the Japanese cemetary shot is pretty kewl too.
April 29th, 2003 at 3:17 pm
I definitely pick #5 – the one with the bell. It is excellent composition and in sharp focus. Hmmm…who took that one?
Love,
Ann
April 29th, 2003 at 9:58 pm
Dear Marc:
I see you and Michelle are enjoying yourselves in the Mysterious Orient. Stay safe, both of you.
As far as pictures go, I like #1 and #5 (the Cemetery and the Temple Bell) – good composition and symmetry. The shot of the tower through the trees could have been a contender; you really need a telephoto to enhance the beauty of the tower and make it fill the screen.
The last shot is a mystery – I can’t make out what that is – give me a clue?
Love, Dad
April 29th, 2003 at 11:08 pm
The last shot is a rock.
April 29th, 2003 at 11:09 pm
hey guess what, I actually set up my (formerly marc’s) mac last night – only to discover I’m missing one vital cord. Dammit!
So very cool, the photo contest idea. I think we should do these all the time. Constantly, everywhere! That means I’d have to get a digi-cam, huh?
as for pics I vote for #1 – the others are really nice visually but the one huge marker towering above the others, pardon me if I’m getting to art-criticky but the contrast of the hundreds of similar looking markers is anonymous and haunting – the foregrounded one makes it personal, individual – and you really want to know what the inscription says.
love you both,
kelly
April 29th, 2003 at 11:13 pm
okay, so I like #5 the best because although I really like #1 the photo just isn’t in focus enough for me. I’m a sucker for those crystal clear digi images… but whoever wins, just take LOTS of pictures so we can look at endless slide shows when you get home!
April 29th, 2003 at 11:57 pm
#1. I like the sweeping majesty. It was a tough call between that and #6, and despite the fact that a little bit of the top of the tree is cut off in #1, it still gets my vote. Love that deep focus. (I should say my favorite photo on here so fare is the anonymous couple on the bridge yesterday. But that’s irrelevant to the contest.)
April 30th, 2003 at 12:29 am
I like number 5!!
I love the negative space!!
No I don’t know how to comment on art or photography but I think its beautiful and balanced and vivid.
I also like bells!
ding dong ding dong ding!
If I were a bell I’d be ringing!
April 30th, 2003 at 1:03 am
#5 rocks, so kudos to whoever took it. The colors are so amazingly vivid.
April 30th, 2003 at 1:30 am
Cemetary. I’d say “Asian” but it’s implied, just as “Japanese” isn’t applied to the food you (may or may not) every day over there.
Also, when you say top left as #1, I just see things in a straight line, top to bottom. Please handle your technology, don’t let it handle you.
Nice purchase, Michele
April 30th, 2003 at 1:40 am
I love #1 and would also love to know what it says on the stone. My next favorite is #6 it is just so serene.
April 30th, 2003 at 1:46 am
#6 is my fave.
April 30th, 2003 at 2:24 am
I gotta say #1 as well as it was one of my favorite sites in Kyoto. It’s the cemetary on the walk up to Kiyomizu, right?
April 30th, 2003 at 8:50 am
Okay I’m agreeing with your Dad on #1 and #5, just like the view. Have fun with your little battle. Have to run now.
Mary
April 30th, 2003 at 10:10 am
Well, I really like #2, perhaps due to the “rule of thirds”. My second choice would be #1.
April 30th, 2003 at 12:39 pm
My votes, in order….
#1 – very dramatic, Japanese stone structure in forefront & tons of graves
in background! loved it!
#3 – japanese steakhouse(?) in background, trees in forefront. nice use of
depth!
#5 – vibrant colors, very ornate. incredible contrast!
Watch out for that SARS stuff. People are freaking out about it at home.
It’s probably nothing.
Please call when you get back! Bring back some of those Farmyard cookies.
They look intriguingly like little piles of shit!
April 30th, 2003 at 12:40 pm
It’s an amazing site. I need more time to work through it. But I liked the photo
of the cemetery. #1 I think it was. But they’re all breathtaking. See you soon.
- ericmiller
April 30th, 2003 at 10:14 pm
My vote goes to number 1 – cool to think that all of the stones below are as austere and beautiful as this one.
May 1st, 2003 at 6:51 am
The bell picture is clearly the best one of this lot. Austin misses you.
May 1st, 2003 at 12:10 pm
I gotta vote for #1. I love the mass of the single headstone balanced by the multiple headstones in the distance off to the lower right. Terrific composition and balance.
May 6th, 2003 at 3:58 am
#1 is pretty good — but I also like the “CREAP” photo, too — is that one in the running?
xx