---- The April Contest theme is Dystopia ----

[DS1]

Various definitions:

• an imaginary place where people lead dehumanized and often fearful lives
  
• an imaginary place where everything is as bad as it possibly can be
  
• An imagined universe (usually the future of our own world) in which a worst-case scenario is explored - Dystopic stories have been especially influential on postmodernism, as writers and film-makers imagine the effects of various aspects of our current postmodern condition, for example, the world's take-over by machines (The Matrix); the social effects of the hyperreal (Neuromancer); a society completely run by media commercialism (The Running Man); the triumph of late capitalism (Blade Runner); bureaucratic control run amok (Brazil, 1984); and so on.
  

Because of the unconventional nature of this topic, I'm going to open the submission and comment threads early, and for a much longer time than usual. The Sub/Com threads will be created Friday the 4th, and will remain open until Friday the 18th. The preliminary threads (if we have more than 10 entries) will start Saturday the 19th, and close the 23rd. The finals will start Saturday the 26th, with the top three winners being declared on the 30th.

Good luck, and have fun.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

1. In BushCo's Amerikka, it is not imaginary

it is all too real, I fear.

[DS1]

2. Precisely

[blueraven95]

3. are you allowing extreme postprocessing?

Inquiring minds want to know :hi:

[Blue_In_AK]

4. Does it have to be imaginary

if it's bad and awful and dehumanized and fearful?

[DS1]

5. It doesn't have to be imaginary

Poor choices of 3 definitions.

[DS1]

6. Post-processing will be allowed, with the exception of collages and text

[blueraven95]

8. more clarification, please

with regards to collages...

would overlayed images be allowed?

BTW, this is an excellent theme - I always love it when the host goes authoritative and chooses a theme - we get more interesting themes that way.

[DS1]

9. No overlaying of other photos.

That goes beyond the description of photography I'd be willing to accept.

Things like intensifying clouds, dodge and burning areas, overdesaturation/desaturation and the like are okay. HDR is okay because it's the same image used.

Collage is an art form, but I don't think it's appropriate to use in a photography contest - Composition is King.

[JCMach1]

7. will have to mull this one over

and whether to go with a pic already in the can, or go forth and take...

Might hit the Dubai workcamps with my friend...

[alfredo]

10. Would this fit the theme?

Three Poisons

[DS1]

11. yes

that processing is fine. In reality you could enter whatever you liked, you could enter a cat if you liked. It wouldn't fit the theme, but I won't stop cat pictures or total anarchy. Whether or not a cat picture would win would be up to GD, and if someone were feeling suoregnad they could enter one. :shrug:

[alfredo]

12. I'm too old to do anything suoregnad other than a bit of Rye.

Of course, snooping around a hobo camp is not without its dangers.

[DS1]

13. Well, I hope everyone has a safe scouting

Nobody needs mugging or worse of a money-less photo contest, after all!

[alfredo]

14. We will have to seek out the underbelly of our society. It usually safer

than some think. The places I go for some photos I wouldn't visit at night.

[Blue_In_AK]

15. That's my worry, too...

I know where the camps are, but I'm kind of afraid to go there. :scared:

I'll take the long lens, that is, assuming I can even break away from this mountain of work that's been dumped on me. I hate when my job interferes with my fun.

[alfredo]

17. Maybe a still life could tell the story you want to tell. The broken

body of a jumper didn't affect me as much as seeing the open window and the curtains blowing out.

[DS1]

16. Wow, the vote thread had an entry deleted

It's not ~that~ controversial! Still, let's explore dystopic.

[Mz Pip]

18. Too bad

I can't post a picture of GD-P. "an imaginary place where everything is as bad as it can possibly be."

[DS1]

19. nothing is stopping you from posting a screengrab of GD-P

heck, you just might win with it

[JeffR]

20. Fuckin' hell, I'd vote for that in a heartbeat

:o

[Blue_In_AK]

21. I can't even bear to go in there anymore.

[JCMach1]

22. What About These?

Would they fit the theme?

Topman


Traitor's Gate

[DS1]

23. You have to decide whether or not they fit the theme

I can't do that for you.

[JCMach1]

25. Will try for new stuff though... there is plenty of time and plenty of dystopia

to document in dubai

[jhain]

24. I should just enter this with this title

2010 AD

[Blue_In_AK]

26. That about says it all. Too funny.

[FlyingSquirrel]

27. Sounds like my bus, but not imaginary

:scared:

Dude this should be an easy one for me.

[FlyingSquirrel]

28. Tempted to submit this one.........

"What if?"

[Eurobabe]

29. I think I will sit this one out

I've just had shoulder surgery, and my world is far from dystopia.

:hi:

[bridgit]

30. Dystopia? With the charmed life that you lead that's what you come up with? Dystopia?