photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Canon DSLR Challenge | all galleries >> Canon SLR Challenges - FAQ >> CSLR - Best of... >> Best of 2005 > 4th Place
Fear & Joy
by Michael Soo
previous | next
03/11/2005 Michael Soo

4th Place
Fear & Joy
by Michael Soo

Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas

No amount of human emotions can be as easily invoked as it is here, on the craps table. You can be singing with joy or crying with agony in literary minutes of each other. Game of chance, game of emotions. All found here, on this very table.

This was taken just yesterday, after the reowned Photoshop World Conference in Las Vegas.


other sizes: small medium original auto
share
Mark Gillett24-Mar-2005 10:00
Just Brilliant! Mark
Guest 21-Mar-2005 08:37
Good story Michael. Everytime I look at this I can see it as a magazine add for Las Vegas captioned something like, "Las Vegas: Unlimeted posibilities".

Check out my casino shot that also has an interesting story:http://www.pbase.com/infinitethought/image/38298488/original
Mikel Featherston16-Mar-2005 00:38
It's a gorgeous capture.
Guest 15-Mar-2005 07:39
How I sneaked the shot in? It was a funny story. It was Photoshop World Conference in Mandalay Bay. I was there for 3-4 days. During the 3-4 days, I would take my camera to the craps table and they usually don't mind if I take a shot on the empty craps table but that's not what I want at all. I usually get chased away at the tables where an active game was out. Some of the shots turned out just alright. Then, on the last day, after numberous tries, I sneaked my camera in my jacket and snapped away. They didn't noticed until I TOOK THIS SHOT!!! This was my LAST shot that actually worked. LOL. They then proceeded to tell me I can't take pictures during an active game and I was like, "oh damn....and moved the camera away while continue to bet on the game".

- MS
Canon DSLR Challenge15-Mar-2005 03:35
Okay... I'll bite. While I'm always in favor of interpretation of a challenge theme, and while I love this shot, I don't consider it an emotive photo. But in the end, it's up to the judges to decide. I entered a competition locally last year where the them was "out on a limb", I submitted this photo...

First image on this page
http://www.pbase.com/jfuglestad/jacksbday

Now... the judge could have said "it had blowouts", or "I didn't like the color", etc... but you know what she said? "It didn't fit the theme". HUH???? Out on a limb? What? :-)

So, my frank critique is that if the focus would have been on the players, with the dice out of the dof, then I would see it hitting the theme much more appropriately.

But I agree it's a superb shot, and I'm still wondering how you were able to take this shot in a casino.

Jim Fuglestad (aka shutter)
Canon DSLR Challenge14-Mar-2005 20:37
Michael...
Part of my choosing this topic was to see the diversity in emotional expression....so yes, I completely love the intepretation you have made...I feel a photo that conveys emotion only is not half as strong as a photo that conveys a story and emotion. I hope that when it comes time to tally the vote, others will come to the same appreciation...that perhaps a photo is more than capturing an emotion, but telling a story with the capturing emotion that transcends the mere documenting the emotion. So I do appreciate your take and hope that others will see this story-telling aspect + emotion as a key to some of the great photos we admire so much.

So yes, blah, blah, blah, but nice work.
:-D
Guest 14-Mar-2005 17:22
Guys/gals, thanks much for the feedback. I already expected this image to draw much controversy on the theme. I just didn't want my image to be just another laughing/crying image that is quite expected when a theme such as "Capturing Emotion" comes up. So, this image is based on _indirect_ invocation of emotions rather than a direct show of emotions. I hope you folks will understand. Thanks again for your feedback! I truly appreciate it.

- Michael Soo
Canon DSLR Challenge14-Mar-2005 06:45
This is awesome! Another good lead off to a gallery...We're gonna have to slow you down a little from taking such great shots...perhaps we can insert moisture into your lenses or something (joking of course). I do like how this conveys a story, and how the emotions are tied to an event like this, but, I'd say a little more conveyance of emotion by itself and it would have been GREAT (you know, a few wide eyes and clenched fists woiuld have dealt a stronger image)...JMHO.

Nice shot tho'...

:-D
iso320013-Mar-2005 11:23
I think this is fantastic creative twist on the theme in hand. Great perspective and colours. Would make a good stock shot. Out of the box thinking scores highly with me.
Shu13-Mar-2005 08:19
There's a lot of anxiety in those dice! Shu
Guest 13-Mar-2005 00:14
Nice shot. Did you receive permission from the Casino to shoot? Whenever I try to shoot in a Casino they ask me to leave.
Guest 12-Mar-2005 20:15
I like the picture and the way the dice appear to be ready to hit you and have almost a 3D look to them. About the emotional aspect though I feel it falls short. We all know that emotions run wild at the tables, etc., but I don' see where you have captured that here :)