Neowin Bi-weekly Photography Assignment 2: Symmetry

[Aperture]

Neowin Bi-weekly Photography Assignment 2: Symmetry

22nd July - 5th Aug

Assignment 1 Voting Deadline: 29th July

Entries Deadline: 5th Aug

Welcome to the second in a series of Neowin Bi-weekly Photography Assignments. These assignments are in place to allow Neowin users to explore their own creativity with a set brief given every 2 weeks.

The themes will range in style. Symmetry is the second theme set. Symmetry is compositionally appealing and can bring forward some extremely interesting patterns and ideas. On the front of things, symmetry may seem like a mundane and well disregarded photographic subject, but coupled with concepts and ideologies behind the shot, they can offer a visual emphasis on underlying subjects. If you feel like going down this route, leave a little note about your photography and what it means to you.

The further we go into these topics, the more and more I want you to explore meaning and reasoning behind the pictures you take, and to do so with an arbitrary photograph may strike a little hard at first, but finding meaning in nothing is a fantastic way to start your conceptual development.

These assignments will be loosely moderated. The rules are being set to allow for a fair and balanced array of entries.

Future assignments may see a few rule changes, only to make the experience more fun and challenging!

There will be no prizes. If the popularity of the assignment increases, there may be prints for first prizes, but as I say, only if the demand allows for the logistics.

Any questions comments or queries should be PM'd to me, I'll compile an FAQ of the more common ones.

Votes

• Votes should be PM'd to me, with the member title of the person in the subject title.
  
• 1 Vote per Member
  
• Anyone can vote - non-participants too
  

Rules

1. Submissions should be that of the member of Neowin, plagiarism will not be tolerated, and any indication of the image being copied will result in disqualification from all future Assignments. This idea is based around fun and we don’t want people spoiling that.
   
2. Thread images shouldn't exceed 800px in width. 2mb in file size.
   
3. You should submit your image in each of the bi-weekly threads.
   
4. One submission per person, per assignment.
   
5. You should have the original image, processed. This is a rule for your benefit. If we decide to allow prints as prizes, you’ll want the best quality print possible.
   

Results

• Results will be posted on the results thread after the deadline date.
  
• There will be 3 winners. 1st, 2nd, 3rd.
  
• No pictures can be posted after the deadline date.
  

Entries Deadline: 5th Aug

Previous Assignments

Assignment 1: Light

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Assignment 1 Results & Voting

edits:

1. fixed typo - bi-weekly instead of 'monthly' in ruleset.

2. added previous assignment links

3. clarify deadlines

Edited August 1, 2008 by mac

[Gilly]

Saw this on a trip to Mont Saint Michel in France. Might have worked for the previous theme too, but meh :p.

[Aperture]

Quick entry Gilly, did you take it specifically for this assignment? If not it kinda defeats the purpose!

[Elliot B.]

Quick entry Gilly, did you take it specifically for this assignment? If not it kinda defeats the purpose!

Why does it? Why does it matter if he took that photos a year ago if it fits the assignment spec.?

[Prince Charming]

Because the idea is to collectively make everyone a better photographer by shooting to a specific topic. Posting a picture taken previously, even if it's great and fits the criteria, doesn't make you any better or make you apply your skills - it's just rooting through your library, and then the assignment boils down to who has the largest library of images to choose from. Idea is to conceptualize and execute an idea based upon the topic, making people more creative and better able to execute their ideas. :)

It's an assignment and not a straight up competition, that's the difference.

[Aperture]

Because the idea is to collectively make everyone a better photographer by shooting to a specific topic. Posting a picture taken previously, even if it's great and fits the criteria, doesn't make you any better or make you apply your skills - it's just rooting through your library, and then the assignment boils down to who has the largest library of images to choose from. Idea is to conceptualize and execute an idea based upon the topic, making people more creative and better able to execute their ideas. :)

It's an assignment and not a straight up competition, that's the difference.

Exactly, I'm setting these assignments to make people collectively improve as photographers. Some need it, some don't. But the purpose isn't to post a shot you've already taken that might fit the brief, it's looking at the brief, going out, and shooting with the brief in mind.

You don't get clients asking for a photograph showing the regeneration of Manchester - accepting one you took a year ago, or 6 months ago.

[peterish]

Sweet, another good challenge topic Mac!

Quick question, will 2nd and 3rd place get recognition? :D

[Aperture]

If enough votes are in, yes peterish.

Though unless voting improves, I don't see print-prizes coming into action yet. Need more defined winners!

[BajiRav]

If enough votes are in, yes peterish.

Though unless voting improves, I don't see print-prizes coming into action yet. Need more defined winners!

Question: If I had any entry in an Assignment : should I be voting? :unsure:

Also results link for #1 is linked to temp.com

[Aperture]

Question: If I had any entry in an Assignment : should I be voting? :unsure:

Also results link for #1 is linked to temp.com

yes! Just don't vote for yourself! :)

thanks for the heads up on the link, I had to ready the posts prior to submitting, but didn't have the links yet.

[super_serge]

Here's my entry:

[Aperture]

Good concept super_serge! Awesome, this assignment stuff is coming along wonders :D

[Keito]

i'll try and take a pic tomorrow :) I like assignments

[Gilly]

Ah, OK. I'd edit my original post and remove the pic...but I can't for some reason. Anyway, I just don't really have the time to go out specifically with the intention of taking a photo for an assignment, but I'll try and keep an eye out and see if I can come up with something (though often when I do see something good, I don't have my camera >_<).

[Aperture]

There's no problem taking part with old pictures, I'll still accept them as entries, it just wasn't my aim of setting the assigments! I appreciate people have busy schedules outside of Neowin :p

[Elliot B.]

[super_serge]

Sorry, I'd like to change my entry, I just looked at my previous one on a different monitor and it has horrible quality. It wont let me edit my original post, so if a mod could please delete it to avoid confusion. Here's my definitive entry:

Edited July 23, 2008 by super_serge

[metallithrax]

OK, so here's one

[+Tantawi Subscriber²]

Here's my entry:

[Fowarek]

Here's my entry:

Wow! Looks great!

Here's my entry. It's a building somewhere in Times Square.

[super_serge]

tantawi thats excellent work

[+Tantawi Subscriber²]

Thanks guys good luck for all! :)

[Prince Charming]

Brilliant shot Tantawi - you always seem to have excellent control over light and haze in your photographs :)

[o0moonman0o]

[Kreuger]

I'm not quite sure I understand the topic. Can someone elaborate a bit more please?