Sharp-eyed readers probably noticed the previous posts discussed Challenge #508 and #510, but skipped #509 altogether. As #509 was more involved than the other two, I thought I’d post it separately. And now the wait is over…
The Distorting Mirror
Caplin must have been in a rush for Challenge #509 because he shot the photo with his phone instead of his usual camera. Here is the image and his instructions:
“I was visiting a hospital this week when I noticed a curved mirror, placed high up in the corner of a corridor. I was intrigued by the extreme distortion of the view.
Can you remove me from the scene, and add someone else who matches the distorted view? I shot this on my iPhone, which was the only camera I had to hand, and that means the images is rather blurry and noisy – so you’re going to have to try to match that as well. It’s not going to be easy. Good luck! “
Well, Caplin was right. Just finding suitable images at the proper angle was difficult, let alone distorting them plus giving them the proper blur and noise to match the rest of the mirror.
After a little searching on Google images I found an image of someone who would work. Almost immediately, someone posted a submission using the very image I was going to insert. My sister happened to call right while I was stressing out about it. She suggested that I not submit an entry, if it were that stressful. However, I am not one to admit defeat at the first little difficulty. I took a deep breath and decided to look at this Challenge in a different light.
Right after that, another member posted that she’d planned to insert the same image, but then needed to switch. Here is my reply to her:
|
vibeke wrote:
Mine’s pretty boring after looking at the other entries. |
When Gordon posted his hint, I decided to find a suitable figure to replace Steve. I found someone right away, but before I could even begin to work on my entry, Frank used the same figure I had found. My sister suggested I just sit this one out, but then I thought, “This is not a contest. I can look at this as an exercise in learning how to remove one figure, replace it with another and match the background.” If I am successful at this, then I have accomplished something. The point is to learn how to do it, not to “wow” anyone.
-Sara
Ultimately, I came up with the following (which includes the helpful feedback my sister and brother-in-law gave me during the process):
Caplin posted this critique:
I like srawland’s collection of assorted odd bods, who populate the corridor rather well – nicely achieved. I especially applaud your sentiment:
“This is not a contest… If I am successful at this, then I have accomplished something. The point is to learn how to do it, not to “wow” anyone.”
Absolutely. The spirit of the Friday Challenge in a nutshell.
When I made the “not a contest” comments, I’d intended to them solely to help another forum member. I was pleasantly surprised to see that my remarks struck such a cord with Caplin that he quoted my posting to emphasize the point.
Next: Shiny Surfaces – Part 1