Thread: Official ENTM-GD thread! 2.0

Hey guys!

(Warning, HUGE wall of text incoming. Hahah. But if you can, please stick with me ^^)

Well, yeah... I kinda saw that one coming from day 1, heh heh.

From those unfamiliar, I am/was kind of the baby of ENTM. Ever since I first saw about it (It was during Cycle 3, if I'm not mistaken) I fell in love with the contest. I'm not an artist, as in I'm not good at photoshop, or digital paint, or drawing, meaning I couldn't take part on contests who relied on such artistic skills. But ENTM was something else, it was about artistic vision, more than artistic skills. It was a screenshot contest. It was SO NICE! and to top it off, it revolved about its own niche, its own family, and everybody who was involved in it was ever so cheerful and excited about it. I REALLY wanted to be a part of it. So I posted a few times in the General discussion thread, and Rongi told me about a future cycle 4, far in the distance still. And I waited. Weeks became months, and I was ever very eager to know when I would finally be able to be a model and participate in the contest. When Cycle 4 auditions started, I was so happy! I went to sleep at 4 AM trying to get just the perfect shot to be above the threshold to enter. Then Ty announced everyone who auditioned would get in. I was just SO HAPPY. It was happening, I will be a part of it!

Then the weeks came by. The funny thing is that I was such a baby, competing against some very well known figures of ENTM. What I lacked in experience, I tried to make up in vision and perseverance. With every week I learned more. New tricks, new techniques, new ways to take better and better shots. I experimented, I tried, I truly strived to take the most beautiful shots that I could. I took every lesson, and applied them in my next shot. I talked a LOT with the other models, exchanged experiences, did everything I can to be the best that I can. And every advice was so valuable. I wouldn't have gotten as far as I did without you guys. You are the best.

Theeeeeeeen this round came. I was so excited about my experiments and new things I learned from my fellows that I set out on a mission... I'd take the MOST BEAUTIFUL SHOT POSSIBLE given the instructions given for the round (to be within the confines of the beast camps). I spent a lot of time trying to get the perfect light, the perfect angle, the perfect color composition. My glamour was chosen following some theories based on color theory that complimentary colors (orange and blue, in that case) tend to harmonize very well. I built a story around it, and tried to picture it as well as I could, while still using all the scenery and lighting that I had in my disposal to create the most beautiful picture I could conceive. But yeah, it fell short on being a thematic shot about beast tribes and their beastmen. And when the votes started coming, I realized the graveness of my mistake. From the minute I saw the first critiques, I knew that my choice of priorities (beauty of the shot over making it about beastmen) would be my downfall. The result only surprised me cuz I REALLY didn't expect to be second last, I was certain I'd be hitting rock bottom of the list. The fact that I scored higher than EPSIL, of all people, was something that surprised me very much.

Anyhow... I'd be lying if I didn't say this elimination got me very sad. After so much waiting and so much eagerness, I had wished to last a bit longer among you guys. Even more cuz the next round was the one I was expecting the most, was REALLY excited about it ever since I received the shot list at the beggining (won't spoil it to you guys, but you're in for a BIG TREAT this friday ) But I'm still really glad about the opportunity, and all the good times I had during this brief period I got to compete with all you wonderful people. I learned A LOT during these weeks, and you guys FOR SURE didn't hear the last of me. I'll be around commenting, voting, participating, and who knows? maybe I get another chance on Heavensward I'm a part of the ENTM family now, and this is priceless, much more than any position in the rank I might have achieved staying on for the next rounds. You guys got a fan, a peer, a collegue, a brother. Forever!

The baby tried his first steps and fell down... but he's ready to get back up and try again, as soon as he can!

Tyriont: Thank you SO MUCH for letting me be a part of this. I'll be forever happy to be in this family, and you're the one who made this possible. I thank you most deeply.
Brun, Tinsley, Happy: You were the best teachers I could have, and you guys are the reason I got this far. I thank you deeply from the bottom of my heart.
Bellatrix: My GF soon-to-be bride IRL who helped me SO MUCH to take my shots (and was even featured in one ^^), you are the light of my life, and I thank you so deeply to have embarked with me in this journey. Best wishes for us in future cycles!

The falling star fell, but it left behind a trace of happiness...

From one ENTM baby to another, you did an amazing job Alexion and you should be proud of what you accomplished.

Same with Epsil. You have done amazing work throughout this competition and I am very sad to see you both go.

As for me, it's the second round in a row where I've barely squeaked by avoiding elimination. It's clear I need to step up my game if I want to make it another round. But everyone is doing such an amazing job, and I've already learned a ton!

*When seeing the votes*


*When seeing the results*


Good luck to the rest of ya'll :x. Now Tinsley doesn't have to worry about my round 4 picture. Hehehe.

I'm sorry to see you two out of the competition... Everyone's shots were really good this week, And your pictures were great, just didn't stand out amongst everyone else that well. Please keep posting your shots! I think the saddest thing is not seeing what people were going to do because they may have gotten eliminated for a weak shot when much stronger shots were to come!

Originally Posted by AlexionSkylark

Ye olde Wall of Text

An amazing story and very moving (also congrats to you and your girlfriend!) and I think many new models feel that way. Also, if not with the brush you certainly have a way with the pen. ^^

As for the disparity between vets and newbies, having gone through the shooting for the yt2 cycle, I have been thinking of a little project I might start. Having been a lurker for eons and followend for the first cycle on, I do kinda get what aesthetics many of these shots are going for, and I do know most tricks, but I still learned a few things from Adeline and Rongi via the mentor system we had. Then there are the two posts from Maxwell and light master Epsil. And the judges like referencing this "rule of 3" which people not knowing about photography or new to this thing might not know about. So I have been thinking of maybe making a compilation in form of a imgur album or some such of very basic to more complex tips and advice. Going from basic things like how to adjust your camera, make your char look in directions, to the lighting to the rules of aesthetics in photography.
Any help in either what people new to this stuff would like to know or what vets think others might want to know would be appreciated. :3
I'll be starting a compilation in text form here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...it?usp=sharing and then when I think we got everything covered, I'll start working on pictures. If people want to help provide pictures at that point they will be more than welcome - I am by no means a master at anything >.<
PS: So that nobody erases each other by editing the doc it is set to comments only. So write your notes in comment form and I will check regularly to edit the document accordingly.

Originally Posted by Maleha

snippu

That's a great idea. I also love mentoring, and I would love to help any future cycle models with my advice. I wish I could even help the forum cycle more, but being a judge would be a conflict of interest Hopefully for future cycles, I can get someone else to help mentor with me~! *nudge nudge Masha or anyone else of course *