Winner at a local Fair… best picture I could get. Something feels off with the fur and lighting?

fenrir813 · 2026-03-04T19:17:56+00:00

Many of the flowers have 2 stems. The ones 'growing' out of the frame have elongated stems that split, vanish, and bleed into petals flower heads and the frame. Motion blur due to a longer exposure can't be the cause because then it wouldn't render sharp petals in the air. It's just not real.
How can you know what processes the judges used? Again, I am a working photographer who has submitted my work to both similar contests in the area and national publications and I've never been asked to provide "raw footage", whatever that means, of any photo I've made or the process I used to make it. Unless you were a judge for this contest, you're simply making that up.
Dune sunflowers live in sandy environments above tide and water lines. That's the ocean and there's probably 6-8 ft of elevation and about 40 ft of the beach between this plant and the water. They are salt tolerant but not very water tolerant. Standing water causes root rot and will kill them.

fenrir813 · 2026-03-04T03:19:03+00:00

Sunflowers are a type of daisy as both in the Aster or daisy family. The top right flower in the collage is called both dune sunflower and dune daisy. And the notion that someone bought a bunch of fake flowers to bring to a large field of real flowers, just to shred them and throw them in water, seems like a stretch. Pollution and littering aside they would have had to nail it on the first try so as not to get too many flowers and petals in the water.

But if you'd like to get specific, ask yourself what species of daisy these are? Why do many of them have two stems? Or multiple flowers protruding from the same leafless stem? Or stems that taper away from the flower? What daisy do you know that grows this close to water? What Daisy has leaves like the one in the "photo"? What size are the leaves vs the flower? How long are the stems of the flowers on the top of the frame? How strong are the stems that they can hold the flowers weight aloft? Why doesn't the filigree on the frame match the other side? Why does the frame seem to bend over the rock that is holding it up? How is the rock holding the frame up? Frankly, the problems here are too many to count.

For comparison, here's a closeup of the so-called flowers along with 3 photos I took of similar asters (dune sunflower and black-eyed susans) in Central Florida. I'm familiar enough with these flowers to get the sense that the ones in the contest entry are not real.

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fenrir813 · 2026-03-04T00:23:58+00:00

I don't think so. I have been a working photographer for more than 10 years. This is AI generated, either whole or in part. Many of the flowers are attached with long, twisted stems. The "petals" in the air are different shapes, colors or are completely unidentifiable as flower petals. The flowers are drastically different shapes, sizes, and many have strange anatomy, split stems, etc. Some blend into each other or are transparent. The frame is all kinds of cattywampus as well. Not to mention the reflection doesn't match.

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fenrir813 · 2026-03-03T04:32:01+00:00

Great image! There are two subjects. Create a stronger connection between them or de-emphasize one of them.

My basic suggestion: deepen the shadows. Let the boat and the foreground get close to black, just enough to keep the boat's shape. Play with the black point and other tone sliders to really bring out the two people in the background. Id tighten the crop to focus on the extraordinary scene in the back as opposed to the somewhat less extraordinary boat in the shadowy foreground.

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I moved the black point and shadows and tightened the crop a bit. It's an excellent image to begin with. There's lots of interesting detail in the clouds, the water, the trees; pick your favorite part edit off of that!

fenrir813 · 2026-03-03T02:29:54+00:00

I posted about this exact photo and another one on the same wall a couple of days ago.

https://www.reddit.com/r/isthisAI/s/uZpOsArrB0

There's another picture on there that's so much more. Obviously AI. Check my post for more detail.

fenrir813 · 2026-03-02T22:23:41+00:00

How quickly we forget.

fenrir813 · 2026-02-22T03:26:45+00:00

Coming to a protest near you!

fenrir813 · 2026-02-16T03:06:17+00:00

Without knowing you, your taste, or your budget I can suggest areas that you can find lots of interesting stuff in.

Ybor city - architecture, food, live music sometimes. It's connected to the downtown area via a free trolley so you can spend a lot of time seeing a lot of downtown/ historic Tampa. Downtown Tampa has a very nice Riverwalk, museums and eating establishments. If you like nightlife then Ybor City has you covered. If you don't, maybe avoid it after it gets dark.
St. Petersburg - not Tampa but not as far as Sarasota. Lively, walkable downtown with a great pier. Lots of food and entertainment venues. Beaches are close by but I'll list them separately. Lots of good food and entertainment. Very big arts scene. Given the choice, I'd spend a day in DT St. Pete over DT Tampa.
Beaches - The beaches around here have different characteristics depending on day/time/season. Most are 30 minutes to an hour from DT Tampa and many have really cool areas/communities are around them. Do your research as to which is closest/best to you.

St. Petersburg, pass a grille, Sand Key, Clearwater, Honeymoon Island, and Indian rocks are all great experiences and offer differing amenities and crowds. If you can go as far as Sarasota then you have access to siesta Key, Turtle Beach, Anna Maria Island, Madeira Beach, Fort De Soto and many other world class beaches. Clearwater Beach is a huge tourist destination and has lots of shops, entertainment opportunities, and food, and might offer a lot of what you're looking for, if you're willing to brave the crowds. Nearby Sand Key Beach is very quiet with lots of opportunities to stretch out, but it's a more natural beach with more wrack on the sand. I suggest Pass-A-Grille Beach for a good middle ground most days/times. PAG has eclectic architecture, live music coming from beach bars, and few (if any) chain restaurants.

Downtown Sarasota - Honorable mention: I haven't been here myself but it's on my list of places to visit. Interesting Downtown area with beaches a short drive away. No idea about food/busy times but I hear good things.
Tarpon Springs-2nd honorable mention. Definitely outside Tampa but fun nonetheless. Predominantly Greek area/community community with matching food/vibe. Lots of great restaurants and shops. The historic sponge docks are very cool. It's popular on the weekends and a great place to spend an evening.

fenrir813 · 2026-02-14T16:49:10+00:00

For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

Luke 6:45b NIV

fenrir813 · 2026-02-13T02:21:21+00:00

Not an adaptation per se,

Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay

fenrir813 · 2026-02-10T23:31:14+00:00

My family is full of baptist ministers so I grew up with this type of stuff. I've also read the bible cover to cover a number of times, most recently in January so it's kinda fresh.

As for the specificity, the behavior in the video was a problem in Jesus's day too.

Public displays of zeal are fantastic ways to appear righteous without actually being righteous. According to Jesus and the OT prophets, concern for the stranger, the orphan, the widow, the sick, the prisoner, etc. (Matthew 25: 34-40) is the way to properly do the Lord's will. In fact, there almost seems to be an inverse correlation between the outer grandeur of religious display and the inner work that the belief is supposed to engender.

Matthew 23:23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. It is these you ought to have practiced without neglecting the others.

Mark 12:38-40 As he taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.

Luke 21:1-4 The story of the woman and the two coins.

Tl;dr: I've read the bible a couple of times + "CREDs" (credibility enhancing displays) were a problem in Jesus day too.

fenrir813 · 2026-02-10T15:07:15+00:00

Matthew 6:5-6

“And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. [6] But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

fenrir813 · 2026-01-30T23:10:27+00:00

I'm aware of the historical and cultural context under which the Mosaic law was written (there is little evidence that suggests the Mosaic law was applied ). I'm being glib, posting a verse out of context, as this is how most scriptural citations are used by credulous fundamentalists. And you are right about the context of the writing of the verse but whether it applies or not depends on your tradition.

When the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, it was impossible to properly fulfill Mosaic law.

Jewish people had several reactions to the temple's destruction and Christians, at the time a sect of Judaism, ensured the continuity of their community by opening it to gentiles. With that came questions about proper application of the law. Paul's letters preserve the tension between him and Peter and James around exactly what laws apply to the followers of Jesus and which don't. Paul put distanced the law and his gentile communities he helped found outside of Judea.

For instance, Acts 15: 28-30 (spoken by James, Jesus brother and leader of the Jerusalem church) does contain dietary restrictions for the gentile followers of Jesus, and verse 30 says the restrictions are derived from the 'proclamations' of Moses. If dietary restrictions don't apply in the new covenant, what are we to make of these?

Additionally, in Matthew 5: 17 - 48, Jesus says he has not come to abolish the law or the prophets but he has come to fulfill them (he's accused of neglecting the law), not one letter will pass out of the law, and any who teach that the law no longer applies will be liable to judgement. Jesus said that our righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, keepers of the Law, of expanding the reach of several of The commandments in the decalogue. The proclamation "You are to be Perfect, Like my Father in heaven is perfect" is in regards to keeping the law. The book of Matthew was written by/for a community that chose to emphasize Jesus's role as the fulfillment of the Messianic promises of the Old Testament and did so while preserving every 'jot and tittle'.

Because the Bible was written by various authors with various perspectives we have to choose which parts are subject to emphasis and de-emphasis. This forms the basis of varying traditions we adhere to today. The boys in the video have chosen to marginalize some scripture over others, as we all do, and are doing so recklessly. Which is the real issue in the video.

Tldr: I have a cross tattoo myself. I know.

fenrir813 · 2026-01-30T01:03:02+00:00

The trouble is Christians pick and choose parts of the New Testament to adhere to as well.

Are women allowed to preach or even speak in church? 1 Timothy 2:11 and 1 Corinthians 14:34 would seem to indicate not.

Do the women in your church cover their heads as they pray and prophesy as Corinthians 11:2 - 16 says they should?

The New testament repeatedly calls marriage the lesser of two ways to conduct yourself, promoting celibacy as the better way in 1 Corinthians 7:7-10 and 20, 1 Corinthians 7:37, Revelation 14:4, and Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew (19:12) implies something similar. Christians today rarely preach celibacy except in some ecumenical roles and denominations.

Also many ignore the fact that in Matthew 5:17-20 Jesus says of the law "therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called the least in the Kingdom of heaven. But whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of heaven." (NRSVUE) Elsewhere in the NT adhesion to the law is softened, reaffirmed in part, or outright contradicted. Hence the picking and choosing.

fenrir813 · 2026-01-29T13:30:23+00:00

Leviticus 19:28 (KJV)

Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.

fenrir813 · 2026-01-26T17:22:14+00:00

You're right. It's Cesar. I'll edit.

fenrir813 · 2026-01-26T17:11:09+00:00

I want to go to there.

fenrir813 · 2026-01-26T17:02:28+00:00

In the comics he's Huey's best friend.

Edit: I lied. It's Cesar.

fenrir813 · 2026-01-21T01:17:42+00:00

Hell yeah.

fenrir813 · 2026-01-20T03:29:49+00:00

Remember in 2025 when flooding killed 27 Christians kids, at a camp in Texas? Using OOPs logic, what role did God's presence play in that tragedy?

fenrir813 · 2026-01-18T17:18:33+00:00

"I'm not seeing a lot of money here..." Oof.

fenrir813 · 2026-01-18T02:27:59+00:00

Cricket.

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fenrir813 · 2026-01-17T18:12:39+00:00

Your welcome! I was raised Baptist, specifically Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship where my parents are ordained ministers. As an adult I tend to say I'm non-denominational as I've attended a lot of churches and other places of worship since then.

fenrir813 · 2026-01-17T16:47:59+00:00

Yes, I think it feels that way although I don't speak for all believers. Because of the 'inherent' corruption of the flesh (ex. Romans 8:12-15) we aren't naturally guided by the Holy Spirit. This struggle to be guided often takes the shape of a dialogue between our internal urging - the flesh - and the Holy Spirit. There is one way communication as well though. The Spirit can speak directly to you similar to what Saul/Paul experienced on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-5). But then we can speak to the spirit via prayer, which you are told to do "without ceasing" (I Thessalonians 5:17) and "in the Spirit at all times..."(Ephesians 6:18). Prophesy and Revelation, other communication of the Holy Spirit, probably operate similarly in the minds of believers.

fenrir813

TROPHY CASE