CONTEST: Post a photo of you and your Art of War book!

[sonshi]

Just for fun and token prize, post a photo of yourself with your favorite Art of War book and I will give you a grade from 1 to 10. If you prefer, you can email me the photo to sonshi@sonshi.com and I'll post it here.

Prize: The one with the highest score wins the contest and will receive his or her choice of 3 books located at the Sonshi purchase page. If there is a tie, all individuals who share the highest score will each receive the prize. Best of all, the winning photo(s) will be enshrined at a permanent page on Sonshi.com for posterity! This contest ends June 30, 2009.

Here are the grading components and computation of the final grade:

• Originality - 25%
• Aesthetics -25%
• Difficulty - 25%
• Sonshi.com in the background - 25%
• Final Grade - 100%

Below are three examples:

Susanna Speier

• Originality - 9 - Polaroid
• Aesthetics - 9 - Faded but it's a Polaroid (nice touch!)
• Difficulty - 6 - Against a white wall
• Sonshi.com in the background - 0
• Final Grade: 6

Paris Hilton

• Originality - 7 - Reading on a comfy chair; pretty common
• Aesthetics - 10 - Need I explain?
• Difficulty - 9 - Sawyer edition is scholarly
• Sonshi.com in the background - 0
• Final Grade: 6.5

Thomas Huynh

• Originality - 8 - Love the pose
• Aesthetics - 4 - Need I explain?
• Difficulty - 7 - That table was hard
• Sonshi.com in the background - 0 - Come on, "founder"!
• Final Grade: 4.75

Now go out there and take your award-winning photo! Most of all, have fun! I'm eager to see what you all come up with.

[sonshi]

I can always tell who has real gumption and backbone by the person who goes first. And not surprisingly, he is a John Boyd acolyte, Dr. Chet Richards. Below is his photo entry:

Photo caption: Chet Richards, proprietor of Defense and the National Interest, searches for esoteric truths hidden in the Art of War... (Photo credit: Jeannine F. Addams)

• Originality - 10 - The pile of top strategy books connotes that you are "certain to win" if you read and understand them. The symbolic second chair invites others to join in and learn effective principles. The Mac screams "I spend liberally when it comes to books and learning." The upside down book says "Don't take yourself too seriously, though."
• Aesthetics - 9 - What is more beautiful than all the great strategic classics in one place? One point docked for not including Robert Coram's Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War.
• Difficulty - 8 - Didn't bother to leave his office to take the photo but I give him points for assembling his (and many of mine) favorite books together.
• Sonshi.com in the background - 3 - Possibility that the Sonshi.com website was up on his Mac screen but since we will never know for sure, points are heavily discounted.
• Final Grade: 7.5

[Dragon]

Here's my photo!

You said have fun, so I decided to incorporate the dragon to tie my user name to the photo.



Admin's Add:

• Originality - 10 - Lao Tzu (Li Er) was said to exude the characteristics of a dragon: wise, perceptive, and unassuming. The subject's stance and black-and-white background show all these.
• Aesthetics - 10 - A Chinese five-clawed dragon and the exquisite Buddha tattoo on the hand holding The Art of War book. Very nice.
• Difficulty - 8 - Nowadays photoshopping something isn't difficult but we like the extra effort.
• Sonshi.com in the background - 10 - Congratulations for being the first. It's like getting easy points just for putting your name on the test!
• Final Grade: 9.5

[Fishfood]

Voilà!



Admin's Add:

• Originality - 9 - V for Vendetta. We like it! Le Comte de Monte-Cristo has the focus but does the underlying reason behind the overall objective really based on the entire truth?
• Aesthetics - 8 - We like the mask, the silhouette. The glare however distracts.
• Difficulty - 7 - Thanks for taking the effort to put on your costume. Of course with that means this isn't a photo of yourself.
• Sonshi.com in the background - 10
• Final Grade: 8.5

[sonshi]

Bump! One final call, guys/gals. Anyone ready to challenge Dragon?

[Duncan]

Working on it.
My wife is in 'project' mode.

[Duncan]

Me with various 'art of war' activities that I have been involved in.



Admin's Add:

• Originality - 9 - Where would a warrior / martial artist go after a long day's work? Here! I love the theme.
• Aesthetics - 9 - A setting that Genghis Khan would be proud to be at.
• Difficulty - 10 - You earned your brown belt through a bulged disc and dislocated shoulder. How do I know that from your photo? I don't.
• Sonshi.com in the background - 10
• Final Grade: 9.5

[Wade1066]

Duncan,

Great job! Using the other books and objects created a lot of depth.

[Duncan]

Originally posted by Wade1066
Duncan,

Great job! Using the other books and objects created a lot of depth.

Thanks.
In case anyone is wondering how the tapestry ties into the 'art of war' theme. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godfrey_of_Bouillon

[Dragon]

You and your wife put alot of thought and effort in; great picture duncan!

[sonshi]

Awesome photo, Duncan! I love the Sawyer book, one of my favorites. As to your grading I'll have to do it with fresher pair of eyes as I just came back from a cabin in Tennessee that didn't have any electricity and the no-see-ums were ravenous.

[sonshi]

"Truthseeker passing it on to his children"



Admin's Add:

• Originality - 10 - First word that came to mind: Classy. Nothing on or about this photo is inappropriate. The family gathering? Wow. Norman Rockwell would paint this scene.
• Aesthetics - 10 - Black and white with subtle shades of green. Noticed even the plant leaves in the background and on the dress. And of course the beautiful family. I forgive him for including "Sun Tzu is a Sissy" as part of his collection!
• Difficulty - 10 - The photo setting itself isn't difficult but the little details really impressed me, like the slanted Sonshi.com logos on the laptop to match the angle. And getting two teenagers together long enough for the photo shot? ... OK case closed.
• Sonshi.com in the background - 10 - If I can give extra points on this I would because it wasn't just slapped on. There was thought and sweat that went into this.
• Final Grade: 10 Perfect. Bravo.

[markb287]

That's what I call dedicated. Great picture!

[Dragon]

A simply wonderful picture Truthseeker!

[Wade1066]

Truthseeker,

Amazing job.