Over the Top

About Over the Top

This group is looking for a few good titles... and their photos. Those rare examples of flickr creativity where the title is at least as important as the image. OK, let's be honest... those astronomically rare examples where the title just might be more important than the image. Or so you felt at the moment you thought of it.

This group is interested in word play -- allusions, jokes, puns, other forms of verbal wit -- that connects the title directly to the content of the underlying photo. As the phrase at the end of the previous sentence hints, the title of the group, 'Over the Top', is itself an example of precisely this sort of word play. If you don't get the allusion, as well as the fact that a certain amount of self-mocking is probably a necessary accompaniment to posting your titles/photos here, then this is probably not the right place for you.

Here are a few corollaries to the foregoing, read “warnings”: We are not interested in titles that merely describe, clarify, or restate the obvious. Nor do we welcome titles that fall in the I-guess-you-had-to-be-there category, no matter how clever they might be to the three family members or friends who, in fact, happened to be there. And needless to say, which is precisely why it needs to be said, the mundane and pedestrian and predictable should not be posted, for example, any image of a duck and a box of saltines with the word "qwacker." Expect no mercy in any of these situations or others that we probably haven't thought of yet.

So what should be posted here? First and foremost, things that will make all of us nod in knowing appreciation, smile, or perhaps even laugh out loud. The occasional groaner is OK, since that audible reaction is often an I-wish-I'd-thought-of-that compliment in disguise. But a small (or not-so-small) element of intellectual challenge is better, because of the rush of the "Ah ha!" moment that follows.

Herewith some examples that we think are appropriate and effective.

Invented words:
amyallcock: Twolip
amyallcock: In Bluem


A familiar word or phrase applied in an unexpected way:
amyallcock: See Gull [our Group icon]
Bright Tal: mixed emotions
nhburdick: What's the point.?


A familiar phrase modified in an unexpected way:
Bright Tal: now with 50% less style
Bright Tal: 5376883 pairs of scissors.
nhburdick: Write-side down
otinokyad: Camera obscur/ed
pixability: don't be afraid to take wisks


Artistic allusion -- art, literature, music, whatever:
nhburdick: Tern, Tern, Tern [scroll down to otinokyad's comment]
otinokyad: Goldi' flux and the Three Barriers
otinokyad: "Waiting for a tow"

And please follow the usual flickr protocols/courtesies to others, especially no more than three postings in a row.