stop swimming and start flying ...
by carljacquemyn

Comment by boyd2000:
Greetings from the Critique Club

This is a good catch of a very cute duckling learning to fly. I see it's just your second entry. I think it's a good improvement over your first one and you scored well with it being in about the top third.

As one commenter said my initial first reaction was that the duckling occupies too little of the available space and that there is too much blank "negative" space around it. I do get the point of the ripples spreading out from the center, but I feel the picture would have had more impact by sacrificing the ripple effect and cropping for more detail in the duckling. I agree with your comments about not wanting to lose the splashes and not wanting it to be moving out of the picture, so perhaps leaving it with a centered position but cropping some from all sides would help bring out the duckling and get rid of parts that don't add to the picture.

I also agree with the commenters who said it did not meet the challenge. This duckling looks like it's far from quitting. You tried to use the title to shoehorn it into the challenge, but from personal experience I can tell you that rarely works well. This may have worked in another challenge or perhaps the monthly free study, but in the free study you had better have a great shot to have any chance at all. With that in mind you are fortunate to get the score you got.

You did well on the focus and the sharpness with just enough motion in the wings to show the movement was perfect. I don't understand the shutter speed listed as 166.

Keep it up. You're doing great for your 2nd entry. I would recommend you start commenting on other people's pictures. You will find it helps you as much as others. Sometimes newcomers don't feel qualified to critique others shots, but as long as you give honest, non-hurtful feedback it will be fine. Try to keep your comments given and received count in proportion. Your one comment here seemed a little defensive. We're only trying to help each other here. Please PM me if you wish to discuss this critique further.

stop swimming and start flying ...
by carljacquemyn

Comment by Ken:
Nice picture, but doesn't really meet the challenge, IMO.

stop swimming and start flying ...
by carljacquemyn

Comment by fitz3000:
Not kinda of my idea for a quit theme, but the capture and quality of photo is fine

stop swimming and start flying ...
by carljacquemyn

Comment by jotaga:
I think the duck is too centered... Why not use the rule of thirds?

stop swimming and start flying ...
by carljacquemyn

Comment by malski:
Cute

stop swimming and start flying ...
by carljacquemyn

Comment by Ronzilla84:
At first I thought it should have a tighter crop...but then after looking at the ripples a little more I think you got it just right. Great job!

stop swimming and start flying ...
by carljacquemyn

Comment by keriboi:
very cute! did he make it? 7/10

Moonlight's shadows
by carljacquemyn

Comment by iMichel:
Quickly, in the shed.THE SNAILS ARE COMING!!! Nice.
Suggestion though...try tweaking the levels of the photo; it helps when there's a nice gradation from black to white. Rev up the levels to get areas of pure black in the photo. Interesting photo.

Moonlight's shadows
by carljacquemyn

Comment by Teafran:
Moonlight images are always difficult to capture and this is a very good example of why. Using grayscale, the image appears to be washed out. While very good from an artistic impression standpoint, the shadows aren't deep (black) enough to really create a significant pop to invite the viewer to stay longer and look at the details. After viewing this for a third time, there is a lot to look at, but the image needs much more contrast to be truly effective. Use of the zone system when composing this image and a deft touch in post processing using curves to bring out it's best features would have been a better choice.