Daydream
by Cuttooth

Comment:
This is a new comment series for me, so please bear with me while I find my style!

(Voted earlier)

This is one of my 9s - I like it a lot. Furthermore I think it enriches the DPC collective portfolio. Put simply, I wish we saw more stuff like this. Let me tell you why it pushes all the right buttons for me:

1. Mainly, I think that there is a glut of landscapes/waterscapes in DPC Free Studies and mostly I find them a bit dull. Occasionally though, some are soooo well done that they elevated themselves and the genre to hit the sweet spot in my brain. This is one of those.

2. What gorgeous colours - would have been easy to boost the saturation and pull out the yellow on that third boat - instead you've shown great and sympathetic restraint, pulling out the natural coloration that gives a great sense of realism.

3. The boats offer a great sense of perspective and depth leading the eye into the image.

4. Your clarity is superb - sharp but not too sharp, quite difficult to pull off with re-sized, re-compressed jpegs.

Overall, this is lovely. Perfectly judged.

Dimensional
by Dennisheckman

Comment:
This is a new comment series for me, so please bear with me while I find my style!

(Voted earlier)

This is one of my 9s - I like it a lot. Furthermore I think it enriches the DPC collective portfolio. Put simply, I wish we saw more stuff like this. Let me tell you why it pushes all the right buttons for me:

1. Your capture of the architecture is great perfectly centred with an almost hypnotic effect.

2. The walking people make all the difference adding human interest and a sense of scale - I get the sense that you waited them too.

3. The overall composition / portrait orientation is pretty spectacular - this is so well seen, I wonder many people just walk on by without taking in this wider scene.

Overall, I really like the mix here, plenty to look at and great balance.

Cat Among The Pigeons
by jagar

Comment:


Awarded for Best Of 2012


This is a new comment series for me, so please bear with me while I find my style!

(Voted earlier)

This is one of my 10s - I like it very much. Furthermore I think it enriches the DPC collective portfolio. Put simply, I wish we saw more stuff like this. Let me tell you why it pushes all the right buttons for me:

1. It's a magic moment and you John have a habit of being able to find them. I believe Don asked you before (in relation to this shot) if you were a witch. It's a fair question!

2. The compositional elements are so good as to defy the candid nature of the shot - her expression, the multiple birds, the telephone-line-perch, the curious/hopeful cat, the repeating window pattern, the strong vertical lines and the dappled render of the building.

3. Your characteristic glowy sharpness is present as ever, I've tried to emulate and always failed. You've even shared the settings, but mine never look like this.

4. I'm returning to the verticals - I presume you perspective corrected this - it's made a difference; it is clean and neat.

But overall, it's the magic you bring in putting it all together. A great photo is one that is more than the sum of its parts. You manage to pull that off often, but here you have outdone yourself.

Bravo.

Tom's Passion
by h2

Comment:
Well done - you are on a front page roll. Immaculate presentation as ever.

Darkness
by Nordlys

Comment:
This is a new comment series for me, so please bear with me while I find my style!

(Voted earlier)

This is one of my 10s - I like it very much. Furthermore I think it enriches the DPC collective portfolio. Put simply, I wish we saw more stuff like this. Let me tell you why it pushes all the right buttons for me:

1. Amazing how the human face is seen well before the gorilla despite being the less prominent of the two. It works like a magic trick.

2. The overall juxtaposition of the two (well, three) faces is really thought provoking.

3. The lady reminds me a little of Julianne Moore.

4. The different contrast profiles (courtesy of the reflection) are magnificent, they allow for the hiding in plain site and an effective mix of images.

Overall, far more powerful than the individual elements should be. Well done.

A Heavy Responsibility
by JuliBoc

Comment:
This is a new comment series for me, so please bear with me while I find my style!

(Voted earlier)

This is one of my 8s - I like it quite a bit. Furthermore I think it enriches the DPC collective portfolio. Put simply, I wish we saw more stuff like this. Let me tell you why it pushes all the right buttons for me:

1. Way to go for taking the opportunity to grab such a portrait - it's an interesting moment and conveys much.

2. In many ways, as a portrait without the wider context, this wouldn't cut the mustard but WITH the context it is unusually close and very intimate. That gives the image a lot of power.

3. Your title is a good one and lends a good steer to the image. Normally, I don't like to be so led - but here, it's a good choice.

Overall, an important image.

The Dreamer
by gsal

Comment:
This is a new comment series for me, so please bear with me while I find my style!

(Voted earlier)

This is one of my 8s - I like it quite a bit. Furthermore I think it enriches the DPC collective portfolio. Put simply, I wish we saw more stuff like this. Let me tell you why it pushes all the right buttons for me:

1. Like most good images this has a standout story. I particularly like how she has wiped the condensation from the window to look out. Who is she watching?

2. I like how you have included the black panel behind the seat, it adds physical context to the scene.

3. Great tones, you've balanced this very well.

Overall, very nice and compelling image.

Cigar Lady
by salmiakki

Comment:
This is a new comment series for me, so please bear with me while I find my style!

(Voted earlier)

This is one of my 8s - I like it quite a bit. Furthermore I think it enriches the DPC collective portfolio. Put simply, I wish we saw more stuff like this. Let me tell you why it pushes all the right buttons for me:

1. Great, straight up, bold-as-you like portrait - full of character with a brilliant dean pan expression.

2. The juxtaposition of the don't-mess-with-me demeanour and the frilly hat and fan is superb.

3. The composition / placement of subject would not be my choice but it conveys a strange candid effect that I enjoy. Posed but not posed.

I do hanker for a bit more drama in the toning but overall this is a compelling portrait.

Pilgrimage
by bassbone

Comment:
This is a new comment series for me, so please bear with me while I find my style!

(Voted earlier)

This is one of my 8s - I like it quite a bit. Furthermore I think it enriches the DPC collective portfolio. Put simply, I wish we saw more stuff like this. Let me tell you why it pushes all the right buttons for me:

1. This is really nicely produced - the leading lines (I appreciate the intersection with the bottom left corner too), a focussing vignette (though a smoother transition might work better) - well made choices these.

2. The coloration of the image - the bright orange robes offsetting the grey floor.

3. Your distance from your subjects - appropriate for the image and the context.

Overall, an image that resonates well with itself.

detached in comfort
by bspurgeon

Comment:
This is a new comment series for me, so please bear with me while I find my style!

(Voted earlier)

This is one of my 9s - I like it a lot. Furthermore I think it enriches the DPC collective portfolio. Put simply, I wish we saw more stuff like this. Let me tell you why it pushes all the right buttons for me:

1. We all know that good photography is about the right light. This is indeed about the right light - almost to be point of being of the light. Great stuff.

2. Hugely challenging highlight and contrasts - I like how you have embraced them and them your own. The flare and the shadows mutually supportive in their contribution to the image.

3. Of course, the shadows are the stars but for me, the supporting cast of people above are even more compelling - they seem more dynamic somehow, like they are moving on from their static shadows.

4. The ambiguity of the relationship between your leading characters - it requires us to invent the context. I like that.

Overall, I like the bold Bennishness of this. Great shot.