Sweet Sightings
by teranb

Comment:
This is the fourth time this image has been viewed and it still offers a rather vague and ambigous impression. After thinking about it for a few minutes and closely examining the features and technique used, the answer appeared. The problem lies with the sugar in the clear jar. Ball jars have been considered as objects 'd art for many, many years and this image does not do them justice. While technicaly acceptable, the artistic impression is flat and totally uninteresting. One suggestion might have been to do a color image and use lighting gels (actually any clear colored plastic with a portable light source) to enhance and create some reflection and inject some color into the jar to make it stand out against the white of the sugar. This would also have helped the adjacent jar stand out beause it has the same problem only different because it's empty. The composition and positioning of the jars is fine and effective - it just needs some help to increase interest and artistic impact.

at the end of the day
by Stagolee

Comment:
Simple and elegant - a minimalist capture with all the technicals compatently composed and captured. Pleasing tones, shapes and colors enhance the artistic effect. That being said, there is something lacking in this image that this reviewer just can't accurately describe - there is a vague sense of something missing that would enhance and improve this image, but it just won't come immediately to mind. Given that the detail at the bottom of the glass really impress and given that the immediate reaction was very positive, a hearty well done is offered as an apology for being less than specific with the missing details.

Paris Bakery
by antje

Comment:
The rich details of the foreground is at direct odds with the background - probably due to uneven lighting and/or the lighting angle. A little more time and thought in composing and capturing this image by accurately assessing the lighting and focal length being used. Not a complete failure as it has elements of being successful artistically - the nicely detailed table, pleasing angle which is not extreme and a not totally uninteresting background place this as a image which, with a little more thought, could have placed high.

Cappuccino Time!!
by AmeedEl-Ghoul

Comment:
Laugh out loud funny and one of the best humor images seen in a while in these challenges. Nothing technical to worry about and as stated, it is laugh out loud funny and humor is always appreciated providing a break in the process of rating and commenting. Very effective from an artistic standpoint with a clever use of everyday objects and inventive lighting. Very well done - by rights this should place extremely high in the challenge just for being different and out of the box.

The burger that was a cake
by rmezzo

Comment:
A very clever use of the fish eye effect and one that this reviewer appreciates. The reaction off the subject is perfectly natural and unforced - a very candid moment in time expertly captured. There are no major issues from either a technical or artistic standpoint - an extremely competant image that is very effective. Well done.

Pensive
by brockincstar

Comment:
The immediate reaction is that this image is a little too tall - a crop of about 1/8th or even to a 1/4 of the image would have improved it's immediate impact. From a technical standpoint, it is an excellant capture which demonstrates good control of the zone system and the emotional effects of grayscale images. A little minor technical issue in that the pin point highlights are a bit of a distraction, it might have been a good idea to either reduce those by changing exposure or even bending the rules just a little and cloning them out - they are akin to hot pixels and could be viewed as such and still be within the rules. From an artistic standpoint, and this is an immediate reaction that this reviewer is stuck with and can't shake, the eyes are the mirror of the soul and there is a very slight hint of a smile in those eyes that is at odds with the mood the author very competantly set. This may not be a universal view though and is probably unigue to this reviewer. In any case, it is a brilliant image, competant and very effective in conveying both mood and emotion. Well done.

One Eyed Jack
by tfarrell23

Comment:
An interesting concept involving the highlight in the title - inventive use of what normally would be considered a flaw. While the author's intent is clear, it falls just a little short because of the other highlights which are distracting - if this image hadn't been titled as such, the right on the edge whites would be considered a negative. That being said, the larger of the jacks, the title subject, has a rather large bloom that detracts from the impact of the title subject. Still, a worthy entry, inventive title and a good sound effort. One suggestion to think about would be masking the highlights prior to the shoot to reduce their negative effect - that might have been difficult, but there's nothing wrong with using matte nail polish to reduce the glare and possibly even eliminate the white blooms leaving the single bloom as the focal point. Well done.

Focus, Patience, Excitment, Curiosity
by colorcarnival

Comment:
The immediate impact of this image is not technical but artistic - it's a stellar capture in which the details compliment the title and the subjects exactly match the impression the author tried to convey. From a technical standpoint, it is exceptional and above average for the general challenge - the exacting tones of black, gray and white demonstrate an indepth knowledge of the zone system and it's use - a perfect conversion and well worth the time to examine closely in addition to the vague, yet detailed background which again, demonstrates mastery of bokeh both as a concept and a photographic tool. A complete technical and artistic success that by rights should place well into the challenge if not a ribbon winner. Well done.

Library Table
by Qiki

Comment:
One of the few table top reflection images that is properly composed and captured - every geometrical feature is exactly where it should be and demonstrates the effectiveness of precision and a complete thought process in staging and capture. Where it falls just a little short is that the artistic impression does not match the technical excellance. The flat tonal quality of the image, while not a huge negative, is a little deficient in creating a matching wow or pop factor to the technical expertise. Still, an exceallant image matching the challenge criteria perfectly. If a little more color could have been added, it would have placed extremely high if not a ribbon winner. As it is, it should place well within the top twenty. Well done.

Almost Summer
by aimeethetoo

Comment:
Simple and effective - a candid look at good times ahead. This image demonstrates effective use of the zone system and has no significant technical defects. The image conveys a mood and whistfulness that has been unmatched so far in this challenge - a very different look at the everyday life of a boy. Well done.