Look and Listen
by toddw62

Comment:
Hi Todd, greetings from the Critique Club!

Regarding your shot, don't feel disappointed because of the placing, it will improve with time and experience at the DPC world :)

Composition
You were shooting this photo from a perspective. Still, it was not perspective enough to make the leading lines, so it was just a bit awkward the way the ceiling and floor appeared in the photo. If you were shooting directly in front, it would be all in the photo, and it would focus the viewers attention much more on the subject itself. It could in fact happen that the bush on the left was not so visible from another perspective.

Focus
Your focus is indeed a bit soft, but as I see your settings, you shot at f/8 and 1/4s. You could easily with your lens go to f/3,5 and still have the sharpness required. At that speed, handheld shots are bound to be blurry. For this speed you'd need a tripod.

Processing
Your crop is good taken into consideration the perspective. Any tighter and it would cut the graffiti. The whites could be a bit brighter, with a little more contrast.

Overall it's a medium shot, and although it placed where it did, it still got a 5+ score, making it an average photo, which is not all bad.
Keep entering, looking forward to see your next entries!

If you have any questions feel free to contact me.
Regards,
Joao

Driving down to "Marquês de Pombal" Roundabout
by duartix

Comment:
Hi Duarte, greetings from our Critique Club :-D
I can't believe that I got yours in the draw.

Well, I'll try to give it my best :)

Composition
It doesn't seem like it was shot from inside a car, you can notice any glass, any structure from inside, it really feels like your outside the car, so great perspective here. Good balance between road and sky, there's always a tendency to put too much road on these shots, and this one's very well done.

Lighting
This is were some people have mentioned, that the scene is a bit dark. Although it was night, probably a slower shutter speed would have got you longer trails and a bit brighter image. However, it would also mean that it wouldn't be so straight (damn these Portuguese streets, full of holes and bumps).

Processing
It's a shame that this was basic editing, because a careful dodging could have highlighted some points in the picture. It has a good processing, and you managed to retain a lot of details and colours. Just a little of fill light could have done the trick.

Overall
It should have placed a little higher, but maybe with longer trails it would have more impact.

Let's see some more photos!!

Um abraço!

Going nowhere fast
by snaffles

Comment:
Hi Susan, I got another photo from you for the Critique Club, it's great! :)

I have to say that I voted your photo a 7, because I liked it then, and as I come back the this I confirm that you did a very good job :-)

Composition
GREAT use of converging lines. It's really very well placed, and the tracks add a very interesting touch. As said below, it could have just a bit more breathing space to the right, but your intention was to focus on the train, so you succeeded.

Processing
The selective desaturation is very well done, leaving just the blues and the rust. It gives a colder look to the image, and still you can see some colour in it.
Contrast is great, and you can feel the texture through the photo.

One thing that you could have done different is the aperture. Shooting at f/22 gets really soft, especially for a UWA lens.
Then, just leaving more space could have gotten you a higher score, but that's just guessing :)

Congratulations on a very strong photo!

If you have any questions feel free to contact me.
Regards,
Joao

Drive-By Shooting
by Brent_S

Comment:
I love your lighting in this one, congratulations on a much deserved ribbon!

Urban Vigil
by Insomniac

Comment:
I just couldn't believe that your entry has gone up almost a full point... :)

Nice last minute entry, good thing you had the patience to enter!!

Via del Corso
by JimiRose

Comment:
Congratulations on such a score, I've been to Via del Corso last April and I never thought it could look so good!

St Pauls by Moonlight
by bobonacus

Comment:
Hi Robert, greetings from the Critique Club!

Congratulations on the 7th place finish, it was a really good place.
Regarding your photo:

Composition
As I've said in an earlier comment :) I like very much where everything is placed. The bottom half should be cropped, and then you would have only the buildings and the sky and moon. This would make a much more powerful composition.
The lighting is fantastic, and although the moon is blown out, it doesn't impact negatively the photo.

Processing
Despite the Noiseninja still some grain can be visible, but heck, it's just nitpicking. Probably if you used NN before the resizing the result would improve. The details are superb, and the balance between sky and buildings is very well done.

Overall
A very good score (6.33) and a top 10 finish, and a very moody photo, that just needed to bring the moon more into front subject.

PS - I really, really liked your London Eye shot!

If you have any questions feel free to contact me.
Regards,
Joao

Edit: Typos

Message edited by author 2010-02-02 12:24:20.

John... Cold & Trying To Get By
by choltmeier

Comment:
Hi Chris, greetings from the Critique Club!

First of all, congratulations on a wonderful shot!
I liked it very much, and it fit the spirit of the challenge perfectly.

Regarding the techniques:

Composition
Perfect framing of the subject, and a very intimate perspective.
The people in the back help to extend this feeling of abandon, and the bokeh is really great, giving more emphasis to the subject itself.
The blown out sky could have been a no for some users,but your attention is really drawn to the man, so it really doesn't have that much negative impact.

Processing
White balance is on the spot, giving the image a very realistic, cold look.
Even at ISO 1600 and 1/60 no noise or blur is visible, that 5D is really something (also, great steady hand :)
The focus is on the spot, and probably it could use just a little of selective Highlights and Shadows, you used selective exposure adjustments, but I still see his face a bit dark.

Overall
A 7.8 score from commentators really shows you that you hit the spot with some people, and a 6+ score is a very good one.
Congrats again!

If you have any questions feel free to contact me.
Regards,
Joao

My prefered piece
by Rino63

Comment:
Ken, your foot fetish is noticeable here :)

Thoughts
by Rino63

Comment:
Hello Gennaro, greetings from the Critique Club!

First impressions:
Your shot is very strong. It directs the viewers attention to the small details, and makes one try to look harder for the OOF areas, as to see more.

Focus
The focus is spot on. I still can't figure out how you got so shallow DOF with f/5.6, but it is very well accomplished. The focusing on the rim of the glasses and on the mouth is very good, and the smooth transition for the back of the head is very well done.

Processing
I like the conversion to B&W, although you did miss a few spots, on the forehead and on the hair, and that made it a point of distraction. Anyway, the contrast is very good, and the detail is amazing.

Overall it's a very good portrait, that could be improved by some careful processing, to even out the colour cast.

If you have any questions feel free to contact me.
Regards,
Joao