Many Glaciers, Montana
by Beetle

Comment:
Majestic and sweeping. The way you've placed the lake shore on the right side of the image creates a wonderful line leading up to the distant peaks. I might have tried to knock a little of the haze out with a curves adjustment, but maybe you were going for that moody, foggy feel. Either way, you've done a wonderful job, making this picture!

On my own
by Amason

Comment:
A remarkable shot. Wonderful use of lines to lead they eye gently up the photo. The earth tones and textures are a feast for the imagination. The bicyclist is a perfect detail to tease the viewer. Congrats on a wonderful work of art.

Hollow
by SJCarter

Comment:
I absolutely love this shot. The earth tones, textures and grain add an element of grit to the photo and his expression does the rest. I'm drawn to his face and eyes. The composition is genius and the processing job is brilliant. I expect to see this near the top of the challenge results!

guard rails
by Zenjohn

Comment:
The colors, especially the grass, feels very overdone and unnatural. The shot had some potential but the composition is not very interesting. When you have lines like this, sometimes it helps if they're leading you to a corner of the photo rather than in one side and out the other.

Shopping, Anyone?
by DigiFotoBuddy

Comment:
Too busy. There are too many competing things going on in the photo and no one thing draws my attention. The result comes off as more of an offhand snap than anything else.

Creamers Field
by dharmeson

Comment:
A nice landscape shot but there's no subject to draw the eye. The herons (or whatever) are too small and distant to be very clear.

Man In Hat
by TheresaA

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club
by strangeghost

TECHNIQUE
The first thing I notice, after the guy with the hat and hookah (?) is the awkward perspective and tilt to the photo. This is generally a technical no-no and adds a very distracting element to a picture. Focus and exposure appear to be fine. I can't tell how the scene is lit but since it's apparently outdoors, it must be indirect daylight. Contrast is good but I think the colors could pop a little more.

COMPOSITION
You mention in your notes that you jumped out of your car and shot this so I gathered you must have been hurried and a little off balance. It does have the appearance of a quick snap. Depending on your distance and the resolution of your shot, I would have preferred a closer crop. He looks like a character, and as such, you want to emphasize his humanity. As shot, I can only barely distinguish any facial features. His push-cart also tells a story, but it's almost impossible to make out what he's carrying in there. The trash-can in the background is an unfortunate distraction. All the negative space around the guy subtly detracts from the purpose of the image.

EMOTIONAL IMPACT
I believe this shot had great potential but it went unrealized due to the distance and distracting elements (trash can, unnecessary negative space). Shots of people are some of the highest rated on the site, but to achieve this, you need to get tight on your subject and capture the expressions, emotions, and drama of your subject. This guy obviously has all of these qualities, but they just don't come through in your shot. Your final score of 5.29 is not bad, but probably could have been much higher if you had really captured this guy. Your commenters were all over the place, which indicates that you struck some kind of a nerve with the voters - a good thing even though you pulled an average score.

Memories of Summer
by jimmythefish

Comment:
Beautiful composition. Lonely and somber. Gorgeous tones. Superb job all around.

Curves
by Sammie

Comment:
Wow. Gorgeous. The lines are incredible. The interplay of light and shadow, the tonal range. This is a winner in my mind. Beautiful job.

Charging...
by Elmakias

Comment:
That's the stuff Adam. This is the shot that convinced me that you needed to get yourself out there. This is an absolutely killer composition. Technically perfect with a moody atmosphere all over. Congrats. This shot rocks!