I'll always be there loving you, loving me
by Cyrilda

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An appealing image that meets the challenges

Your image conveys commitment well from both sides of the spectrum. Like your commenters I am dog-lover too which means we are bound to have at least a slight bias towards it. It displays the trust and affection between you. I see this as a sleeping dog but I can see why one of your commenters has reacted the way she has, the dog could also be an ex-dog! That would make the image very sad indeed but even with that interpretation it does still convey the commitment element required from the challenge. Anyway, thankfully that was not the case, may you each give each other many happy years of devotion to come. Thanks for your entry Susie

Donghwasa Temple 동화사
by quinde

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An interesting image that is assumed to meet the challenge.

An interesting location and good overall composition with the buddha well placed. Looking at your crooked horizon I would say you have followed the challenge brief. I concur with your comments about the lack of people they are almost easily completely missed which is rather unfortunate. For me, the modern wooden shed in the midst of the sacred setting just completely ruins the whole effect, it might have been better to go for a portrait crop and exclude it completely. Also the blown highlights of the sky detract from the end result. Thanks for your entry Carlos

here comes the rain again
by Hoghemaru

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An intriguing image that is assumed to meet the challenge.

You've certainly captured the essence of a stormy sky, very dark and brooding. Your low key presentation together with the noise from the high ISO all adds to the atmosphere of the shot. Without the tree then this would lack any interest really so your composition is good but its lacking the sort of real impact that will appeal to most voters here. Looking at your previous entries you do have a good eye which adds weight to the fact that it really does look as though you have met the challenge brief accurately! Thanks for your entry Fabio.

untamed
by primabarbara

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An interesting image that meets the challenge.

I like the idea and your lovely model has gorgeous coloured eyes, however, I feel it is let down technically. The two big problems I have with it are that your DOF was far too shallow and your focus point was wrong. Every effective portrait I have ever seen always has the eyes nice and sharp, unfortunately her beautiful eye is soft and the hair which is the subject matter is also soft. The focus point appears to be her lips hidden behind her hair, if instead of using the lens wide open you had used perhaps f2.8 this would have rendered both the eye and the hair sufficiently sharp and increased its impact. Alternatively, focussing on the eye at f1.4 would also have increased its impact while rendering the hair even softer. Hope this helps, thanks for your entry Barbara

Untangling Hair
by clickodak

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An interesting image that meets the challenge.

Your portrait certainly captures the frustration of combing through tangles in long hair. I like that you have made sure the eye is good and sharp, essential for any portrait and the way her eye is directed towards the problem hair. I think this is oe of those occasions where it would have been better in colour. The mono tones of the important focal point ie., her tangled hair are too similar to reveal it effectively. Alternatively a different pose where the comb and hair are more prominent would have proved effective too. Thanks for your entry Marcel.

The Frog
by Phocal

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An interesting image assumed to meet the challenge.

Thank you Ronnie for another of your trademark images, quality frogs abound! Your sad poem in your comments help to understand the image in relation to the challenge brief and what wonderful contributions from posthumous and particularly skewsme, most entertaining! There's not really anything to fault in your lovely image the detail is excellent from the the pieces of duckweed to the folds, textures, patterns and colours of the skin its all truly wonderful, thanks Ronnie.

Life is like a Camera...
by clickodak

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An interesting image assumed to meet the challenge.

I say assumed because I am not familiar with the poem but thank you for your comments which are sentiments I'm sure we can all agree on. Whilst your image is not particularly original it is well executed, your DOF and focus is perfect and the mono presentation is pleasing. I really think it deserved a higher score and placing than you got but you can reflect on the way your photography has improved and how much better this image is than it would have been a year ago. Well done Marcel, keep at it.

The mountains grow unnoticed
by Bennih

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An interesting image assumed to meet the challenge.

Congratulations Benedikt on a well deserved yellow ribbon for this magnificent entry. Yes, symmetry does work but it has to be done well is indeed you have done here, those beautifully mirrored reflections are simply stunning. The colours are all natural and very pleasing. I say assumed to meet the challenge because I am not familiar with the poem but thank you for your helpful comments. The only minor criticism I have is that there appears a slight halo around the mountain that suggest just a tad too much sharpening, its certainly not excessive but it is evident on close inspection. Anyway, that is not to take away from your excellent entry and result well done Benedikt.

About Paradise
by Pascal

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An interesting image assumed to meet the challenge.

Very creatively done. I like your fusion of pastel shades they give us something more than yet another flower shot. In terms of the challenge I am not familiar with the poem but several others are and have mad some valuable contributions together with your own interesting comments that further help to illustrate the paradise concept. I have never been keen on borders but that is just my own foible. The one thing I do have to say is that the sharp flower on the left is too close to your border whereas the OOF one on the right is better positioned. Of the two I think I would have preferred this to be the focal point and therefore sharply focused. Thanks for your entry Paschalis.

One Rainy Night in Shanghai
by riot

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An interesting image assumed to meet the challenge.

I am not familiar with the poem so thanks to posthumous his additional prose has enabled me to get a better feel for your intentions. The deserted aspect and coloured glass certainly feels as though you have captured some of the essence of the poem so well done. As for the image itself, yes it is intentionally dark, the only blown highlights are not excessive and they work quite well. However the three lights in the upper foreground dominate to the detriment of the detail within the image, I think I prefer them cropped out.