Autumn garden
by tigerluong

Comment:
Hello from the Critique club

An interesting image that makes a contribution to the free challenge

It looks an interesting location with some variety of foliage. The time of day has made the light very difficult to work with it is very high contrast and in order to retain some detail in the shadows it looks as though you have probably had to use some plus exposure compensation? This has affected the highlights blowing them in important parts of the image particularly badly on the tree stump. I would suggest that a little less +EC would have been advisable to avoid the overexposure and the shadows have quite some leeway for darkening. You might try reducing the exposure in PS and compare the results I think you will probably favour the darker version?

Thanks for your entry Frank

Hvalnes, april 10, 5.45am.
by EgillP

Comment:
Hello from the Critique club

An interesting image that makes contributes well to the free challenge

A very appealing landscape that shouts Iceland! What really gives this image its impact are the tiny buildings at the foot of the immense hills behind them. Because of that I think the composition could have been substantially improved to emphasise that aspect of the image much more effectively. I find myself very distracted by the two posts and their reflections, they are negating the effect that you are after so I would crop them out completely in favour of more of the hill on the right. Also, I would remove the immediate land in the foreground in favour of the water, this again would emphasise the tiny nature of the buildings in relation to their surroundings. I think if you had stood nearer the water and tilted your camera down to include more water and less sky this would have improved the overall result.

Thanks for your entry Egill

Lunar Textures
by Drake

Comment:
Hello from the Critique club

An interesting image that makes a contribution to the free challenge

The level of detail is, as you have remarked, quite amazing. Looking at your technical details 1/400 at f5.6 at ISO 100 you̢۪re right, it was brightly lit, wow! Whilst you have a very competent shot with lots of surface detail its low contrast detracts somewhat, I think you could have given it more impact by raising the contrast so that the moon really shone out from the black background. There̢۪s not a lot you can do compositionally but I think placing it slightly off-centre does improve it a little.

Thanks for your entry Drake

purity • strength • dignity
by Ja-9

Comment:
Hello from the Critique club

An appealing image that contributes well to the free challenge

As this was revealing itself to me on my screen I said to myself ‘this has the Janine look of quality about it’, your work is identifiable for all the right reasons. The flower has a three dimensional feel to it that gives it impact, it stands out very effectively against the dark background which in itself has just the right level of detail. There are a few small highlights on the tips of the petals that are a bit borderline but that would be my only minor criticism. There is good DOF throughout and the composition is slightly off-centre which also adds, really not a lot wrong here.

Thanks for another lovely entry Janine

My nest
by nacho_are

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

A lovely bird study that meets the challenge

I like your shot, you have taken the effort to get low down, we are able to engage with the scene at the bird level which is always much more effective. I also like your composition, with the bird on the lower right vertical of the rule of thirds and the eggs in the background next to her. However, the object in the background is a little distracting, cropping it out is a possibility but cloning would probably be a better choice to leave a little more space around the bird. This is also an effective study because it is showing the birds behaviour in protecting its eggs she has adopted an aggressive posture. What does let the shot down is the white balance, instead of lovely crisp whites there is a blue tint that spoils the effect, this should be corrected by adjusting the white balance in PS.

Thank you for a lovely entry Yazid

At Day's End
by Lydia

Comment:
A gorgeous image but even more so, what a lovely tribute to Sean, Melissa and his memory

The Mask
by sfalice

Comment:
Hello from the Critique club

An interesting image that contributes well to the free challenge

This is certainly original and unique, taking full advantage of the expert editing rules to create something that creates a lasting impression. Having said that I cannot say I like it but I do respect what you have done. What I do like is the imagination that has gone into your creation. I can see the warped kayaks bit I̢۪m struggling to interpret the rest of it but from potential butterfly to mask and who knows what else it could have become all credit to you for a very imaginative result.

Thanks for your entry Alice

I Love You
by Lydia

Comment:
Hello from the Critique club

An appealing image that contributes well to the free challenge

You have taken full advantage of the expert editing freedom with this very creative entry, well done. Both shots have been carefully taken with great attention to detail and lighting and blended together to form something very unique. I find the eye, the hand and the tear all very well executed and convincing, it works well. I̢۪m not quite so convinced with the left hand, I like the way you have the eyebrow hairs over her hand but they would have worked better had they been the same black as the rest of her eyebrow. All in all, I think you̢۪ve done an excellent job.

I̢۪m sorry you didn̢۪t score higher and those sub 5̢۪s cannot be justified, you certainly deserved to. I̢۪m glad you overcame your procrastination and decided to enter such a creative image, thank you Lydia.

Boo
by Ja-9

Comment:
Hello from the Critique club

An appealing image that partially meets the challenge

This is a lovely flower study, the vibrant colours are very effective against the muted and dominant greens, it works very well to that extent. As regards the challenge brief you have introduced an angle that meets part of the challenge but I think the sense of unease that will fully meet the challenge is missing here. I do like the diagonal but to achieve a greater sense of unease I think you inclusion of the horizon would make you feel more off-balance as it were.

In itself a lovely image thank you for your entry Janine

Sloping Aurora borealis
by Bennih

Comment:
Hello from the Critique club

An appealing image that meets the challenge

The good old Northern Lights! They never cease to impress do they? By taking the shot an angle you have met the challenge brief though I feel that there was more potential to be tapped here. The strongest part of the aurora is on the edge of the frame with lots of space against the weakest part of the aurora. A crop moving everything further right and angle the other way with less sky more water would have enable you to capture the strong part and its reflection in the water I think this would have had a lot more impact. And while we̢۪re on the subject of reflections I find the moon̢۪s reflection very distracting I would probably have cloned it out but the crop I suggest would have excluded it anyway.

Thank you for your entry Benedikt, I am envious of your location , I look forward to more lovely images from you.