Creamsicle Splash
by cyan

Comment:
6 - One of the very few who actually 'Met the Challenge' (my interpretation at least), well done, it was not easy. Criticism; not sure on the color choice for background, perhaps slightly detracts overall. The mandarin/orange/tangerine seems slightly 'red'/unnatural, but apologies if the color is 'true'. Perhaps a slightly different angle may have made this better in my opinion, however I realize that the 'citrus' is likely suspended there (again apologies if wrong and this is a motion capture), so a different angle may have lost the 'illusion'. Overall perhaps a little grainy, but minor.

Racing the Self-Timer
by talmy

Comment:
6 - One of the very few who actually 'Met the Challenge' (my interpretation at least), well done, it was not easy. Criticism; difficult given the 'true nature' of the Challenge, but the lighting, composition and possibly cropping could all use improvement, in my opinion.

The End Of A Beautiful Day
by Kita

Comment:
I gave this a 6. It is a beautiful shot, but the colors just seemed slightly over processed (but sorry if this is how it really looked). Although it seems you have applied the rule of thirds technique, with the water at the 'bottom' third and the sky/clouds in the top 2/3's (if that makes sense), I wonder if perhaps a tighter crop of the water at the bottom, (and not necessarily using the 'rule'), may have given this an edge and made it really 'pop' even more. Good to see you enter this Challenge, especially with such strong 'sunset' competition that you had to compete with.

Visiting Grandma
by A Varya

Comment:
I gave you a 5. I thought the concept/idea was good but overall the shot was a little 'flat', needed something to help 'bring it to life'/make it 'pop' more. Perhaps the color version may have helped with this, not sure. The frame also, especially at this size (due to the site/challenge restrictions) was a little too thick in my opinion (but some people like thick frames). It is/was also a fairly 'personal' type of shot (even if these are not your relatives), so, especially for a 'Free Study', when you are competing against so much 'variety', the personal type shots don't always do as well as some of the more neutral/general shots do, if that makes sense. To really 'nit-pick', 3 extra pixels (this is 637 height) would have helped, even if only a little. Again, just my opinion though. Good to see you entered this Challenge. edit:wording

Message edited by author 2005-12-10 17:35:23.

Relationship
by CalliopeKel

Comment:
Like the toning/b&w, but especially the 'horizontal position' your daughter is in, her eyes seem a 'lot more alert' than the cat's eyes - if that makes sense. Doesn't 'fit each other', the mood/feel, in my opinion. But then, perhaps you were going for this type of 'contrast', who knows. Cat looks so content. Perhaps a little 'too' dark in areas as well, in my opinion, especially your daughter's left eye, so perhaps a tighter cropping at the bottom may have helped, not sure.

Tangerine Dream
by CalliopeKel

Comment:
Very nice. Looks like 'fore bokeh' too. Perhaps a slight nudge rotation/crop, especially to eliminate that bud bottom right may have made this even better in my opinion. Frame 'works', but may be even better without it, not sure. Looks like some type of Cosmos(?).

The Belly of the Beast
by strangeghost

Comment:
Fairly good macro, especially given the (estimated) size of these. 70% sure this is a type of Crane Fly (Tipulidae), possibly a Tiger Crane Fly:

Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Pterygota » Flies (Diptera) » Nematocera » Crane Flies (Tipulidae) » Tiger Crane Flies (Nephrotoma)

More info & some good photographs at BugGuide.Net. It may also be a Limoniid Crane Flies (Limoniidae) or a Tipula Yamatotipula , you can 'decide'. edit:wording

Message edited by author 2005-12-10 16:33:13.

bugs01.jpg
by Hye5

Comment:
60% sure these are some type of cockroach nymphs (young) on top of the eggs. Not ticks. edit: good potential (seemingly) for a good macro here, especially of the 'eggs'.

Message edited by author 2005-12-10 06:33:23.

lonepinelake02.jpg
by Hye5

Comment:
Nice shot. Difficult to discern if it is 'level' or not, could just be the sharp (and good) perspective. Perhaps a slightly tighter crop at the top to remove that fraction of blue sky top right, and possibly even some more cropping at the fore, also this at 640 (if possible, depending what you had to work with of course), may have made this even better in my opinion. Difficult to control/adjust the contrast I imagine, especially given the shadow at the fore, which again, is a good element.

IMG_9617cropped.jpg
by strangeghost

Comment:
Wow. Beautiful shot, even with the 'mud'(?). Tempted to say I'd like to see that beak (especially those lamellae) sharper, but difficult to retain such fine focus as you have on the head/eye I imagine. The eye is very nice, especially with the very complementary background. Very nice capture. I like the tight crop too, no other way to show this detail in the head/beak without it, maybe just a fraction more off the right/neck, who knows. edit: 'teeth' to lamellae, the correct name for the combed section of the 'Roman nose' (beak). Due to the darker coloring, I assume this is an American Flamingo - Phoeniconais ruber ruber.

edit #2: didn't realize this had been edited from the 'out of camera' version, nevertheless still excellent and you have done well with the pp and, the tighter crop gives much better detail than in the 'original'.

Message edited by author 2005-12-10 15:41:49.