?
by Nitin

Comment:
*Critique Club*

First off does it fit the challenge? Although I didn't vote on the challenge because my interpretation was way different than many others... this was more along the lines of my interpretation... it fits really well because it makes you question! Nicely done.

Now on to specifics of the photo.

This is just awesome color wise... The bright colors are attractive, and make me really want to spend some time looking at and pondering the image... and trying to figure out exactly what this is. I never would have guessed a cut up CD!

Your use of macro is very well done... there are some nice sharp parts in the photo that really draw the eye in.

Compositionally I like this a lot. I think it's very well done (so often threes work well) and I think that this just plays right in my mind. I could almost see this as some new age painting... or a CD cover!

I'm not sure what else to say, except for good job... you made a very interesting abstract photo, that I think works well... it's fun, bright, and certainly printable for perhaps a poster. Nicely done.

What is going on back there?
by moonjeong

Comment:
*Critique Club*

First off does it fit the challenge? Yes I think it does... although I didn't vote on that specific challenge because I had some difficulties wrapping my head around the challenge subject. However I think that this does.

Now on to the specifics of the photo.

Compositionally it looks pretty good... Although I think that I would have liked to have seen possibly a little more cropped off both the top and the left side of the image so that the subject really filled the frame.

In terms of where you were standing I'm wondering if you might have been able to get down more on her level to shoot up slightly to get more of her face? and maybe just to the right? although of course with a candid it's a little more difficult to be this picky.

Good dof, blurring out the background... very important as too much of the background really would have taken our eyes away from the main subject.

In terms of colors and it looks perhaps a tad light... but you do have all the textures etc. in it, so I think it's ok. I would have perhaps like to see this in black and white?

The image maybe looks a TAD soft... applying a bit of unsharp mask at the end might have helped, because compression can do that to you. Unless you like the softness as it is a child who is the subject.

Overall really nice image... just a couple of things with that extra cropping might have made it that much better (IMHO). You have a gorgeous subject here, and should have lots of fun shooting her as she gets older.

-Talya

Silent Flowers
by NoellaSue

Comment:
*Critique Club*

First of all... does it fit the challenge? YES... and I think this was a really cool idea, that could definitely be expanded on. Congratulations by the way on your first submission, I'll try and give you a few tips that could help you next time.

In terms of the size of your photo, this one is much too small to see anything, and that caused you to lose some major points here on DPC. How can you fix this? DPC allows you to enter an image that is 640 px at it's longest side. So in photoshop - or an equivalent program under image, image size resize your photo so that it is (for this image for example) Width - 640 pixels Height will change with that... Resolution - 72 pixels/inch. Make sure that the boxes for scale styles, constrain proportions and resample image (bicubic) are all checked. That should help you have the right size for next time!

On to technical stuff...
I like your composition it's pretty nicely done... maybe it would have been nice to have seen just a little more of the flowers on top of the grave? but that isn't too important, and it looks like that is somewhat throwing off your exposure...

This is a very difficult image to expose for and I can't claim to be the best at making sure an image is the best lit possible... however I think that I would have exposed maybe for the bottom of the tombstone, on the left side? (if you didn't have any lighting implements) thereby making everything just a bit darker... you also might have been able to play with that in curves... and darker is often easier to work with than too light with no information.

The colors look pretty washed out, and it would have been nice to have more clearly seen your reflection... the exposure should help with this.

I think your title works well for this because it's almost like the flowers are the ghost, seen in the reflection, and I like it a lot.

Make sure that you are checking for sharpness and focus... often when you are resizing, things can lose some of their sharpness, and you have to go in and fix that, playing with the unsharp mask tool.

I think this is a good start... and welcome again to DPC.

-Talya

A haunting good time
by jmlelii

Comment:
*Critique Club*

First of all... does it fit the challenge? Yes I believe it does... although there isn't quite as much reflection as some people would like... there is definitely reflection.

Now on to specifics.

First of all, I like the fact that you did this in sepia. I feel that if it had been in color, it definitely would not have had the same impact. The title also fits well with the fact that it's in sepia. It does look a tad scary.

This looks like a difficult subject to have played with compositionally. I feel that you did a pretty good job, although I might have liked a slightly more frontal look, or maybe more of the water with the reflection in it? I can't quite decide. The trees frame the house pretty well. One issue I'm having is that the image is primarily so dark, that I immediately go to the lightest part of the photo - the clouds and the sky, and the phone pole is very visible right there... that takes away from the old time, scary look for me.

As you can see from your comments you probably made this too dark. Exposure with a bright sky can be extremely difficult... but here it would have been really nice to see some of the details in the side of the house that is closest to us. I think the fact that we can't is somewhat of a problem... you might have been able to play around with this a bit in curves in Photoshop. Overall though lightening this image might have been beneficial to you.

I think that this is a nice start to a photo, but it's something you would have to play around with some more to get it just right. Good luck!

-Talya

Upon Scrutiny
by ssan

Comment:
*Critique Club*

First of all.. does it fit the challenge? YES very much so... lovely idea and execution for this challenge!

Ok.. onto specifics...

I really like the lines that flow throughout this image... I think they are quite interesting, and I get absorbed in them as I look it over. The fact that the one thing that is giving the reflection is the only thing that is round, adds to this image... everything else is incredibly straight.

Colorwise, I like the neutrality of it. Very nice job with exposure. As you mentioned that lighting could have been a little better, so that you didn't get that hot spot on the door... but I do like how you got the darker shadows kind of surrounding the reflection at the bottom, helping the eye to be drawn to the main subject.

Compositionally I think I sould have liked maybe just a little more space to the right and above, placing the magnifying glass on the sweet spot on the rule of thirds. I think though that this is fairly interesting composition wise.

Overall I really like the image... the neutral tones are a big part for me in what makes this image work - and the interesting lines, make it an image I could ponder over for quite a while. Nicely done!

What ?
by goodganesh

Comment:
*Critique Club*

First of all does it fit the challenge? I'm not really sure... I didn't vote on this challenge because I had no real boundaries for what I was looking for, so yeah... I can't really say on that one. But if that's his "what" look... then I guess it does.

Now on to the real stuff...

I sort of like the composition... especially with the other photo (of him?) to the left and behind him... it's a very interesting play between the two. The only thing I might suggest would be cropping down a little, as that extra blank space at the top isn't really needed, and doesn't add anything to this image.

I think something that really would have boosted your score here would have been focus. Unfortunately you just didn't focus in the right place for the image - meaning your son. When you are doing portraits usually the sharpest item in the photo should be the eyes. After that it's your choice how clear or unclear the rest of the image is, but if you are shooting a person, the eyes go a long way for a good portrait. I understand that this can be difficult when you are shooting a candid, as you seem to have been here. One idea is to try and prefocus in the spot where you are pretty sure the eyes will be... This can be more difficult unfortunately with a point and shoot, but play around with the settings on the camera.

Another issue I have is the extreme shadow on the wall, most likely caused by flash or harsh lighting... if you can avoid that it's always best... although it's a little more difficult with a p&s. also while most of the image looks pretty well exposed, your son seems to be just a bit blown out, especially the whites on his shirt and his face... try lowering the flash if possible, and if not using some layers of tissue over it to soften the harshness.

You've got an adorable subject!! Keep shooting and above all have fun!

-Talya

That!
by TheLittleIsland

Comment:
*Critique Club*

First off - I did not vote for this challenge because I had some difficulties with the challenge title, and it was a tad confusing for me... however of the ones I've seen, yours definitely make me think WHAT? I'm wondering what this kid is pointing at and where... although I have to say the passive look on his face throws me off a tad. That being said, let me get to the specifics of the photo.

Compositionally... I'm happy that you did not put him dead center... however I feel that your image would have benefitted from having him more to the right and pointing across the photo (so that you could travel a bit with the imaginary line from his finger and then take you off the page) I think that this might have added some curiousity to the photo.

Nice DOF... I love the hand extending toward the viewer...

In terms of lighting... the ground and the background are well exposed however the boys face and hand leave a little to be desired... I think playing around with some fill flash might have been useful here... especially for that dark shadow under his hat... also it seems part of his hand and face are a tad blown out... I think I would suggest standing him back a bit... and light metering for the back... and working with flash at the front.

I like that you seem to have used a wide angle here... but even with a wide angle, you still have to check for straightness... this just looks too tilted at the horizon line.

Otherwise I think you've got a lot of nice elements in this photo, with just a little more playing around it could really be great!

-Talya

Automatic
by Skreppur

Comment:
*Critique Club*
Hi... I hope my critique is helpful!!

First of all, I like what you were trying to go for here, however I feel the the reflection just didn't come out as strongly as it needed to for the challenge.

Compositionally I find it a bit lacking, there is just too much unneeded extra space, which I really don't see a point to having (unlike say where you purposely have blank space in an image) I feel you could have filled the space more appropriately... maybe even including the candles in your image? I find myself drawn to the very center of the image, and then I lose interest in it, it's not compelling me to explore the photo as a whole.

I like the focus on the word "automatic" but I'm trying to decide whether it could have been just a tad sharper or not (sorry I'm in college, and I've been doing a LOT of work).

I really like the colors that are in the image.

Overall I think you might have benefitted by taking a different look at different angles here, seeing this toaster from different ways, and trying different crops and compositions.

fragile
by xtine

Comment:
I rather like this image... I think it's different and interesting... The leaves work well to add to her look of hiding, and I like the color pallette you have left the image with. I think it's a well thought out and composed shot that is very attractive. -9-

Delicate Music of the Bells
by newtune3

Comment:
In my honest opinion this could have been a much better photo, I feel that there are quite a few things that could be improved. First of all I am having issues with the focus... I can't tell whether it's bad focus, possibly poor lens quality, or extreme cropping, but either way, it's just not sharp. Also I think that the way it is set up leaves a lot to be desired, I think you might have been able to get a better angle on this subject... I do however like the blue and brown stripes at the top... I just maybe wish the bells took up more of the frame? All of the wires at the left take my eyes away...