Skylight
by Havok

Comment:
from the critique Club

Hi Bryce ...

I never found the time to vote on all the images in this challenge, so didn't seee half of them, and this fell into that category ...

I adore this: almost perfect of its type. The progression of tone and shading, and reflection is superbly controlled - I'd guess that all 256 shades are present somewhere or other (OK - just checked, and I'm right). Only two things to suggest, really: have you tried this kind of work in a partially de-saturated (as opposed to wholly desaturated) image? The reason is that it gives you so much more tonal range to play with - as an example, in my Spoon shot there are 10003 colours used - in this, as I've said, there are 256.

However, the graininess in the areas of the balconies and the skylight surround is so effective here that it doesn't actually matter.

The only other comment is about the symmetry of the image: I think I'd have tried to get an exactly symmetrical framing - here the skylight and its frame are placed a little high in the frame - so that the lower right wall that breaks that symmetry is that much more effective.

But those are minor points really: this is top work, and you should be disappointed with your finish for it. I might just put it straight into my favourites now.

Ed

Not Alone
by vtruan

Comment:
from the Critique Club

Thing you achieve best of all here is the positioning of the tree within the framing of the shot: it bridges the transition from foreground to distance nicely.

Focus and depth of field and all that technical stuff is pretty well done - though there seems to be a lack of detail: I wonder if it's perhaps cropped slightly too far?

The image suffers most, IMO, from an indecisiveness about what the true subject is: the tree? the peak and the openness of the view? the progression of hills into the distance? If it's the tree, then I think it would need more careful placing against this background (obviously, by moving the photographer, not the tree itself): perhaps at least to exclude the town visible in the valley. There are too many small elements that compete for attention here for this not to suffer in voting in a simplicity challenge.

Ed

roof line
by deceptive

Comment:
Now I thought this would win - I guess you placed pretty well, but I was sure I was going to see it on the front page.

Airolle at dusk
by jjbeguin

Comment:
wonderfully atmosphereic shot JJ, but I wonder if perhaps your cropping could be improved here? There are three parallels of form going on - the far hills and the furthest bank of reeds, the small clump of reeds to the right and the detached section of clouds by the open sky, and finally the darkest clouds at the top of frame and the bank of reeds in the foreground - all of which add emphasis to the reflection of that area of sky. I wonder if seeing a touch more of those topmost clouds, or less of the bottommost reeds would give a stronger graphic element to the shot? Obviously that would place the horizon dead centre frame, bu in a shot with such parallels I don't believe that would weaken this image as it would so many landscapes ...

Just a thought - but my immediate reaction on seeing this was that the framing seems odd.

ed

Giving thanks for the food we eat
by WILDBLUE

Comment:
You might put a little more information down as you want a

CRITIQUE

Several obvious points noted in comments: crumbs on the plate, specks of something on the fork, the overly sharp top edge of the fork - which may simply be an over-exposure phenomenon.

I find the composition weird - the angle might have been enough of itself, or the odd cropping out of half the pie, but both together ... what was your point with that? what were you hoping to communicate? It says nothing to me I'm afraid ... and I've looked and looked.

But for me it's the lighting that lets this down most: you're really far too close to your subject to use the on-board flash - that's why the foreground of your shot is over-exposed, and the light falls off so rapidly. The other problem with a shot solely lit by on-board flash is that the light comes from nearly the same direction as you shoot - so almost all potential for texture is removed, and likewise most sense of three-dimensionality. It also reflects back into the camera very easily - look at the very bright pixels here and there, and that awful shadow of the edge of the pie.

Not your best submission, and I think you did rather well to score as highly as you did. I should add, as a non-American, your subject has no emotional resonance to me.

Good luck in future

Ed

Our Love
by jmritz

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club John

This is a difficult shot to Critique - I'm very surprised by it's finishing so high in the voting, and I think that's a triumph of subject over technique. There are a few things that strike me immediately: the dead space in the sky - doesn't even count as negative space as it's not adding anything to the shot: would the shot be worse without it? I think it would be improved, rather. Cutting off the feet is a weird choice - especially cropping or framing so low down the leg. It almost becomes the focus of the composition for me ... what's so terrible down there that he wanted to avoid it? Then there's the odd inclusion of that pole with the bird sitting on it, and part of the bridge ... I can't see the rationale for these elements being here.

I think Azrifel's point regarding the composition is very valid, and well made.

Perfectly acceptable exposure, and I like the surprise element of the backs-to-the-camera thing - and there is a sense of caring in the pose of the two figures.

I think you've done exceptionally well to score as you did. Good luck in future.

ed

Triangles
by WILDBLUE

Comment:
Great light. Cropping is a bit violent - especially taking out that bottom corner - and for me you've taken it a little close on the right side too: it gives me the slight feeling that the puzzle isn't really the subject.

Faux Floral
by LucidLotus

Comment:
Nice subject. The borders of your selection around the pot are very visible (too sharp for an out of focus area), and the pixel scattering in the shadow are a shame - I would have tried to blur tham into the background grey a lot more. lighting and definition on the flowers is very well done.

The true privilege of living here.
by jjbeguin

Comment:
despite being pipped for the only moderately disappointing 4th place, I was still glad to see this shot placed here: I aways look for your photos JJ, and was beginning to think you'd packed it in after not entering the last two or three challenges.

This two-thirds foreground is becoming distinctive of your work: this one works particularly well I think - perhaps because the lower two thirds divides itself into a near-ground and mid-ground area, so that there's three levels of detail going on. There's something of the combination of brass and steel - which is an enormously photogenic matching of metals - in the colours you've worked with too: just a muted version of the blue/orange complementries really.

Perhaps a grouping of your photo and mine, with the garnish of a few good friends, would be the thing to most give thanks for.

Ed

Message edited by author 2003-12-29 09:44:20.

Sending soft sentiments
by drydoc

Comment:
Er ... didn't I comment on this already? Oh yeah - in that other challenge. I think it works better here, though the lamp is still annoying - I think perhaps it would work as a framing element better - if you shot more under the angle of the glass of it: to me it's intrusive now. The set-up works well for the challenge other than that, and it is genuinely soft focus, which is rare enough.