Portland Rose Festival
by christie3

Comment:
Portland Rose Festival is a title not a headline. A headline should lead a casual reader into a story about the event with some kind of information or tantalizing tidbit. Assuming this is a story about the Rose Festival, this is not the kind of photo one would see supporting it. This looks like a submission from someone unwilling to go outside the safe boundaries of their favorite subject matter to find a newsworthy subject to photograph. A human element would have added some journalistic integrity to your effort. Without that, I have to conclude you couldn't be bothered to make the attempt at photojournalism.

Photographically, it is a nice flower shot but there is nothing about the composition that makes it stand out from the hundreds that can be seen on DPC. It's kind of a 'if you've seen one, you've seen them all' subject that requires that extra effort to make me sit up and notice. For starters, I would suggest a square crop placing the rose dead center.

"With our thoughts, we make the world." - Buddha
by mffnqueen

Comment:
An interesting photo but hardly a journalistic one. A journalistic photo depicts an immediate event or socially relevent issue. Your headline is not a headline, it is a quotation. While a quotation from a politician or other public figure might be newsworthy enough for a headline, a quotation from a long dead spiritual leader is not. This photo somewhat supports the quote, which in turn lends creedance to the impact of journalism on society. However, it does so in a rather abstract way and not in a journalistic way. Journalism deals in facts, events, and issues. Abstractions can be used to discuss these events but they shouldn't be used in place of the facts when attempting to inform a wide public. I guess what it boils down to is, this photo does not really inform the public of anything. It is a very subjective interpretation of the Budda's words.

Without the title I would be more inclined to think it was a portrait of a serial killer or stalker than a reflection of the Buddah's words. A lone figure standing in a dark room using the light of flashlight (?) to read a single page of many doesn't say anything about the world-shaping quality of our thoughts. It just looks kind of pseudo-artsy without giving the viewer much to hold on to. Kind of like listening to someone else's dream.

Town council considers ban on skateboarding on public streets, kids up in arms.
by martinaw

Comment:
If you had left it at the first part of the headline this would have been a more convincing journalistic effort. As it is, the two boys shown here don't exactly look like they are 'up in arms'. They are cheerful and showing absolutely no signs of rebellion. Also, this looks like a private parking lot not a public street so once again, the photo doesn't support the headline. I would say this photo has a tenuous connection to the challenge, at best.

Photographically, it is okay but not great. Despite the action of the skateboarder it has a flat, static quality. Shallower depth of field seems called for to separate the main subject from the boring and distracting background. With the extremely deep depth of field you've used here there is no distance created between the visual elements.

Golden Lion Wreaks Havok
by Jade

Comment:
I find no journalistic relevence in this photo. Journalism is about facts not fancy. The lion is in fact just sitting there, as it is inanimate objects are inclined to do. A news story is meant to inform a wide public of an event or issue. What is this informing us of? In regards to the challenge, this doesn't work for me.

This point of view hurts the composition since you get to much distortion of perspective in the columns. The column leaning in at the right edge suggest that not a lot of care went into the composition. Either show the whole thing or crop it out but it is usually best not to have partial elements leading the viewers eye to the edge of the frame with no real reward. This suggests to me that a vertical format might have worked better to bring focus to the lion.

Fireman watches oversized camp fire!
by aKiwi

Comment:
That isn't really a headline. Why would the news reading public care to read a story about a firefighter watching a bonfire? You are simply describing what is evident to the viewer from the photo. The headline should clue the viewer in to the events of the story assuming there is one.

Quibbles about the headline aside, the photo does have some journalistic merit although I can't help feeling that in spite of the blaze, there isn't a real sense of immediacy here. Maybe it's a human interest story rather than a news story? The firefighter's pose looks casual an unhurried. He doesn't appear to think anything of significance is happening. In the end, this is kind of a cool sillouhette of a firefighter watching a bonfire. If your headline suggested an actual event this might work better as journalism.

Euro 2004: Spain goes down
by anireno

Comment:
This is not really a photojournalistic type of photo. It doesn't show a timely event, just a random deflated soccer ball that could be found in any back yard. Subtlety isn't effective in photojournalism which is meant to inform a wide public.

I find this composition rather mundane. The colors are drab and the lighting on the ball is flat. The ball just isn't a compelling enough subject.

Olympic Flame starts touring Montreal
by zjnzt

Comment:
This photo doesn't support the headline (which BTW, should read '...Begins...'not '...Starts...'). Where's the torch? Is it that thing in front of the guy? Is he carrying it or is he just an onlooker? Why is that camera in the shot? This phot is more about this guy's reaction to something then anything else. It is too personal for the story it is meant to support.

Straight Edge
by Nazgul

Comment:
This is a good photo but the headline doesn't suggest anything of journalistic relevence. Your headline needs an angle to lead the viewer into the story that the photo is illustrating. The words Straight Edge say nothing about the event or topic. What about Straight Edge? As a phrase it means nothing to most people. I know what the straight edge movement is but you can't assume that everyone does. The point of journalism is to inform a wider audience.

Leaving behind the challenge topic, this is a good shot. I like the lighting and the capture of the main subject. I would like to see more of the audience then is shown here. The main subject is looking away from the viewer so the impact of his gesture is lessened quite a bit. Since we can't see who the gesture is aimed at it loses even more relevence.

Mini Grand Prix Raises Money for Greenville Lion's Club
by andreblack

Comment:
This would be more effective if we could see crowds of onlookers watching the event instead of just those guys milling about in the background. They don't appear to be paying attention. This isn't the most exciting viewpoint. There is too much empty space in front of the tiny cars, effectively removing the viewer from the action.

The Dragon Boat Racers Come To South Haven Again
by Drake

Comment:
It's a shame that big white boat is in the background. It kind of detracts from what is otherwise an interesting scene. I would suggest a rephrasing of the headline, "Dragon Boat Racers Return To South Haven".
The subject has relevence as a human interest or weekend section story.