"Purple Rain"
by ladpupmoe

Comment:
Hello Peggy from the Critique Club,

Composition
This is a very attractive image - the contrast of purple against green works really well, as does the diagonal stem. Some commentators have suggested a tighter crop - I have tried it and maybe there is some potential there but you would lose some of the balance provided by the green. It has a lovely soft bokeh - the Pentax Optio S is a remarkable camera and you have shown it off to its best advantage.

Focus
The use of shallow DoF is entirely appropriate, drawing the eye to the shape of the leaf and the water droplets. The sharpening applied is just right, sharp but impercetible.

Exposure
The histogram is work of art in itself! A full range of black to white and loads in the middle - perfect for this image.

Challenge
This fits well with the challenge and the rain looks very natural.

Overall
I very likeable image. Maybe a slightly different crop and moving the rear leaf out of the way would provide an alternative image but these are the most minor of suggestions.

Hugh
Any comments or reactions, feel free to contact me.

Beauty is a Form of Genius ...
by lagavulin

Comment:
Clever idea but I'm not sure Oscar would have wanted his words to be written upon the female form!

Just Watch Me ... Doze Off
by flip89

Comment:
Well spotted, assuming it is a candid. Nicely balanced composition too.

Ringtones
by soccerdad

Comment:
Clever, subtle and well photographed.

Mood for Love
by graphicfunk

Comment:
Brilliant idea, beautifully executed - the light heart was a stroke of genius!
My only 10.

Fear No Art
by hannafate

Comment:
Hello Hanna from the Critique Club,

Composition
This must have been an opportunity shot - composed as well as possible bearing in mind the location. The wire across the front is distracting, as is the background and the other vehicles but maybe it would have been difficult to rearrange it. I have played with a tighter crop and it doesn't help. At least the diagonal placing of the car, providing depth, works.

Focus
The whole image is in focus - maybe if you had used a larger aperture (smaller f number), you could have thrown some of the distractions out of focus but you would lose some detail on the main subject - your choice.

Exposure
Exposure looks about right, you have some blown highlights but they do not contain important detail and the image has a good even range from black to white.

Challenge
I guess this is unusual enough to meet the challenge - it would have been better in a controlled environment but we have to make do with waht is ther!

Overall
Well spotted and the capture is about as good as you could make it in the environment. Keep shooting, maybe there will be an opportunity to shoot it on its own one day.

Hugh
Any comments or reactions, feel free to contact me.

When Giant Spiders Attack
by Jesuispeure

Comment:
Hello Amanda from the Critique Club,

Composition
Well spotted - makes a dramatic image. Like the way the tower leaps away from you and the rule of thirds works well in forcing one's eyes back to the "spider" image. The blue splash near the top of the tower provides interest and balance to what otherwise might have been bottom heavy. I guess this must have been taken tripod mounted (if you didn't you kept very still!) and the 1600 ISO creates just a tiny haze of noise centre left but this camera is fantastic - I have a EOS 300D too and love it.

Focus
You don't say what lens you used but it must have had a short focal length because the whole image is well focused - an achievement at f/4.0

Exposure
Tricky to take night scenes - you have done well - there are the tiniest amount of blown highlights and they don't matter - no loss of important detail and the balance of gold spider against the blue lights is just right.

Challenge
Very few submissions really met the challenge - yours was one of them (IMHO)!

Overall
A dramatic image, well captured, scoring very nearly 6. What more could you want? A higher score? Well that is in the hands of the audience and that is often beyond comprehension. Well done!

Hugh
Any comments or reactions, feel free to contact me.

Leading troop of clones
by paha_l

Comment:
Hello Pavel from the Critique Club,

Composition
There is no single point of interest - the six water drops are the main theme and they seem to be randomly placed. The wood grain background running at a diagonal is probably the best choice. Somehow the balance is not quite right for me - maybe if the drops were placed in a defined pattern,(circle, square, diamond?) it would make more sense.

Focus
You have used a fairly shallow depth of field, which is good for drawing attention to a particular item or area but there does not seem to be a reason for it. Maybe a deeper depth of field (smaller aperture=higher f number), bringing all the drops into focus might improve the image.

Exposure
The expoure looks just about right, any more and the highlights which are already blown out would become intrusive, any less and the image would be too dark.

Challenge
Does it fit the challenge? Maybe in the context of capturing a macro of water drops, which is unusual but maybe not quite extraodinary.

Overall
Sorry but the image doesn't seem to have any purpose. If your intention was an abstract, then perhaps it needs more interest. If your intention was to stretch your photography - great! Keep shooting.

Hugh
Any comments or reactions, feel free to contact me.

Best Product
by graphicfunk

Comment:
This is the best idea I have seen so far and the bottle itself is beautifully crisp - pity about the background, which is too busy for me.

Spreading Paint on the Bread and Butter
by gerdagrice

Comment:
You have to be in the right place at the right time - and realise it! Well done, love it.