Shell Vortex!
by grgkopanas

Comment:
OK - I'm going out on a limb here and letting you know that I scored this a '1'. Only fair to let you know why.

First of all I should say that I use the full scale and that I am but one voter with my own expectations and 'luggage'.

I should begin by admitting my prejudices - I'm not a fan of image of objects; I can be persuaded if they are exquisitely executed like much of h2's work but otherwise it is always going to be a hard sell to me.

Here although, the object is pretty - it is really difficult to bring something to the table as a photographer. Macro technique limits the choices you have with the depth of field and with the flat lighting and vanilla processing, it doesn't communicate a sense of you having made any artistic choices.

For me, as a viewer, I like to see some photographic intent, some artistic license - I think that it what is lacking with this image. I hope that makes sense and offers some rationale for a '1' score.

Coming back to add to this. I should've also said that this is of course technically competent; the fact that it is a mismatch for my expectations shouldn't be enough of a reason for me to dish out a 1. Bumping it a bit.

I See RED
by kerirab

Comment:
OK - I'm going out on a limb here and letting you know that I scored this a '1'. Only fair to let you know why.

You may already know that this is my second go at commenting here. My first attempt came across much more harshly than it should.

First of all I should say that I use the full scale and that I am but one voter with my own expectations and 'luggage', consequently my comments are an honest reaction to this image rather than a direct commentary on your work.

Although I do this the narrow depth of field and the POV add a good degree of interest to the image, I find the light coloured background detects from you subject a little and the lack of sharpness and the clipped crop of the foreground ball doesn't give the eye an easy place to settle. Of course this may well be deliberate but for me it is a bit of a mismatch.

Girl
by zeuszen

Comment:
I would never have tagged this as one of yours. I like its subtlety though.

tentative transformation
by posthumous

Comment:
I'm going through the entries, stopping at those images I feel have had the benefit of an unconventional eye and dwelling a little longer to try to see and appreciate what you saw. This is one of those images.

Positives: There are many interesting textures here, but what fascinates is trying to working out how each of the interfaces relate to one another in three dimensions. I suspect we are looking at a object (a sleeper?) that is partially submerged in water; that the water has frozen and now carries some textures (scratches and cracks) of its own. It is difficult to tell though. Your contrast handling and choice of a monochrome presentation ensures that we don't get as much visual information as we might like to work it all out. In that sense the photographic choices you have made have a profound effect on the viewing experience.

I think your choice of aspect ratio works really well and I like how my eye is drawn up to the upper left corner where is meets emptiness and darkness. That seems fitting given the fate of the sleeper. I feel I should comment on the leaf, but it feels irrelevant - I think that is a good thing.

Critical stuff: Not much to say here - perhaps the contrast has made the bottom right corner a bit 'crunchy' for my taste, I much prefer the upper 2/3 of the image.

Overall: A well put together, thoughtful image.

inner sanctum
by oldbimmercoupe

Comment:
I'm going through the entries, stopping at those images I feel have had the benefit of an unconventional eye and dwelling a little longer to try to see and appreciate what you saw. This is one of those images.

Positives : Fascinating scene - difficult to tell whether this is an art exhibit or people sitting down to dinner! I really like the coloration and the lighting glows under the large disks. The back wall texture and coloration is also very interesting as is the arched structure - mirror or opening? Difficult to say. I also like how we can only just discern the faces of the people in the room. Your choice or aspect ratio is bang on the money for this scene too.

Critical stuff: Perhaps I wish the red in the faces was toned down a little?

Overall: A most intriguing image. Bumping from a 6 to a 7.

Battersea Power Station
by claylikethemud

Comment:
Great view of this iconic structure.

Nicely done.

The Frontier
by HighNooner

Comment:
I like how the scale of what we are seeing is thrown into ambiguity once we spot the Jeep.

On the Bus...
by NikonJeb

Comment:
I'm going through the entries, stopping at those images I feel have had the benefit of an unconventional eye and dwelling a little longer to try to see and appreciate what you saw. This is one of those images.

Positives : I kind of skipped through this to begin with only to come back later to soak in the bizarre-ness of the scene. I do like the coloration; the interplay between the yellow and brown. I also like the way the foliage is so pervasive.

Critical stuff: I'm not so keen on the smooth tone mapped appearance. I think the scene is remarkable enough so as to not need quite this amount of embellishment.

Overall: An interesting and well made image.

Parking Cart
by stepwalker87

Comment:
I'm going through the entries, stopping at those images I feel have had the benefit of an unconventional eye and dwelling a little longer to try to see and appreciate what you saw. This is one of those images.

Positives : This is definitely an image that benefits from a longer look. It took me a while for eye to find the tarmac cracks but once it did I liked how my eye was guided along the white line to the trolley. I really enjoy the way the light diffuses into the light fog and how the lights in the distance begin to offer clues as to the scale of the parking lot. I don't know if you've applied a vignette or that is the way the light from the lamp has fallen. It works though - perhaps more so because I don't know if it is 'natural' or applied.

Critical stuff: Although I can see why you have kept the structures on the left side in the frame to add context - I'm not fond of them: I like the simple construction of the rest of the image to have it interfere.

Overall: Very well made image.

Distraction
by insteps

Comment:
I'm going through the entries, stopping at those images I feel have had the benefit of an unconventional eye and dwelling a little longer to try to see and appreciate what you saw. This is one of those images.

Positives : I think this would have been a great entry in the recently announced 'unbalanced' challenge - I think it benefits from an eclectic choice of framing/composition; the slight tilt, the truncated shadow, the top centre subject, the dark torso making the image 'top-heavy' and thus unstable. Just as your subject is caught off-balance by the distraction, so you mirror this with your composition. I like the grain and toning too.

Critical stuff: Not much at all.

Overall: A very engaging image.