Looks like sunshine...
by Iraklis

Comment:
OK, I'm going through the Free Study submissions, purposefully finding those images I think are shot with a less conventional eye - this is one of those images! Thanks for offering something that isn't just DPC friendly eye-candy (though of course there's nothing wrong with eye-candy). I'll be picking one of these images for the Mu (most underrated) award:

Positives: Not a sight yo see everyday and it certainly makes me wonder what is happening. There is a good range of colours and the red jackets and umbrellas are well balanced by the sky. I like the reflection of the sun in the windows too.

Critical stuff: Though this is an interesting scene the centre building is a little ugly and it does rather dominate.

Overall: I can see why you took a shot of this intriguing scene but whether it works as an offering in a free study - I'm not so sure. Having said all that, I am really interested in finding out what this was all about!

descent into madness
by bmartuch

Comment:
OK, I'm going through the Free Study submissions, purposefully finding those images I think are shot with a less conventional eye - this is one of those images! Thanks for offering something that isn't just DPC friendly eye-candy (though of course there's nothing wrong with eye-candy). I'll be picking one of these images for the Mu (most underrated) award:

Positives: The interplay of sun and mist is very compelling and this would, in less careful hands, lead to a problematically low contrast image, but your inclusion of the bridge remedies this. The coloration suits the image too.

Critical stuff: Although your bridge offers perspective, the POV means that this doesn't translate to much of a sense of depth.

Overall: I think this is a nice enough image but I think the scene has a fairly low level of intrinsic interest.

The world is round ...
by eyeslander

Comment:
OK, I'm going through the Free Study submissions, purposefully finding those images I think are shot with a less conventional eye - this is one of those images! Thanks for offering something that isn't just DPC friendly eye-candy (though of course there's nothing wrong with eye-candy). I'll be picking one of these images for the Mu (most underrated) award:

Positives: I think this is an example of a good match between scene and technique / equipment. The end result is something that self-frames; that is interesting in itself. I also like the red and yellow coloration at the base of the image.

Critical stuff: I do find the light to be a little flat and I think the clouds could have been PP'ed to be more dramatic; though I do commend the unedited (pure) feel you have offered here.

Overall: A interesting image that I am pleased to have been able to meet in this FS.

Happy
by ThatChickOverThere

Comment:
OK, I'm going through the Free Study submissions, purposefully finding those images I think are shot with a less conventional eye - this is one of those images! Thanks for offering something that isn't just DPC friendly eye-candy (though of course there's nothing wrong with eye-candy). I'll be picking one of these images for the Mu (most underrated) award:

Positives: This is a very unconventional portrait - I'm liking how it breaks a number of conventions. I think the degree of unsharpness here works very well and there is a lot of personality communicated too. The lighting works really well on the jacket and I like how it merges into the background - I'm a fan of the negative space too.

Critical stuff: The above comments might suggest that I really like this image and though I quite like it, I'm not mad about it. Sometimes in comments I say that the image is more than the sum of its part - here, if I'm honest, I feel the opposite - the whole effect is less than it should be. I feel a little guilty about that assessment but it is an honest (and personal) one.

Overall: I like the vision and I think you've executed it well but somehow something has been lost in the process - I wish I could be more specific, but this is just a gut feeling.

The Visit
by qui-bow

Comment:
OK, I'm going through the Free Study submissions, purposefully finding those images I think are shot with a less conventional eye - this is one of those images! Thanks for offering something that isn't just DPC friendly eye-candy (though of course there's nothing wrong with eye-candy). I'll be picking one of these images for the Mu (most underrated) award:

Positives:This is a very unconventional image - I like that part about it. I also like the overall coloration and lighting and the scene is certainly intriguing.

Critical stuff: To me, the overall feel of this is a little casual and un-crafted; I think the main culprit here is the chair on the stage which I think looks a little messy. I think the blur is a little distracting too - not enough to be become a feature yet enough to upset the overall clarity of the image.

Overall: I think the success of this image was dependent of you get everything perfect - I think you've nailed the colour and lighting but, for me at least, it is let down by other elements.

Vines
by wetland

Comment:
OK, I'm going through the Free Study submissions, purposefully finding those images I think are shot with a less conventional eye - this is one of those images! Thanks for offering something that isn't just DPC friendly eye-candy (though of course there's nothing wrong with eye-candy). I'll be picking one of these images for the Mu (most underrated) award:

Positives:This is an image with great texture - it makes me want to reach out an touch. For me, the highlight of this image is the sense of some warming sunlight top left - subtle but powerful. I also like the latent mystery the the window blind suggests - closed suggests privacy and thus lived-in but the growth of the vines suggest a degree of dereliction. Interesting.

Critical stuff: I wonder about the centred composition, thinking that more wall to the left of the window may have been even more effective but really only saying that to have something to say in this section ;-)

Overall - a very nice image, high in mystery and well executed too.

ritual
by whiteroom

Comment:
27 ones - madness!

This is excellent.

The Overcoat.
by rooum

Comment:
OK, I'm going through the Free Study submissions, purposefully finding those images I think are shot with a less conventional eye - this is one of those images! Thanks for offering something that isn't just DPC friendly eye-candy (though of course there's nothing wrong with eye-candy). I'll be picking one of these images for the Mu (most underrated) award:

Positives: Oh wow! Instant favourite! This is just such a holistic image - every element is mutually supportive of each other element. The tones, the focus / blur, the vignette, the composition, the subject.... All brilliant.

Critical stuff: Nothing.

Overall: Quite fabulous; this says LevT to me - apologies if I have this wrong.

Down the Rabbit Hole. Or is it up?
by robinegg

Comment:
Beautifully executed.

Birds
by Melethia

Comment:
OK, I'm going through the Free Study submissions, purposefully finding those images I think are shot with a less conventional eye - this is one of those images! Thanks for offering something that isn't just DPC friendly eye-candy (though of course there's nothing wrong with eye-candy). I'll be picking one of these images for the Mu (most underrated) award:

Positives:The overall scene holds together very well and I think the Lensbaby is the right tool for the job. I'm really liking the grain too. Also, I wonder how you got this shot - the timing is either highly fortuitous or you camped out - either way it makes for a great scene.

Critical stuff: There is a lot of blur here and I wonder if a smaller aperture ring might have been a little more effective - but then perhaps that would detract from the overall vision.

Overall: A most compelling image - it gets better and better the longer I look at it.