Growing Up
by timfythetoo

Comment:
Bold portrait - very, very effective.

To the Bright and Shining Sun
by mpeters

Comment:
Goodness me - amazing toning, fabulous stuff. Front page surely!

Urban Innocence
by Covert_Oddity

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 my Mu (most underrated) award:

Positives: What a rich picture - it has a really art-like composition, I feel my eye being led around the image. Each character brings their own special interest to the picture. Given the focus on the young couple, you'd think that the other two characters would be eclipsed but they're not. I really like the environmental framing too.

Critical stuff: Noting at all

Overall: A great image - so much story, it's almost theatre.

Conspiracy
by AlexSaberi

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 my Mu (most underrated) award:

Positives: Wow - what an outstanding image, such clarity, such great use of light, intriguing subjects, full of story, outstanding composition with great use of perspective.

Critical stuff: Nothing at all.

Overall - 10 and a fave, no question - masterful!

In Her Shadow
by Blue Moon

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 my Mu (most underrated) award:

Positives: Great sense of perspective and nice use of the strong light. Interesting composition, especially given the title since the little girl in the shadow is the only person who is fully visible in the frame - I also think the ballon is such an important inclusion in the image.

Critical stuff: The choice of the upper crop point won't be to everyone's taste - me I love it and imagining it with head-tops, I'm convinced it's better like this. I'm perhaps more concerned about the distracting influence of the drain cover at the bottom of the image... but then again it conveys the purposeful impression that you have chosen to centre here - (too) low... lose the heads, get the manhole, quid pro quo.

Overall: A clever image that is well crafted and thought provoking.

63rd St Subway
by supacohen

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 my Mu (most underrated) award:

Positives: There are so many things I like about this image - the perspective, its radial nature, its smooth look, the motion blur, the black and white treatment, the very slightly tone-mapped look (is it? Or is it just curves manipulation?); the placement of the door in the frame; the degree of obliquity of the sign.

Critical stuff: Nothing at all really - it does make me wonder about the colour version - but I trust you that the black and white is better, you've been right about every other choice in the image.

Overall: Great, visually full yet clean image. I hope it does well.

Waiting
by jnenvir

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 my Mu (most underrated) award:

Positives: Great light - well captured; I particularly like the way the periphery of the image fades to darkness in such a subtle way. The image has a real stillness to it too - a strange think to say about a 'still image' but nonetheless that's what it communicates. For me, the highlight of the scene is the window and the height it offers your image.

Critical stuff: It is a very simple image - boldly so and this could be construed as it lacking a little bit of interest by some viewers.

Overall: I really found this image to be a grower, it really does get better the more you look at it - kind of like unwrapping something. Overall, I love the simplicity of the composition and I really love the light.

shakespeare
by oldbimmercoupe

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 my Mu (most underrated) award:

Positives: An interesting image especially in terms subject matter choice - I like the way you've created an impression that your image has a wider aspect ratio than it actually has. I also think you've placed the stage at exactly the right place in the frame. I'm liking the range of textures in the image too.

Critical stuff: Although I like the geometry of the image - I've been looking at it for a while and I have to say it tops out quite quickly, there isn't too much that gets delivered after an initial viewing.

Overall: I like the idea and the precision of your execution but if I'm honest I think this is one of those images that just has a ceiling in terms of interest level.

Out of body experience
by straitedgexx

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 my Mu (most underrated) award:

Positives: Lots to look at here and you have really captured the mood of the moment. This is an image that has a transportive quality - I feel like I am there. I think this is mainly accomplished by your wise choice not trying to augment the lighting through editing. I'm also intrigued by the captured motion - did you flash it?

Critical stuff: I suspect this image isn't going to be that accessible - initial impact is rather low and I think it needs a while spent on it before it can be fully appreciated. I hope that viewers give it that time.

Overall: A very rich image that stands out from the crowd which benefits from a very high level of viewer involvement once it is committed to.

what's left of me
by annah

Comment:
Flat out brilliant.