Broken Dream
by Magnumphotography

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, this is a compelling image, bags of story and a really unusual POV. It is both flat and demonstrated perspective at the same time.... interesting. The muted colours work really well too.

Critical stuff: This should be a really powerful image - it is compelling but I'm not moved by it, I don't know why. On the face of it, it hits all the marks but there just seems to be something lacking with it. I don't know what it is - but I've a suspicion that it might be one of those images that needs to be seen big to be appreciated; 720px doesn't offer you that opportunity.

Overall: 10/10 for effort but the final image, for me, comes in a bit short of that score.

[edited for missing words and tired grammar!]

Santa's Secret Summer Vacation
by bspurgeon

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: Certainly not something you see everyday! I actually think this is a seriously good image and I dare say that it 'out-qualitys' the title. The main character offers loads of charisma to this shot and the perspective /POV works so well with the dramatic sky.

Critical stuff: The non-horizontal horizon behind him bugs me a little, but other than that.....

Overall: A really great image - I hope it does well!

Life and death in the garden
by trevytrev

Comment:
Great macro - superbly executed (no pun intended!)

"Gateway"
by Joker1114

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: Good use of HDR / tone mapping and brilliant perspective / POV - you had made the doors look towering. I love the vibrancy of the the red too and the golden hue of the surrounding stone.

Critical stuff: Not much really - I would perhaps have liked to have seen a bit more latitude but I can see why you wanted to keep this aspect ration.

Overall: A very effective image.

Summer's end
by snaffles

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: Picked this up on my second pass through for long comments - I think it is suitably unconventional to be included in this comment series. First - perfect technicals - great stuff. Subject-wise, this just gets better the more you look at it; the in-step position of the boys is fantastic. I do fear for them a little though - the under-surface rocks look treacherous. I really enjoy the red bridge and how your DOF effortlessly includes it. That makes me think. Very high DOF, small aperture but a shutter quick enough to really freeze the movement, no high ISO betraying noise either. You must have had bags of light on that day.

Critical stuff: Nothing at all.

Overall: A very good image that gets better and better the more you look at it.

Generation Gap's
by Tlee05

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: If this isn't candid, then she needs an Oscar and you need a magician's hat! This looks like it was taken 30 years ago - has an utterly authentic feel to it. The lighting and the colours are just so right. WHat a great expression too.

Critical stuff: In-your-face image that you either like or hate. Very brave, but I certainly wouldn't have it on my wall.

Overall: A very competent and compelling portrait.

Environmental Solution Or Scourge Of The Roads?
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: Great use of motion blur - there really is loads of it, I image you must've been travelling along with the bike to get it so pronounced. I really like the high contrast too. Technically and artistically, this is really compelling stuff.

Critical stuff: I imagine editing this shot may have been a challenge, the very high contrast makes the image look a little blocky which makes me think you are hiding a degree of unsharpness that other edits couldn't mask. Having said that - all credit to you for choosing an edit that worked.

Overall: A very, very well executed image.

Where am I???
by slkrrkitkt

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: Thanks for offering this - I get the impression that this is the sort of corner of the world that people just walk through without really noticing, so thanks for reminding us to open our eyes and look. In that regard the title is perfect!

Critical stuff: Pretty much a reflection of what I said above... this is an ordinary scene and perhaps the low perceived intrinsic interest level will have voters walking by as they would in real life.

Overall: I appreciate the sentiment of capturing a simple space but in the final analysis, I'm not sure if that is enough.

Night Shot
by ineedauniquename

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: I like this - bold colours, bold angle, bold cropping - altogether an uncompromising vision. The image communicates such intent that we view it on its terms not our - that sounds like the ramblings of a pretentious idiot but that is how the image feels to me.

Critical stuff: I'd perhaps have been tempted to push the saturation of the green up but I do have a bad habit of over editing.

Overall: A powerful image, well seen and executed.

Top Shelf
by RKT

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: Another slice of life image but this time with a distinctly voyeuristic vibe going on. I feel like I am peeking around a corner - trying to remain hidden. I really like your high contrast treatment, I think it works well with the image. The window reflection is a particular highlight too.

Critical stuff: Nothing really.

Overall: An interesting street shot which has been very sympathetically edited.