Focus On Happiness
by labuds

Comment:
Cool idea to reverse the background.

The right note
by rhipster

Comment:
I hope this isn't a subtle commentary on the challenge topic ....

Jinxed
by orussell

Comment:
I was just looking for my Scabble set a few minutes ago ... I'd have used the horizontal word (diner) in the title to reinforce in the voters' minds the shallowness of focus. I just hope I don't jinx your entry!

a corking idea!
by MikeO

Comment:
How you must have suffered in assembling your composition.

Behind the Eight Ball...
by txphotogirl

Comment:
To complete the analogy, and emphasize the sharpness/focus on the 8-ball, I'd put just a bit of the cue-ball in the (left?) foreground, out of focus.

KooKooKoKaKaKaKaKa - Kookaburra
by mrblobby

Comment:
I find the transition from bird to background to be a little too sharp, and makes it look almost artificial. The difference in the focus (feathers vs. background) is enough to make it pop out for me. I like the technique of the subject breaking into the frame, but I'm not completely sure I actually like that and the tilting here. But given that's the look you wanted, it's well-done!

Jade Plant
by Cam

Comment:
I always thought it odd that they bloom in Winter.

On the Throne
by BigSmiles

Comment:
Egg looks a little oversharpened on the top-right, but otherwise I like the exposure and idea -- I think a lot of shallow DOF compositions are horizontal, not vertical.

A Square Jaw
by GeneralE

Comment:

Originally posted by leaf: I like the tone and mood of this image. It makes me think and wonder. It is a very dark image, and i know it is meant to be... perhaps i would say it was well exposed, i guess you don't have a bright light source.. and it looks like on the boy's chin the red is almost blasting out,... so perhaps it is fine... I think the cropping of the image was done well. Perhaps The picture is too contrasty. Perhaps somelight should be given to the entire image... and let it still be dark, but not SO dark. an image can be low key with good detail. This makes an image more interesting generally than an image that is too dark to see anything. overall, good, just play with the lighting a bit more. -from the critique club- and remember, these are just my thoughts.

Thank you, and all the commenters. I knew the degree of darkness would be a problem for some people (even to see), but I really wanted it dark for a variety of reasons, including that a lot of people would recognize my model if I showed any more.

My light source was quite faint -- I'm actually surprised I got any kind of decent image out of my P+S camera. I "punched up" the swirly lights a little, but the rest is a pretty straight photo. I meant to post a photo of the set-up (with the lights on) but forgot -- I'll try and do that this weekend.

Message edited by author 2004-02-11 21:26:25.

My Wife & I Fit Together Quite Well, Thank You.
by drgsoell

Comment:
You must get some strangelooks when you have to show a photo-ID.