Peek-A-Boo!
by Arcy

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

That's certainly a cute subject (and puppies don't hold still, so I certainly believe it was a tough shot). This type of photo usually works best in a vertical format, but I do think horizontal was the right choice here. It helps to balance the energy that exudes from the subject. The bokeh is good here, and complements the subject well. Focus seems just a bit off, but I can't tell if the focus is just in the wrong spot (subject moved after focus lock but before shutter activation), the depth of field is too shallow, or it's caused by the subtle compression artifacts. Sharpening helps a little, but also brings out the jpeg artifacts.

Heliconia
by Node

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

The bright light here makes a challenging scene for photography, with a very wide dynamic range. But the exposure and postprocessing has risen to the challenge and portrayed it very well. A polarizer might have helped avoid the glare that appears in a couple of spots, but a shade to block the bright direct light, leaving the subject illuminated by indirect light would have probably been even better.

The bokeh is very nice, except for the burned out area at the top left, which I find distracting. A closer crop would both eliminate that and strengthen the overall composition by focusing attention on the flower. Focus and color are great, as is the shooting angle.

December Coneflower
by riley

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

Snow always makes photography tricky. In the background, it fools the lightmeter into underexposing the subject. As a subject, like this photo, it tends to be overexposed since it is so much brighter than the background. Unfortunately, once a camera sensor pixel is "burned out", detail is lost; no amount of postprocessing can bring it back. That's why the top of the "flower" is lacking the rich texture visible in the bottom part.

That technical problem aside, this is a great subject. A vertical format may have worked better, but the point of view is perfect, as is the depth of field. I don't know how many people "got it", but I find the photo both humorous and beautiful.

Betty - The Sunset in Her Eyes
by nsbca7

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

Overall this is a great shot. It shows something of the character of the subject, as a good portrait should. The sunset lighting really brings out her color. Focus is perfect, although a little soft in my opinion (but I'm big on textures, and probably overdo Unsharp Mask much of the time!). The color and bokeh in the background nicely complement Betty, although the bright area above her head is a bit distracting. The photo is slightly overexposed, but just in the red channel and mostly in the background, so it isn't a problem here; the red color cast works well in this photo. As mentioned by others, a tighter crop would help this photo; consider turning the camera sideways the next time you make a portrait of her.

To see the Simple Things
by scrum8

Comment:
Seeing is what photography is all about, and this is a good example. The leaf is interesting and its contrasting setting here works well.

Eat less...
by _wu_

Comment:
The elements are nicely arranged, but the lighting isn't very effective. The photo lacks depth, and the shadows are unrealistic.

to smile
by sigrun_th

Comment:
A common snapshot. Not very interesting unless you know the subjects.

Walk Him Every Day
by Konador

Comment:
Nice portrait. Sharp where it needs to be. Effective composition. Good job.

Have you walked him today?

To Get In Shape
by longlivenyhc

Comment:
The shallow DOF makes the point of view work here.

Resolve... Again (smoke gets in your eyes)
by kevrobertson

Comment:
Nice setup and composition, although the seam is distracting. Better lighting is needed to avoid the bright spots.