Jump Kick
by stupidcat

Comment:
The composition is daring: centered vertically with elbow and toes so close to the edge of the frame. But it's nicely balanced and I think it works well. Not quite in focus though.

Pit-Stop
by spitz66

Comment:
Not a bad portrait of this car, but there is no action; nothing to imply it was moving when the photo was taken.

Pelicans Two
by biggood53

Comment:
You've made the best of the harsh lighting. Great composition.

At Play
by katlyn

Comment:
The texture of the carpet is nicely captured, but I find it distracting. Also, a vertical format capturing more of the black and white dog might have been more effective.

Gulf Fritillary in the Late Afternoon
by dipaulk

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

This photo has a nice airy feeling, very appropriate for the subject. Color rendition is superb, and the bokeh (quality of the out-of-focus background) is great. The insect is captured in a great pose, with the nearby stalks adding context and interest without distracting from the subject. But the stalks near the top of the photo with the bright light compete for the viewer's attention; cropping them out would focus attention better on the butterfly.

The butterfly looks in focus, yet is lacking in sharpness. I think the cause is jpeg artifacts, which are prevalent. A higher quality setting would have eliminated most of them and probably improved the overall clarity. But even with this minor flaw, the photo is very pleasing and beautiful.

To keep us happy
by yael27

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

The subject is certainly appropriate for the challenge, but this interpretation isn't very compelling. A vertical format would have worked better, not only having the entire figure included but allowing a more dynamic composition. An organic element such as a real plant would add interest as well. But the photo would benefit the most from more interesting lighting. Having the key light more to the side would better bring out the three dimensional form.

...Some day my prince will come...
by doctornick

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

A great portrait! The model is beautiful and hope shines from her face. The lighting is perfect, with just enough soft shadow to define the graceful form of her face and providing nice glints in her eyes. Focus is nicely soft but the DOF is too narrow; an aperture one step smaller (f/4) would have put the whole subject in focus while still keeping the background unobtrusively blurry. But that's minor; it's a great photo as it is.

Wood Elf
by kosmikkreeper

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

It looks like you snuck into Fairy Tale Land and took a candid shot of one of its inhabitants. The vignetting puts the focus of attention on the subject where it belongs while allowing the setting to provide useful context without unwanted distraction. It's a lot more effective than cropping would have been. The softness and saturated colors create the desired ethereal effect, although I personally think both are just a bit overdone. Overall, a wonderful photo, but you already knew that!

Secret Garden
by mrorange002

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

A great photo, well deserving of a ribbon! The overall light tone fits the subject well, giving the desired fairy tale feeling. Focus is perfect and the shallow DOF adds depth and, combined with the large leaf, gives the impression of a macro shot of a small fairy. Very effective! Colors are perfect, as is the wonderfully impish expression.

Since you requested a critique, I'll point out the only problem I see, and it is very minor, not detracting from the overall image. The glare on the lips and, to a lesser extent, the nose is a bit bright. Discreet application of the Burn tool could tone it down to better match the rest of the image.

Periwinkle
by librodo

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

A beautiful portrait that shows off your signature ability to capture the souls of children. The model has a great pose and expression, and I like the hair covering half her face. The side of her nose is perhaps a bit bright; I find the contrast with the shadows a bit distracting. The photo is otherwise well-exposed. Her shoulder is even brighter, but that works well, giving the photo an overall light fairy tale look. Great photo!