natural nerves network
by kenbo

Comment:
Veins, not nerves, but intricate and interesting. And nicely photographed.

Chinese Water Torture!
by kosmikkreeper

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

This image successfully conveys the essence of Chinese water torture. The creative choices work well: The light blue color gives the impression of cold and pain a lot more than either normal skin tones or gray would have. The foreboding black background gives an air of malice; about twice as much would have had more impact. Showing the splash is visually more attractive than a drop about to hit and conveys a greater sense of torture. The lighting works well, especially the use of flash to freeze the motion of the water drop. And as you mentioned in your comments, the eye is a necessary reference point so the viewer can tell it's a forehead, although I think cropping the bottom half would have improved the photo. The technical quality is high (including the spot editing).

Overall, this is not an attractive photo, but one that does convey a specific idea very well. (And perhaps it also explains why your profile photo shows you touching your forehead. Does your girlfriend do this to you often?)

Water into Wine
by jaimeegrl

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

You've achieved a nice effect here. The transition from clear to red is perfect, and the frozen drops add impact. The drops on the inside of the glass are a bit distracting, but unavoidable. The composition works well; the space on the left opens up the image, suggesting the libation will be offered to someone after it is poured. The glare on the left of the glass is near the edge so helps define the contour without getting in the way. The glare on the right isn't quite so useful; a small specular highlight (like the one to the left of the water stream) would have been preferable. But overall a great photo.

Goldfish
by dr rick

Comment:
Thanks to all who left comments. One thing I like about this photo is the way the top of the fish blends into the background and seems flat but the bottom is distinctly three-dimensional. And centering the fish seems to accentuate the effect. But it's nice to know how it is perceived by others, so I really appreciate the comments.

Old - but still in shape
by Kaja Lund

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

This photo nicely captures the classic shape and colors of this lovely instrument. The plain white background with nothing besides the violin (not even a bow) works well; that's somewhat surprising to me, but I can't deny that I like it. The vertical format and position of the violin in the photo are perfect. The focus is great, but soft; normally softness would befit such an elegant subject, but I think the extreme white background calls for a sharper subject. The lighting is pretty good, but there is some glare. I don't mind the glare on the face of the instrument; it highlights the contour and conveys the shiny texture. But the glare on the neck distorts the shape and makes parts of two strings invisible.

Autumn Shapes
by KING

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

This is a delightful image, well suited to the Shapes challenge but also interesting on its own. Great tones and colors. Each mushroom has its own unique character, which is well captured here. The leaves among the mushrooms add variety and texture, although I agree with the several other comments that the out-of-focus foreground is distracting. The mushrooms in the background add depth and continuity; keeping them out of focus emphasizes their distance and prevents them from competing with the subjects. But I think the depth of field is just a little too narrow; I'd have liked to see the pair of mushrooms to the left of center near the top in focus, as well as the small one towards the right.

Crystal Clear
by larimarie

Comment:
The falling water makes a fascinating texture when it hits the water in the dish. It shows up well both in the dish itself and, with a very different quality, in the dark reflection. I think it would have been better in a vertical format.

Personal Paradise
by tfaust

Comment:
I don't like the border, but the image is beautiful. The long exposure gives the water an ethereal, glowing quality.

River Reflections
by Spanish_Grease

Comment:
The warm colors of the sky, reflected in the water, stand in stark contrast to the cold, colorless land. Beautiful.

Old Limestone Lock
by vonautsch

Comment:
The aging but solid walls contrast nicely with the fresh flowing water.