Happy Birthday!
by WILDBLUE

Comment:
Awwwwwwwwwwww! How cute is he/she? A wonderful surprise for anyone! The shot isn't bad overall but the dog is over lit against the black background. Maybe a more direct, head on shot with a softer light? A 6

The Ring
by TooCool

Comment:
This is a wonderful idea for the challenge and the best kind of surprise. The lighting on this shot seems a bit harsh, a little toning down would really make this shot work. The wall paper is very distracting, a different setting possibly? A 6

Suddenly, a bad hair day
by jmritz

Comment:
It that's a real bird, that is amazing! Looks like it was a bit windy that day and I like the clarity of the shot bu there is something that seems a bit off to me. I'm not sure if it's the bird or what. It just doesn't seem to fit. And the two different colors of hair, one is a darker blonde underneath while the top is a lighter grey, makes me wonder if it's a wig. The cropping could also be a little tighter on the top. A a6

He Heard It Straight From The Horse's Mouth
by Shannon

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

Hi! I loved this shot during the challenge but then I'm a big horse fan!

This was a good shot overall but a couple of things jumped out at me right away when looking at it. The horse's ears were cut off at the top of the shot and the light across the top was a bit blown out. I like the expression in the horse's eyes, it's almost as if he's saying, "Have I got a secret for you!" and the bemused look on the man's face is perfect. The cropping is a bit loose on the right side to me, and the black in the lower left corner is distracting, maybe a different crop, longer top to bottom so you just have the horse's head and top part of the neck and the the man, with the crop on the outside of his arm?

The border also seems just a bit thick for this shot. I like the border, it plays off the white of the horse very well but maybe just a tad thinner?

The colors are sharp, crisp and clear and big plus in my book, especially on a shot like this and it looks like it was a cloudy day so that makes it even harder sometimes to get that good light but with the exception of the blow out across the top, the lighting is close to perfect for this shot.

I just placed my hands on the screen, blocking off the bottom fence and the left side just to get an idea and it came out pretty well. If you do decide to recrop this I would really like to see it.

Hope this was helpful.

Good Luck In Future Challenges!

Deannda
DNeufer@stny.rr.com if you have any questions or want to discuss this further!

Surprise bath camera
by KevinRiggs

Comment:
Awwwwwwwwww, how cute! She looks a little shocked that her picutre is being taken, that's for sure but not too much so. Bet you have that camera out all the time, LOL

This is a great shot, the cropping on the top is a bit tight for me, would have loved to seen the whole head of hair. An 8

You Expected A Bluebird Maybe?
by GolferDDS

Comment:
What a cutie! Nice shot overall, not sure about the surprise part unless you were really close and he popped out at you! The cropping is well done, the lighting is good for this one, the birdhouse in the shadow with the dappled sunlight in the background. The DOF is also very well done. An 8

Bust a Move
by crabappl3

Comment:
I love this shot! So candid, so real, so FUN! They look like they had a lot of fun and I sure hope you didnt have to have them dress up just for this! ;)

The shot is well done, nicely cropped and the expression on the bride's face is priceless. I started this at an 8 but am going to a 9

It's not always what you expect
by Bela45

Comment:
Took me a second to figure out you had placed an apple in there. The green blended in so well with the inside of the orange. A red apple would have really made this stand out and the light coming in is well done but there is just a tad bit of flare on the top of the orange there. A more solid background and a red apple would have gotten you a 10, as is an 8

This One's For You, Sis
by EddyG

Comment:
A good idea, reminds me of a time we threw a can of soda around until it exploded, literally, LOL!

The pop dripping and coming over the hand is a good capture overall but if it had been spraying and you could see the person's face, this would be a 10 or darn close. The lighting is a bit harsh to me, too bright and the colors seem off just a bit. An 8

Unexpected Birthday Surprise
by Coley

Comment:
HAHAH! that happened to me! FOr real! :) Great shot, an 8