Swimming is so Relaxing!
by wwjdwithca

Comment:
Yes it is and the person who is in the pool is in for a bit of a shock but to me they are already preparing for the splash with the closed, scrunched eyes. This is a decent stop action shot and the look of "YEAHAW!" on his face is very well done. The cropping could be a bit tighter on the sides, taking out the distracting signs and the bright sun in the upper left. A 5

Around the Corner
by fdpiech

Comment:
I see what you are going for here, the element of surprise is on the wood many while the wood woman comes along without a care in the world. And while this may work in real life, in wood life the set up is there but knowing that the execution of the prank will never truly be pulled off hurts the shot to me. The shot also seems a bit dark and there are light flares on the dolls themselves.

Perhaps if you could get someone to help you pull this on someone else and you could shot it from set up to the end result? A 5

Have I Got a Surprise for You!
by StevePax

Comment:
Oh, what could it be? I think I understand what you are going for here but it doesn't really convey surprise or anticipation to me. It's a light in a wood man's hands and it's really kind of boring overall. The focus is really wanting in this shot, the noise is a bit much also. A 5

can´t believe
by claudiadf

Comment:
There is a look of surprise here, no doubt but the fingers hurt this shot to me, it's almost as if they are trying to pull the eyes down to help create the shot when I'm betting it was supposed to be a hand clapped over the mouth?

The lighting is a bit harsh overall on this shot and the dark shadows under the eyes is distracting. The focus is also a bit wanting. Started with a 4 but will go to a 5

Cats Are Better Than Dogs: From a Cat's Eye View
by amateurboi

Comment:
Hello from the Critique Club!

What a cutie to start with, I'm a cat lover myself. The expression on his face fits very will with the title, it's the same expression all my cats have, "You are here to serve me." :)

That said, let's talk about the shot. Thanks for the detailed comments, gives me an idea what you have done already. When you say you cropped it a little bit, did that include cropping off the tips of the ears? I think this might have worked better if one as more on a corner of the shot and leading you in and out of the shot. Or better yet if they hadn't been cropped off at all. The lighting is a bit dull to me personally, just a tad more contrast to make the pop a little more?

I do like the way the one paw is leading you in and out of the lower right corner. Very nice.

The border seems a tad heavy for this shot to me, maybe if it was just a little smaller, not so thick? I like the colors used, a good contrast and balance to the shot itself.

Again, a beautiful cat and and a lovely shot overall. Hope these comments help!


Good Luck In Future Challenges!

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

Last Bloom of Summer
by muckpond

Comment:
Not quite sure I get the surprise element here, is this supposed to be a child bringing the flower in to surprise Mommy? Or the fact that there is still one last flower this late in the year? Either way the idea is good but the exacution is lacking. If it was for Mommy, I would have like to seen her face convey the surprise. If it was the late bloomer idea, the flower in snow or bitter weather conditions would have really pulled this off. The shot is also wanting, the lighting is a bit dull, it needs more contrast to make the shot pop. THe color is there for the flower but the hands seem very dull in comparision. A 4

Can of worms
by kiwiness

Comment:
Hey! When you get tired of winning all those ribbons you can just send your camera to me! ;) Congrats, an excellent shot!

Don't Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch
by Spanish_Grease

Comment:
A good idea, numbering the eggs was a very nice touch. The clarity on this is just off and I think having them in a nest of sorts would have been better to me, or even in an incubation type box as if you might really be trying to hatch them.. The lighting is well done, the shadows add a nice touch. Started with a 5, going to a 6

Burning the Candle at Both Ends
by Emeraulde

Comment:
Excellent idea and probably fun to do. It's so hard shooting light and ot getting glares where the flame is, I"m still working on that. The grain detracts from this shot for me, a bit more smooth and a bit more focus, clarity would really make this shot pop. Also if you could somehow have the candle suspended instead of laying down, perhaps have a nail through the middle in the back so it's away from the table, have the wax dripping down instead of pooling. A 5

Surround Sound
by Antithesis

Comment:
It took me a second of looking to see that this is a tower of stained glass? Very interesting, it does convey a sense of sound that you might be able to see if it was visiable but the angle of the shot throws me off a bit. The center part looks distorted for some reason, maybe if you turned around and had the glass as the central focus with the stairwell as the backdrop? A 5