Reynisdrangar Cliffs
by otto22

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

First things first ... CONGRATS on adding another blue ribbon to your beautiful portfolio. :)

Next, the challenge requirements are definitely met here with the 246 secs. The clarity you achieved with the extended exposure is beautiful. I love the details of the rocks and how they are balanced by the smoothness of that wonderful fog. The reds and yellows in the sky bring warmth to the coolness of the water and reinforce the balance I see/feel when looking at your scene.

I'm afraid I can't evaluate the processing from a technical perspective (still learning on that front) but you've wonderfully captured textures and shadows throughout. The giant pillared rocks in the distance are incredible. If I stare long enough I start to see a winding external staircase up to a castle tower (largest) or the claw of a monstrous sea creature (far left). I can't find a thing to complain about. It just feels magical to me. Thank you for creating this masterpiece for us.

Ergonomic
by RulerZigzag

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

Challenge: Definitely a "winged thing" so a very fitting entry for the challenge.

Comments: In your description you self identify over exposure and lost clarity. Clarity is often difficult with flight shots and it's gained by sacrificing motion. As mentioned in other comments, I really like the blur that highlights the speed and softens the water into a soft green background. The motion is a plus for me too in this shot. The head and eye are fairly clear and this grounds the picture. The blur at the wing tip emphasizes movement. What I really like is the inclusion of the shadow where you can see a clear outline of the bird. The shadow also offsets what might otherwise have been just a centered pic of a bird by adding depth and interest.

You make me want to grab my camera and hang out at the lake watching for winged things.

Flock on, flock off
by jomari

Comment:
Love the blue-purple skies and all the little blips of the flock on the stems. I bet they made pretty noises too. My favorite in this challenge.

Ervik Church
by josaa

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

Challenge: certainly a fit for a churches challenge. I like the extra details up on the hill that show more of the church's grounds.

Composition/Details/Etc: very straightforward composition with the path creating a leading line to the church. Nice details in the greenery on both sides and I love the layers created by grass, mountains, fence and clouds. I'm torn by the centered positioning of the church ... A slight offset may have helped, as the lack of details on the wall shown creates a dominate but not overly interesting highlight. I wonder if it was windy as there is movement to the grasses too. It's not too bad but makes for less crispness to the details. Either way I like that you captured so many shades of the yellows and greens. Overcast days are wonderful for making these colors pop.

Overall: It's quite beautiful. Thanks for the link to more details.

Penne All' Arrabbiata
by docjonny

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

Challenge: Definitely a fit for a recipe challenge. (Thanks for the recipe!) But where are the salami chunks in the picture?:(

Composition: it's a bit of an abstract as there really isn't a focal point to draw the eye. It makes a nice pattern and the pasta definitely looks moist. But the highlights of the liquid are a little blown out. I like the bits of basil that give some green pop/balance to the tomato/orange. Adding a piece or garlic toast or a clump of the salami might have created a balance to the pattern.

I agree with the comment provided previously though ... It does look tasty! Food pictures are hard so definitely kudos deserved for making us hungry.

DSC_9426aDPC
by ciaeagle

Comment:
Oops. Lesson learned ... No literal last minute submissions. No time to change the title or see the pick sit on screen before committing. I still like the clouds though. Always nice to see dark clouds amid blue skies.

My world blew up, so I went home
by snaffles

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

Challenge - What do we do when our hobbies are denied us? Not sure how I feel about "going home" but I like that you were able to check off the bucket list of making the world blow up. (Without harming the rest of us.) A good use of time IMHO and a solid entry for "When DPC Breaks".

Earth: Love the molten lava reds and intense yellows. The colors are vivid and striking without overwhelming me. I'm not really sure what the text on the globe says or represents though. Some of it is readable and some not, which makes it hard to figure out as part of the picture's story. If you get another chance to explode third rock ... you might try varying the explosion layers. Things don't tend to explode uniformly and your red/orange rays seem more like sunlight than explosion. Where's the smoke and dark spots?

Barbie/Car: The idea is novel and fun. I like it! The melty warp to the car is odd in that if the car was designed to "go home" hopefully it wouldn't melt. But given the heat of the explosion ... meh I'm sold. :) Although a case could be made for the front half of the car to be "ok" and the rear to be melty. A perspective thing I guess. Details on Barbie's face are clear and she's smiling so it can't be all bad.

I hope Ken escaped...

Dreams of a caterpillar
by Darkpixel

Comment:
Beautiful dream-like quality (colors and DoF) but I'm not feeling the "tilt".

The Tetons and the Snake River 2.0
by wackybit

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

Please, please don't thank me for looking at such a magical capture. It is my pleasure! The colors are astonishing and your patience and adaptability certainly paid off in a big way.

Such lush greenery, accented by the river that draws the eye to the horizon and those beautiful stars. I'm torn on the 'hotspot homestead' though. On one hand I'm totally jealous that people get to live/visit this place. On the other I'd prefer not to see proof of humanity in the pic. It's a minor nit but I had to find something to pick on... Thank you for sharing how you accomplished this epic feat of bringing fairy tales to life in pixels. Awe inspiring and a great selection for a free study entry.

Waiting Out the Storm
by asij

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!
What a beautiful image! It's a free study so the picture is a 100% fit for the challenge. The background is purple which makes it extra special for me and I love that you talked the lightning into spreading nicely across the horizon. Looks like there might be a bit of a vignette ... Nice touch. The ripples across the see are smooth and detailed providing a nice contrast to the bright and jarring lightning streaks. Angry clouds also balance the calm of the water. Great details/textures in both. The reflection of light on the water is gorgeous and adds depth. The cormorants add a wonderfully unexpected touch to a storm picture. I thought birds would hide in the face of the storm but these were enjoying the show as much as you were.

I wish I could offer some advice but I simply love it and am drawing a blank for suggestions. Congrats again on the HM. I'm glad you stopped to watch the storm. I'm jealous. :)