Floyd and Alice
by PhilipDyer

Comment:
Oh! Now there's an image that could stand a LOT of photoshopping.
;>)

CNY-Parade_P2070043=640.jpg
by GeneralE

Comment:
Great dragon! Good looking parade.

Alice

The Sharp Edges of Winter
by chris_clarry

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

YOur first Challenge! And you did well with it. Great.

YOu have a good image that met the Challenge nicely and was well received by our voters. The delicacy of your subject matter was appreciated by the viewers and your placement in the frame of the dominant dried flower worked well. As a matter of choice, you might try taking a similar shot with varying degrees of DOF in the frame. One flower might be very crisp, one medium crisp, and more really soft focus. When the viewer moves from one degree of focus to another it gives him/her something more to look at and keeps him/her in the frame longer. Sometimes a good way to get a better score.

When you check the "Critique Box" on your submission, it's always a good idea to be sure to include your settings and to also include a brief comment in the Photographer's Comments box. This helps a future critiquer to give you a more precise comment on your work.

Meanwhile, I'll just conclude this one by saying again, "Welcome to DPC". I'll look forward to seeing more of your work.

Alice

Hard-Core Princess
by CreativeFlyPhoto

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

First, I must tell you that I really enjoyed your "Fantasy Abstract" flower in the Fantasy Challenge. A very special image and a joy to admire.

But, now to the image at hand, your Hard-Core Princess. Well, you certainly met the Challenge but your image didn't score very well. Usually, this is where I would tell you what I think would make your image "better" and we'd go from there. This simply doesn't work in this case. The blue/brick background is perfectly placed, the singer is well situated in the frame - oh,maybe the cut-off head could trouble some - your colors are excellent for the lighting, and on we go. I don't know your settings data, but usually we need to know that where there is room for improvement. This is exposed (IMO) just fine.

So, about all I can do is encourage you to keep the original work coming. Sometimes your work will place high, and sometimes the voters just won't get it. But there are some of us who really appreciate good and original work, so do it for us. Okay?

As an aside: Oddly enough, in my critiquing, I've come across about 3-4 images in succession that have been somewhat unconventional, and I've given all about the same 'advice'. We have such good artists on this site.

One Half of the Story
by sarrobi

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

Anyone who does a Tribute to Imogen Cunningham is my kind of photographer. That was a lovely tribute.

Okay, now to the matter at hand. I think your technical excellence paid off for you in this shot. It is perfectly exposed and nicely interpreted. And you scored well.

Nevertheless, I'm going to suggest that your composition, taking up almost exactly half of the frame seemed to be done 'on purpose' to fullfill the Challenge requirements. (Not that you did it that way, just that it looks that way.) And then the vertical piece that holds the balance in place. (boy, am I being picky here) I wonder if just a touch more of it at the top showing would help balance the composition just a little better.

Okay, that's all I'm going to critique on what really is a very nice image and one that I enjoyed looking at. Feel free to PM me if I am completely 'all wet' and you want to set me straight.
;>)

Best regards, Alice

120
by ajschel

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

Well, in this image you put the top of the arrow off center and you also accomplished limited depth of field.

Unfortunately, while you certainly met the Challenge, the voters didn't score your effort very well. I wonder if it was because the depth of field was so shallow. The viewer had to work a little to find those sharp arrow tops and when that happens...the score suffers. Then too, once the Challenge was met, I'm not sure a viewer would find much of interest to keep him/her in the frame, so that may have played a role as well.

But you have some fine work in your portfolio including your nice tree pic just a week or so ago. (Congratulations on your ribbon, by the way)

I'll look forward to seeing more of your work on DPC.

Red is the colour
by Bethra

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

What an interesting image to get a chance to critique. Thank you!

I remember this from the Challenge and was struck by the uniqueness of it at that time. While you don't list your settings and I'd love to know what your thoughts were when you composed this image, I'll just go without that information and try some guesswork. The gorgeous waterfall and the long hair on the girl have a nice flow and complementary angle to them. I like the black n white although I'd like to see a bit more contrast in those rocks. Of course you want the viewer to focus on the girl's hair, and one does that almost to the exclusion of anything else since it is so bright and unusually colored. Unfortunately and perhaps accounting for your somewhat modest score, I think the voters may have felt her hair was a bit too overpowering in the frame.

I love to see original work, and this is original. So keep the good stuff coming while perhaps brushing up on your technical skills. And enjoy your future challenges at DPC.

Alice

Lemon Drop
by Rikki

Comment:
Well, you did it again, Rikki! Congratulations.

Wow, you created and then photographed fractals. Please give us more of the details on this one.

Alice

sea breeze
by AzCKelly

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

Oh, wouldn't you know it! I've received an image from a new recruit to the Critique Club to evaluate. Well, don't let the results of this critique dissuade you from joining...

Okay, I'm with GertaGrice on this one. I looked hard at this nicely exposed, pleasant image for a focal point. The bird, the temple, the condo, the beach. All are interesting, none are really strong. (I don't care about the debris on the beach; it's a beach, what do people want, have it raked?)

Anyhow, that temple is intriguing. I'd love to see more of it. Can you see the beach and ocean from it? The Condos have interesting shadows right now from the direction of the light. Could they be incorporated into a pleasing composition?

Okay, you get the idea. You scored well on the beautiful scene you presented. You might score really high by selecting a focal point within this scene and emphasizing it.

I wish you continued success in your DPC experience.

Alice.

Saluting the Flag
by Goofy0319

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

Congratulations on getting through your first Challenge.

Now, to the matter at hand. You asked for a Critique on your image, which is quite nicely composed in the frame and crisp where it needs to be, at the flag. (Just as a matter of interest, you might look at this image after cropping out a bit behind the statue to take the activity away from the center of the frame.) As far as subject matter goes, some of our DPC viewers are not fond of pictures of statues, and perhaps this affected your score negatively.

Then, in Advanced Editing Challenges, it's nice to have the extra tools that are allowed, including burning and dodging to, for example, add some interest to that sky.

Nevertheless, for your first entry, it's a good one. And I look forward to seeing lots more of your work in future Challenges.