DiscoMushroom11
by labuds

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

How nice to have the chance to critique two of your images in less than 7 days. This certainly does meet the challenge nicely and your commentors were unstinting in their praise.

Oddly enough, if it was mine, I'd probably have tried to make all the stems tack-sharp and perhaps varied the lighting even more to give a stronger impression of 'disco' lighting.

However, you and the voters knew best as you certainly scored well with this interpretation.

I wish you continued success in DP Challenges.

stare_at_the_sun
by LevT

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

Lots of people like to stare at the sun, and you did a masterful job of depicting this Username.

Excellent use of lighting to capture those grasses in the foreground which give the viewer a nice reference on the way back to the hills, sun and gorgeous sky.

It's a classic example of good photography and the voters rewarded you with a nice score.

I can only wish you continued success in DPC and look forward to seeing more of your work.

Stare_at_the_sun
by Givemeashot

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

Congratulations. You got through your first DP Challenge. Always the hardest. And the person whose Username you chose liked your interpretation. A big plus. And it's an interesting collage.

However, your image didn't score very well. So I have a few suggestions that you might think about.

First, the piece of paper with the red printing on it is really blurred and it takes up a great deal of the front of your image. Viewers tend not to like having to work hard to get at the center of interest, so I'd suggest reducing the amount of space that the paper takes up.

Then, when printing is involved, people always try to read it, so it's important to make the most important bits tack-sharp. While I assume you used a tripod, perhaps some bracketing could bring out the sharpness in the text.

Finally, while you made the musical point well, the composition is, perhaps, just a touch busy and doesn't have a strong focal point of interest. Perhaps if the number of items being presented were reduced the composition would be more interesting to the viewer.

Still, it's a good interpretation and it looks as if you had fun pulling it all together.

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

Icerock
by json

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

I'm pleased to have the chance to look at this image again. The delicate pink color of the stone embedded in the ice makes for a sophisticated interpretation of the Challenge. It's nicely photographed and the reflection is right on.

Because you only received middle-ground marks from our voters I looked long and hard at this image to see what could be done to pep it up. I wonder how it would be received if the pink stone was stuck in a jagged piece of craggy ice. (and I know you've got plenty of that where you live) The cube of ice you have looks a bit structured, and well, perhaps uninteresting. Our people are always looking for that "Wow" factor.

Anyhow, it's a thought. Looks as if you are enjoying DPC and I'll look forward to seeing more of your work.

japanwindow
by librodo

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

Hello. You have a lovely image here and have been richly rewarded by our voters.

There is little I can tell you on how to "improve" this image, so with thanks for the opportunity to view it once again, I shall move on to the next image in the Critique Club queue.

dragonfly
by owen

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

What a beautiful insect. You were richly rewarded, and rightly so, by our voters for this splendid image. The defined gossimer wing formation and the strong coloration make this a delight to examine.

Yes, one of your commentors thought the background/leaf area was a little 'hot' and in a perfect world, that would have been correctible. Maybe a touch of curves? Who knows.

I wish you continued success in DPC and look forward to seeing more of your work.

Pigeon
by cobra2005

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

You have a nice image that does fit the Shallow DOF Challenge quite well. To have a shallow depth of field, it's important to also have a portion of the image that is tack-sharp. While this bird comes close, the feathers could stand to be lots sharper.

Now, the bird seems to be sitting quietly, so, given that circumstance, you might consider varying your composition a bit. The rather static arrangement you have now with the bird in the center really lacks interest for the viewer. If you had him head-on, for example, and perhaps on a diagonal, the composition would be more exciting.

Finally, the blurred background - and foreground - do meet Challenge requirements, but are just a little boring. A more interesting blurred background would make this composition really pop.

I understand that you can't do that with 'this' bird, but go bother some more pigeons and see what you can come up with. I'll bet you have a good time!

I wish you the best of luck in DPChallenge and look forward to seeing more of your work.

Xanthophobia - The fear of the colour yellow
by chrisymurph

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

Hmmm, I started this critique, hit the wrong button, and my message went away! Okay, I'll start again.

You had a good concept here, but I'm afraid the voters didn't 'get it'. I'm assuming you had a strong yellow light in the room playing down on the youngster who is trying to get away from it. Looks as if our photographers immediately went for "ha! wrong light balance setting" and didn't get back to what you were trying to do.

Well, on that one, live and learn, I guess.

As to composition, I think this image could be improved by being a little sharper. And by clearing out some of the background material. That is, try isolating the child so that it's just the child and the light. The busy background, in this instance, seems to compete with the story you are trying to tell. This is where as nice smooth backdrop (inexpensive smooth fabric works well) comes in handy.

All in all, a nice try and it looks as if you had fun doing it.

I wish you well at DPC and look forward to seeing more of your work.



Message edited by author 2006-01-03 22:22:24.

Lil Climber.jpg
by brizmama

Comment:
Yes, this is (IMO) the best of the 'green creature' photos. Great lighting and tells a super story.

Waiting On the Wind
by brizmama

Comment:
You have this incredible gift of 'seeing' as well as knowing how to use your equipment to capture the miniature world. I'm so pleased to have chanced upon your portfolio.