Amy
by rayg544

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

You are lucky to have such a photogenic friend, who doesn't mind posing for you.

My suggestions for this very nice picture generally follow the lines of your other commenters. Crop each side into the shoulder and even just a tiny bit at the head. This would take away some of the feeling of a 'snapshot'.

If you redid this portrait, I would suggest less depth of field to blur out the background even more, or even to select a background that was more neutral.

Again, on a redo, having your subject gaze into the distance, either left or right, could add interest, and by all means, move the camera left or right and "up". Full face is seldom as flattering as a slight side view. A camera angle slightly down will help conceal any less than youthful chin lines.

Finally, I think a diffuser, or piece of aluminum foil reflecting back on one side of the face or the other would add a bit of fill light that could be interesting and make Miss Amy's face sparkle.

You have a great model here, and for someone who says he isn't a portrait photographer, you're doing pretty well for a first timer.

Palm Readers Delight
by dragor

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique CLub
I very much like the composition of your image. The classic triangle shape is almost always a winner, and your image shows why. The viewer keeps within the picture, wandering back and forth. It might have helped if you could have avoided the slight distraction in the right top background. Or, add more interest in the background by repeating the softness in another area.

You have received comments from several respected members of the DPC community suggesting that the hands be in sharp focus. I agree. This is a great advertisement for "bracketing". Look at your image at a higher aperture and see if it's better. Another suggestion would be to try this very nicely composed image at a higher number aperture, with slightly more light on the hands - and if you have it, a tripod to help you get it sharp. If ripod, bracing the camera on something would work.

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

Lying in the grass, next to the mausoleum.
by sump

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

If this image was in a modern art museum, people would be Ahhh-ing and Ohhh-ing over it.

It is original, uses interesting colors and tells a story. It is unfortunate that the voters saw what they considered "technical lapses" instead of the story-telling aspect. You EXIF data and your photographers comments tell me you achieved exactly what you wanted to achieve.

While I think you have an original photographic mind, for DPC it might be worthwhile to try more realistic/conventional images - if you want to score higher.

I, for one, will look forward to seeing your further contributions to DPC, whatever the road you choose to travel.

Tired and Weary?
by marklovell

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

What a lovely, soft image. While, technically, it meets the Branch Challenge, it gives the appearance of "leaves" rather than "branches" and that must have cost you some points. IN addition, while the various greens are beautifully caught, it does suffer a bit from lack of contrast. It would be interesting to see this image after you treated it with Levels, maybe a bit of Contrast (also Curves if you're comfortable with that adjustment). Finally a touch of sharpening would, I think, strengthen this image lots.

Nevertheless, it's a striking image, even though it didn't score high in this Challenge.

Hangin' On By A Limb
by jonnie

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club]

You've told a nice story here, with the barely alive tree surrounded by fences. The story is, perhaps, just a little too subtle for our voters who, according to some of the comments you received, saw the fences but not the story.

While I really like the foreground fence, it would have been terrific if it could have been sharp. For that you would have needed an aperture of probably f16, f22, or more. That's where bracketing comes in. (Once you explore setting your camera to bracket, it's pretty easy to do.) And yes, for a nice sunset picture, a setting of ISO 100 would have worked beautifully.

You've got a good eye for photography. I'll look forward to seeing more of your work.

Tribute
by Pano

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

This is a stunning image, and I wouldn't change a thing. You scored well and deservedly so. It looks as if the many comments you have already received review just about anything that might need to be said about this fine image.

So, now that I have looked at it, and enjoyed it, I'll just move on to the next Critique on the list.

Alive & Dead
by rosco

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

I like the bright color of the fungus against the gray tree background. You were contrasting the live fungus against the deadwood of the tree, which certainly is one way of meeting the Challenge, but was a bit subtle for our voting membership. That probably brought down your score quite a bit.

The image is sharp, and detail is good. The Composition is not particularly exciting; a stronger diagonal might have helped and/or an angle on that fungus that wasn't 'sraight-on' would be something to consider.

Finally, it is quite important to put the aperture, ISO and Shutter speed number on your entry. It's really the only way we can help you analyse your image.

You live in a beautiful State. I enjoyed my visit to New South Wales some years ago.

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

Beacon Heights
by trnqlty

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

What a lovely image, and it scored well, so I expect you got what you wanted out of the Challenge. (well, maybe a Blue eluded you)

In reading over the comments you have already received, I find that I'm one of those who think the High Contrast aspect of this image is quite subtle. The reflection, and the topography, are splendidly rendered as are the clouds. However, I rather think the High Contrast coming from the clouds is not a particularly major part of the image.

Nevertheless, the general excellence of the image carried the day for you.

I hope you have continued success in these Challenges.

contrasting element
by thorgils

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club:

What a delightful image this is. Beautiful lighting going almost the full range from dark to light. It looks as if the voters didn't think the range was enough to quality for "high contrast" but I do.

Regarding the composition, I would suggest that you look at this image cropped considerably at the right side. Off-center placement is usually a good technique and can draw interest to the subject. In this case, the off-center is nearly Half and Half subject and blank space. That (I think) is a bit too much. Actually, this image is so strong on its own, if you placed the fruit and glasses full frame, making an essentially square picture, it would be extremely effective.

In any case, whether or not it "fits the challenge" your lighting is exquisite.

Good luck in future Challenges.

Orchidea
by LevT

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

YOur Orchidea is a beautiful flower. I just sat and stared at it for quite a long while. While I think it met the HIgh Contrast Challenge quite well, others disagreed. That's the way it goes sometimes.

However, I would suggest that compositionally, you fill the frame with this beauty. Generally off-centered subjects work well, but in this case, the shape of the flower calls for full-frame treatment. Perhaps because the left side of the flower is slightly heavier.

Finally, (picky,picky) it would have been better if that bit of red in the right hand corner wasn't there. Perhaps (if you do it again) when you create the set up and place the bloom you could mask the extra petal with a bit of black, or simply anchor it out of the way. It's a minor disraction, but an unnecessary one. (of course, now that the challenge is over, you can just clean it up)

I'm delighted to have the chance to look at this image more carefully.