Feet and Inches
by ClubJuggle

Comment:
From the critique club:

Like I often do, you have selected to go to the peripheral and away from the center. As you know, this is a double-edge sword. Yet, I commend you because this image has a lot of punch, or in keeping with the challenge should we say "kick."

A very good composition and take credit for inserting the white between the yellow. Also, the arrangement of the of the tapes are very well placed.

Of course, we all have a style and preferences. I would have extended the dof a little deeper simply because the wonderful trip for the eyes ends too quickly and so the eye goes up and is forced right back down again. This is not said to diminish your interpretation, rather, only a possibility. You know, some ideas leave our heads spinning with hundreds of questions and the result is usually directly tied to how much time we can give.

To conclude, this is a very strong image and do not dwell on its low score of 4.8. The purist voted you down because they could not make the correlation that the measurement of feet was derived from the human foot much like the decimal system is used because we have ten fingers.

But the image is strong and certainly worth framing. This is the ideal picture over a work bench. The colors are rich and is very pleasing to look at.

Stripes
by melismatica

Comment:

**********************************************************************
Again you misunderstand the simplest concepts of a camera. It does not matter how you frame an image. My reference is to holding the back of the camera parallel to the image. In other words, picture an imaginary line rising from the ground which is parallel to the lines of the buildings. If you do not line up the plane of the sensor along this imaginary ...the lines of the building begin to converge, This is very rudimentary, and here was your reply: "I held my camera vertically for the shot you mentioned but I was fairly close to some rather tall buildings and the Nikon Coolpix 700 has a fairly wide angle lens so I always get a bit of distortion." You did not understand that my comment had nothing to do with how you framed the picture, but more with the position of the sensor. Some photographers employ a level. The convergence in your image has nothing to do with how you frame the picture.

But listen, you are so right. You always are and there is no point replying to you again. say what you will, I will not respond. Let others judge your genius. You are just too overwhelming and you tower us all. I speak like I have because your entire photographic knowledge is in your pictures. An experience photographer knows the level of knowledge by seeing a handful of prints from any photographer. A portfolio is an open book.

Message edited by author 2004-08-19 19:44:51.

Stripes
by melismatica

Comment:
A reply ro your 8/10 posting on this page.

You suffer from a simple problem: you do not know how to take criticism. When I first commented on your cathedral image I said you needed to hold the camera perpendicular to the ground, or keeping the film or sensor parallel to the building. Your reply was, "I held the camera parallel, it is the fault of the lens." If you study the lens subject you will find that two of their faults are pin-cushioned and barrel distortion. The cheapest lens will not converge the lines in an image.

From what you write below it is apparent to all that you show a disdain for the prerequisite and basic photography techniques. It is like you want to play the violin without doing scales. The basic technique is table top or studio or set up as you call it. What the basic teaches is the qualities of light and shadow and the zone system. It teaches the inverse square law of light. These simple lessons prepares the photographer to look at any image with an eye to accept or correct any existing light. To find or help make the ideal model by selecting the right time of day, if natural light and employing light deflectors.

You ask for a critique and it is also apparent to all that you have thought out the details of your image down to the last detail. A person this thorough, does not really need an opinion outside of, "Wow, another masterpiece."

You have a reply to every detail. The member from the critique club and the final vote on your image is wrong. They misunderstood you and failed to see the gem you have produced.

But then, who am I to talk. My work is inferior to yours because you say so, so there is nothing I can help you with. I am even tempted to say why you did not include the entire toe shoe and fixed the wrinkle on the sheet on your ballet shoe image, but, I know, I am too narrow minded to appreciate tight cropping and the crease, well you studied it carefully and shaped it to have a diagonal line tie the two images.

There is maybe one thing I can say with complete authority: You do not take criticism with grace. To accept criticism does not mean that you are guilty of what is proposed. If it should affect your emotions so deeply that you feel the need to lash back with a defense then the problem is in your personalty. Such an attitude will only serve as a catharsis for your feelings, but it will do little to advance your photography. But then, you have let us all know that that department of photography needs no advance because you are there and all you do is tease others by asking for advise so that you can then crush them and tell them how stupid they are. Yes, on second thought, I do look at your images and I was so blind to see that you are familiar with the inverse square law of light, that you faithfully adjust your white light with a test shot and that you are aware of all the finer nuances of the art.

A Natural Twist
by melismatica

Comment:
Melissa, I know: you are master that has tricked a poor student like me by altering the zone value in your image to make it look like metal. You then when a step further, as you describe below, you had this entire shot under tight control, you were assured of all your convictions and you even did the alchemical wonder of changing absolute white to absolute black with mere camera technique, a feat that I am unable to perform. The next step is to trick the critique club amateur, because, after all, the unenlightened masses always misunderstand you with their crude sum total of their voting.

In this case I owe you a very hefty apology. You created a masterpiece and requested a critique and you got a terrible student to make an ass of himself by daring to insult the deftly camera technique that is apparent in all the images in your port. Silly me.

Message edited by author 2004-08-19 08:57:55.

Feet on the beach
by puma

Comment:
from the critique club:

Okay: a very nice composition with varying textures and very good exposure. Subject matter is also very good. The texture of the wood is very appealing. You did everything right but you chose to desaturate and here lies the entire problem. Let me fill you you in a little deeper on the end result of desaturation.

It is a very difficult effect to pull off. The moment you desaturate you change the spirit of the composition into an almost graphical representation which entails artistic traits. These attempts either make it or fail. The balance of the image is dramatically changed because the color competes for the attention. I am not saying do not use it, but when you do, ask yourself the question...what in this picture do I want to accentuate. Once you decide this, ask yourself what else do I want to desat which will compliment my first choice. There rarely is something else.

As a matter of fact, your image would have retained more integrity had you kept it all black and white. The contrast is nice with very nice tones. Not to worry. You are on the right track and these little things will take care of themselves as you go. Best wishes, dan

Looking upwards
by p_johns

Comment:
Congratulations on your 20th placing. A very imposing image with great perpective and great breath.

Trestle, Embraced by the Foggy Breath of Dawn
by Skip

Comment:
hey Skiprow: Congratulations on your 19th placing. A killer image with that hazy distant feel. Very good work !

Vanishing Into Manhatten
by charmayne

Comment:
CeeDeez: Congratulations on your 18th placing with this lovely image..you have outdone yourself here.

into the night
by animes2k

Comment:
Congratulations on your 16th placing with such a slick entry with rich colors.

Airport Corridor
by aKiwi

Comment:
Congratulations on your 15th placing with this hightech capture with spinning colors. It grips the eye and won't let go.