Pipe Dreams
by maxj

Comment:
ok, first, you have achieved a bokeh effect, and consequently, have proven that you are capable of doing it. now what you have to do is to harness it to put it to work for you. here, it is a good backdrop for your subject. the problem with the image, though, is the subject itself.

the color on the handle is great. it is eye-catching and leads into the gauge. unfortunately, that's where it starts to lose appeal. the focus is a bit soft and the colors are not that engaging. next, your eye hits the water, and it runs the eye right out the bottom of the image, rather than keeping it in the image.

the keys to scoring well are nailing the challenge concept (which you did), paying attention to all the details (which you almost did), composition (needs some work), and appeal (this is a bit less than appealling, sorry). i'd recommend two things: 1) reading and re-reading scalvert's thread on the recipe for ribbonning (it was back around 12/30 or 12/31), and 2) before you submit an entry, ask yourself, "is this something that others would really want to hang on their walls?" or "is this an image that if someone encountered in a magazine, they would actually pause to look at it for more than a blip?" if your honest answer is "no", then you should realistically expect a score between 4 and 5.25.

no matter what, though, don't let the scoring discourage you. take all the comments you get, and, when possible, revisit your challenge shots and try to apply the comments. good luck, and keep on shooting!

Mostly Blurry
by plumber711

Comment:
aptly titled... you have a lot of blur, but i don't think it is really enhancing your image. when i'm viewing images in the context of a technique, i'm not just looking for technique, but whether or not i would want to hang the image on my wall. here, i think you have a subject with wall-hanging potential, but not the way you have presented it here.

My glass guitar
by tolovemoon

Comment:
i appreciate your effort here, but it is really not working for me. from the image quality, i'm going to guess that you might be asking more from your camera than it is capable of. one thing to keep in mind before you submit to a challenge is whether or not your image is one that you would really want to hang on your wall. while i 'like' most of my entries, the ones that have scored higher are the ones that others would like to hang on their walls. don't let this discourage you; it is a weekly learning experience that only works if you keep on trying! good luck in future entries!

Yucca Mountain
by drgsoell

Comment:
i appreciate your effort here, but think you may have missed the mark. your background, while blurry and oof, is not really enhancing your subject, and the lighting at this time of day is a bit too strong. from a different angle with different lighting, you could produce a more pleasing image, but here, it is not really working for me.

Bleak Bokeh
by Bear_Music

Comment:
excellent image, wonderful colors. i really like the composition with the split framing. might be a bit on the dark side for most voters, but i'm sure this will look nice hanging on your wall. good luck!

Blue
by kosmikkreeper

Comment:
with an abstract image as this, you need an engaging subject if you are going to capture and keep the viewer's attention. it looks like you have all the potential for great bokeh; i can't help but feel you would have had a stronger image if you had shot in portrait mode and included more of the subject--it really looks like it could capture the imagination. just my opinion, of course. good luck!

Anxiety
by DefyTime

Comment:
while this is an interesting image, i don't really find bokeh here. this is more of a macro with a shallow dof. lovely colors, though.

Not in MY Dictionary
by strangeghost

Comment:
very interesting play on the challenge. excellent composition and choice of colors, as well as near-great control on the lighting (i know the tiles are white, but the tops appear blown). i am really looking forward to finding out who entered this, as this is representative of the works of only a handful of dpcers. really expect to see this on the front page. good luck!

Forces Unseen
by strags

Comment:
yes, you have achieved a bokeh effect that definitely adds a feeling to the image (albeit, not a pleasing feeling). seeing that you know how to do this, i imagine you could recreate it using any number of objects other than a cliched chess piece...

Ice Buds
by cloudsme

Comment:
yes, you have achieved a bokeh effect, but i find the foreground blurring a bit disconcerting. i love the colors, but also have a hard time with the extreme brightness on the right. now that you know how to get this effect, the key is to put it to work for you. move around, changing your angle and perspective until you find a background composition that compliments your subject completely. good luck!