Christmas Parrot
by chrispyphotos

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

An amusing image that fits the challenge well.

You have captured the parrot well with good sharp focus where it matters, on the eye, well done. It's good also that you have captured some action of him eating his meal, I like the falling debris. The cloudy sky acts as a good natural backdrop and of course his Santa hat adds the final amusing touch that enables it to fulfil the challenge brief fully.

It's a shame you didn't use a smaller aperture, that is the one way this image could have been significantly improved. Just one or two at most stops would have got the whole beak and foot nice and clearly defined and given it a lot more impact. F5.6 would certainly have got you there, you would have been able to get the breast sharper too and you would still have had a shutter speed of 1/800, plenty.

Your inclusion of the hat is so convincingly done you could easily believe it was actually on his head? Anyway, nicely done, thanks for your submission and apologies for the delayed critique, as they say, 'better late than never', or at least I hope it is, Sid

where the sky ends
by posthumous

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

An uninspiring image that has made a contribution to the open challenge.

In the words of Ubique I am obviously a lesser photographer because it fails to 'attract and inspire me' and I fail to see any connection with Gursky. The chicken wire adds a certain something I'll admit and it actually detracts from or sort of obscures the tilt, but since you felt compelled to comment on it its such a tilt that is to a certain degree broke. It's not immediately obvious but once evident then its so slight that it detracts, for me tilts rarely work where they are not an obvious intention that adds another element to the image, this does not.

It's inevitable that not all one's images are going to appeal to everybody and I have seen and had the pleasure of commenting on several appealing images from you but I'm sorry this one just does not do it for me, but its only my 'lesser' side revealing itself. I'm pleased for you that at least your fan club appreciate it.

Thanks for your submission and apologies for the delayed critique, as they say, 'better late than never', or at least I hope it is, Sid

Resistance Was Futile
by Dr.Confuser

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

An interesting image that has made a significant contribution to the open challenge.

A fascinating but intimidating image that, as has been remarked, is well titled, you certainly feel relieved not to be the 'victim' here! Our viewpoint here enables us to see everything here easily, your exposure is good and there is good detail throughout. I like the generally high key atmosphere that in itself suggests a clinically sterile environment but at the same time it is dominated by the relatively smaller panel to the right with its own fascinating imagery. It all looks very 'state of the art'.

There's not really anything I can add, nicely done, thanks for your submission and apologies for the delayed critique, as they say, 'better late than never', or at least I hope it is, Sid

Living Dangerously
by Catherine_B

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

A lovely landscape that has made a significant contribution to this open challenge.

I'm the lucky one who gets to comment again on your lovely image! As I said before this image is all about the quality of light which is the most important element of good photography. I like the composition with the foreground wave caught in the sunlight and the rear pier defining the edges of our foreground interest. Against all that we have the lovely misty hilly backdrop, very appealing indeed.

The one element that really completes the image is the person walking it gives it all a sense of scale that wouldn't be so readily recognisable without him. I still find your image as appealing as it was during the challenge and I would still score it the 8 that I did then. I often find it a mystery here those images such as this that I full expect to at least end up on the front page and they just don't get the recognition they deserve, I'm sorry this didn't happen for you. I wish you good luck with your future entries.

Nicely done, thanks for your submission and apologies for the delayed critique, as they say, 'better late than never', or at least I hope it is, Sid

What's that sound?
by WonderDude

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

An appealing animal study that meets the challenge well.

I feel for the frustrations it sounds you experienced during this challenge but I think it was worth the effort you have caught the cat's expression well here, it does evoke a sense of curiosity. It is so near being an excellent portrait that would undoubtedly have scored much higher.

You were obviously shooting in a low light situation which meant you have to raise the ISO and shoot at maximum aperture and its this that has left room for improvement which you readily acknowledge yourself in your comments. It would have been good if we could have had both eyes in sharp focus and a higher shutter speed to make the image sharper overall but I think you have done the best you can in difficult circumstances, so well done. Its all very well to talk about reflectors or artificial lighting to raise the illumination levels but capturing the moment as you have here doesn't always allow for it.

Thank you for an interesting submission, Sid

What Are You Looking At?
by lovebug

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

A good macro that meets the challenge well.

Hello Becky, may I extend a warm welcome to you from DPC and what a way to start, well done. Curiosity is naturally suggested with those large eyes, I like the focus on the eye, this is all important with any portrait be it insect, human, statue, everything so well done with that. The colours are good throughout and the exposure and detail is also good. Its a shame that the foreground stalk interferes the way it does but there's not a lot you could do about that.

What could be improved is the DOF. It is good that you have got the right eye in sharp focus but the DOF is so shallow that nothing else is in focus. I think it would have improved it if you could have got all of the head in focus. This could have been achieved with a smaller aperture, for example, f8 which would have reduced your shutter speed to about 1/25 but you have plenty of scope with your ISO to bring it back up to about ISO 800 which would give you about 1/100 which with a tripod would be no problem.

This is a great start to your DPC presence, I really look forward to lots more exciting stuff from you in the near future, Sid

The Beast with Two Backs
by RyanW

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

A good macro that meets the challenge in an amusing way.

These insects are often associated with the title of the challenge regardless of the act of copulation they are involved in but its the voyeur photographer I blame he's the worst of the lot of 'em! I love the iridescence, you've caught it well and your composition is generally good. The humorous intent behind the image has been acknowledged by your commenters and me too, thanks for the smiles.

Where I think it falls down is the DOF it is too shallow. With an aperture of say f11 you would have got better clarity on the front wing of the rear fly and more definition to the other fly as well both of which would have improved the overall result. At f11 you would still have had a 1/125 shutter speed so it would have been technically and visually a better shot. You could also crop in a bit there is a lot of grey background that doesn't really add anything.

All in all, quite a good shot, thanks for your submission, Sid

Autumn Ripples
by Pangurban

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

An appealing landscape with a difference that contributes well to the open challenge.

Shame you missed the upside down challenge, this would have been perfect. Anyway, as it is, it is still a very appealing image in its own right that has a quirky difference with the reflections as the major element. I particularly like the composition and the source of the ripples in a prominent position.

The exposure is good with good detail throughout. I scored this a 7 during the challenge and would still do so, it is very appealing, well done

Nicely done, thanks for your submission and apologies for the delayed critique, as they say, 'better late than never', or at least I hope it is, Sid

Golden Light
by Phocal

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

An appealing nature study that contributes well to the open challenge.

This is a nicely composed image with the bird on the left third and looking into the rest of the frame. Your choice of aperture isolates the bird well from the background. The colours throughout are good, the 'pretty yellow flowers' are a very effective addition to the image, I particularly like the foreground flower on the right it seems to add a balance to the image.

Nicely done, thanks for your submission and apologies for the delayed critique, as they say, 'better late than never', or at least I hope it is, Sid

How Now, Brown Cow
by Phocal

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

An appealing image that partially meets the challenge.

What a gorgeous beast, complete with all her glorious imperfections, a chunk missing out of her ear, tongue like protrusion from her mouth covered in plant debris, she's a stunner! I say partially meets the challenge because, appealing as she is, she doesn't convey a sense of happiness per se but then neither does she make me feel unhappy, I would say ambivalence is the winner here.

Your focus and DOF is good with the cow nicely isolated from the background with a hint of bokeh coming through, nicely done. In a sense I feel with your commenters remarks about sharpness, yes it is sharp but certainly not over sharpened in the sense that so many of the images here are, it seems to me to be perfectly acceptable.

Apologies fro the delayed critique, to use another quote, 'better late than never', I hope, Sid