finding home
by posthumous

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

A very intriguing abstract that suggests hidden meaning

I have to agree with your commenter Neat, your image and title suggests being lost in a blizzard and finding the sanctuary of a shelter which would be a most welcome feeling to anyone in such distressing circumstances. So, although it is abstract and difficult to define exactly what we are looking at that is what gives it the mystery and meaning that makes it work.

I am normally very hot on blown highlights but in the context of your image that is what gives me the suggested meaning I am getting from it, so therefore, it is essential here. I like the toning, its working well too. I am quite a fan of deliberate OOF, it is very useful to give an alternative presentation to the normal pin sharp that we all seem to desire so much. It is the fringing of the fine lines that is so intriguing and works well with the OOFness (try finding that on google!).

I like that you have the courage of your convictions with your photography, you know your images are unlikely to be appreciated by enough people for them to score highly but you have your own distinctive vision and you are not afraid to share it with others, thank you, Sid.

In line of fire
by otto22

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

A great action shot.

Perfect timing, well done. I must admit that in pursuit of the shot I have put myself in equally precarious situations. Your choice of a slower shutter speed has enabled us to really experience the drama of the situation, the breaking wave has just the right amount of motion blur to help us fell the sheer power of it.

I see several of your commenters have picked up on the sharpening halos to the left, I can only agree with them, its a real shame, it mars an otherwise excellent image. There's not a lot you can do about the lighting but it would have been good if we could have got more definition of the wave against the sky. Its good to have some foreground included but the small amount we have here is not really adding anything and would probably be best cropped out. The exposure is good with plenty of detail throughout.

Another great shot Gudjon, well done, Sid

Soaring Bald Eagle
by Drake

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

An appealing wildlife study.

I am naturally attracted to wildlife studies particularly action shots so towards that end the subject is appealing. It is a very competent shot with good focus but the lack of sharpness one of your commenters talk about may be due to cropping? Its a good exposure with plenty of detail throughout the birds plumage. I like the diagonal that the bird is placed on it adds a dynamic to the image.

Having identified what works for me I also need to give my honest opinion what doesn't work so well for me, the dominant blue of the sky overpowers the bird it would benefit from some desat. The bird is too large and too central, I would prefer to see him smaller and probably towards the lower right flying in to some empty space. The shutter speed is too high it feels far too static there is no sense of motion that you would get from a slower shutter speed with a little blur in the wingtips. I could easily imagine this hanging in a museum against a blue ceiling it would look very similar.

I would have expected your image to have scored better than it did but thanks for your submission and good luck for your future entries, Sid

Boy in Kinsale
by RedIrish

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

A pleasing portrait that meets the challenge.

You've given some thought to composition, placing the boy in an effective position and using portrait orientation you are able to tell us something of the boy's surroundings which adds more interest to the image overall. Your choice of aperture has enabled you to get sufficient detail in the background without it overpowering the main subject. There are some bold colours that also add a sparkle to the overall effect.

I think perhaps a different time of day would have given you more sympathetic light as opposed to this which is very harsh and creating strong contrasts. The result of the lighting is that you have blown highlights in some crucial areas of the image most notably his nose, the people in the background and the petals of the flowers. His posture indicates that he is patiently posing for the shot which is fine but personally I prefer a more spontaneous approach which always looks more natural.

The image has received a respectable score, well done and good luck with your future entries, Sid

Soaring
by TommyMoe21

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

Congratulations on your ribbon for an excellent wildlife shot.

I like your subject matter very much indeed, I'm keen on wildlife, particularly action shots. You have captured some great detail in the face and the feathers, I particularly like the dirt and translucency in the tail feathers.

I am here to give you my honest opinion and having identified what I do like I also need to point out what I am less keen on. I find the vivid blue background of the sky too saturated and would prefer it to be more subdued, at the moment it is competing too strongly with the bird itself. Although I like the wing shape he appears to be hanging motionless as though on a string, I really prefer to see some motion blur in the wingtips through a slower shutter speed. The composition is very central and frame filling I would have preferred a smaller bird with space for him to fly into. It appears to me to be over-sharpened, there are distinct halos all around the edges of the whole bird.

Your image has been very well received here, an excellent result for you, well done, Sid

Timid
by romil

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

A very competent portrait.

You have really nailed the essence of the person here with those engaging eyes, they really do appear to be the windows into his soul. Your chosen DOF is spot on to capture all those lovely characteristics that make him the individual he is.

I love your mono processing you have brought out all the lovely tones and spared us from any distracting colour. I'm glad you have acknowledged tvsometime's very useful comment that I also agree wholeheartedly with, it would make an already strong image even stronger.

This really is an excellent portrait, that has been well received, but the only issue I have as a result of seeing your own description is the title, perhaps given the nature of his occupation something like 'small but deadly' would have been more appropriate?

Thank you for a great submission, Sid

Come closer, I dare you
by Kirito

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

A very appealing image.

I would normally prefer a bird to be taken from the front so that we can see it face on but from this angle you have been able to reveal the lovely detail in its wings being held in an aggressive gesture as they do when they are annoyed or threatened, so although we cannot see the protagonist we sense that from his posture. The water itself forms a lovely contrasting backdrop to the whites of the bird itself and as your commenter has said there is some lovely detail there too.

Your composition is good, though to be honest, I think I would have preferred this in landscape format thus cropping some of the excess above the bird and replacing the somewhat close crop of the left of the image with some space for the bird to look into. Your exposure is good, you have brought out the lovely whites in his plumage without overdoing it and blowing the highlights. I like that you have left enough space for the birds reflection which adds a nice touch to the overall result.

It deserved a higher score and placing than this but thanks for a lovely submission, Sid

Blessing or Curse
by Dr.Confuser

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

A pleasing study of a controversial energy source.

As your title suggests they are loved and loathed in equal measure but that is not really what I want to discuss here, your image itself is of far more interest than the subject.

This image is a good illustration of the importance of light, good lighting is the essential ingredient for photography, its what separates the lacklustre image from the wow image. As a direct result of good lighting this is a wow image! I love the way the light is emphasising the rough nature of the terrain, this will only happen like this when the sun is at the right angle. That same light is really picking out the whites of the turbines making them really stand out. The background is darker and duller as a result of the light and atmospherics which again forms a contrasting backdrop to the whole image.

The composition is good with a good balance between the foreground, subject and background. The turbines themselves are on a pleasing diagonal which is always a strength compositionally. Personally speaking, I can't see anything that I would have done differently, you've captured the scene perfectly.

It's a shame your image didn't score higher but I suppose there may be those who felt strongly enough against the subject that it affected their better judgement anyway, thanks for a great submission, Sid

German Engineering
by jmlelii

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

A very competent image that will have appeal to motor enthusiasts.

This would make a very good advertising and marketing shot for the car, whatever it is, other than it being German in origin I, as a self-confessed motoring ignoramus, do not know.

I like everything about the shot, your composition is good with the car on the thirds lower left hotspot, the soft focus background, the dominant tree to the cars left, the snow swept road the car is on, its all really quite perfect for the type of shot you have produced. Possibly the only minor imperfection is the snow on the road by the car, without this the foreground would be impeccable. The car itself is immaculately clean, if this is indeed impromptu you have to be commended for the showroom condition of the car.

As I said at the beginning this will appeal to a specific niche of voters and so your score although respectable probably reflects this fact. Thanks for your submission, Sid

Turkish Tea for the Fisherman
by dwyllie

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

A very atmospheric image that has appeal

The light is what makes this image, the way it is highlighting the steam from the tea against the darker background makes it very atmospheric. The deep rich red of the tea makes it pop out from the rest of the image clearly identifying it as the focal point. I have to disagree with your commenter, it looks sharp where it matters most, the shallow DOF may have left the rim in soft focus but that doesn't matter at all.

It is nicely composed with the tea on the third with an interesting foreground of the rod and rest. Perhaps the only thing that mars it is the brightness of the OOF background, I think some dodging to subdue it would be of great benefit overall. The image works because it conveys a peaceful feeling of the patient wait for the catch savouring your surroundings with a nice cuppa.

Its a shame it didn't score better but thanks anyway, Sid