Unbearable Lightness
by Dr.Confuser

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

A somewhat appealing image that meets the challenge.

The artificial light has, I assume, come from the onboard flash of the camera? I like the shallow DOF, I like the dark background, I like the shapes and composition in general. What I am not keen on is the inevitable hotspots of overblown highlights that very often result from this type of shot using on-camera flash, it rarely gives the sort of results I am after but you have used it for the purpose of this challenge.

I like the detail of the fibres with the OOF elements against the dark background it makes the image a little more intriguing. Thanks for your submission, Sid

Once upon a time....
by clickodak

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

A cute image but does not meet the challenge.

The concept is cute and very appealing having the two teddies reading the book together tugs at the heartstrings and makes you go into soft mode! However, the execution could have been better, I don't think the focus is soft as your commenter has observed but the problem is a lack of sharpness which is due to camera shake. It may be that you used a tripod, I don't know, but at these sort of speeds unless you use a remote release you will introduce camera shake as soon as you press the shutter release. A way round this if you don't have a remote is to use the camera's self timer.

Your exposure is good and I like the chosen aperture and focus point on the eyes, I like the way the book in the foreground is in soft focus enabling us to focus on the bears themselves.

A very appealing image Marcel, sorry it didn't score higher for you, Sid

meager beginnings
by Parabelle

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

Congratulations on your high placing for an original take that meets the challenge well.

What a lovely original idea that works well and in a humorous way too, we all like to laugh and smile. I love your attention to detail and the detail you have captured, in particular the mans face and expression and the eager anticipation of a sumptuous meal that is oh so going to disappoint!

The lighting is excellent it emphasises the lint meal, the utensils are bright and nicely reflecting the surroundings and we then move slowly up the lovely detail of the fingers towards that darkness from which that wonderfully expressive face appears. The only minor thing I can make any criticism of are the overblown highlights on the pepper pot in the foreground, apart from that the image is perfect, very engaging.

A quick look on your profile shows that this is not a one off, you are a very talented photographer with a yellow ribbon already, its a real shame we are not able to see more from you, please return, quickly, Sid

Dryer lint puppy
by gmink

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

A fairly abstract image that meets the challenge well.

It took me a while to realise that the lint is on a piece of scrap wallpaper that is being held by a lady in a blue gown with red hair. Then result is really quite abstract and more appealing for it. I find the right of the image so intriguing that it takes over the actual subject matter.

I have to assume that your choice of very high ISO was done deliberately to make the noise a feature of the image? If this is not the case you could easily have shot at something like two stops bigger aperture and reduced your ISO to 3200 perhaps even 1600 for a much cleaner result. The focus is also deliberately soft? I assume manual focus was used as nothing appears to be in sharp focus but perhaps this was one of those times when you wanted to present a different result and use soft focus per se.

I'm having one last feast of the right before I leave you… Thanks for your submission, Sid

When the sun shines just right
by CameliaM

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

A pleasing portrait that meets the challenge.

This is a lovely self-portrait enhanced by the side light coming from your window giving a pleasing amount of illumination and shadow. Your eyes are nice and sharp and brightly reflecting the window that is providing you with that light, nicely done. I can see why your painting appeals to you it has a sense of invigorating energy about it.

What I think would have been an equally pleasing alternative would have been more of profile with you looking towards the painting perhaps looking over your shoulder towards the red roses. In this way the light would have lit up your face even more with the shadows trailing towards the back of your head and the hair, the blend to darkness may have been quite seamless.

Apologies for the lengthy wait for a critique but I hope you still have the same optimism and your year is going well? I'm sorry your image didn't score better, Sid

Light
by mlhannah

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

A pleasing image that meets the challenge well.

Wow, it was a bright day looking at your settings. You have made good use of that light to get a reasonable exposure that has transformed your subjects into silhouettes. Your image has some very pleasing elements to it but is not without its faults too.

The sea is very slightly not level but its not enough to easily notice. The blown highlights are inevitable to a certain extent but I think a little less exposure would have been of benefit here. The sky is lacking in contrast and the vapour trail is not really of benefit to the overall result. I like silhouettes but I do wish the shapes weren't so confusing here. It looks like a fallen tree she's sitting on but the way it extends into the sea is detrimental and is that her leg or a branch.

Although I may sound negative I do like your image overall and am merely pointing out that which doesn't work quite so well for me. Thanks for your submission, Sid

The power of light
by Gudjonotto

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

An original submission that meets the challenge very well

What a unique and original take on the light, I like it a lot and so did everyone here by the looks of it, well done. Your moonlit landscape is a wonderful image in its own right but together with this very clever concept it is excellent.

I have to say that I think this would have been even more effective with just the one light shining towards the moon as though forming the spotlight in space as it cleverly does. The other light is so much less effective that it detracts from the power of the first light.

Having said all that it is still a magic image, well done Otto, Sid

Night Light
by georgianau

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

A most unusual submission that fully meets the challenge.

What a striking image, those little lights against the dark skies are most appealing. Your exposure is good with good detail throughout. Probably the only thing I would have altered is the composition, I find the pole rather too central and would have preferred it to be placed on one of the thirds possibly the top left hotspot for the top of the pole. This would have left the lights radiating out in a very attractive way and given more impact to the end result.

Thank you for a lovely submission, Sid

w a t e r s • e d g e
by Ja-9

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

Congratulations on your second placing for a very appealing image that fully meets the challenge.

Your landscape is most suitably chosen for the challenge being all about the quality of the light. Not only do we get the benefit of the lovely skies but we get the lovely reflections too.

The exposure is good throughout with nice detail and tones. Your composition is good though I think I would have given slightly more emphasis on the water and placed the horizon a little higher to take advantage of more reflections and plant silhouette shapes.

Another very pleasing submission Janine well done, Sid

New Light
by chrispyphotos

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

A very appealing image that meets the challenge well.

This is a lovely family moment captured for posterity and one that I'm sure the proud parents will cherish for the rest of their lives, so very well done for recording this cherished opportunity.

The light from the window is massively overexposed but needs to be to accurately expose for the most important parts of the image. This is where I think perhaps just a half stop less exposure would have brought the brightest parts on the families features just that bit further away from near overexposure. I'm looking in particular at the baby's hat, the back of his hands and his forehead, they are all dangerously close to the limit.

Your choice of aperture is giving a pleasing DOF but your focus is a little inaccurate, the lady looks a lot sharper than the man's face and the baby who feel just a tad on the soft side, both of whom are essential to have in an equally sharp focus.

A lovely appealing entry that has been equally appreciated here so well done, Sid