sunshine strolling
by sidpixel

Comment:
I would have liked to have this critiqued by another member but alas, it was not to be...

The Camera Constellation
by disassociation

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

An interesting image that meets the challenge well.

You have some interesting shapes and reflections in the globules also with an interesting variation of DOF. Although you have used a small aperture you seem to have a surprisingly shallow DOF. I also like the colours and its variations too.

I'm a bit unsure about the top globule it doesn't quite seem to have the same reflective qualities that the main one does and detracts a little from the end result, I think it may improve it if it were cropped to a smaller size. I do like the large background reflection and colours I think it adds well to the overall result.

A very interesting submission, thanks, Sid

Olive oil
by clickodak

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

Congratulations for your high finish with this very effective studio setup that meets the challenge very well.

I love your carefully thought out setup and attention to detail and forethought that must have gone into it, the end result with the flowing oil is excellent. I like the shapes and the clarity and the way your oil flows onto each of the olives in turn. What I am enjoying the most is all of the fascinating reflections they are a delight. I also like the feint shadows that are giving the background an appealing gradient that adds weight to the image as a whole.

There's nothing I don't like and nothing I can add that would improve your excellent result, well done, Sid

Companions
by CRoche

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

An interesting still life that meets the challenge.

You have fulfilled the challenge brief with your oil in the dish and yes, you should have listened to she who is wiser and swirled it round to make it more attractive. The thing that lets the shot down the most is the softness, where it should be sharpest, the liquid looks sharp but not as sharp as it could be. I think you should have used a smaller aperture to extend your DOF to include the bread, as it is it forms a major part of the scene but is completely out of focus. Your shutter speed is very slow due to the low lighting so I am assuming you used a tripod and this may be where the problem lies, if you did not have a remote release as soon as you press the shutter release you will introduce camera shake which is what I think the underlying problems is.

I like your composition it is very enticing having made some of your commenters hungry so to that end its worked well. I am undecided about the lighting, its nice that it makes it feel more warming but the same light has turned one of your slices into toast! It has also cast some rather strong shadows that don't really add to the overall impact.

Thank you for your submission and good luck with your future entries, Sid

Dancing night
by tigerluong

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

An interesting shot in difficult lighting.

I like the intimate moment you have captured that conveys a lovely warm and inviting atmosphere where the people are all enjoying themselves. I'm not sure if the people in the background add that much but they are sufficiently out of focus for it not to be an issue.

Although the exposure is generally dark I think you have done the right thing to anonymise the couple through silhouettes but capture the bright colours of the lighting. Your composition is generally good in terms of the lighting itself but it has made the couple a little too central for my liking. Perhaps if the radiating light in the background had been moved a little higher and further right it might have improved the overall composition. The light pattern on the floor is essential and works well. Your focus on the couple is good too.

I like your image and feel that it was undervalued here, anyway, good luck with your future entries, Sid.

Icy view
by Gudjonotto

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

An excellent landscape entered into FS

Congratulations on your high placing for yet another excellent Aurora image. The Aurora is a lovely shape and colour which has probably been enhanced by the fisheye lens you have used. That same fisheye may have also distorted the figure a little in that he appears to be leaning in the way that is to be expected from such a lens but its not so bad that its detrimental. Your placement of the figure tells us that this is thick ice not water or else he's only the second person to be able to walk on water!

Your exposure is good with good detail throughout the image. Probably the only thing that I can say is that I feel a little frustrated that I can't see more of the reflections of the rest of the Aurora in the ice but your 14mm has already managed to squeeze a lot more in the frame than we could normally expect so I reckon I'll have to live with that.

Another lovely image Otto, well done, Sid

bouquetoftulips
by sharw007

Comment:
Well, it would appear that this user has cancelled their account so any comments I can make will not reach the user anyway. If you are that user and you should see this comment on your entry, welcome back and please make contact and I will be happy to offer you my thoughts on your submission.

sydney harbour bridge
by Abra

Comment:

*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

An interesting documentary style image from a different perspective

Its nice to see your informal up close capture of a significant landmark that is normally photographed from a distance. I like the way the foreground leads you over to the other shore represented by the distant buildings. I also like the inclusion of people with a mix of naturally curious tourists together with the practical need for the locals to use the bridge for their everyday needs. Its also interesting to see the people on the higher part of the bridge, presumably workers involved in the endless maintenance.

The mono processing suits the subject well, though I might have liked to see what it looks like in colour but the subject is more graphic especially against that bland featureless sky. What we wouldn't normally see from distant portrayals of the bridge are those significant fortifications which I assume are to deter suicide attempts which in itself is a sad reflection on society in itself.

All in all a pleasing result, thanks Sid

Soaring High
by juliannj

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

An action shot spoilt by over-processing

First of all, well done for persevering and capturing the action shot you were seeking, apart from anything else you will also have learnt to always have your camera with you! The original shot is quite appealing with a good wing shape and good detail in the darker plumage.

I am here to give you my honest opinion and I have to say there are several things about the image that I would prefer were different. Let me begin with the sky, it is very bright and overpowering I feel it would benefit from being subdued a lot so that it forms a backdrop that doesn't hurt the eyes so much. There are also artefacts in the sky, probably from too much jpeg compression or re-saving the same image more than once. For me the shutter speed is too high it has frozen the bird completely, I would prefer to see some motion blur in the wingtips, at the moment it feels like a cut and paste cutout. As a result of some heavy handed processing important detail throughout the image has been reduced and become less defined, hence your commenters reference to a cartoon which seems a little harsh but nevertheless I can see what he is eluding to. The whites are nice and white which is good to see except that they too have been taken a little too far and again important feather detail has been lost. The image has been over-sharpened, there is a significant halo around the whole bird. All of these are detrimental to the end result.

With regard to my shutter speed comments I know I am in the minority with most people here preferring this sort of capture so I would say keep at what you are doing but ease off the processing. I don't know what your experience is but in the early days you tend to overdo the processing before you quickly learn that what is important is to extract quality from the image with an emphasis on subtlety, your changes should be barely apparent. Good luck with your future entries, Sid.

~ s o a r i n g ~
by Ja-9

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

A very appealing action shot

This is not the first time one of your images has had me exclaiming “yessss” as I scroll down to reveal it – its lovely! This really is right up my street, I love it though I'm sure not everyone here would but to be honest it did better than I would have expected but not as well as it deserved.

I obviously love the motion blur but what makes this work for me are the horizontals of the water both dark and light, the horizontal of the beach, the abstract shapes of the birds, the double vision bike and that gorgeous splash of red of the rider's clothes shaped by the wind. The only very minor amendment might be to have the rider a little more to the right it is a little too central.

I like it so much I think I'm gonna have to fave it, (that's not something that happens very often!), thanks Sid.