Playing Tavla
by dwyllie

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

An interesting image that meets the challenge.

I like that you have included some human interaction with the game which, like your commenters, I have previously understood to be backgammon. I like that his hand appears from the corner the way it does, however, the actual interaction of his middle finger on the bottom counter I find a little disturbing but I'm not really sure why. I suppose it may be because if he is going to move a piece surely it would be the top one.

I like that you have put the board on an angle which I prefer to a straight on shot, the only problem is the wide open aperture and shallow DOF focusses parts of the board that don't really add to the end result but you can't have it both ways can you. If this was hand held you've got good steady hands! I would have used a higher ISO, probably 800 or 1600 but I don't see any evidence of camera shake here, where its sharp it is sharp so well done.

Thank you for a pleasing image that has been well received here, Sid

Line Up
by Ja-9

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

Congratulations on your high placing for a superb image very worthy of its position that fully meets the challenge

What a stunning image, I really like what you have done here, the high contrast mono works really well. I love the pure blacks throughout the image.

I'm intrigued by the lighting which I am assuming is behind and below, anyway it is well controlled and very effective. I fall into the camp that likes the squares breaking up the reflections, I think this element really adds hugely to the overall effect. It is far more effective than a straightforward pure one for one reflection, it gives us a vague feel for the battleground itself and it breaks the pieces up with such irregularity it adds real intrigue, I love it.

If I am going to be critical although the lighting works really well when I look closely it also brings out unwanted detail like the resin flow but in particular the seams on the rooks and the queen. I can visualise just how stunning this could be with a glass set with all the lovely effects the lighting would have on the glass and then those reflections, divine.

Thank you for another lovely submission, Sid

Watching the Tide Roll Away
by dwyllie

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

A pleasing, distinctive image that meets the challenge well.

I must begin by admitting that I have never consciously used the Orton effect myself so I am not best qualified to assess how effectively it has been used here. However, your image is the first I have had the pleasure to critique that shows the sort of distinctively different and obvious effect that I was expecting so for me it works very well indeed.

I like your composition, I like the pastel colours that are broken by the bolder colours of the man and the bench. I like the combined effect of the soft focus interspersed with the sharper details. I have to say this to me feels like a really splendid example of this technique that has been so convincingly done it is really exciting me to the extent that I want to go out and try it for myself. There must have been some tough competition in this challenge because although your very respectable score has put you in the top ten from what I have so far seen I think this really deserved a ribbon.

Thank you for a wonderful entry, Sid

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep" ~ Robert Frost
by Ja-9

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

An interesting image that probably meets the challenge.

I must begin by admitting that I have never consciously used the Orton effect myself so I am not best qualified to assess how effectively it has been used here. Looking carefully at your image I would say that it shows an enhanced range of tones and detail beyond a normal exposure. Unless you are familiar and a regular user of this technique I wonder how many people would have recognised it, particularly with a cursory glance, during the challenge and therefore how much it has affected your score.

I like your viewpoint and the way the composition takes us into the depths of the woods, it is very engaging. I see you have used a very small aperture with a large DOF but there is evident softness throughout, how much of that is due to diffraction from that very small aperture or from the out of focus image you will have used to achieve the effect I don't know. Either way, I am imagining a sharply focused image and thinking hmm… I would probably prefer it without the softness but obviously that is not an option for you in respect of the challenge brief but perhaps it could have been a little less evident in which case it may have affected your score even more!

Another competent submission from you Janine, thank you, Sid

The Square Wave
by Phocal

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

Congratulations on the ribbon, a great result for a great image that fully meets the challenge.

I must begin by admitting that I have never consciously used the Orton effect myself so I am not best qualified to assess how effectively it has been used here. However, I can benefit from your high score and all the very positive comments you have received here and the conclusion is that you have been very successful with your entry, well done.

With regards to the image itself I find it very pleasing I particularly like the distant foggy background, the placing of the tree, the shape of the trunk, the perfect reflection it all ties together very nicely indeed. I am, like you, a very keen fan of the square crop which again works very well too. Probably the only minor technicality I can suggest is that the ISO may have been better at 100 assuming the camera supports it but most modern cameras are still good well beyond this so its not really an issue.

Thank you for submitting such a beautiful image it is a real pleasure to be given your image for critique, Sid

Rainbow at 10,000 Feet
by Dr.Confuser

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

A rather dull image that partially meets the challenge.

There's no denying that your position is high and therefore from above in terms of altitude but the cloud has obscured the view that would have given us the scene that enables us to experience being above within the context of the frame. As it is, we do not have a strong focal point and I agree with your commenter that the blue of the distant sky draws us away from the feint arc of subdued colour we have in the foreground.

You have a surprisingly large DOF given your choice of maximum aperture, I assume you were at the 24mm end of your lens. It's very unfortunate after all that effort you put into choosing and driving out to and scaling this location only to have the weather conditions working against you as they have here, but there's nothing you can do about it. Anyway, thanks for your submission, Sid

Child's Play
by Pangurban

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

An appealing image that meets the challenge brief well

You have captured a moment that conveys well the pleasure the child is enjoying in her own little world, the innocence of youth. In terms of the challenge brief you have met the conditions well from your clearly elevated position above her. I often lament that our society discourages photography of children, there are so many innocent moments that, I for one, avoid.

The colours are a little on the weak side, I very strongly agree with your comment from Neat, this would look so very good in mono perhaps with a blue filter to lighten the carpet or red to darken it they would both be worth having a look at.

Your exposure is generally good though there is a small amount of overexposure on the extended left arm. You mention that you forgot to alter the ISO and whilst you are correct the lowest ISO is always preferable, in this case ISO 100, but modern cameras such as yours are still very capable up to 1600 so it is unlikely to adversely affect the image in any significant way.

Thank you for your submission, Sid

Where's Lunch
by Ja-9

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

An appealing image that barely meets the challenge brief

You have a nicely executed image of an appealing subject but your position in relation to it is only marginally above it simply due to your own height to it, in other words to meet the challenge I think you needed to be in an elevated position which is much more apparent than yours here. Perhaps your intention was to convey the birds position above its prey but I would suggest that the somewhat lower than deserved score reflects this aspect in relation to the challenge brief itself.

I find the image itself very appealing, the exposure is good, the composition is also good, the colours are good. I particularly like the reflections and the interesting detail in the water. The focus has the eyes nice and sharp and the shallow DOF isolates the bird nicely from the background and foreground, though a wide open aperture would have given a shallower DOF which would probably have improved the small section of background above his back.

Thank you for your submission, Sid

Red house in snow storm
by Gudjonotto

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

Superb image that meets the challenge well.

Congratulations on your ribbon for your excellent submission, I like everything about this image, the minimalist approach, the composition, the colour its all working well together. Perhaps the only minor criticisms I would have concern the darker ridge of trees(?) at the lower right and a wish that the foreground snow was pristine and undisturbed.

The lovely red of the house in it cold surroundings very cleverly conveys a warm and inviting feeling as succinctly put by one of your commenters. Talking of commenters your first comment has berated it for all the things that for me work so well, it just goes to show you can't please all the people…

Takk for the pleasure of critiquing such a gorgeous image, Sid

Ocypode quadrata
by CodeShark

Comment:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

A cute subject that meets the challenge well.

What a lovely little crab, you've captured it nicely with a shallow DOF isolating him from the sand background, I disagree with one of your commenters, the eye looks in good sharp focus, exactly how it should be, the problem is that the detail on the shoe canvas competes. It's a shame his eye is obscured by sand it makes it feel rather painful!

What I don't like is that the shoe dominates the crab and the image as a whole, I feel there is a strong argument for a judicial crop close to the crab's leg, a square would probably work well, there is just too much shoe and too much distracting detail in it. I like that the crab forms a diagonal within the image it strengthens the composition.

Thanks for submitting, Sid