Festive dome
by docjonny

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An interesting image that contributes to the challenge

This was probably quite spectacular and impressive in the flesh, so to speak, though I think some of that has been lost in the image. Although your image features some of the impressiveness of the location I feel the symmetry you sought is not really evident from this composition. The partially hidden purple and red items within the lighting ‘cobweb’ once seen become too dominant to be dismissed. Your exposure is good with good detail throughout. Whilst I am no fan of obvious garish Christmas decorations this is subtle to the extent that it doesn’t really convey festivity it could easily be a permanent fixture. I am pleased that you have had some positive comments but its not quite hit the spot for me, sorry Jonathon.

Old Time Barber Shop
by clickodak

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An appealing image that contributes well to the challenge

A good choice of subject Marcel and well handled too. Those lovely old chairs look so comfy there must be a danger of falling asleep there! The chairs are what makes the scene work so your viewpoint is well chosen with the receding aspect of the room there is a sense of infinity to it. There is perhaps scope for more exposure but I think your exposure is preferable as the darker background enhances the distance. It looks good in mono too, preferable to colour.

Take a walk with me down by the sea.....
by Ja-9

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An appealing image that contributes well to the challenge

A lovely high-key image, I have to agree with Jomari, this is more fine art than snapshot which is fully to its credit but perhaps not in terms of the challenge brief. I do like the mono processing, it makes the image both graphic and intimate at the same time. Your obvious choice of composition also enhances the end result. A fine image and result well done Janine

Square Texture
by clickodak

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An interesting image that contributes to the challenge

An interesting find Marcel, I like your diagonal composition it adds a dynamic but for this square crop challenge I̢۪m not sure its quite so effective as a deliberate use of the squares could have been. I̢۪m imagining using the square patterns as the squares they are going in closer on just a couple of them and cropping in a way that would have one square dominating to say the thirds horizontal and vertical with the remaining space filled with elements of a couple of the adjacent squares. Such a composition may have enhanced the square concept thus fulfilling the challenge brief even more effectively.

Dead Lakes
by Ja-9

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An interesting image that contributes to the challenge

What interesting trees or whats left of them in most cases! I̢۪m looking at your image carefully and trying to work it why its not quite hitting the spot for me and I can̢۪t quite explain it properly. I think the nearest I can come to it is that the main tree in the foreground has qualities that should make it really stand out from the background but it doesn̢۪t its merging too much into the background. Its rather as though the branches are a distinctly separate entity in their own right. What I do find more pleasing is a square crop of the lower half of the frame, an abstract of the reflections its really quite fascinating.

Big black mare
by snaffles

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An appealing image that contributes well to the open challenge

You̢۪ve done her proud Susan, what a lovely portrait of a lovely horse. Your high key exposure has given her a sort of translucency that makes her radiate in a very pleasing way which also gives an essence of strength to her character. Whilst the high key effect has blown the background it helps make the horse stand out whilst your control of the whites in the horses fur is good there is detail throughout, well controlled. Focus, DOF and composition are all enhancing the end result in a very pleasing way.

A "Ten-Cent Hamilton" in the Upper Right of an Envelope
by Lydia

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An excellent image that contributes well to the challenge

Your appreciative commenters have already summed it up for me Lydia, as Mark says, 'a masterful job'. I think he may also be right about the under-rated voting, your image is just so convincing and they did not have the benefit of your comments like I do, its a real shame it didn't feature much higher it certainly deserved to. I love the hand writing except that, the only minor criticism I can make, is the faint line to the right of the g. Yes Lydia, I love your creative crop it works perfectly. Thank you for persevering and doing such a marvellous job and sharing it with us all, I and your commenters certainly appreciated it.

foggy trees
by OK-Photography

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An appealing image that contributes well to the challenge

Congratulations Oli, a very well deserved high score and your first of many future ribbons. What a wonderfully serene image this is, it fulfils the calmness aspect of challenge brief fully. Those gorgeous tree shapes against the foggy background on a golden carpet of grass is just sublime. I love the contrast between the sharply defined foreground tree shapes against those gradually receding into the mist. Your composition is good with the most dominant tree on the left vertical third. Thanks for sharing this gorgeous image with us Oli.

Dawn calmness
by docjonny

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An appealing image that contributes well to the challenge

That is some view you have from your study, I̢۪m not very envious am I! Calmness and brightness are what your image is all about so in terms of the challenge brief you have fulfilled it well. At first I thought I wish we could see a little more of the detail of the opposite shore but on reflection I prefer it as it is, there is just a hint of interesting detail on both shores, enough to add but not enough to detract. The sun̢۪s rays are what gives the image its impact, I think there is room for a little more contrast to really make it stand out.

little tree will become tall
by clickodak

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An appealing image that contributes well to the challenge

Well, I think Glad2badad has done an excellent critique already and very succinctly summed up everything I want to say about your image, I will try to add a little further detail. The background does not add to the overall result a clean white background would greatly simplify and add impact. Because cameras are geared to give average results for average scenes they will always underexpose a predominantly white scene such as snow so you always need to give 1 or 2 stops +EC in order to get nice crisp whites. The white balance is in need of a slightly warmer shift to reduce the blueness overall. Happy New Year and good luck in the coming year Marcel.