The Frog
by Phocal

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An interesting image assumed to meet the challenge.

Thank you Ronnie for another of your trademark images, quality frogs abound! Your sad poem in your comments help to understand the image in relation to the challenge brief and what wonderful contributions from posthumous and particularly skewsme, most entertaining! There's not really anything to fault in your lovely image the detail is excellent from the the pieces of duckweed to the folds, textures, patterns and colours of the skin its all truly wonderful, thanks Ronnie.

Life is like a Camera...
by clickodak

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An interesting image assumed to meet the challenge.

I say assumed because I am not familiar with the poem but thank you for your comments which are sentiments I'm sure we can all agree on. Whilst your image is not particularly original it is well executed, your DOF and focus is perfect and the mono presentation is pleasing. I really think it deserved a higher score and placing than you got but you can reflect on the way your photography has improved and how much better this image is than it would have been a year ago. Well done Marcel, keep at it.

The mountains grow unnoticed
by Bennih

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An interesting image assumed to meet the challenge.

Congratulations Benedikt on a well deserved yellow ribbon for this magnificent entry. Yes, symmetry does work but it has to be done well is indeed you have done here, those beautifully mirrored reflections are simply stunning. The colours are all natural and very pleasing. I say assumed to meet the challenge because I am not familiar with the poem but thank you for your helpful comments. The only minor criticism I have is that there appears a slight halo around the mountain that suggest just a tad too much sharpening, its certainly not excessive but it is evident on close inspection. Anyway, that is not to take away from your excellent entry and result well done Benedikt.

About Paradise
by Pascal

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An interesting image assumed to meet the challenge.

Very creatively done. I like your fusion of pastel shades they give us something more than yet another flower shot. In terms of the challenge I am not familiar with the poem but several others are and have mad some valuable contributions together with your own interesting comments that further help to illustrate the paradise concept. I have never been keen on borders but that is just my own foible. The one thing I do have to say is that the sharp flower on the left is too close to your border whereas the OOF one on the right is better positioned. Of the two I think I would have preferred this to be the focal point and therefore sharply focused. Thanks for your entry Paschalis.

One Rainy Night in Shanghai
by riot

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An interesting image assumed to meet the challenge.

I am not familiar with the poem so thanks to posthumous his additional prose has enabled me to get a better feel for your intentions. The deserted aspect and coloured glass certainly feels as though you have captured some of the essence of the poem so well done. As for the image itself, yes it is intentionally dark, the only blown highlights are not excessive and they work quite well. However the three lights in the upper foreground dominate to the detriment of the detail within the image, I think I prefer them cropped out.

A man looking at the mountain
by otto22

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An intriguing image that contributes well to the open challenge.

What wonderful perfectly mirrored reflections, a very symbolic image open to peoples own interpretation. I too admire the choice of red hat, such a powerful colour in any scene but when done in such a small way it takes on even more significance. The mountains shape and the fierce sunrise/sunset all add to a very creative image. Having said all that I so wish there was enough water to cover all these low-lying ridges to submerge them, then we would have something truly magnificent, a man standing on the water perfectly reflected with all this awesome magnificence. If there is any chance of that then I think this would be well worth repeating.

Tea?
by snaffles

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An interesting image that contributes well to the open challenge.

'Trouble brewing' would have been a good alternative title! The sense of tension fills this macabre scene, the calm moment before the maelstrom of violence erupts, you've captured it all well Susan. Such a scene has to be mono and low key. The prominent shapes of the cups and pot work well against the light. The key areas of light on the dagger and his face are well lit to emphasise the detail. I might have tried to reduce the amount of light from the window by draping a dark cloth over the table so that we only have light from the table top up, its a minor point but I think it would add to an already very effective scene. Nice to see you both getting on so well!

Hello
by Phocal

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An interesting image that contributes well to the open challenge.

Another excellent wildlife image Ronnie, well done. Superbly sharp where it matters and a great composition with all the soft focus vegetation framing him in a way that enhances the end result. Two things I really like about it are the way he is slithering in from the corner with his lovely soft focus body and the leaves parasol. It is all so believable natural as opposed to a zoo or studio shot. I know what you mean about a tongue shot but this is still an excellent shot that works really well. Thank you for your patient efforts that serve to reward us all, we are indebted to you.

Storm Blowing In
by Drake

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An interesting image that contributes well to the open challenge.

These high contrast scenes with the dark stormy skies are always a winer, I can understand why this is your favourite photo location it exudes character. The buildings are of predominantly muted colours but there are significant areas of bolder colour that lift the end result in a positive way. The only idea I can make by way of a suggestion is that the vertical poles of on sort or another break up the scene a little and I'm just imagining a more fluid scene without them, perhaps you could try clone a few or all of them out to see what it looks like?

Focus
by riot

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An interesting image that contributes well to the open challenge.

It's already been said! What an excellent study, that all powerful eye really transforms 'just another bird portrait' into another league, it dominates the image in exactly the way it should to create a menacing atmosphere of stalking. The light is excellent especially against that darker background. The detail in the feathers is awesome. It could be argued that the beak could benefit from a little more light to but this way its lethal potential is implied in a much more subtle way. I like it all just the way it is well done Eugene and congratulations on your high score and placing.