Secret Galaxies
by gintay

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An interesting image that contributes well to the challenge

Your image certainly fulfils the challenge brief well Gin Tay. I like your composition with the curve of the river taking you from the foreground into the background beyond together with its reflections. The symbol that forms the main focus point in the centre is, I assume, identifying with the theme that you mention in your notes, I have to say I find both somewhat confusing but that is probably down to my own lack of perception. You have a nice range of tones in your mono presentation which works nicely.

Bobbleheads
by asij

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An interesting image that contributes well to the open challenge

Its great idea Asmundur and very well executed. Have the band seen it? I think they should be delighted with it, I can see it as a cover on their next album. I like it because unlike a straight shot of a band it makes you look and identify more closely with the individuals, I feel the shared passion in a more individual way than I would if it were a normal shot. I like your ‘studio’ set up too the brick wall and its hangings add to the end result. A great image well done.

Listen to sing
by clickodak

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An appealing image that meets the challenge

Nice idea Marcel. The image is well executed with a nice shallow and appropriate DOF, the earphones work well against the music manuscript. I like the diagonal you have positioned the music on it adds a dynamic to the overall result. The mono processing works well and is again most appropriate for the image. A good image whose musical message is never in doubt, well done.

Just a Little Jam
by Hoghemaru

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An appealing image that meets the challenge

An interesting idea Fabio, generally well executed. I have to agree with your commenter I do think the image would be improved with a plainer background. The idea and the figure is cute, it makes the viewer smile which has to be a good thing. The shallow DOF at maximum aperture works well with sufficient detail where it is needed. The composition is good with some effective cropping and a nice diagonal it raises it to a higher standard its just a shame that the brightly coloured background feels somewhat at odds with the content.

She Rules
by Chris_Ang

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An interesting image that does not meet the challenge.

I have to show my ignorance here, these are, I assume, Star Wars characters? The reason I don̢۪t think it meets the challenge is because to me there are no gender characteristics in the models themselves and as they are armed I am assuming they are fighters of a common cause whose enemy is not also featured so again nothing gender specific. Perhaps I can be accused of being too pedantic here but I am trying to give a critique on an image that should convey a specific message about the sexes and that is not happening here, sorry. As regards the technicalities of the image I like the mono processing and the shallow DOF has separated the figures nicely from the background. However, that same shallow DOF has rendered the main figure̢۪ gun in soft focus I would say that it is essential that this too should be sharply detailed.

Red White and Blue
by Drake

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An appealing image that meets the challenge

A great shot Drake amply rewarded with score and HM, well done. Yes, ok this has been done many times before but you have made an excellent job in the execution of the image. There is a real vibrancy to the end result. The lighting, the drops, the backdrop are all well placed but what works best is the detail in the distorted drops this is the essence of the success of this shot it is what makes it all so appealing, well done Drake.

Rotating blur
by clickodak

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An appealing image that meets the challenge

Well Marcel, you̢۪ve really got me intrigued here! Even with your explanation I don̢۪t see either a flower pot or a television but what I do see is an intriguing image that defies explanation which is good. I like the symmetry, nice sharp focus surrounded by softer, (blurred?) detail. The muted colours work well and the lighting highlights and shadows also work well. I would have liked to see this do better but perhaps it was just a bit too undefinable but still a good image, well done Marcel.

Incidental Grit
by Coley

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An interesting image that meets the challenge

A great portrait Cole. The shallow DOF from that maximum aperture is what makes this such a great image, your focus getting the eyes sharp is in the right place with just enough DOF to keep the nose in focus too. It̢۪s really emphasising the rugged face against the nice soft focus facial and body features. I like the mono processing together with the grainy feel it really enhances the end result. If I were to change anything it would be the top background, I really wish you had that dark background throughout giving it a low key even grittier feel. With such a challenge as this it is open to wide interpretation, I suspect some may have voted it down because they didn̢۪t feel it was incidental enough but your use of technique fills the challenge brief for me, well done.

A City's Nightlife
by cutiephinphin

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An appealing image that makes a contribution to the challenge.

First of all welcome to DPC Jeannie. You have a colourful and well executed cityscape with good detail throughout. Your chosen aperture has given you a good DOF and long exposure to create some unique motion in the clouds above the buildings. I like the contrasts between the dark blue of the sky and green/yellow of the base. A minor improvement, I think would be to crop the pole on the extreme left and the lamp on the extreme right, they are just a little close to the edge and the scene behind it would probably benefit a little too.

Petrified
by tylskie

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An appealing image that makes a contribution to the challenge.

A gruesome but interesting fish skeleton. I like the diagonal that you̢۪ve used for your composition and the lighting is picking out the detail and texture which works well against the pebbly background. The colours are good too. I don̢۪t really get the feeling suggested by the title, it is what it is a skeletal fish head, a good documentary photograph but not really anything more than that, sorry Erin.