Na'ilah in her groove
by Pixel Pete

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique club

An appealing portrait that contributes well to the open challenge

A great action shot, all credit to you for seeing the potential in her gorgeous red hair and for making it feature so effectively in this lovely portrait, the shape of her hair as it falls is adding a really dynamic element to the image. The lighting is good and uniform with good detail throughout but that small wisp of hair catching the light is forming a small highlight that draws the attention I think it would benefit from toning down to the same as the rest of the hair. The only other comment I have is that it feels just a little too tightly cropped, I would like her to have a little more space on both sides but its still a lovely image that deserved a higher score.

Apologies for the delayed critique, Sid

Battery Point Lighthouse
by aliqui

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique club

An appealing landscape that contributes well to the open challenge

I don't think I would like to be in those waters they look rather dangerous and definitely in need of the lighthouse. I like your composition it is well constructed, the placement of the lighthouse with its distinctive red roofs is perfect and the trees really add to that part of the scene but what really makes this are the foreground rocks with the motion of the breaking waves, its lovely. The low clouds are acting as a diffuser for the light overall and also adding a sense of foreboding fitting for the scene.

Apologies for the long delay for this critique, Sid

Laundry Days
by clickodak

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique club

An intriguing image that meets the challenge well

A very clever idea Marcel and well executed, the placement of your hand really throws and intrigues the viewer, I'm still trying to work out exactly how you did it!I'm assuming it is a low line that you were able to hold during the remotely controlled exposure? Anyway, its very much a quirky, smiley image which will have increased its appeal here, I like the bright colours of the undies, seems a shame to hide them under your clothes! The DOF is good, though the exposure does have some blown highlights the important parts of the image are well exposed. The satellite dish is a bit distracting, perhaps it might have been better taken from a lower level shooting up with a predominantly sky background.

Well done again Marcel, another front page entry, you're definitely on a roll! Keep 'em coming, Sid

Sunset Lake
by ericpi

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique club

An appealing image that contributes well to the open challenge

Your calm landscape taken during the golden hour has an instant appeal, the water reflections are the real strength of the image. I am not a huge fan of HDR but your use of it is reasonably subtle and enhancing. I am not keen on the composition it is too central and makes the image feel very ordinary and much less appealing. I find the twigs on the upper right detrimental to the overall result. I would suggest some serious cropping would go a long way towards rectifying this; crop to the level of the single tall tree on the right. The bulk of the overpoweringly blue sky will be removed, it will move the distant shoreline to the upper third at the same time removing all the detrimental stuff on the right and place the emphasis much more on the water reflections which is where it undoubtedly should be.

Apologies for the delayed critique, I hope it helps, Sid

Exploring the Drought
by HUETH

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique club

An interesting image that meets the challenge

You have definitely managed to convey the sense of drought here. A sensible decision to crop the water out, in fact the darker patch towards the upper right gives a sense that this is the very last remnant of water disappearing before your eyes. Although it has been taken at the worst possible time of day it really helps with your chosen theme. The high contrast also makes it feel a very hot environment. The family is also clearly conveyed with the presence of the two mothers and their offspring. I wish the two ladies were facing the other way you would then feel they were discussing the landscape and where has all the water gone, as it is their posture and position takes you out of the frame prematurely.

I'm sorry you didn't get any comments during the challenge, I hope this helps, Sid

my princess
by posthumous

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique club

An appealing image that does not meet the challenge.

Ah the gorgeous Sophie, I recognised her straight away! Much as I love her and I know you obviously do too I am struggling to see how she conveys a feeling of family to a complete stranger. Yes, she is a very important family member to you but she could be a stray dog wandering alone on a beach, there is nothing in the way you have photographed her that makes me feel she belongs to anyone.

She is too central in the image for me, I would much prefer to see her higher in the frame so that I can see all of her shadow. I would prefer to see more detail of her in the shadows it is blocked out. I do love the low angled sunlight it is bringing some lovely detail in the sands surrounding her. I think a lower level image where we can see her eyes and the detail in her lovely face with this lovely beach around her was an opportunity lost.

Thanks for your submission, Sid

Wear of the Sea
by seebrown

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique club

An appealing image that is deemed to meet the challenge

Congratulations on your ribbon and welcome back! What a great result to come back with, a lovely boat surrounded by rough seas. If I am to be honest with my critique as I always try to be I have to say that I am quite surprised at the high placing. In terms of the challenge I find the boat's pristine condition fails to convey a feeling of wear and tear at all. The masking for the selective desat, which I fail to see the need for, seems very casually done with clear discrepancies in the seas around the boat. The crescent shape intrigued me, at first I thought it was attached to the rigging, until I found the surfer at the other end of it. I feel the object emerging from the water on the right would be better removed it is quite distracting.

On a more positive note I do like the breaking surf around the boat. I hope I don't come over too negative but I am trying to be honest and constructive, although it does have its merits the image just doesn't work for me in the context of the challenge.

Welcome back and continued success with your future entries, Sid

Sipping Nature's Nectar
by shadowdoc31

Comment:
Hello from the Critique Club

An appealing image that is deemed to meet the challenge

My own perception of bokeh has always been much more clearly identified with specular highlights as opposed to soft or OOF areas which is where I would place your entry. The challenge brief would also seem to veer more towards the soft focus rendering than my own interpretation so feel free to ignore my comments.

This is a competent image of a feeding humming bird, the focus is good and the composition is good too, the soft focus background is devoid of detail and therefore unobtrusive and serves as a plain background against which the bird shows up well. The body and head are sharply captured and the blur in the bird's wings is very appealing. The exposure is good there is detail throughout but for me there is no bokeh at all.

Thanks for your submission, Sid

Ocean's Power
by HUETH

Comment:
An interesting and creative take on the challenge brief, well done, Sid

An image that indirectly meets the challenge.

I can see your thought process in your submission but the problem is that the theme of the challenge is not immediately obvious to the viewer and therefore suffers as a result because the photographers comments are not available during voting. I think you have a worthy idea but it is too obscure, the title helps as well as its beach location but it remains obscure. As for the object itself, I like the textures, the focus and the DOF the lighting looks as though it may be during the 'golden hour' which is sympathetic to the driftwood bringing out the textures well, the low viewpoint is good too. I agree with your comments it is interesting and inviting.

Thanks for your entry, Sid

Evening Ride
by Melethia

Comment:
Gorgeous!