Spark Shooter
by TommyMoe21

Comment:
Hello from the Critique Club

An interesting image that meets the challenge

'Steel wool in a whisk on a chain', hmm, look like fun! I like that you have a dynamic moving subject although its not an obvious or strong diagonal the fact is he is holding the light source at an angle so it is more an implied diagonal. The individual light trails are very effective and appealing, they fill the space very well, I particularly like the way those that are hitting the ground have been recorded. There is obvious blow out of the highlights of the light source itself but obviously there is nothing you can do about this.

Your exposure is good with detail throughout. I'm intrigued and confused by your comments about the post processing, I don't know what you mean by 'stroked'?

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

In Coming
by Ja-9

Comment:
Hello from the Critique Club

An appealing image that meets the challenge well

A great natural study that keeps you captivated looking at all the birds. The diagonal of the lines is strong and dynamic and binds the image well but the piece de resistance is the bird about to land, sheer magic. The placement is perfect near the hotspot, the action blur is perfect too. I also like the other 'anomalies' the birds on the top wire one facing and the other looking the wrong way. The bottom wire with just two birds right on the lower edge, the alternation of full and near empty lines, its all so very appealing.

The mono presentation works well. I don't think there's anything I would change about it its all working well for me, beautiful, well done Janine.

Thanks for your submission, Sid

Stairs illusion
by clickodak

Comment:
Hello from the Critique Club

An appealing image that meets the challenge well.

A great example of simplicity working at its best, I love that you have had the creative vision to see the potential to invert the image and present it in this intriguing and appealing way, its adds much more interest to the image. The subtle lighting and tones are perfect for the subject with those gorgeous reflections of the treads, the golden tint of the rail supports, the lighter lower half against the darker upper half of the tank, its all working so well together.

There are no problems at all with your composition here Marcel, the diagonal is the binding and dynamic force that holds it all together, the portrait orientation is the right choice with the treads support going perfectly from corner to corner. The image shows that you have taken the time and care to get it right and its paid off hugely.

Your ribbon and new PB are both very well deserved and the satisfying thing is this all your own work, all entirely down to yourself alone without any pre-entry collaboration, very well done Marcel. Next goals, 7+ and a blue? Congratulations, Sid.

Hidden Slide
by WonderDude

Comment:
Hello from the Critique Club

An interesting image that meets the challenge.

Yep, there's certainly no mistaking that is well and truly a diagonal! I would concur with your commenters remarks. Although the slide dominates all too clearly the background is also rather too busy. Given the wide angle lens you are using a shallow DOF is not really possible in which case a different viewpoint would have been more effective. I think given the lovely sky I would have gone for a lower viewpoint isolating the slide against the sky and removing the ground level background distractions completely, this would have given it more impact. As it is it is really a family snapshot recording a day out with the kids on a slide, you need more than that to make an impact here.

Thanks for your submission, Sid

Wish it big, or life will seem small.
by EmilyMaeExposures

Comment:
Hello from the Critique Club

An appealing image that is deemed to meet the challenge

An excellent macro of this seed head that shows of the intricate structure at its best. 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.

I like your off-centre composition it shows the plant's natural surroundings in soft focus that does not detract from the main subject. Your DOF has captured detail in all the important areas well but the sympathetic lighting has also highlighted those delicate areas to perfection.

Welcome to DPC, I see this is your maiden entry, very well done, what a great start, I look forward to seeing more of your lovely work soon, Sid

clouds obscured by sunflower
by posthumous

Comment:
Hello from the Critique Club

An intriguing image that meets the challenge.

You have an interesting abstract here that is one of the few images in this challenge that, in my interpretation of bokeh, actually meets the challenge. The challenge brief and the entries are heavily skewed towards soft focus as opposed to specular highlights such as yours has in the upper left, that is my idea of true bokeh. Having had the privilege to closely observe much of your work this abstract follows your pursuit for originality that doesn't always appeal to the masses here.

Spider
by Shojuro

Comment:
Hello from the Critique Club

An appealing image that is deemed to meet the challenge

A potentially good effort but marred by focus and DOF softness. 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.

I think you have probably made the best job you could in the circumstances but there is too little of the spider in sharp enough focus for it to work effectively. Its one of the limitations of macro work but the closer you are to the subject the shallower the DOF. I see from your settings that at your chosen aperture you were already on a high ISO with too slow a shutter speed to hand hold. Ideally, you ought to have had a tripod with a smaller aperture, say f16, use manual focus with magnified live view and using a remote release or the self timer you would not have had any camera shake but a sharper image with good focus and DOF.

I like your composition it works well, thanks for your entry, Sid

Focus on the Fly
by WonderDude

Comment:
Hello from the Critique Club

An appealing image that is deemed to meet the challenge

Another well executed macro with good composition and repetition through the use of a soft focus background. 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.

Your composition works well in placing the fly on one of the RoT hotspots, I particularly like the soft focus flower in the background it adds a lot to the end result. You have captured the fly's iridescence well, an essential element of the image. I'm pleased to see you have invested in good software you will eventually reap the benefit as you learn to get the best from it.

I look forward to your continuing contributions, Sid

Looking for an late afternoon snack
by WonderDude

Comment:
Hello from the Critique Club

An appealing image that contributes well to the open challenge

What a lovely colourful butterfly you've captured here in a profile that shows off his remarkable colouring well. You've quickly adapted and learnt an important lesson of macro photography, to set your lens to the focussing distance you want and move the camera its by far the most effective technique to use, well done. It's a fairly minor point but I would prefer it if your composition was more to the right, as it is I feel the left hand edge is a bit close to the main subject, the butterfly, with space to spare on the right of the flower.

Given the very soft focus background I think you would have been better to use a smaller aperture that would have got the whole of the butterfly in good sharp focus with a little more, though still not distracting, detail in the background. I like your placement of the insects head and the flower head in the brighter part of the background. All in all, its a very competent macro that has the essential elements in good detail.

Thank you for your entry, Sid

Pondering at the Ponderosa
by WonderDude

Comment:
Hello from the Critique Club

A portrait that meets the challenge

A quite straightforward portrait made more distinctive through the use of selective desat which although it separates the subject from the background very effectively I am not personally a fan of this technique. Without your comments and given his clothing I would take him for a cowboy as opposed to a musician especially against the background with the sheriff’s star symbol. It would be more representative of his profession if he was holding an instrument he uses.

The DOF, focus and exposure are all good and whilst your image is perfectly acceptable and competently done it lacks the sort of impact needed to elevate it to the front page but it has been respectably received here so well done.

Thanks for your submission, Sid