Dazzle
by annah

Comment:
WTG Annah! Congrats on a well-deserved ribbon!

Trapped!
by kosmikkreeper

Comment:
This is totally awesome! LOL Great execution! Wow - very very cool shot.

Hammers On Stone
by KOKOCAT

Comment:
* Greetings from Critique Club *

First let me say that I think this met the Tools of the Trade Challenge quite well. It's a great idea and certainly exemplifies 'tools'.

Composition
I think your composition is very strong. Personally, I like the angle of the shot and the lines of the arms take you right into the main part of the photograph. The stone carving is also interesting. Nice work.

Lighting
I think this is what really hurt your score. The upper portion of the shot is completely blown out (on the gravel). It looks like this was probably taken during some harsh sunlight (some of the worst conditions to deal with). I'm also not sure how much of this you would be able to tone down with processing - at least you should be able to get a little more detail out of it and reduce some of the glare.

Color/DOF/Sharpness
I like the somewhat muted tones, but I also like the idea that someone else suggested about making this a b/w shot. It would be more reminicent of old blacksmithing days and add a sense of nostalgia. It might also help with the lighting issues (although I think that you would still need to work on that background as an independent layer and reduce the backlighting and adjust contrast, etc.). The DOF is fine and the sharpness is okay as well.

Overall
I think this could have been a very strong entry, but because of the blown out background it detracted too much from your main subject. With a little more work and some conscious effort next time to stay out of the mid-day sun, I think that you'll be happier with the results.

Just my 2 cents...

Jimmy

combat lifesaver
by militarygirl10

Comment:
I don't really get the illusion here - sorry. The small size of the image is also a distraction - tough to get enough detail out of the shot.

mediallusion
by barndog

Comment:
Not sure I get the illusion here, although I'm sure it must have something to do with the abstract (i.e., media, war, entertainment, etc.). Sorry that I don't get it, but it is a well executed shot. Good DOF, detail and colors.

Is not fishing
by cimarron98

Comment:
Not sure what the illusion is here. It's a nice shot of a father & son, but I don't get how that meets the challenge. Sorry.

Deja Vu
by Nitin

Comment:
I recognize this from a previous challenge theme. :-) Cool shot & idea. I'm not crazy about the background color & border, but it's still a well executed shot.

the uninspired DPCer...
by aplomb76

Comment:
Didn't quite pull this one off - as I can still see part of your thumb. Also the image is a bit grainy. It's a cool idea and well composed, but it doesn't really grab me.

e-LOVE
by anthonyczaja

Comment:
Very cool shot - I just wish that it wasn't so OOF.

jump higher
by benlenz

Comment:
Well composed shot and i love the colors, but I don't get the illusion. Sorry.