Snow desert
by johannes

Comment:
I think this is a very cool shot! Great composition.

Don´t tell my what to do.
by johannes

Comment:
*Greetings from the Critique Club*

First of all, let me say that I think this met the Independence Challenge quite well and in a uniquely emotional way (as evidenced by your score and comments). It's always difficult to comment on a good shot, but I'll give it a go (just remember that my 2 cents probably isn't even worth that!).

Meets Challenge
Yes - very well, albeit in a slightly different manner than the majority of entries. To me this image speaks more of the defiance and stubborness side of independence. (And I did notice the mispelled title.)

Composition
Good. Not often can people pull off a "centered" shot, but this seems to work here.

Lighting
Also good. You stayed just below the level of too bright. There are still a few spots on his skin though that I think could be a tad darker by reducing some of the backlighting and adjusting contrast.

Appeal
Great use of B/W. Children are always a favorite subject with mass appeal. His expression is cute (although it does look very posed IMHO - if that makes any sense). Digging his chin into his chest/setting his jaw shows just how determined he is not to budge. :-)

Overall
Really nice shot that met the challenge and ended up with a good score. Not many things I would change - dahkota's suggestion of cropping it a little tighter on the bottom might add to it though. Good job.

Just my 2 cents...

Jimmy

Whisper
by Joey Lawrence

Comment:
My favorite shot of the series. Really awesome job. Very dark and it really seems to be filled with feeling (at least to me). Almost like that familiar inward aura of an oncoming depression.

Carefree
by Joey Lawrence

Comment:
Great expression! You really caught a moment of emotion in this one.

CRW_6233-sepia
by Nusbaum

Comment:
Fantastic shot! Lighting, expression, tones, composition are all terrific. I really love it as is.

CRW_6258-sepia
by Nusbaum

Comment:
Great shot - she has a very unusual expression on her face (almost a 'come hither' glance).

In Time's Past
by ladyhawk22

Comment:
This is a beautiful shot (and the sentimental value you have for it comes through in your representation of the piece).

I remember this well from the Macro V Challenge and thought it would have finished much higher, but I imagine that it scored lower because it didn't fit most people's stereotypical definition of a "macro".

I think you did a great job with the lighting and making it feel "antique" with your tonal choice. The gold inlays really display well. There are only two things that bother me about it: 1) the white area in the upper right and 2) the blurriness of the seconds circle at the bottom center.

Still, a great shot and I'm glad you shared it. Just my 2 cents...

Breaking the Binds
by Prime_Time

Comment:
*Greetings from the Critique Club*

First let me say that I think this is a very powerful image that met the Independence Challenge quite well (as exemplified by your score - congratulations on your top 10 finish!).

That of course, also makes it difficult to provide additional feedback on! LOL However, I'll give it a shot (and remember it's just one opinion that you can take or leave as you wish).

Met the Challenge
Quite well in an emotional and very visually attractive way.

Composition
Very nice work. I like the off-center placement of the main subject, the sunset/rise between the upheld arms/fists, the silhouette effect of the background. Two things (IMHO) that I think could have been improved on here are being able to see the subject's head (wish I could make it out) and have the sun a little higher above the land mass. I know these are nit-picky things, but they did cross my mind both when I first viewed and voted on the shot and when I re-examined it for this critique.

Lighting
Great. Again, the only thing would be to be able to see a little of the subject's head.

Color/DOF
Outstanding. The warm, clean tones really add to the emotion of the piece. Nice sense of depth and enough detail to see what's going on.

Overall
Really great shot. Well composed and executed. Very nice work and congratulations again on your top 10 finish!

Just my 2 cents...

Jimmy

determined
by barbaraanne

Comment:
*Greetings from Critique Club*

First of all, let me say that I think this shot met the Independence Challenge well.

Composition
The image is way too busy, with too many distracting elements in the background - taking the viewers' eyes away from the main subject of the photograph. A tighter crop would help this quite a bit. Also, you can't really see what she's looking at (wrong angle to capture both).

Lighting
The lighting is a little harsh, but you're just on the underside edge of having blown highlights. Because the light is behind the main subject, it causes an emphasis on her back (which isn't necessarily good or bad, just an observation). You might be able to reduce some of the backlighting in PS (or whatever post processing app you have) and increase the contrast a touch to help bring out more detail and depth.

Color
You have a nice array of natural colors, but they are a little washed out. Because there are so many colorful distractions (and the old lady is rather bland in color), have you considered a selective desat to help bring emphasis to your subject (i.e., color only old lady and the items she's viewing)?

Appeal
I love the old lady and the fact that she's still out there being independent. The shot has a lot of emotional appeal to a wide audience. The image is a familiar one, in that most people have experienced an open flea market/yard sale and have elderly family members struggling for their own independence.

Overall
I think the shot has a lot of potential, but because of the cluttered environment and a few other "fixable" things listed above, you received an "average" score.

Just my 2 cents... :-)

Jimmy

DC Fire 1
by Shannon

Comment:
Very nice composition again. I like the red glow and the border is okay in this one. I would straighten the horizontal just a hair, but otherwise, I like it - good job.