Baby Blues
by shneal13

Comment:
Hey there from the Critique Club

First off, always try to include some info about the shot in the Photographer's Comments section. It really helps out when we know what the photographer was thinking and what equipment/lighting/etc. were used, especially when you request a critique. Secondly, welcome to DPChallenge!

Camera Work/Technical: Great depth of field use and nice exposure. Your darks and lights all have the detail that they need, and nothing is under or over exposed. I think that the focus is just a little off, with more clarity on the hair in front of the eyes, rather than the eyes themselves.

Lighting: It looks like you used natural light for this one. You used it well, keeping the exposure in control, as well as capturing some very nice catchlights in the pup's eyes. I'd like to see a little more balanced lighting on the right side of the frame, but not much is needed.

Composition/Content: Nice composition and pretty good use of the rule of thirds. I think your angle for the shoot could have been decreased just a bit, getting more level with the pup. My only real complaint is that lone hair sitting on the black fabric in the left side of the frame.

My Opinion: I think that this one fits the challenge well. With a little different composition and a bit more lighting, this one could have probably reached the 6 mark.

Dirty Old Knobs
by freakin_hilarious

Comment:
Hey there from the Critique Club

First off, always try to include some info about the shot in the Photographer's Comments section. An old PA doesn't give us much insight into how you prepared this shot. It really helps out when we know what the photographer was thinking and what equipment/lighting/etc. were used, especially when you request a critique.

Camera Work/Technical: This image is nicely seen, and well captured. I like your depth of field use that isolates the front few knobs. The exposure looks nice, and you captured a great tonal range.

Lighting: The lighting seems very nice, with each knob holding its own catchlight.

Composition/Content: Great point of view. I like the tilted composition that you used here, and the rhythmic rows of knobs work well to lead the viewer's eye deep into the frame.

My Opinion: I think that this one scored close to its potential. While this is a very nice photograph, it lacks the wow factor to propel it into higher scores. Voters here look at each image a for a very small amount of time. There are usually about 600 or so images to vote on each week, so it really takes a powerful image to grab the average voter and keep them longer. Vivid colors and strong contrast tend to do better in most challenges. Scoring this one, I would have given it a 6. I think that it is an above average photograph, but needs something else to grab a voter's attention.

Brothers in arms
by Aussie_Bluey

Comment:
Hey there from the Critique Club

First of all, congrats on a top 35 finish, as well as adding to your collection of 6+ scores.

Camera Work/Technical: Excellent, crisp focus, dead on white balance, well exposed and captured. I like the depth of field use that you chose here, as it serves well to isolate your subjects off of the background.

Lighting: Nice use of natural light here to expose this capture. It looks like a cloudy day or early morning as there are no harsh shadows or over exposed areas in shot.

Composition/Content: You captured a great moment between these two animals, and your high score reflected that. I thank that the composition is a bit too centered, and that mom is distracting as part of the background. I understand that it is impossible to script nature, but if you'd had just the two brothers in the frame, and a bit off-centered, I think your score could have been a half point higher.

My Opinion: I like it, and I think that it meets the challenge well. Excellent choice of cliches to use to create a nice overall image. I would liked to have seen some compositional changes, but the score is still well-deserved.

The Kindergarten Teacher
by scarbrd

Comment:
This is a terrific example of what an enviranmental portrait should be. My only complaint is that the teacher is a bit too centered. Wonderful. My first 9 in the challenge!

The right wave...
by Simpa

Comment:
Hey there from the Critique Club

First off, always try to include your shot info. The D70 stores it all in the EXIF data, and it really helps us out when you are requesting a critique on the image.

Camera Work/Technical: Without knowing your settings, I can tell that you had the shutter set fast enough to create a nice stop-motion image. The fast-flowing river and the frantic arm motions of the kayaker are stopped in great position with nice detail. Your WB looks dead on as well.

Lighting: I am assuming that this was an overcast day, as you have wonderfully captured a great tonal range. You colors pop, and you have lost no detail in your darks or your lights.

Composition/Content: Too centered. I think cropping about a third off of the left and just a little off of the top would have provided a much stronger composition. Your contrasting colors work well together, and the subject is very interesting

My Opinion: Also, there are two things to consider when submitting images to a challenge here. First, make sure you meet the challenge. You will get eaten alive if your image depends too much on the title, or if its a stretch from what the challenge details ask for. I know this from experience. Second, voters here look at each image a for a very small amount of time. There are usually about 600 or so images to vote on each week, so it really takes a powerful image to grab the average voter and keep them longer. Vivid colors and strong contrast, which you have here, tend to do better in most challenges. I think that this one relies too heavily on the voters understand of the rhythmic nature of rivers and the sport of paddling. Overall nice capture, but more suited for a different challenge.

Walk with care
by loick

Comment:
Hey there from the Critique Club

First off, always try to include some info about the shot in the Photographer's Comments section. It really helps out when we know what the photographer was thinking and what equipment/lighting/etc. were used, especially when you request a critique. Secondly, welcome to DPChallenge!

Camera Work/Technical: This capture is nicely seen, and well captured for what it is. I think it may have done better in a different challenge.

Lighting: The lighting on the left of the frame is a bit harsh, and it distracts from the subject of the sign.

Composition/Content: There are enough areas of detail to hold the viewer's interest briefly, but you really have to look to see them. The various paint colors, the rivets and the aged lettering are interesting elements. I think cropping off the some of the overexposed area of the pole would have provided for a better composition.

My Opinion: I think that this one scored appropriately. I don't think that it fits well into this particular challenge, as I have never heard this expressed as a cliche. There are two things to consider when submitting images to a challenge here. First, make sure you meet the challenge. You will get eaten alive if your image depends too much on the title, or if its a stretch from what the challenge details ask for. I know this from experience. Second, voters here look at each image a for a very small amount of time. There are usually about 600 or so images to vote on each week, so it really takes a powerful image to grab the average voter and keep them longer. Vivid colors and strong contrast tend to do better in most challenges. Just some food for thought. Again, welcome, and I look forward to future submissions.

See A Penny and Pick It Up...
by island_girl1

Comment:
Hey there from the Critique Club

First off, always try to include some info about the shot in the Photographer's Comments section. It really helps out when we know what the photographer was thinking and what equipment/lighting/etc. were used, especially when you request a critique.

Camera Work/Technical: You achieved an excellent depth of field here, allowing the viewer to recognize the background, but allowing it to blur enough so its not a distraction. The direction of the reaching arm provides a strong guide that draws the viewer down onto the photograph and onto the penny. The moment is such that it provides a level of expectation that the fingers will close at any second.

Lighting: Excellent choice of positioning to capture this shot. Natural light is always my favorite for shooting, but often difficult to control during harsh times of day. You did a fantastic job with the harsh light to provide a nicely back lit subject with balancing shadows and terrific detail.

Composition/Content: Reading the earlier comments, I tend to disagree with the ones that see the background as too busy. I think that shooting at f/2.8 rendered it recognizable, but not distracting. I do have two small concerns with the composition. First, and the most distracting is that foot with its shadow on the right of the frame. It pulls attention away from your subject and provides a distraction that the eye returns to over and again. Also, but much, much smaller, is the very top, right-hand corner, where the knee crept into the frame. Again, distracting. A little cropping would have taken care of this one. Repositioning that foot and the camera would have helped the overall composition.

My Opinion: I like the concept, but would have liked to have seen a better execution. This would have pulled a 5 from me based on the distraction. It meets the challenge well, and you did a great job with difficult lighting, but that foot pulls you down. With a slightly different composition, I would have voted 6 or 7. Nice work, but there is always room for improvement.

At the Crack of Dawn
by Twyla

Comment:
Hey there from the Critique Club

This is funny, and that's one smooth bum! I am surprised that this one didn't score better on the humor factor alone. Very unique and creative, but the sky is a little too strong here. It provides a nice edge, but just a little over powering. I agree with you that a little more lens flare would have made this an even stronger image. Great work with creativity and great cliche for meeting the challenge.

it means "finished" in swedish.JPG
by conarten86

Comment:
I knew there was a reason that I preferred the Mt Dew! Great capture!!

Dark Prophecy's Child
by notesinstones

Comment:
Amazing shot!! DQ or not, you put together an amazing image here. Your composition is terrific, exposure control is nice and your post-processing is top notch. Very, very well done. No need for embarrassment. I am sure that it will eventually happen to us all.