Break Up?
by Steveo77z

Comment:
Hello from the Critique Club!

I have studied your image and have the following to offer:

Composition/perspective - I get the concept you are going for, but the picture in the foreground is more of a distraction. It takes a while to get what it is and by then your attention has been drawn away from the main subject, the note. Compositionally, I feel this could have been a much stronger image without the pitcure and the note placed such that is looks 'thrown away' (see below) or the bottom third of the picture cropped out to make it less of a distraction and keep attention on the note. Your angle of approach is good to the subject allowing for spot on focus in that area with good detail - the wrinkles in the paper, etc. (see below) The text is placed well by rule of thirds in this crop.

Color - b/w, nice contrasts and balance between the black/darker areas and the white/lighter areas. The shadows blend nicely with and help balance the papers white.

Lighting - well controlled lighting and good placement. There are not blown out areas on the paper, the strongest white, and the lighting is not overpowering as the wrinkles and ruled lines are still plainly visible. The shadows are not overpowering and on and around the paper enhance the scene.

Challenge requirements - the requirement was for 'garbage.' The composition here does not necessarily portray garbage. If the note and or picture were say, in a waste basket, this would be garbage as well as support your title better as well. I think this is where this image fell short a bit.

Overall/my opinion - with a different composition this would be a much stronger image not only for the challenge requirements, but on its own as well. The theme is there and the realization of the idea is well done. Removing the distractions would help bring out the emotive force as well.

Ye Ole' Homestead
by linda12201

Comment:
Hello from the Critique Club!

I have studied your image and have the following to offer:

Composition/perspective – first observationsâ€Â¦this image has a lot of scenery to look at; the peak is centered; the cabin is just off a good thirds line. Now that all said, I think a slightly different crop either to the left or right would fix most of that. The side would depend on how much image you already cropped. Putting the mountain to one side or the other would help the placement of the cabin. Cropping some off the bottom would eliminate some of the clutter and distractions. The focus seems a little soft or perhaps some sharpening. There is a lot of texture in this image that could be brought out more. The perspective of the shot is excellent. The downward slope leads you into the shot while the sweeping valley in the mid section takes you right to the mountain. Very nice flow.

Color – the palette here is very rich in earthy tones with real nice tonal qualities. Some work with levels, contrast would bring those out more. The reds are a very nice contrast to the tans and browns of the grass. The greens and blues are a real nice lead into the whites and grays of the mountain and sky.

Light – very good use of natural lighting. The right time of day with the right conditions. This helps develop the textures (see above) that are all over this image. The balance between dark and light areas in the scene is very well done.

Challenge requirements – this certainly meets the challenge requirements very well. This is an exceptional landscape scene and one that should be hung somewhere.

Overall/my opinion – great image that I think fell short in the post processing. Everything I see in this image that I commented on can be fixed. I would be interested in seeing any reworks you do of this. The scene is very captivating and is a beautiful landscape image.

Moon Over Cabo
by mpeters

Comment:
Hello from the Critique Club!

I have studied your image and have the following to offer:

Composition/perspective - there is very little in this shot to really grab your attention and it seems as though everything is distant as well. The moon, although in your title, is very small/insignificant to carry the image. The horizon, although a bit low, with the stripe of color draws the attention. This keeps you looking low since, as stated, the moon is so small. With no visible detail and very little presence in the scene, I find the outcroppings on the right a bit of a distraction. Perhaps a different crop would help this to be a stronger image.

Color - except for the stripe at the horizon this has a nice blend of blues to black from top to bottom. The gradation from blue to color in the sky is very nice and preserved nicely in the processing. Perhaps a boost in contrast or saturation to accentuate the band of color a bit and create more of a gradation in tone there as well.

Light - natural, well controlled with the camera exposure and settings. However, the focus to the horizon leaves all the foreground dark and lacking detail. Different timing or perspective would help this as well as cropping differently.

Challenge requirements - the challenge called for a landscape and what I see here is more of a seascape. I think it falls somewhat short in this area.

Overall/my opinion - although I find this overall a very pleasing image to look at, I have to agree with one of the previous commentors - you may have been better off to turn around and capture the shorline in morning/daylight for this challenge. The moon, although mentioned in your title, is not really a very strong subject in this image. It is lost in a vast expanse of blue and only briefly draws your attention as the only bright spot as well.

Pere Marquette State Park
by MyeReadBik

Comment:
Hello from the Critique Club!

I have studied your image and have the following to offer:

Composition/perspective - your location in the shot is nice, but moving a little more to one side or the other would have been nicer. The path acts as a nice leading line taking you through the shot on its own, placement in the middle of it is not necessary. Also, it is not centered in the shot exactly, but it is close enough to make it become a distraction in that regard. Moving to one side or the other would eliminate this as well as a different crop on the shot. Your angle to the shot is good - not looking down or up, but straight ahead. This really lends strength to the path as a leading line. The focus seems soft. Nothing is really clearly defined. Even the limbs and trunks appear to have soft edges.

Color - the colors in this shot are nice and you have a broad palette to work with. Some of them get lost in the bright and dark areas of the shot (see below). Work with contrast, saturation, etc. cannot overcome this. There are a lot of natural contrasts in the shot which add to its appeal.

Lighting - I think this is the weakest part of this image. The natural light in the front of the shot washes out a lot of the colors and detail as well as the textures. At the same time it makes the front bright, it makes the back of the image dark. You lose the path and detail in this area. A different time of day or angle to the sun would have helped this disparity between front and back.

Challenge requirements - even though narrow in its approach, this does meet the challenge requirements for a landscape in my opinion.

Overall/my opinion - a different time of day so the lighting worked for you instead of against you would have helped to make this a much stronger image. The path, whether intended or not, is a great leading line that also could have worked better to your advantage. This image does demonstrate your ability to see the shot. Overall it is a decent and appealing image.

But I Slipped You a $20!
by alanfreed

Comment:
without the title, there really is no connection between this and the challenge requirements.

Still Waters.....very still
by BaldurT

Comment:
I am at a loss to make a connection between this image and the challenge requirements.

The Fleeting Kiss - Hopefully The Wife's Not Looking!!!!
by Judi

Comment:
Without the title this really doesn't have any connection to the challenge.

Meet me in St. Louie
by lcfourstar

Comment:
Hello from the Critique Club!

I have studied your image and have the following to offer:

Composition/perspective - looking at this I get the sense that location is key for this image. The bit of wall at the bottom left is a slight distraction and could have been cropped out. The reflection would have been stronger if the whole arch was visible. If this was not possible, cropping more off the bottom so the arch is not 'almost' complete would help it. A 'perspective' crop may have helped in this area if the arch reflection can be seen as complete. The arch itself is a strong enough element without the reflection. The dicks are a nice added feature to the scene. They help to break up the expanse of water but on the other side, they disrupt the reflection. Again, a different crop would help to place the interests in the right place and keep things from becoming distractions. Overall it is a very serene scene.

Color - the color of the sky against the arch is nice - not too dark. The acrh is not lost in a gray sky and the added spot of blue helps to accent the apex. The trees seem to contain a lot of colors, but they are muted or dull. Some contrast and saturation adjustments may have helped to bring those out more. The water is so dark the color would have helped to offset that.

Lighting - natural, no flares or glares or washed out areas. The sky is not blown out at all. In the brightest area of the arch the seam detail is still visible. Good choice of time of day and control of natural light with your camera.

Challenge requirements - in my opinion, I find this borderline. It is a beautiful scene that in the broadest sense meets the requirements. However, the arch being such a strong element and occupying the bulk of the scene, the water is not enough to offset that which leaves this closer to a subject photo than a landscape.

Overall/my opinion - this is a really wonderful scene that could be a lot stronger with a slightly different crop and some work on the colors. The image seems a little dark although it is daylight. This may be the water. Although the overall reflection is there, the colors even in the reflections are dull. Post processing is the key for this image.

Trout Country
by jonder

Comment:
Hello from the Critique Club!

I have studied your image and have the following to offer:

Composition/perspective - the ratio of sky to land is good in this shot. The water and rocks help to break up the view and offer a few places to focus on. If the rock outcropping was a little lower in the shot, the little extra sky wouldn't hurt. There is a branch protruding on the left side I find a bit of a distraction and could have been cropped out all together or more of the tree included to make it part of the scene. The focus seems a little fuzzy or perhaps a bit of sharpening could have been applied. It appears you are over the water, perhaps on a bridge. It may have been a stronger image if you were at water level. I assume that is a fisherman in the distance, again it would have been a stronger image if he was more prominent in the scene.

Color - the colors seem a little flat or muted. There are a lot of autumn colors present in the scene that are just not strong enough. Boosting contrast and saturation some may have helped to bring these out more.

Lighting - natural light...the left side of the scene is a bit dark compared to the right hand side of the scene. Changing perspective left or right would have changed this and helped to bring it in balance or eliminate it. A different time of day may have helped as well. The sunlight appears a bit hard. Softer light would have helped with the colors (see above).

Challenge requirements - the challenge was for a landscape and this certainly fit the requirements. Your choice shows an interesting mix of elements that provide for a lot to view. The fisherman is a nice added touch.

Overall/my opinion - this is a nice scene that with slightly different processing could be made much stronger. I wish the fisherman was a stronger element in the picture which would have gone better with your title. The image has potential.

Defying the odds
by InnaN

Comment:
Hello from the Critique Club!

I have studied your image and have the following to offer:

Composition/perspective - the angle to the subjects is very good and presents a strong subject placement. The ratio of subjects to the rest of the image is good as well. The car in the street I find to be a distraction. I follow the line of people and continue right to the car and then get caught there. Timing could have been a little better. The only real clear area appears to be the light pole. None of the subjects is clear. Maybe a faster shutter speed or ISO - you posted no details of the shot so hard to tell.

Color - b/w, overall there is a good range of values in this image - lots of grays and whites balanced well with the heavy dark areas of the road. Some of the whites seem a bit bright (see below), maybe levels or contrast/brightness could have helped this.

Lighting - there seems to be a really bright flash bounce/light source used in this image. All the way down to the last bucket it is still very bright. The shirt of the first person is very bright. The pole has a light streak down the front which draws attention (which then leads to the headlight, another distraction).

Challenge requirements - I have struggled with this and tried to apply many trains of thought to this image, but still come up short with the requirements - Dead End. There is no element that stands out in any of the people or the group as a whole that strikes me as dead end.

Overall/my opinion - this could be a very strong image if better focused and lit to allow a more emotive force show through. Timing to avoid the background traffic and other distractions would help as well.