wall of clouds
by cgino

Comment:
Beautiful, awesome and 'cool'.

PS
Sorry to read about your cats ....

- any chance of a sneak peek (even a snapshot) at the two new babies...?

Lost in the Sea
by BeefnCheez

Comment:


Critique Club Critique

First Impressions
Can't see anyone. But I haven't been much good at finding them so far with other entries in this Challenge. On first impressions the subjects look too small to have a person in there...

Photograph Information, Technicals & Composition Review
Ok, just read your Photographer's Comments. Yes, I saw the stripey fish, no it didn't seem to fit the Challenge description for me. Yes, I understand you 'changed this description' and 'wanted to enter something', I understand that urge to enter, but changing the description of the Challenge like this, in a challenge such as this one, just doesn't work and makes it look like you misunderstood the Challenge or didn't read the description.

As is, it is difficult for me to properly critique this submission.

I can mention that the toning seems harsh and the oversaturation isn't enhancing your subjects. The out of focus areas at the bottom of the frame also detract.

Comments, Score & Placement Review
68/73 is not bad considering there is no person in there. Quite a few comments in-Challenge and an average score from them of 5 makes me wonder whether they were not holding the Challenge theme strongly in mind or liked your interpretation or gave you the benefit of the doubt and assumed they could not find a person.

Ok, just the read the comments received and there's a bit of a mix in there of how they perceive this image and your interpretation for this Challenge.

Summary
I don't think this fits the Challenge, no matter how 'out of the box' you want to be. I understand the concept, but perhaps choosing the other Challenge theme (Back to School II) may have been easier to shoot for.

World Windows
by posthumous

Comment:


Critique Club Critique

First Impressions
Bzz.. can't see anyone, but after my last 'critique' I'm tempted to head on down to your comments for a quick cheat, but I won't, yet. The big flash of white, I'm not sure what it adds to the image. The only 'maybes' I can see are what looks like a boot and a leg on top of a ghosted exposure something, middle right of frame, or otherwise maybe something happening in that 'window' far left middle of frame - either way this looks like multiple and/or long exposure photography trickery to me.

Photograph Information, Technicals & Composition Review
Oh (after reading your Photographer's Comments), now I see her ( skewsme - (no pun intended!)), at the window of the left, but the scale was all wrong in my mind before so I was totally off with what I saw. I can clearly see the face now. It is total trickery I tell you. You created an Alice in Wonderland type image and I do really like that. I still can't place/get context/position on this, perhaps you were inside a house shooting a window from inside the house with her looking outside, yet still shooting out another window that showed a different scene outside, I don't know - don't want to know, don't 'remove' the illusion. I also really like the b&w conversion, it suits this well.

On looking longer and closer and gaining a little more perspective, this probably isn't even a multiple exposure, but of course at a shutter speed of 13, you may have brought some 'movement' into play manually.

But I do wish there wasn't that big flash of white smack bang in the middle. Maybe a slightly more refined crop at the top, only for added balance. I like the interesting elements such as the steps, the little barn, etc.

Comments, Score & Placement Review
64/73 is pretty low down the pack, but you're not phased by this any more I'm surmising. Score of 4.9 - nearly hit the 5 with this out of the box entry. I'm confident without the white flash this would have scored higher, and enabled those who may have missed 'Mrs Waldo' to see her.

You received some good feedback (and quite a bit too) during the Challenge.

Summary
This grows on you the more you look at it. As an aside, this cropped very boldly, would likely make a lovely, unique and interesting character capture and artistic portrait of your 'Mrs Waldo'.

edit: wording & typos

Message edited by author 2009-09-17 19:27:26.

Live Oaks
by aporagen

Comment:


Critique Club Critique

First Impressions
Can't see anyone on a 5 second look. Let me look again.. Ok, after another 20 seconds, I still cannot see anyone. Either I'm completely overlooking them or you may have misinterpreted the Challenge.

Photograph Information, Technicals & Composition Review
The scene itself has massive potential and I think the trees are beautiful, especially with the spanish moss draped over them. A variation in composition and framing to gain some compositional balance would have given this image more impact (Challenge theme aside for a moment). The out of focus tree tops/branches at the top left of frame are slightly distracting, especially on their own and the bottom right shrub/bush (which looks like similar foliage to the upper left) also throws the composition out a little. Both of these elements could be used to enhance the image, possibly with giving it a natural framing of sorts, but would require careful composition and cropping. As is, I think they end up making the image look too busy overall. The trees on their own are enough.

You don't give any details regarding the Challenge in your Photographer's Comments, so it makes it even more difficult for me to comment on this as an entry for a 'Where's Waldo' Challenge.

Comments, Score & Placement Review
29/73 is a very good placement, your score of 5.65 is not bad, but probably is a little lower than average for this type of placement because it was an overall low scoring Challenge with a reduced number of entries. I'm guessing you placed quite high because people thought it clever that they could not find the Waldo... on to read your comments received.

'Ahh', ok, yes, lower left I did make out an out of context subject - I assumed it was a wall ornament or carving, statue - but now I do see a small child in a green shirt - my apologies for not seeing him first and yes, well done for the hiding, however, I think as only half the torso is there, it might be a bit of a stretch for this Challenge...

All of your commenters loved the image and most of them found your 'Waldo'. You didn't receive much feedback regarding the photograph itself, but a difficult Challenge to garner such feedback on.

Summary
Perhaps even a much bolder crop, eliminating much of the right and, if possible, including more of 'Waldo' - not size wise, just body wise, make this a stronger image for this Challenge, in my opinion.

Waldo @ the farm
by tinkie2010

Comment:


Critique Club Critique

First Impressions
Good for a Where's Waldo Challenge. Maybe not even subtle enough. I didn't vote in this Challenge.

Photograph Information, Technicals & Composition Review
I like your composition, the lighting and scene are pleasant and warm.

The HDR use is new to me, especially in regard to using it in Challenge entries. I find that with this image, the HDR has enhanced the nice warm lighting, which is good, but what bothers me is the few 'whiteish marks' around the boy's lower torso. I can't discern what they are and can't help but wonder if they are a result of overlays from different frames. Apologies in advance if wrong.

There is some slight blur (again, could be movement), however it grows on me the more I look at it and it adds to the overall softness of the image.

Lastly, 720 in this Challenge would have strengthened your entry (the 'hidden person' aspect aside), if the quality was there.

Comments, Score & Placement Review
27/73 is a good placement and your score of 5.66 doesn't really reflect that. I can only surmise that it is because there were a low number of entries in this Challenge and it was an overall low scoring Challenge.

Most of your commenters like your coloring and the light, however there isn't too much feedback on why you received an average score of 6.5 from them.

Summary
A little more subtle with the person for this Challenge and possibly a little more context/foreground, with the technicals slightly more refined (even if leaving it soft, but the HDR/movement issues eliminated), would have made this a stronger entry in my opinion.

He's upstairs
by snaffles

Comment:


Critique Club Critique

First Impressions
Tough pick.. I didn't vote in this Challenge, nor am I very familiar with heida's work. However, I am familiar enough to give my first instant impression of this image which was: the feel/finish/processing is not dramatic enough to be distinctly in the style of heida, in my opinion. The subject/context and scene are quite 'dark', but my interpretation of most of the images of heida's that I have viewed is that, the subjects themself are rarely 'dark', but the mood and/or processing gives them a dark feel, which is usually contrasted by an innocence or other contrary and complementary aspect. Hopefully that makes sense. However, that is my interpretation of her art, this is obviously yours - and that is one of the beauties of admiring art, we all see something different.

Photograph Information, Technicals & Composition Review
With this scene as is, and using it for this Challenge, I wonder whether a variation in your technicals would have allowed more mood and drama to come into play and light up the scene differently. I like the light coming through the window, but the lack of discernible detail in the foreground, which takes up quite a bit of the frame, is detracting from the interest on the landing/up the stairs. The details discernible in the ceiling dominate too much, and again, draw the attention away from the most interesting aspects of the image (in my opinion), which are the window and possibly the door/doorway. The doorway being 'chopped' makes it a minor feature however.

The broken railings/'sticks' (which on first view I assumed was ironwork/castings), perhaps are an interesting element, however from this angle/perspective are not showcased well enough to be identifiable enough to add to the image.

Comments, Score & Placement Review
118/126 and a score of 4.57 is pretty low, but this is/was a very difficult Challenge. To try to submit an image without a human in it, made it even more difficult to emulate this lady's distinctive style.

Your one comment in-Challenge eludes to perhaps not a strong contender for this Challenge (or maybe they weren't concerned with that, hard to tell), however liked your originality regardless (and their score reflects that). Your other post Challenge comment seems to be familiar with her work and gives a good indication of why they thought the entry not so strong for this Challenge, which is good feedback to receive.

Summary
A little more context and simplicity, coupled with some 'distinctive processing elumation' would likely have given this a little more strength. However as mentioned above, a very difficult Challenge to shoot for, and almost as difficult to receive votes from others who may not be familiar enough with the work of the artist honored, [user]heida[/i].

Ice cream social
by jdixonsd

Comment:


Critique Club Critique

First Impressions
Good concept, effort gone into set up but the technicals and angle let the image down.

Photograph Information, Technicals & Composition Review
Ok, after reading your Photographer's Comments I can see that you deliberately added noise, however it appears that there may have been some noise in the original photograph, that coupled with the lack of selective focus and some apparent camera shake (apologies in advance if wrong) and then adding gaussian blur on top, have decreased the quality and interest in the photograph, in my opinion. However, as mentioned, the processing seems to be deliberate, so unless this was an 'artistic vision' of yours that has resulted in a finished image that you are content with, I can only tell you what I, as a viewer, see when viewing this image. What I see is a poor quality image that has no strong interest in the subject or composition to 'override' any technicals - hence turning it into an artistic style image.

A slow shutter speed of 1/15 sec. and small aperture/large dof of 11 and an elevated ISO of 400 will all contribute to the flaws I mention above, which means to counteract them, you'd have to put more effort into lighting, stability (tripod), etc. If you were wanting a final product that was very grainy and full of noise, you would have to have some interesting elements in the image to carry that through and/or complement the noise - as is, I don't think that this image does that.

Composition, the angle of the image isn't showcasing the ice cream and glasses well and the visible separation and lines in your background fabrics is distracting.

As an aside, looking at how you made the ice-cream - is that edible? I wonder if you made it especially for this Challenge.. interesting.

Looking at your title, brings perhaps another edge to the concept which I might have missed initially - are you portraying these two glasses in a personified way? You don't mention this in your comments, so I'm unsure. If that was the case, I don't think that the concept has been conveyed.

It certainly is 'pink' and so fits the Challenge that way, but again, the other technical and compositional elements actually dominate the image so much that the color/s become a lower priority to the eyes.

Comments, Score & Placement Review
156/158 and a score of 3.13 is super low. I suspect that most were seeing a snapshot type image and did not linger long. That, as well as of course not knowing that you were deliberately aiming for a certain processing with your image (rightly or wrongly - but either way, it is your vision).

An average of 3.16 from your commenters: All echo the same sentiments about the noise and there are a few especially helpful and suggestive comments there too. Glad to see you found them all helpful.

Summary
Good concept in the set up, but the noise concept would require special attention to composition and quality to pull it off. Keep up the creativity and experimentation, you'll refine your style with images such as this. Just have to be willing to take the 'knocks', when you create something 'unorthodox', which you seem able to do. Next time you try a particular concept and seek a critique, putting in some detail in your comments will help members of the Critique Club give more constructive and 'aimed' criticism.

edit: typo

Message edited by author 2009-08-28 17:25:05.

- CLOCKWISE -
by andrewt

Comment:
8 - Good composition.

Clownin' around on Charlotte's Web
by essay

Comment:
8 - Good quality and interesting patterns. Apt title.

Gentle Weave
by SJCarter

Comment:
8 - Nicely done. I like how you framed it too.