Attraction Affecting Spheres of Influence on Blue
by theSaj

Comment:
::: Critique Club :::

Hi, I am Kari and am fairly new to the critique club.

What an interesting image you have provided for patterns, and how is so many ways it meets the challenge.

First Impression - the most important one:
This is one busy pattern entry and really does meet the challenge. Perhaps there is a little too much going on though.

Composition:
The magnets are almost of thirds vertically and you get the impression that they are stacked high but you don't get a real impression of depth from the angle this shot was taken.

A thought would be taking the picture from the side view (with a 45 degree angle so that the base can also be seen) rather than the top, and seeing what kind of pattern and depth that would create.

The magnets can also be used to create a leading line through either mirroring the picture, or cropping it different showing the blank/blue space to the other side.

Subject:
The main subject matter chosen was excellent. I feel along with some of the commentators that the blue fabric which also held a pattern was a slight overkill. Using a plain fabric may have increased your chances at a higher mark.

Technical (Colour and light):
The lighting used in this shot was good, it created a nice impression on the magnets.

To grow its vote?:
Think about the background you use for your shot. Did it really need to be textured?

Think about the angles that you take your shot. Can it be changed to give a different perspetive (you may have already tried this and found it didn't work), does it create good patterns from a different shoting position?

Summary:
This is a good concept that you have taken and executed. The picture itself is nicely balanced and well shot.

If you've got any questions about this critique, please feel free to contact me via the PM system.

Congratulations and well done.

Kari

Honey I Burnt the Toast
by AlexSaberi

Comment:
::: Critique Club :::

Hi, I am Kari and am fairly new to the critique club. It is awesome that your image in the top 10 .. congratulations.

Who would have thought burnt toast would get you that far!

First Impression - the most important one:
Me, like many others can smell the toast. That is a major plus, you have made people think and triggered their memory and pulled that smell. We all remember triggering our smoke alarms with this exact method.

Composition:
You have received a number of comments re cropping (plate colour), DOF and lighting. The following are my thoughts on this:

Cropping
You may be able to take this further out but I think it would it affect the effect of the image. With a darker plate underneath the toast may blend with the plate, but it could emphasis the smoke (the opps) ....

The smoke on the toast has also created a leading line for the eye, although it does get lost once it reaches the plate.

DOF .. I did find the DOF a minor issue, I would have like the image to have a larger depth of field to create a sharpness for the image. I don't think this can be achieved through computer sharpening.

Lighting .. I like it, and it does work for me.

Subject:
Lovely subject matter and one that everyone can relate to, very easily.

Technical (Colour and light):
The colour of the plate may heave helped emphasis the smoke and taken it further as a leading line, but the whiteness of the plate used works as I think this is what people expect to see.

To grow its vote?:
I think that this image did incredibly well in this challenge, against some rather stiff competition for the top 5.

Summary:
Great picture, really is something we all know, and I think that you really tapped into peoples memories wtih this one.

If you've got any questions about this critique, please feel free to contact me via the PM system.

Congratulations and well done.

Kari

Message edited by author 2006-01-07 00:49:05.

...they said it would be sunny today!!
by sajin

Comment:
::: Critique Club :::

Hi, I am Kari and am fairly new to the critique club. This is probably one of the more controversial pictures in this challenge, so is going to make an interesting critique.

You have received a lot of comments, and I have taken those into account in this critique.

First Impression - the most important one:
Wow, this is so very lovely. I think that the only issue is meeting the challenge, the title does that for you - but really only just.

Composition:
It's on thirds, and it has reasonably sharp colours. You get the feeling that he is just waiting for something to happen. Whens lunch?

Subject:
The subject is beautiful and well worth sharing, if not in the challenge then through your portfolio.

Technical (Colour and light):
It may take a little more sharpening, but this will also sharpen the background, it may make the snow "pop". So really is up to you, it works as it is, and may also work with sharpening.

To grow its vote?:
Meeting the challenge helps, I think that is the main reason you have been voted down. If this truely had met the challenge according to the views of the voters I think it would be top 5 material.

Summary:
I think it is an wonderful shot. Thank you for providing the photo details and photographers comments, which help in critiquing, I still feel cold with you spending so long in the cold!

I just hope that my thoughts help you.

If you've got any questions about this critique, please feel free to contact me via the PM system.

Cheers
Kari

Confused ...
by edmeng

Comment:
::: Critique Club :::

Hi, I am Kari and am fairly new to the critique club. It is awesome that my first critique is an image in the top 10 .. fantastic and congratulations.

First Impression - the most important one:

Wow, what a shot. The comments that you have received during the challenge are really good, and I think quite helpful, if you were to redo the picture again.

Composition:
I can't see a hell of a lot wrong with this, it has caputured peoples imagination and that is great. If you wanted to improve the picture you might try messing around with thirds. The bee is nicely on the vertical thirds see what happens if you can it on horizontal thirds as well, giving slightly more black above the bee - this may work, but perhaps not if you lose to much honeycomb.

Subject:
The subject is awesome and really does meet the challenge, and has made people really look at it to try and work out what you have done. Nice to know how to put bees to sleep if I ever wish to risk being stung.

Technical (Colour and light):



I have done what was suggested by the voters and just added a bit of sharpening, this shows that it doesn't work against the honeycomb, and does enhance the bee, without detracting from the pattern.

To grow its vote?:
You needed .003 to get to 5th, I think that the sharpness may have been your only hinderance, not one person criticised the use of the bee, or the composition.

Summary:
I think it is an awesome shot. I like what you have done I like the photographers comments that you made, which help in critiquing. I just hope that my thoughts help you.

If you've got any questions about this critique, please feel free to contact me via the PM system.

Cheers
Kari

Message edited by author 2006-01-07 04:23:09.

Trial & Error
by surista

Comment:
You did ok for your first try. I am also new here, and have found that learning this art takes time. I hope you stickaround and keep trying and learning. But always remember to have fun.

Square P' Egg + Round Hole = Sore Chicken
by willagher

Comment:
Real sore ... well done.

rabbit nation
by Fyzarl

Comment:
The way this is lit really does make this shot work.

Andrea's Profile
by phylsy7

Comment:
I really like this shot. The way the light has pinged the lip is cool.

Red Red Wine
by vikas

Comment:
T think the background cloth is creased , this takes away from the clean shot which would have really pinged.

non-dynamic duo
by goc

Comment:
For non-dynamic this really took my eye. I really like the use of two shapes and how they are lit.