i believe
by mesmeraj

Comment:
This image is simple and elegant in presenation. I like the pose of the model as well as the dress for it invokes imagery of druids and those in tune with the natural world. The B&W presentation is good for the skin tones are well balanced and the druid/model really pops off of that black background. In her hands she cradles the single flame of 'imagination' or spark of imagination - to a degree it invokes in my mind the imagery that was present at the end of the film Neverending story. My only critiques for this image is that the fingers of the hand are a little blurred (I would have preferred sharper detail since all other elements in the photo are sharply defined), that a little more of the flame be visible so that we establish a stronger connection to the "flame of imagination", and that the crop be a little tighter for there is a little too much negative empty space.

In The Cathedral
by e301

Comment:
I like this capture for is is just a simple presentation of the inside the cathedral. The look, the lighting and the 'grain' of the image gives the feel of actually being inside the cathedral - such that I can smell the burning of the candles. The grain of the image adds some 'texture' to the visual and helps with setting a brooding/reflective mood - the exact words to describe why this comes across escapes me at the moment but it does. The background of the church with the arches adds some visual interest. My only critique is that I would have shot this at a lower angle - kneeling perhaps so that it plays strongly into the perception of kneeling at the candles as one lights a candle of reflection/redemption/hope. It would also give it a sense of scale and more visual interest that a straight on level shot does not. A change in angle gives a different perspection and can add visual interest to the composition.

freedom wins
by fredandaud

Comment:
The idea is sound and good but the presentation needs to be strengthened to further establish a more concreate connection that freedom really does win over enslavement/captivity. The barbed wire presents us with the idea of enslavement/captivity while the lit candle provides the idea of hope- the hope of freedom.. But as the title states it has to project the idea of freedom winning out over enslavement/imprisionment. Nothing in the image as it stands now helps the viewer make that visual connection. One suggestion: line the barbed wire such that it goes from left to right of the photo composition and fills the bottom half of the image. Have a pure white (not an amber or yellow one here for white is more symbolic colorwise with purity and goodness) sit directly in the center of the composition and behind the barbed wire. Instead of the barbed wire being whole it would be cut -the wire connection being broken exactly where it should met and close off the candle behind a barrier that represses freedom. And in that break of the chain would be a trail of burnt matches standing upright leading directly up to the lit candle. The standing matches would bring to mind imagery of people, those marching up to and holding out hope for freedom. The fact that they would be burned also would add visual impact to the viewer with the understanding the the fight for freedom has a price. That is just one idea, I am sure you that you can come up with more ideas on how to project that imagery of "freedom winning" just as profoundly as my one suggestion.

White Christmas
by garlic

Comment:
An interesting minimalistic approach that is for the most part sleek and clean in color and presentation. However, upon looking upon the image I have to wonder why one candle wick is shown unlit, one candle wick is lit and shown with a flame, and the other two are shown as burned out (or are they actually lit upon closer inspection?). I am at a loss of how that plays into what imagery/mood/idea you wanted to convey in this image. How does that add to the composition? The white background while it helps with the imagery of a "white christmas' it makes it all the more challenging for the photographer to capture a distictly visible flame that is perceptable to the eye. I can see that one candle is lit but the flame is "washed" out against that white background - perhaps some burning and dodging would have improved visibility or a change to an ivory background that is not as stark white to take away visual impact of the candle flame.

John Winston Lennon
by pawdrix

Comment:
A photojournalistic shot that also satisfies the candlelight requirements to create or show a mood. Colors, composition, lighting all come together to create a visually compelling image that ignites and fuels our imagination of "what might of been" if "Imagine" had made the "world one". What might "Imagine" be if John Lennon had lived. I think that this is a really good photo. My only critique for the shot is a small one. And that is that you could have changed the angle slightly so that the full word "Imagine" is visible in the photo - as it stands here the "e" is not visible in the frame.

One is enough
by ArnarH

Comment:
A simple yet elegently executed photo. One solitary candle stands alone in a sea of candles. It can symbolize a great many things. It states the the light of hope, the light of truth, etc. starts/begins with just one single light being lit. From that one many others will soon follow that shining example. Very well done. I cannot find any flaw or really recommend to do anything different for this photo other than wonder what it would look like in B&W or color instead of the sepia tone.

Santa's Apprentice
by mpeters

Comment:
I really like the idea behind the composition but there are many elements that need improvement for this image to reach it's potential. First, I would have had the background be a solid black - so that the main subjects pop out more and visually attract the eye. The yellow/amber/white wall in the background does nothing to add strength to the seen. In fact, it detracts. Next, I would have liked the overall image to be sharper in all main objects present in the scene. Parts of the globe are slightly fuzzy including the man and the santa hat he wears. Greater sharper detail would improve this image. Including the candle in the shot would have been nice especially if it was one of the those festive holiday decorated candles or one that looks like a candy cane with the stripes for it would strengthen the connection to Santa imagery as well as the holiday spirit. Lastly, it would have been great if the viewer could see more of the red hue in the Santa hat - again it would further strengthen the ties to the Santa imagery. I know that the lumens drops off sharply the further away the subject is from the candle and placement, but by simply placing another candle behind the model and out of the picture frame would have illuminated the red of the Santa hat rather nicely. As I said, you have a great idea here compositionwise it is just the execution and details of the set-up that need improvement.

Nyctophobia
by smyk

Comment:
I guessed from the imagery what the title meant...hey you not only get challenged at DPC but you learn from it too:-) Onto the image. I like the set-up and composition of the piece. From just the single candle that this girl holds we see that she is screaming in fear. She appears to be looking over her shoulder at something in the dark. Two thirds of the image is just plain darkness. Because the girl is looking over her shoulder and screaming the viewer has to wonder what exists in that darkness that she sees that we do not? Some frightful creature hides in those deep shadows waiting for that single candlelight to go out. Very creative, spooky and well done.

A moth to the flame.
by bandit

Comment:
I really like the take of visually capturing the imagery of "a moth to a flame". The moth is very well light such that we can make out details on it's wings, body and even attenae. I think the visual impact of the image would be strengthened if the flame were more detailed in the shot. As it appears here it is overexposed and an undefined blob of light. Another area that could go a long ways to strengthening the wow factor would have been to illuminate the latern that holds the candle - seeing the details in that object too would add some more visual interest to hold the eye's attention. Still, this is a well done shot.

Stairway to Heaven
by SJCarter

Comment:
Love the angle of the composition. The eye naturally follows the trail of lights as they line the stairs. The slight sepia tone here gives it a feel of a time gone past - a good memory. As much as the sepia tone adds to the mood - I still wonder what the color version would have looked like. My only critique on this photo is that there appears to be another source of light or candle on the bottom left of the image. This not only distracts attention away from the main focus but also serves to break the visual linear trail of the candles lining the steps.