Real
by colorcarnival

Comment:
Oh no, Michelle - a low 5??? What a shame! I love this image and was one of your 10s. Clearly, the other commenters loved it, too. Look at THAT vote. :o)

Peering out from Vader's broken mask for one last look
by DiscoVader

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club. You requested an indepth critique of your image and here it is:

Ah! The much-discussed Weston entry. You probably already got all the critique you need, so I'll keep this short.

The subject as such would have been great for Weston. I love that cracked hole in the front of the shell. However, the image is painfully out of focus. Also, there's a large black area at the top that is just empty space, so the composition could be tighter and better composed. That said, the BW tones are good.

Having made this mistake myself when I first started here: if it's out of focus, don't submit it - you'll get hammered. Unless of course, it's one of those type of challenges or you you've mastered the art of blur.

Cheers,

Alicia

Edit to add: Congrats on the Brown!

Message edited by author 2011-04-12 08:55:37.

Apart from Myself
by icecold1980

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club! You requested an indepth critique of your image and here it is:

The premise of this photo definitely differs from the rest of the pack. I commend you for experimenting and coming up with a fresh take on the challenge topic. DPC being a literal kind of world, I'm sure there was some confusion over your work, which is probably reflected in the 4's you got, as well as your overall score.

To address a few technical issues: Though I like that you used BW for this photo, the tones are somewhat flat. A bit more depth and contrast would probably help this pop more. Also, there is a bit of a disconnect between the background and the subject (arms). As a viewer, I'm seeking for a tie-in between the two - I'm seeking the story. My sense is that this disconnect cost you a few points as well.

The arms occupy the bottom 2/3 of the frame, leaving the top sort of flapping in the wind - so compositionally, this could have probably been a little tighter.

That said - I still think this is an awesome image, very out of the box. I always love seeing someone taking a topic and intelligently interpreting it, which is what you did here.

Best,

Alicia

Break!
by nickyb

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club. You requested an in-depth critique on your image, and here it is:

The photo itself is fun - you managed to capture excellent motion blur. The perspective is great, as well. Room for improvement: A little action with levels might make this pop more. The colors are flat and the lighting is dull. I'd rework it a bit to make this an outstanding image.

Why did it not score well? It doesn't meet the challenge topic. I think you scored over a 5 because of the interest of the photo itself.

In a different challenge, this might have scored really well.

Cheers,

Alicia

leeklight
by posthumous

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club! You asked for an in-depth critique for your image, and here it is:

First, I really adore this image. It's a leek and it's not. It has mystique. It made me look at it for a long time, traveling up and down the lines. The light and dark play are most outstanding - you really captured the deep, rich tones we see in Weston photos.

So why did this not score higher? Frankly, I'm not entirely sure. The composition could have something to do with it - the off-center, meandering out of the frame of that leek. That's all I can come up with. Your focus is good, the tones are good, the light is good, the subject is good. Who knows what scores well and why here? I certainly don't for the most part.

I'm sorry if this is not constructive enough. I'm also biased by the fact that I'm particularly fond of the image and if I had voted, would have given it an 8 with ease. And look at all your awesome comments!

From me, congratulations on an image that is thoughtful and compelling. Screw the score.

Best, Alicia

Pepper
by Silent-Shooter

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club! You requested an in-depth critique of your image and her it is:

Or is it? I just critiqued the 4th place winner, and now I get the Yellow Ribbon to critique! This is an amazingly good image. In fact, it was one of my personal favorites. The deep tones contrasted with the most outstanding lighting are wonderful. Your subject is suitably Westonian. My sense is, you did your homework on Weston and it really paid off here.

Congrats on the (belated) ribbon, and on nailing this challenge in an excellent way.

Best,

Alicia

Westonius Invertus
by mefnj

Comment:
Hello and greetings from the Critique Club. You asked for an in-depth critique of your image, and here it is:

Seriously - 4th place - how can I possibly give you any constructive criticism? The clarity and the BW tones of this image are outstanding. You said yourself that the crop is a little different than Weston, however, I feel it works for your subject really well. The hairs near the artichoke heart are a bit blown, but clearly, that affected nothing. I think it actually adds visual interest by creating contrast to the darker bottom part of the image.

I'm groping. It's a great photo. Congrats on a wonderful placement.

Best,

Alicia

The Watcher
by picjunkie

Comment:
I'm glad this landed in the 5's. It's a sweet portrait. The one negative (and misspelled) comment you got was from a person whose account was deactivated. Probably part of the voter fraud scandal around the Weston challenge.

Detoxification
by Paul

Comment:
So outstanding - the lighting, the tones, not to mention the actual subject and composition. Awesome!! Congrats.

Not from this planet
by Abra

Comment:
4.7??? I love this! Gave you a 7. What a shame it didn't score higher.