Rectangles and Reflections
by Venser

Comment:
Congrats on the red! See, you don't need mad PS skillz to ribbon here! ;-)

lamb
by mrbig65

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

Very cute lamb and essentially a good shot with good comp and focus, I think the main problem here is the post processing. It's the first thing I noticed about the shot, not the subject. Of course it's an Expert challenge and you know you're going to be up against some stiff competition, so many feel compelled to go a little crazy with the pp. You don't need to.

Reading your notes, you mention that the lamb likes coffee and Oreo cookies...I think it would have been absolutely hilarious to have a shot of her snarfing down an Oreo, just as she started in on it so people could see what she was eating. Then a simple desat, a little bit of contrast to bring out the blacks and eh wala, a very cute and even more funny/appealing shot of a silly-looking animal doing something very silly :-)

If lamby is still around, maybe try setting a place for her...a little coffee in a coffee cup on a table and a plate with a couple of Oreos on it. Get your camera set up so you're ready, and then just shoot away as she helps herself. Hey, why not? Have some fun, especially with such a cooperative subject :-)

Feel free to PM me

Susan

every boy loves a puppy
by disassociation

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

There were quite a few dog/puppy shots in this challenge, so I guess many agree with you about little boys liking puppies - both are young, rambunctious and get into all kinds of mischief together. I gave you a 6 in voting. This pup does look like he's ready to romp at the toss of a ball or stick. Liking the amount of detail, though I missed the wagging tail originally, it does add to the atmosphere of expectancy and waiting to play.

Technically looks like doggie is backlit and his face is somewhat in shadow - wouldn't hurt to use the dodge tool to bring out the face and eyes, and burn around the ears. Though I don't advocate using massive amounts of pp, I'm not afraid to see it used carefully, especially in an Expert level challenge. The crop is a teeny bit tight esp at the top, but overall a nice shot and very worthy entry for this challenge. Keep on shooting and entering!

Feel free to PM me

Susan

Stage Fright
by bseifipour

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

And welcome back from a long absence, too...five years without DPC? How on earth did you survive, inquiring minds want to know...;-)

Ok enough silliness. I really like this shot, especially with the jokers in the front row. No wonder the poor queen looks trepidatious about going out on the stage. The towel as stage curtain and checkerboard shows resourcefulness and creativity and the checkerboard also evokes Alice in Wonderland.

Technically the comp is fine, good use of a tripod, long exposure, candle and a flashlight. Done that more than once and still do! I do feel the queen is oversharpened and a bit too bleedy to the lower right, I'm guessing that's where the candle was located. Very good creation of an audience in ramped seats staggered as they are in an actual theatre.

Otherwise I really can't poke any holes in this image. I love homemade setups like this, and am glad to see you finished quite well. So welcome back and hope to see more entries from you soon!

Feel free to PM me

Susan

White Rabbit Red Queen
by surfinbird

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

Interesting array of comments here and I certainly agree with many of them - the surreal, eerie quality you've captured is wonderful. At first I didn't *get* the clock, I thought it was a ball until I read your comments. Very good comp, the off-centred subject adds to the unsettling feeling here. I do think that the Queen should be spot-coloured red just to drive home that it's the Queen of Hearts. I think that with just more of a closed-down shutter (and tripod) to help increase the dof and more importantly, kill the flat white on the Rabbit's head and clock, you would have finished in the ribbons. I second pretty much everything Kelli suggests.

Very good work, congrats on the score and placing. Keep it up and I look forward to seeing more entries from you!

Feel free to PM me

Susan

The Spring
by inshaala

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

This image should have placed a lot higher, imho, just on the basis of technical difficulty alone. Very good shot, like the use of overlays. Love the sharp focus on the hands and the blur of the cards. Wish I could do that, I just make a mess :-)

The only thing I'm not so crazy about is the strong saturation - to my eye it's bordering on cartoony. But other than that a very good shot, and the setup you used sounds so much like many of mine I can pretty much see it. Keep up the good work!

Feel free to PM me

Susan

bad shuffle
by posthumous

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

Hmmm...the main problem for me here is less the concept and more the execution. The high ISO is super-visible and where the mirror ball catches the light directly, it lools like a blank card. The drawings on the cards are a good idea though I honestly don't know where the hanged figure fits in...the joker, maybe? :-)

Feel free to PM me

Susan

Flight of the Heron
by vawendy

Comment:
What, you couldn't find a flying squirrel!?! ;-) Great work and congrats on the ribbon...and I second Neat!

get-well-Dallasaurus
by ecmguy

Comment:
Glad I gave this a 9, it's great! Huge congrats on the ribbon :-)

Raining Skittles
by Mike

Comment:
Congrats on the red and new PB!