Lonely
by cowtownmom

Comment:
Wow. What a shot. Splendid job of capturing the lone, and lonely, figure amongst all the seasonal lights, in the middle of an avenue all on his own. Poor man. This shot breaks my heart.

I find this shot particularly strong, because while it is not a celebration of Christmas, it is a reminder that not all are as fortunate as many of us to have a family to share the holidays with.

Excellent use of b/w, and congrats on being up late to get this shot. This would not have been half as effective a shot otherwise. Please keep shooting and entering challenges.

ETA: Must chime in and agree with some other commenters. Crop that last bottom half-inch or so to remove the plaque in the sidewalk, its lightness and proximity to you does draw attention away from the figure.

Or is it supposed to?

Message edited by author 2011-01-09 20:15:27.

SeattlesSprirt
by cowtownmom

Comment:
I like the prominence of the Space Needle and the fact that it isn't centred, but is still the focal point of the photo. The cityscape around it helps add to the Christmasy feel, but it's tough to rely on an ornamental tree atop a structure the size of the SN to convey the feeling of Christmas.

Still, a very decent shot. Take what you can from the comments, and keep shooting! :-)

Winter Wonderland
by cowtownmom

Comment:
Very decorative tree, that's for sure! Overall nice work, especially with capturing the lights without too much glare. But the centredness of the tree is almost too easy. It would have been cool to see a lower POV used, or maybe a batch of ribbons missing from the tree in one area. Just a little something extra to capture the viewer and make their eye linger. The snowballs in the fg are a fun touch, glad you included them!

I Heard THe Bells On Christmas Day
by cowtownmom

Comment:
Love the sense of anticipation in this shot, and the way she seems to be holding the ornament as though we could expect to see incense smoke wafting from it. Even without the explanation, it is a strong and intriguing image.

A Christmas Evening
by cowtownmom

Comment:
Very interesting studio work, nice use of the light and pretty much no glare. You put the camera on a tripod (or you're incredibly steady to shoot handlheld at 0.3) so I sense a great deal of commitment to this shot. Great lighting and love the dof here.

Not the most traditionally 'Christmas-y' shot, perhaps, as you used a blue filter to wipe out the expected colours. And for many Christmas is, sadly, not a time of joy and celebration. To explore that side, as I see you doing here imho, says you're daring and willing to take risks, so I definitely applaud you for that!

Good work, keep it up.

Sydney Harbour Bridge NYE 2011
by JanieNews

Comment:
This is precisely the kind of thing of image I want to see on the home page. Not just fireworks in the sky and illuminating surrounding buildings, but one step further and get the reflections of the fireworks in any available water. Great work and congrats.

Giving the Gift of Love
by cowtownmom

Comment:
I like the sense of quiet expectation here. The gift sitting there waiting to be opened...so what is inside? Who got it and who gave it? The lack of a gift tag keeps us guessing, which is good imho :-)

The bokeh in the background is very nice and definitely adds to the Christmasy feel of the scene. There is a little bit of glare off the ribbons and wrap, but it's quite difficult to avoid capturing glare off of shiny wrapping paper. Occupational hazard, especially at Christmas.

There are two teeny changes I would make. One, turn the package a little bit so you can see more sides of it, that gives a good sense of depth. Two, put it on a surface like a bit of plain cloth that doesn't have a sheen to it. I think that would make the gift stand out a little more.

Overall a very pleasing and Christmasy shot. Good luck!

Holiday-Side
by cowtownmom

Comment:
Very funny and entertaining pic of Gingy from Shrek, right? ;-) It's an interesting story here, because traditionally mascots are mute and not supposed to talk. But sure looks like Gingy is chatting up the cheerleader. I like the tilt of Gingy's head towards the cheerleader, and the red of the mouth draws immediate attention. Like how the blue of his eyebrows almost match her outfit! The lighting is very good, if Gingy had been too much in the sunlight it would have made him look a little flat.

Very appealing shot overall, and even if it wasn't meant to be funny, it is, in a very sweet and innocent way. Good work.

Message edited by author 2011-01-09 16:57:58.

My Christmas Tree
by cowtownmom

Comment:
Lovely tree, great decorating job! There is a nice soft glow to the room. I really like the reflections of the tree and lights in the window. That gives a great sense of place and depth to the photo. It makes someone looking at the photo feel like you are there.

The train going around the base of the tree is a very cute touch too! If it had gone around the track a little more, a little closer to the window, the light from the tree would glint off the train. But, seeing the train in silhouette also adds a little mystery to the shot.

Overall very good work, and keep shooting! :-)

Yo, Baby
by scarbrd

Comment:
Woohoo! Great to see this get the blue, I loved it when I saw it and love it now. Great way to break in a new lens, too :-)