Poster Version 2.jpg
by LadyK

Comment:
I much prefer this one over the previous 'I still have a bright future'. To me, that one is almost glamourizing teen pregnancy, a sort of have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too scenario. I am old enough to remember the good ol' days, when, if you saw a teenage girl pushing a stroller, she was the babysitter. Nowadays she is much more likely to be the mom. I blame this whole trend is due to young celebs having kids and toting them about like handbags; it's like, give birth to the latest hottest fashion accessory.

Thing is, these celebs can afford a bazillion nannies and caretakers while they work out 4 hours a day in the gym and get plastic surgery (or whatever) to lose the stretchmarks etc. The rest of the world, ie us, can't afford such luxuries.

This one is much more realistic and down to earth. Motherhood is a TREMENDOUS reponsibility...part of the reason I opted out of having children, and I am the daughter of an OB/GYN! Also I got pregnant when I was 30, by a man who definitely did not love me nor want to have kids with me, and I didn't want to be a single mom, so I terminated the pregnancy.

FWIW, the best ever teen pregnancy poster I ever saw was a b/w, a girl's belly shot straight on, saying (if I remember correctly): 'If you're embarrassed by a pimple, trying explaining this.'

Silent dark
by fiona

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

Initial impression: photo walks a very fine line because it is neither dark nor light but a pleasing balance of both. However, as you opted to enter it in darkness, and dpc challenges are often very literal, best to err on the dark side. :-)

Technical: Clean enough shot, a little too centred in terms of comp. Lighting is ambient and helps convey idea of dusk nicely. However, you scored quite well so clearly people liked the image.

Artistic: I like the rock wall in the f/g cause it offsets the clouds in the b/g and is also a complementary colour. I do agree that an fstop down would have helped to darken the image a bit more.

FWIW: Personally, I am a huge fan of the extreme POV and leading lines coming right at you. I would've tried to get down onto those rocks and shot away as much as possible from the harbour lights, so you still get light from the sky, but just enough. The glow from the orange sodium lights would probably still have caught enough on masts and fittings to add definition to what you were shooting.

Feel free to PM me with any questions,

Susan

Whats behind the paint?
by AmeedEl-Ghoul

Comment:
WOW Ameed! I am so proud of you! Your photos have only got better and better, I should've placed money on you to ribbon soon.

Huge congrats on what I am sure will be the first of many.

Caleb in the sound booth
by Quigley

Comment:
OMG, Max, I can see why that casting director couldn't take her eyes off of Caleb when he was 6 - look at that bone structure! He's going to be unbelievably handsome.

Mom in action
by Rino63

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

Initial impression: A good concept that needs more work in terms of execution. I agree with the general sentiment that part of the table should be in the shot as opposed to the rim of the plate. Good clean slow-pour shot, though.

Technical: good dof, the blue of the b/g helps complement the mac&cheese; lighting looks ambient which works well for a shot like this, pp appears satisfactory.

Artistic: This is a good slice-of-life photo, carried out by the fact that the ladle has been used several times before it was used for this pour. Little bit of glare to left b/g but probably just space between chairs.

FWIW: I would've definitely pulled back a little and got some table top in. Might have opted for a creamier or more colourful sauce to help offset the colour of the pasta; this sauce gives a slightly gelatinous look to the food. Might have tried to get a woman's hand in the shot to help the title tie in a bit better.

Overall a good effort, keep shooting!

Feel free to pm me with any questions.

Susan

Focus, Patience, Excitment, Curiosity
by colorcarnival

Comment:
Huge congrats Michelle! A posthumous red and a real blue! Way to go!

Snaffles Jr
by LadyK

Comment:
Roflmao! Katherine, we gotta visit sometime and go shooting. Didn't you say something about a new truck that needed breaking in? :-)

Sunbeam through the branches
by Cuttooth

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

Initial impression: Wow, very nicely done and in very tough lighting conditions. Slightly dreamy feel adds to the impact.

Technical: Composition and dof great, lighting ambient, some beams and reflection off water are a little glarey. Smaller aperture would have helped. Shows off tree very well, like the way your subject also helps frame the light showing it to advantage.

Artistic: 'shot at sunrise'....that says it all. Great soft glow, and love the explanation of the smoke! :-)

FWIW: Looks like you went and saw your shot, set your alarm for 4am and went and did it. Good for you! I admire that kind of dedication. Apart from a smaller aperture I might have cropped it at the bottom a little. Not surprised you finished in the top 10. Keep up the great work!

Feel free to PM me with any questions,

Susan

Eco Drive
by kingskingdom

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

Initial impression: Fun, quirky shot that made tons of use of the several captures allowed in Advanced.

Technical: nice light, comp good, everything in focus. The b/w works well.

Artistic: I would've guessed this to be one of Art Roflmao's shot, esp if there had been a woody at the wheel :-0 Love the sense of fun and detail, a lot of work went into getting everything done right; attention to detail always appreciated. The porcupiney hind end has me guessing as to whethr it's real or not!

FWIW: I would have liked to see this in colour, but that may have also exposed some crucial pp steps. Shot a similar scene with a VW bug that had lichen growing on the hood, and a birchtree growing through the sunroof. You placed very well, glad to see dpcers haven't lost their sense of humour!

Keep up the good work, don't sell out. Shoot what you want, and if it's what dpc likes to see, too...you've got it made.

Feel free to PM me with any questions,

Susan

Feather
by Citadel

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

Initial impression: lovely study in textures and lines, though lacking a bit in visual impact. Long portrait orientation is an interesting choice.

Technical: As has been noted, composition could be a little stronger; here it looks shot from directly overhead, which makes for a tougher shot. Dof works well with background oof, but that straw 2/3 the way down does slow down the flow of the feather tremendously.

Artistic: Don't know if b/w was the best way to go here, tends to make it a little washy.

FWIW: I would've carefully plucked away the topmost blades of grass/straw, that would leave feather undisturbed, to show off whole length of feather and banding to advantage. Probably would have rotated camera to give it more of a diagonal/leading lines thing. And would have left it in colour, or gone b/w and really whacked the levels and curves sliders around to emphasize the feather.

Overall not a bad shot, just needs a little more tweaking. Don't be afraid to move obstructions out of your way if it'll help you get a better shot. Keep up the good work!

Feel free to PM me with any questions,

Susan