... then I saw the Moon
by Pascal

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club! (And congrats on the ribbon too ;-)

Dang that's an impressive couple of captures, and excellent blending to boot. I love how the elements of moon, rock and (created?) water all unite in sheer size and scope, but that tiny human figure is what helps pull it all together. The huge moon with the human just off the centre, then the eye goes down the pathway to the water to discover what lays there. The colours of each element in this pic complement and work well with each other.

Ok guess it's time to try and nitpick now...always difficult with a ribboning image...I just wish the horizon at rock and water was a little bit sharper, because the water (and reflections of course) looks great.

And it really is Mount Olympus, so pretty amazing locale! Great work Pascal Keep up the good work and hoiking camera gear up there :-)

Susan

Italian toys for grown ups
by docjonny

Comment:
Nice poppy colours there on the cars, the fact that they're staged in a mostly neutral room helps a lot too :-) Glad to see you in the top ten again, keep up the good work!

The Pasta maker
by docjonny

Comment:
Great work Jonny! Excellent shot and very glad to see your name on the front page :-) Congrats on the HM!

Breakfast of Champions
by kylebird

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

First of all, congrats on the HM. Very appealing image with the red plate and its contents dominating the image, as it should, with the partial glass of orange juice and cutlery adding to the breakfast theme. The metallic finish to the placemat definitely catches the eye without competing with the other elements.

A few very minor nitpicks, like some glare and just a tinge of CA on the tines of the fork, but that's all. The comp and lighting can't really be faulted, and the statement of pills replacing real food rings too true these days.

Again, congrats on the HM and I look forward to seeing more of your work in the future!

Susan

Natures medicine
by docjonny

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

So we meet again, Jonny...hehehehe....:-)

I like the bright poppiness of the colours here, and your choice of a natural setting. I also appreciate that you chose to stay away from the pills/tablets that dominated the entries in this challenge. And it was encouraging to see a more homeopathic entry took 2nd place. I like shots taken in situ, but there still needs to be a sense of context. I knew I was looking at a passionfruit, but the presentation is just a bit on the messy side.

A neatly sliced wedge of fruit, with more of the intact fruit visible in the background, would have helped drive the message home. Also, beware of portrait orientation - many voters dislike it as it means they have to scroll up and down in order to see the whole image.

As it stands, though, personally I would have used less ISO and more dof or some adjustments to take down the glariness of the pith (the thick white rind surrounding the fruit). If there had been a way to position the fruit without using the hand, so much the better.

Hope this helps!

Susan

Mysterious
by clickodak

Comment:
Marcel, it always makes me incredibly happy to see you on the front page. Well done on a fantastic double exposure and of course on the HM! :-)

MOM!! Can I have another one?
by mrjssims

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

This is one of those shots where you are damned if you do, and damned if you don't. I understand that you wanted to get the spontaneity of the moment, and your son's feet in the shot add a sense of realism and timeliness. However,as it is the image is just too clean. There is no sense of mess. Surely the popsicle could have been left to melt a bit, possibly even draw a few flies and lose the chill on it, and your son simply told to go back to where he was standing before?

Otherwise the comp is quite appealing; I like the low point of view and the falling light, and the shadow cast by the popsicle. It is a little too centred though, watch for that. Learn about the rule of thirds, but you do have some nice leading lines and bokeh happening.

Also keep in mind that under the Minimal ruleset, saturation adjustment - beit spot or global - is NOT allowed. Had SC requested originals for validation, this image would have been DQ'd.

Otherwise, a good attempt, keep on shooting and entering!

Susan

La Baie des Anges
by gyaban

Comment:
Wow, what a tragic story and incredible image. Amazing work as always, Christophe.

Full
by Phocal

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

Wow, does this shot ever remind me of Magnumphotography...in a good way though! Great portrait, love the use of bokeh and thirds, lots of contrast and fantastic tones. Like the contrast of the curving neck vs that huge evil-looking bill. Looks like the light was quite high at the time, so good work on avoiding hard shadows and glare.

The only reason I can think of for this shot doing poorly, is partly due to the fact that FS is always tough, and simply that there isn't an unfortunate frog or fish in its bill, or in the act of being tossed down that gullet, with a decorative stream of water trailing behind it.

Hope this helps, keep shooting and enetering!

Susan

“If you see something that moves you, and then snap it, you keep a moment.”
by Cory

Comment:
wtg Cory! Good to see you back, what a way to celebrate :-)