Sax Line
by HeiSch

Comment:
A great picture and nice angle. The symmetry in the stand and the saxophones themselves really sell this image. As one commenter mentioned, too bad about the microphones as they take a bit out of the picture (not much you can do though). Exposure is well done and good use of depth of field. Curious what the shot might have looked like if you pulled back just a hair. Still great score and a nice start here at your first entry. Looking forward to seeing more of your pictures.

A Different Class Of Instruments
by kotzie

Comment:
The DPC crowd is very critical when it comes to "studio" type shots, as nearly all studio shots here seem to be done by professionals or with lightboxes. Personally, I don't even bother with them because I really don't have the equipment to compete in this area. Given that, the content of the picture is well composed. The instruments are unique and is refreshing change to all the "musician" oriented pictures in the challenge.

Some things you might try in the future for these studio/product shots:
Try to isolate the shadows, generally they are not a good thing. Try moving the subject further away from the background if possible (not sure of your camera) you might want to try a larger aperture.

People are tend to look for uniform background color on these type of shots. So White Balance plays an important role. If your camera has a configurable white balance setting change it to incandescent (looks like regular light bulbs to me??) rather than sticking to auto mode which usually does not work well with standard lightbulbs. If you can't set this you might try fixing this in post or maybe switching to a black and white mode. With the right white balance you'll notice colors really POP.

Wrinkles in fabric tend to take away from the shot.

For your first entry, it is pretty good. I have had scores much worse than this, plus take my critiquing lightly as I am not good at these type of shots either. Good luck going forward and hope to see more of your work!

Crowded Yet Alone
by sarsonuk

Comment:
This was a terrific idea, just missing the mark for full impact. I think the biggest issue is with the composition. It is just a bit too cluttered/busy for me. No given that, there is a ton to love about this photo. The expression of the girl and the mother on the left, the elderly woman coming towards you engaging the viewer, and the passerbys just shuffling along. The exposure is pretty good, consider it looks like it was midday in harsh light? It is a fun scene in a market place. Maybe a little different angle or on a lower plane to really make this one shine. Still a nice shot and a good fit for the challenge.

lonely
by sevilduvarci

Comment:
Wonderful mood and lighting. Not sure how "natural" the lighting was moving up the sidewalk but it is very nicely done nonetheless. I like the imposing sides coming in. With the highlighted street, the man, the bridge, and then the far clouds shows great movement in the frame. Not too much to complain about the photo, maybe some dodging/burning issues around the figure, but overall an exceptional photo. It's not something I personally equate with "Street Photography" hence I gave it a lower rating, but just as a beautifully rendered photo and idea it garners HIGH marks in my book.

backspotting
by silverfoxx

Comment:
One of my favorite pictures in the challenge. Sorry it did not do better for you. This is a great example of fine art, good mood, and nice symmetry.

Musical Firsts
by kashi

Comment:
Great material. I like the use of toys because they are in general so colorful. You have everything placed nicely to convey a good use of the frame. The sharpness is also good. Just curious if you tried using any small model subjects? I think there is a certain life missing from the photo that would have helped with a little tyke. However, this is just a personal preference since I love shooting people :) It is a nice capture, colors pop and is a good product placement shot. I think as far as voting, I think the wrinkled curtain may have been the only thing that hurt. A terrific idea for the challenge.

Only Yorick Knew What These Things Are
by raish

Comment:
You beat me by two places! Actually, I would have placed this even higher. It is a great study of the subject matter and one of the better entries that conveys the challenge. Wonderful focus. The lighting is pretty good, a bit harsh in some spots but overall well exposed. Just curious if you placed any of the items? What I like is the monotone colors of all the items on the shelf and just a splash of color from that matchbox (?). I think if you would have placed that box on a more eye focused section it might have had a bigger impact. Just a minor suggestion. Really, this is a terrific image!

Dust to Dust
by maxaz1

Comment:
A great idea, though a lot of the context of the image seemed to be in the comments so I think it was hard for voters to connect. Good use of focus and sharpness. I think the contrast is great too. This might be a good candidate for black and white for all the textures in the rock and skull. Sounds like it was a fun experiment and knowing this I would have rated it much higher. I think it was a terrific choice in subject matter. Still there are a lot of great elements in this picture.

Specimen: Flammulina Velutipes
by skewsme

Comment:
I wasn't a big fan of this picture during voting, though I probably should have given it a second look it is actually a very nice picture. What I do like is the two-tone color treatment. The white and blue work wonders. I also like the slight curve of the dish against the vertical lines of the mushrooms. For some reason, the picture just seems upside down for me. However, you seemed to connect well with the voters, and congrats on the great score. A great capture.

Escape
by levyj413

Comment:
Nice work Jeffrey. I like the "emotion" that everyone is talking about here. My only complaint is the serene emotion doesn't seem to fit the stark background. Beyond that it is a great capture. I am a fan of side lighting so you get points from me. I also like the grayscale treatment. I really do like the expression, it really makes the picture.