Swan Lake
by JulietNN

Comment:
Juliet, well done on a fab score. This was my highest scoring image in this challenge. It's beautiful

... is a snowy Bear !
by Drake

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

You scored pretty well with this shot, but I do think the potential was there for a slightly higher score.

I don't however, have much new to add to the comments made already. I believe the composition could be improved slightly by zooming out to give a little more space around the bear.

The lighting is quite flat (as usual at this time of year), but this could have been enhanced a bit with some post processing. I don't know if you use Photoshop, but a slight levels adjustment layer would have helped reduce the flatness of the light. I also think a small tweak to the saturation would have brought this image to life.

Sarah

Young Buck
by incubus

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

This is a good catch and meets the challenge in my opinion. However, some very, very quick and easy post processing could have increased the score dramatically.

The composition is good, the subject is in focus and is quite sharp. The problem seems to be the lighting. It is really flat (very difficult at this time of year of course!). However, with a few tweaks in an editing programme, you could have really brought the picture to life.

Hopefully this provided you with some insight as to why it scored 5.3 and not higher.

Sarah

To Life!
by photopia

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

I think you scored fairly well with this pic, although I'm sure you would have liked a slightly higher score.

I believe this is a very good Self Portrait, so well done. The lighting is very well done, which creates a good atmosphere. Somebody commented about the chair back being distracting, and I have to say I tend to agree to some extent as it is only really visible on one side of the frame. This is only a minor nitpick though and I don't think had a huge impact on your score.

I am not really sure what you could have done differently to secure a higher placing/score. Perhaps it just doesn't have enough of the WOW factor needed to win on DPC.

Sarah

BooYakasha!
by Motek

Comment:
Love the concept. Great pic, but sadly spoiled a bit by the halo in the post processing. Still worthy of a 6 bumped to 7

This Tree is Still Alive
by slickwilly

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

This photo received a pretty decent score overall, so you should be fairly satisfied. I believe it scored just about right.

In order to score a bit higher, I think there are a few things that you could have done that would have improved it. First of all, lose the border (or at least reduce the size of it). For a picture such as this, which has delicate colours, the border is a bit heavy. It draws the eye away from the main focal point. It may only be a sub-conscious thing, but I think sometimes borders can hurt the score in a challenge.

MaryO already touched on this in her comment, but I do feel the composition is lacking a little. The horizon, or at least the fence which is where the eye goes to, is more or less centered and this could be improved a little.

For my taste, the colours are also slightly over saturated. However, I think this may just be a personal taste thing for me. (I would love to see it in Black and White).

Overall, I think this is a good photo that met the challenge, but with a few small adjustments could have scored slightly higher than it did.

Hope this is somehow helpful.
Sarah

Good Times
by Covert_Oddity

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

You received a good solid score for this photo, although, I personally would have expected it to score higher. I think this is a lovely candid shot that met the challenge perfectly.

Your B&W conversion is great (don't you just love the Silver Efex filters?), but I venture to suggest that the contrast maybe a bit too much for the DPC crowd? This is not my opinion, I love it, but I just wonder if that is perhaps one of the reasons for a below 6 score.

All in all, I think this was a great photo for this challenge and congrats on getting a postlumie nomination!

Sarah

Delicate Fins
by Paul

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

First of all let me congratulate you on a good score and the Post Lumie nomination.

On first glance at the thumbnail, and without reading the title of the image, I did think this was a very delicate flower shot. Obviously I realised pretty quickly on opening the image that it is definitely not a flower. (I'm pleased to see, reading others comments, that I was not alone in this)

I think the square crop/central positioning of the subject in this image works really well. The delicate tones in your processing enhance this photo a lot. Not sure a photo like this would ribbon on DPC, probably just a bit too soft and delicate for tastes around here. However, it did score well, so I hope you are satisfied with the outcome.

Sarah

Not a box of chocolates
by Melethia

Comment:
Deb, well done! This is wonderful image and deserves the high accolades received already. I didn't get chance to even look at this challenge, never mind vote, but it would have been an instant 10 from me too. :)

In flight, meal
by Melethia

Comment:
Well this is a great one. Pigeons, cafe tables what more could you want?