The Woods are Lovely, Dark and Deep
by pmichaud

Comment:
Welcome from the Critique Club!

Composition:

A little flat. I'd be curious what focal length was used here. With a wider shot it would give a more expansive feeling to this. Another approach would be to try to think in terms of layers for this type of shot. Get something in the foreground, mid-ground, and background to create depth. If you were to reposition the camera to create a visual line through the shot, either with the path or using the trees it would stronger as well.

From your description you mention that the trail keeps going up. Why not incorporate that feeling into the picture by getting a shot where the trail goes up a lot?

Exposure:

Tough lighting to shoot for. Quick, easiest and safest bet is to expose for the trees. Aiming for an area of trees with more consistent lighting would help as well. Generally with trees you underexpose by about -2/3 of a stop because vegetation tends to be fairly reflective. A circular polarizer of a graduated ND filter would also help get the sky exposed correctly while allowing you to expose the trees properly.

Color: Overall I'd say its pretty good. The colors are rich and well saturated with a fair bit of variety. (yes there's lots of green but lots of variations on green)

The challenge: For this challenge, Waldo is best to be in plain view but blended into the background. I like that you didn't place Waldo too far back in the scene however hiding him behind a tree just doesn't work for me. To be honest I wouldn't worry about that too much though. For this challenge a lot of shots included people in ways you would never want to do and would likely compose for or photoshop out after the fact.

Waldo's traveling spirit
by joekent

Comment:
Composition:
Nice diagonals and the horizon help lead the viewer into the frame. The vanishing point is positioned nicely. The horizon could be straightened a little (might be just my tired eyes though).

Lighting is interesting and well exposed. There are a few jaggies along the lights in the distance but that can't be helped.

Colors are pleasing and nicely saturated without going overboard. They really help create the mood in this shot.

The challenge:
Waldo looks like he was less than deliberately placed to me for some reason. However, a lot of commenters liked the sized and placing of the elusive Waldo. In the end I think I will have to agree with them.

The Missus' Morning Mission to find the Missing (Waldo X 3)
by Citadel

Comment:
For those checking:
Waldo One: On the newspaper
Waldo Two: On the milk carton
Waldo Three: It worked better with the full sized image but waldo three is in the picture frame in the background. (Me with my fiancee hence the title)

PS: I also would have like to move the frame to the right and get rid of that black thing which I had setup to block the view of the bookshelf until I realized the potential "third waldo"...and um...forgot to remove it.

Message edited by author 2007-07-03 20:39:52.

Hanging Out
by angela_packard

Comment:
a little overexposed...

Opalescense
by kawhona

Comment:
nice but I am hard pressed to see a connection to the challenge.

Galveston Sunrise
by jerseyjim

Comment:
The beach is awfully dark. Not that big of a deal but its such a large area in the shot. Cropping off some of the bottom would help. Aiming more to the right would have also helped.

Summertime!
by junior_z

Comment:
ouch...needs some straightening.

Fishin'
by skewsme

Comment:
Not sure about the uneven border. I don't really think this shot requires a border at all especially one so thick. Remember, the purpose of a border is to "contain" the image. The trees form a nice natural border in this shot so an extra one isn't needed.

Early Morning
by edmeng

Comment:
Wow. Nice monochromoe conversion. It really suits this image well. Good contrast on the foreground without sacrificing the soft subtle tones in the background.

Lift off!
by basssman7

Comment:
Nice capture. Focus is a bit off unfortunately.