Embarrassment
by Konador

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

Ha! My very next photo on the cue after reading your email regarding my first critique!
I liked the humour of this photo but it wasn't a perfect viewing experience for me. I've looked at it pretty carefully and I can only conclude that I find the cropping a bit tight. I think the intent was to get a good capture of their expressions but I would like to see a bit more of the ridiculous costumes and maybe some context, like a smirking glance from a passerby. While I'll agree this is quite obviously an embarrasing situation, their embarrasment would be more keenly felt by the viewer if their humilation was being witnessed by someone other then himself.

I like the color combination quite a bit. I'm not crazy about what appears to be a desaturated background. I think the blurring would have been sufficient to separate the subjects. As it is, the delineation is so sharp they seem almost super-imposed on the background.

I liked the originality of the subject and the street photography quality of the effort.

Pansy
by nathaliedoo

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

I downloaded this to my Critique Club folder so I could view it in PS and crop out the border which I found really overwhelming and unattractive, point I made rather too bluntly during the voting.

I really enjoy the vibrant contrast between the purple and yellow which, as I'm sure you're aware, are complementary colors. While it is possible that centering the yellow would make a more dynamic composition, I'm not convinced of this. I rather enjoy the off-center placement.

I agree with the other commenters that the water droplet adds a distracting note to an otherwise very simple, dynamic scheme of color and radiating lines. This is just a nit but I feel this could have been cropped to eliminate the blurry patch of grey-blue at the bottom right corner which detracts from the simplicity of the purple and yellow.

This is the kind of composition that would look fabulous blown-up extra-large.

Kaleidoscope
by flip89

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

I found myself wanting to like this image more than I did. I like the colors quite a bit. The flower and star sequins are particularly pretty. I think it is the randomness of the composition that detracts from my enjoyment of the subject matter. The pale round beads don't add much interest yet there are quite a few of them in the frame. The lavender object at the right of the frame, while very pretty, isn't a strong focal point.

Therein the problem lies. There doesn't appear to be a main focal point for the eye to rest on long enough to create a satisfying viewing experience. If I were viewing this through a kaleidascope the changeable nature of the toy would create the pleasing viewing experience I'm after. As a still life, this is just too busy for me. You don't mention how many shots you took before settling on this one. It is possible that without enough attempts, the very randomness of the nature of kaleidoscopes would have yielded a more pleasing arrangement then this one. It is certainly worth experimenting with again if you are motivated to do so.

I am impressed at the quality of the image considering you took it from a kaleidascope. That can't have been easy.

Design District
by GinaRothfels

Comment:
Whoo, the color hurts my eyes. Framing the shot this way creates a tangible connection to the words on the sign. Very good.

... Closer Than They Appear
by GeneralE

Comment:
Not very original. The focus is a little soft. The extreme pinpoint highlights in his eyes have a creepy effect. This isn't a great use of the surrounding areas of the frame.

Sweet reading
by xoao

Comment:
Where have I seen this before? This trick is getting tired for me. It's a good shot so I have to give it at least a five but can this be the last one of these? Please?

Freeze to Please
by ericablu

Comment:
Was cropping off the C in Icecream intentional or just random, I wonder? I got a laugh out of reading "Ream Co." but since the title was "We freeze to please" I don't think the humor was intentional. But then there are those two tiny oranges, or tomatos or whatever, so I'm confused again.

I guess the intent just isn't clear enough for me to evaluate. Graphically, it has some good qualities. I like the pastel colors of the building and door.

Fly or bug
by mamcg

Comment:
Either way, it doesn't belong in this challenge.

Open For Business
by marginalwarfare

Comment:
Good subject matter but you need a tripod to avoid the camera shake.

Air Force One
by Silent Bob

Comment:
Other than identifying the origins of the plane I don't find that the words play a creative role in this rather literal representation of the plane.