EQ
by rickhd13

Comment:
An equalizer is indicative of sound. So that much fits the challenge. Composition is nicely balances within the frame (but then again it *is* rectangular to start). The subject is unfortunately flat and not very interesting.

Tickle Those Ivories
by STEINR

Comment:
Piano sound is one of my favorites. Here I like the highlight on the lot of the black keys contrasting with the shadow of their sides. The fingers playing are good with the theme - howver I think the blurry hand inthe background distracts from the forground one and we canm;t see that it is playing at all. I'd have a bettwer view of both hands or just the one hand. The white space on the left and the blurred part of the piano on the left also pull the eye away from the subject. You could crop in closer, or recompose the subject by photgraphing over the player's shoulder and have the keyboard and hands fill the frame.

Loud!
by jodiecoston

Comment:
The high key (light) emphasizes the noise level here. The hat, necklace, and bracelet are good anchors - give your eyes some guidance where they might otherwise get lost in all that white. I like the crop too - balance between the loud sound and wanting to block it out. Nice all around! 9

Beaute Naturelle
by lmhr

Comment:
Not only is your model "beaute naturelle" your photo has captured her luminescent face very well. I like the soft even lighting. I'm not sure about the crop - the tilt of her eyes comes down neatly from the corner but I'd like to see more of her face. The other corner is simply an out of focus shoulder (and strap) which doesn't do anything for the picture (except distract). Without the strap and the bit of upper arm, it would work better, but it would require redoing the shot at a slightly differesnt angle. I think having her face against a dark background would be too harsh - not soft and natural - so you made a good choice of using her shoulder I think just needs a little modification. 7

Elder
by severin

Comment:
Nice B&W subject. I like the texture and tones of the mushroom stems. i wish you could have gotten as nice an effect with the underside of the top 'shroom. It isn't quite in focus, and what light there is doesn't do much. The bright background shows how the 'shrooms are lurking in the shadows, but it is so bright and there is so much of it it is distracting. Also the bits of vine and other growing things around, while natural also detract from the focus. I'd be tempted to pull away these extra elements and find an angle that still emphasizes your subject (elder) while minimizes the background. Use a larger DOF to have the edges of the 'shroom tops ion focus along with the stems.

Queen of the garden
by pitsaman

Comment:
Beautiful gauzy layers of petals - very nice in B&W. I'm uncomfortable with the composition, the way the large flower is cropped on the right, and the flecks of light in the background are distracting. I would try either cropping more of the large flower off which would emphasize the smaller one more, and bring the viewers eye to the great detail texture in the large flowers petals. Or reshot and try to include the whole large flower - oerhaps in controller contitions with a solid background.

America's Pass Time
by Warnercable

Comment:
Yikes! It looks like the kid is going to be hit by the car! The idea of framing the action with the flag is an interesting one - but just doesn;t work here. Black and white stripes wouldn;t say Us flag to me unless I saw the title. the kid isn't in focus, and tho he looks like he is pitching a baseball he's throwing a bigger ball. If you could get a DOF that brought all into focus, and backed up so more of the flag is visible, and frames the boy more closely it would be better.

Shadow Dance
by autool

Comment:
The protractor (?) really seems to be dancing with its shadow- the curve of the paper help that illusion. the white of the paper and black behind provide a nice frame for the subject, and the tilt adds to the illusion that the "dancer"s are whirling. Everything is very simple and flat but the tool whiuch really pops out at the viewer with its metalic texture shown by the highlight along the edge, and the threads on the screw. Focus is a little soft. Nice, well thought out. 8

Midnight Church
by tyrkinn

Comment:
this is Iceland, yes? While I am drawn to Icelandic pictures, this one would have drawn me anyway - the ethereal light on the curch and the contrast against the sky - simple forms and angles that don;t clutter a simple, elegant composition. The only things I find distracting are the handiicap ramp and the parking lot. The hadicap ramp has to be there after all but you could crop the lot (although I sort of like the connection between the ramp and the handicap sign could you find an angle to make it more obvious?) I like the low mountains on the horizon. 8

Woven
by K-Rob

Comment:
I like the contrast between the earthy weave of the basket and the shiny flatness of the metal. The diagonal composition works ok - I wish the light had been greater above and less below to show off the edge more. The shallow DOF doesn't work for me - it detracts from the interesting contrast beteen the materials.