Peace, Grace & Serenity??? Think again!
by glad2badad

Comment:
Something must be lurking... Nice capture.

Hot Rod Hopes
by mcgoffinet

Comment:
I'm probably not the first (or last) to tell you that the image is too small. That aside, this doesn't tell a strong story on its own.

No No No!
by martinkulik

Comment:
Great candid. DOF is a bit shallow.

Rainy Day
by choltmeier

Comment:
This is excellent. I like the way the warm sepia tones contrast with the cold, wet subeject matter. Great framing and background also.

Lost wishes...
by Kelli

Comment:
Noisy and harsh. Too bad because the focus looks good.

Her Master
by zillahlewis

Comment:
Huh? Is this a litter box?

Day 9: The Final Straw
by bobonacus

Comment:
A clever idea. I can't help but wonder how this would have looked lit from behind or in some other manner using the translucency of the straws.

Victoria's Inner Harbour
by KarenNfld

Comment:
You've gotten so much great feedback on this image, I don't know that I can add much. I didn't vote in this challenge, but I probably would have given this a six. I love the contrast of the warm lights against the blues of the sky and water. The background lights do seem a bit harsh though. Someone recommended a higher f-stop to get a starburst effect from those lights. That might have helped. (That would also have increased DOF and added some clarity to the buildings in the background right.) The main subject should be the boats, but the background seems to be competing for attention instead of enhancing or complementing the main subject. That makes for a busy image.

Still, a near 5.7 isn't a bad score. I never look at place rankings in free studies -- there are so many entries!

All In!
by bobonacus

Comment:
Technically, I think this is good, although for most, I think it lacks the "wow" factor. The interest is more subtle, and has to do with what's actually going on in the game. I suspect most voters looked at it, said, "Oh, how interesting, a poker game," voted, and moved on. Maybe a hand holding some of the cards or something even more dramatic (an ashtray?, a spilled drink?) would have held voters for a longer visit. I gave this a five.

I do like the lighting. Taken out of context, it might be considered harsh, but here it gives it the feel of a card game in a dark room or someone's basement with a single overhead light.

Balancing act
by IreneM

Comment:
Somewhat cliche but nicely done anyway. I like that the stems are not symmetric. A seven for you.