On the Shy Side
by OneSweetSin

Comment:
I think a really bright red or pink lipstick would have helped this to have more *punch*

Never go without say goodbye
by cimarron98

Comment:
CRITIQUE CLUB CRITIQUE
by karmat

I think black and white was a good choice for this. It adds solemnity to the shot, and helps to eliminate what could possibly be distracting colors in the background. The focus is very clear and that helps to make the shot strong, in one sense.

I think many people did not understand the connection to the challenge, adn that may have hurt your score. I, for one, thought maybe Qualcomm was going out of business (which alarmed me, somewhat,as that is who made my cell phone), but wasn't sure. I also thought maybe there was something about telling the dog bye.

Perhaps you could have used a shallower depth of field to add some interest to the story behind the shot. If the man and dog were as clear as they are now, then the "QUALCOMM" part of the sign was blurry, it would be like the stadium was fading from view. But, that is just a thought.

Best wishes in future challenges.
karmat

A Stitch in Time...
by cbeller

Comment:
CRITIQUE CLUB CRITIQUE
by karmat

Congrats on your first entry. You met the challenge well, and that is very important to many of the voters here.

I think the overall composition is fairly strong here. The hands of the clock and the needle form a triangle, which always seems to add some stability to a picture. Also, the center of the hands (where they are "anchored"), is positioned in a strong spot on the bottom right third, and I think this helps the shot to feel stable, and yet not stagnant like a centered placement would do. The thread leaving the frame in one area and re-entering it in another adds interest and make the shot "fun," I think.

The choice of purple was good to add some color to the shot. The white is almost too bright, I think, and seems to be "washing out" some in the upper left corner. Also, there is some glare on the needle that is really bright. I think to help tone this down, as well as get more of the subject in focus would be to have a larger aperture number. Though I think a shallow depth of field here would be okay at some angles, having the large round part out of focus hurts because that is where the eyes rests first.

Overall, well done and I look forward to seeing your future entries. If you have any questions or comments, please contact me.

karmat

(Not) Move a Muscle
by dinn

Comment:
CRITIQUE CLUB CRITIQUE
by karmat

I think you did a fine enough job at conveying your message. Though not exactly what it would be in English (don't move a muscle), it is very close and understandable, I think.

Your subject provides a very interesting focal point for the picture. Her "grayness" provides an interesting contrast with the colorful, busy background. Also, the depth of field you have chosen has helped her to be well in focus, while the busy-ness of the background is downplayed because the details are not obvious.

I think the picture could be made stronger if perhaps your angle as the photographer was slightly lower or had captured her face. Also, having her right hand (or finger things) "cut off" from the frame is almost distracting.

It is a very interesting shot, and makes the reader think that there must be a story behind it.

Good work and best wishes in future challenges. I look forward to seeing more of your work.

karmat

Bonnie Blue
by WILDBLUE

Comment:
CRITIQUE CLUB CRITIQUE
by karmat

Overall, I think this is a pretty good picture, but there are a couple of things I think would have made it more emotive with the viewers.

The lighting is good, perhaps too good. There are no shadows, and the background is a nice solid black. Perhaps using sidelighting could have cast some interesting shadows and given more "drama" to the shot.

Though you fill the frame well, it is cropped a little too tight for my personal taste and perhaps too far left in the frame. Together, these two elements make it feel off-balanced to me.

I like the desaturation, and think that it adds interest to this shot because it really makes her eyes the focus of attention.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact me.
Best wishes in future challenges.
karmat

Comic shot
by kaynaro

Comment:
CRITIQUE CLUB CRITIQUE
by karmat

I won't even address the issue of meeting the challenge, other than to say, if you want to stretch the definition of a challenge, make sure that no one can find anything technically wrong with your picture.

That said, I think you succeeded in having a humorous picture. Your did is a great sport, and probably a lot of fun to be around. The composition fills a little off to me. Perhaps if the white thing on the right was cropped out, or if you could have moved to your right just a bit to eliminate it all together, it would have been better.

Since you are so close, I think a smaller aperture number and slightly faster shutter speed would have been okay. The background is really bright, but the shadows on his face are a bit too dark to get the full impact of the picture.

Best wishes to you in future challenges.
karmat

War: Man's Infinite Capacity for Self-Destruction
by sleekr

Comment:
CRITIQUE CLUB CRITIQUE
by karmat

The first thing I noticed about this shot was the highly contrasting colors. It grabs the attention of the viewer and really helps the pattern of the markers seem infinite.

When I first looked at it, I thought the green on the right needed to be more rows of markers, but after studying it for a while, I think I like the open area. It gives a "beginning" to the infinity, and splits the picture into two sections.

The focus seems just a hair off (not immediately noticeable). Perhpas a larger aperture number and a slower shutter would help to really get those details showing good.

Nice work, and best to you in future challenges.

karmat

"I see dead people"
by Coley

Comment:
CRITIQUE CLUB CRITIQUE
by karmat

Great effect here. The "body" really stands out and the viewer has to study it a moment or two to see if it is a "shadow' or a silouette. Good work. I like the overall composition -- it is close enough that there is not a lot of clutter in the background that can distract, yet it still includes enough to give the picture some context.

It is a bit dark overall, but that may be my monitor. The details on the left side are almost indistinguishable.

Good work and best to you in future challenges. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.

burning pumpkin
by claudiadf

Comment:
CRITIQUE CLUB CRITIQUE
by karmat

Normally, I am not fond of shots that are this close up and fill the frame like this -- I like to have some context that the shot is in. That said, I think your framing works well here, and is very effective at getting the Halloween imagery across. By having nothing else in the frame, the viewer is forced to look at the face, and that in itself probably makes the viewer uncomfortable, which is a nice effect, I think, for pictures like this.

I think, for me, the bright spot in the middle lends the picture to feeling a little off balance. I found myself looking for the same kind of thing in the left eye or mouth.

When I do these critiques, and the score is in the middle like yours, I try and imagine what the voters were thinking (hahaha). For your shot, there is nothing that jumps out and grabs the viewer, immediately, so the emotional impact is not there. It does help to study the picture longer, and it becomes more effective. Unfortunately, many people do not have time to study each picture.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.
karmat

Trick....or Treat....
by jonpink

Comment:
CRITIQUE CLUB CRITIQUE
by karmat

Compositionally, I like the balance between the pumpkin and the model. I also like the background "surrounding" them, as it gives the feeling that they are being "swallowed" into the picture. The pink scarf also helps to differentiate the pumpkin from your model, and adds some color to the shot.

I think if the focus on the pumpkin had been sharper, it would have had more punch. Also, like someone mentioned, since you "distorted" her face, it may have been a nice touch to distort the pumpkins as well. I think using that same effect on the opposite side of the pumpkin would work well. That said, the effect does little to endear me to the picture. I think it would have been as strong, if not stronger with that effect added.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.

karmat