Lighthouse In the Wind
by MelonMusketeer

Comment:
In the original, the tilted horizon comes across to me not as a flaw but rather as a choice that imparts a sense of a boat pitching about in windy conditions. It is probably one of the few circumstances in which a tilted horizon might be just fine. The nearly black and white tones in the original give a stronger sense of wildness.

In this version, the sepia and level horizon seem to tone down the emotional impact, which makes it easier to pay more attention to the interesting lighthouse beam (reminds me of a blast of burning propane from a refinery). I appreciate being able to see the earlier version. I like both of them.

Excellent example of a good use for "sharpless".

Escalaphobia
by jdannels

Comment:
I like the incorporation of the reflected steps on the shiny chrome sidewalls and the use of a shutter speed just long enough to produce motion blurr but short enough to maintain easy identification of the subject.

The yellow tone combined with the somewhat disorienting motion distortion are just right to evoke some tingles of fear. (Or is it just that I have had to ride BART at night too many times in the past?)

the-ball.jpg
by electrolost

Comment:
In horror movies, the teenagers who want survive to the end of the story have to avoid going into basements like that.

Very nice use of colors for emotional impact.

Reach for the Stars
by jasonlprice

Comment:
Beautiful color, immediate emotional impact, draws me in and makes me want to hear the story that goes with it.

OO
by yanko

Comment:
Keep this one around to put up for Halloween! I am finding it very tricky use defocusing to get a blurred picture and still have a worthwhile subject instead of just an out-of-focus snapshot. This is technically good, artistically wonderful, and a valuable contribution to the "sharpless" topic.

Cartwheeel
by Wildcard

Comment:
Excellent approach to bluring via manual focus, which is harder than it looks. It is easy to get an image that just looks badly focused. This one still has a well-defined subject, and the short shutter speed kept the person from looking mushy. Your choice of tone and brightness cap it off nicely. I think it should be framed and displayed prominently, maybe in a recreation center or school.

Remember That Summer
by Wildcard

Comment:
I like them both. The color version is like a splash of activity fresh in the mind - not enough time to catch the finest details, but you know it was fun. The black and white version is like an older memory, not so fresh and fun, but a welcome impression of a sparkling good time.

Dance Practice
by bob350

Comment:
Thank you all for such positive comments and suggestions. The "sharpless" side challenge has been a great stimulus for experimenting and learning.

Her arms are present, but more ghostly than legs or head because of being moved more to maintain balance. In spinning, the dancer plants one foot on the ground for part of the turn, then plants the other foot, and repeats. Since the placement is different each time, the result is "multiple legs" from the long exposure - no strobes required - while the skirt's even motion makes a smooth shape. The spin was pretty fast but not pushed to the limit.

I hadn't thought of a B&W version, but L1's suggestion prompted me to try. The thumbnail above is a hyperlink to the portfolio image. Thanks so much for the idea.

The light behind her is sunshine shining into the room through a red bedsheet attached to the curtains. It is supplemented by a 60 w reading lamp on picture right and a little ambient light through curtains behind the camera. I did not try any faster shutter speeds, although that might have been interesting.

Teleporting In
by levyj413

Comment:
Very clever strategy for having only part of the image blurred. It would be interesting to see the version without the green color, but I do like the artistic effect, which matches your interpreation. At the same time, her expression is a great enhancement to the composition. Nice capture.

study of a young woman
by silverfoxx

Comment:
This is one of the images I come back to repeatedly, both because it captures a classic style so well and because it is so very well done. This time, I just noticed your notation that posted comments help when you feel down. We all need a boost once in a while, particularly when life or art feel difficult. A thread on the forum says this image was selected for exhibition in Denver, and it looks like that show is in progress right now. I hope that being shown brings you some well-deserved happiness, maybe to help balance the down times. Keep up the great work.