Winter Solitude
by cardinalmom

Comment by tyrkinn:
Good composition, good eye. Only thing bothering me is too much grain for this type of shot (seems like the light was good)

Winter Solitude
by cardinalmom

Comment by Crafty Sue:
I like the compoition of this photo the snow and the blue are good 8

Winter Solitude
by cardinalmom

Comment by inspzil:
sky is messed up. Noisy, probably oversaturated. Not that this isn't a nice picture, but the sky is a really big distraction. Even if the horizon is truly tilted, it might not hurt to straighten it. It would also bring the tree to more of a right angle.

Winter Solitude
by cardinalmom

Comment by nephrotic:
I like this. I know the "photographic rules" etc say "forground interest" but if you crop the bottom of the picture to get rid of the foregound, that tree looks so lonely and isolated. It pulls it right out of the picture. Also if the camera had gone very slightly further to the left to get the complete shadow of the tree in it would have looked even more isolated. (I accept though that there may be something else there and it could not be done)

Church Doors
by cardinalmom

Comment by Harz_Joerg:
Greetings from the Critique Club

Initial thoughts/My opinion
This image speaks of symmetry and pleasant warm colours. The bright central light disturbs a bit though.

Content/Composition
You captured beautiful, calm scenery with the two church doors. One could imagine how prayers are singing behind the doors and one smells the candles.
Your symmetric composition works well, although you should have moved further to the right to get the image fully symmetrical. As one can see from the line on pedestrian walk you were a bit off and thus the scene is twisted, most visibly at the top. This results in a somewhat odd feeling. As far as I know humans are extremely sensitive to distortions of a 2-fold vertical symmetry.

I do like that one sees some snow at the bottom and how the bright, central light shines on the walk. This light is of course way overexposed and disturbs a little. However, this is fortunately very localized and didn't blow out the whole scene.

Camera work -technically
Looks good to me: focus and exposure are just right

Digital Processing - Technical
Also OK, maybe just a bit more sharpening. That you didn't add a border was wise.

Fits the challenge
Yes, it does for sure.

Good luck for your upcoming submissions

Winter Solitude
by cardinalmom

Comment by cbeller:
has a bit of noise in the sky. Also, the weeds (or whatever) detracts a bit.

Golf, Anyone?
by cardinalmom

Comment by GoldBerry:
I'm wondering if anyone has taken up this offer. Not a great pic, sorry, I think it looks more like a snapshot the way it's composed.

Winter Solitude
by cardinalmom

Comment by vtruan:
A bit to much grain, but set-up is beautiful.

Winter Solitude
by cardinalmom

Comment by pitsaman:
Sky is too grainy,is this Fuji cam?8 from me!

Golf, Anyone?
by cardinalmom

Comment by GoodEnd:
Golf with black balls! :))