Giving the Gift of Love
by cowtownmom

Comment by Melethia:
Very warm and cheerful! And definitely in keeping with the spirit of giving. Sometimes people say things shouldn't be centered in a photograph but I think in this case it works very well. I really like the way the lights in the background sparkle behind the present, forming a nice frame around it. My only suggestion would be to try to "diffuse" your flash, to make the light a bit softer so it doesn't reflect so strongly off the ribbon on your gift. But I do understand that you wanted to light the gift so it would stand out against your background - and that was a smart thing to do!

Holiday-Side
by cowtownmom

Comment by Melethia:
Very fun photograph! The giant gingerbread man does indicate holiday cookie goodness, and the positions of both the gingerbread man and the cheerleader make me think it's quite cold out - very wintery despite no snow! Very good choice to capture this with your subjects out of the direct sunshine - this gives you nice, balanced light. You also did a great job of getting your main subject in very sharp focus!

Lonely
by cowtownmom

Comment by Melethia:
I think you've done a good job of depicting how the holiday season can be lonely for some. There's definitely a feeling of melancholy here, and the B&W suits that well. The one thing I do see (because my mind works in strange ways) that takes away from your picture's sentiment just a little bit is that the headlights in the distance are right where his hands are. I just watched "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" last night and it reminds of the light balls that the sorcerers can create and throw. BUT, that's only because I just watched the movie. And just goes to show that we all have our own different experiences which affect how we see photographs!

SeattlesSprirt
by cowtownmom

Comment by Melethia:
I like that the tree isn't the first thing you see, but as you view through the photograph, it suddently pops up as a delightful suprise - a sort of whimisical nod to the Christmas season. Makes me smile! Very good job with exposure and crispness in this shot. It feels just a tad leaning to the right to me - a simple rotation to the left would correct that.

Winter Wonderland
by cowtownmom

Comment by Melethia:
What a lovely outdoor tree! I see your point - this does seem to be a lot of work, but it is also something that can be enjoyed by all who pass it, so seems quite worthwhile! Very good job with the exposure and focus. As someone else mentioned, a slight crop off the bottom wouldn't hurt. This would make a nice card!

I Heard THe Bells On Christmas Day
by cowtownmom

Comment by Melethia:
What an unusually large "jingle bell"! Very cool. I like that you thought out what you wanted to present, what to tell with your picture, then executed that. After reading your notes, I can see her stepping out into the cold to ring the bell for a visitor approaching, to welcome them to the home. Black and white suits this well and I very much like that we can see the snowflakes falling behind her.

A Christmas Evening
by cowtownmom

Comment by Melethia:
The composition is pleasing to me - I like the upper right (an area where our eyes tend to go) as blank - that balances nicely against the curves of the ornaments. I very much like your choice of monochromatic toning. In our mind's eye, we can see bright colors if we wish, but the monochrome tends to emphasize the form and textures more. A very quiet sort of photograph. Nicely done!

My Christmas Tree
by cowtownmom

Comment by roz:
what beautiful colours you have in this photo .. it really seems like a day or two before christmas and the presents have yet to be put beneath the tree .. the lights on the window make me feel that there's some celebrating going on outside .. the lights and ornaments on the tree look fantastic .. its a great christmas image .. warm and inviting .. :)
the fact that you must be under 7 years old makes this quite exceptional .. you certainly have a gift .. :)

Message edited by author 2011-01-09 21:30:13.

Lonely
by cowtownmom

Comment by snaffles:
Wow. What a shot. Splendid job of capturing the lone, and lonely, figure amongst all the seasonal lights, in the middle of an avenue all on his own. Poor man. This shot breaks my heart.

I find this shot particularly strong, because while it is not a celebration of Christmas, it is a reminder that not all are as fortunate as many of us to have a family to share the holidays with.

Excellent use of b/w, and congrats on being up late to get this shot. This would not have been half as effective a shot otherwise. Please keep shooting and entering challenges.

ETA: Must chime in and agree with some other commenters. Crop that last bottom half-inch or so to remove the plaque in the sidewalk, its lightness and proximity to you does draw attention away from the figure.

Or is it supposed to?

Message edited by author 2011-01-09 20:15:27.

SeattlesSprirt
by cowtownmom

Comment by snaffles:
I like the prominence of the Space Needle and the fact that it isn't centred, but is still the focal point of the photo. The cityscape around it helps add to the Christmasy feel, but it's tough to rely on an ornamental tree atop a structure the size of the SN to convey the feeling of Christmas.

Still, a very decent shot. Take what you can from the comments, and keep shooting! :-)