Winter Wonderland
by cowtownmom

Comment by snaffles:
Very decorative tree, that's for sure! Overall nice work, especially with capturing the lights without too much glare. But the centredness of the tree is almost too easy. It would have been cool to see a lower POV used, or maybe a batch of ribbons missing from the tree in one area. Just a little something extra to capture the viewer and make their eye linger. The snowballs in the fg are a fun touch, glad you included them!

I Heard THe Bells On Christmas Day
by cowtownmom

Comment by snaffles:
Love the sense of anticipation in this shot, and the way she seems to be holding the ornament as though we could expect to see incense smoke wafting from it. Even without the explanation, it is a strong and intriguing image.

A Christmas Evening
by cowtownmom

Comment by snaffles:
Very interesting studio work, nice use of the light and pretty much no glare. You put the camera on a tripod (or you're incredibly steady to shoot handlheld at 0.3) so I sense a great deal of commitment to this shot. Great lighting and love the dof here.

Not the most traditionally 'Christmas-y' shot, perhaps, as you used a blue filter to wipe out the expected colours. And for many Christmas is, sadly, not a time of joy and celebration. To explore that side, as I see you doing here imho, says you're daring and willing to take risks, so I definitely applaud you for that!

Good work, keep it up.

Lonely
by cowtownmom

Comment by roz:
i really like how the title and the image seem to fit so well .. christmas is a great time for ppl to celebrate and get together with friends and family but many ppl are alone at that time .. when you know that most ppl are having a good time it can make that loneliness feel even worse ..
the dark night, the shiny lights and the lone man walking away from the camera all go to make up a wonderful image .. the black and white contrasty processing is excellent and adds to that moodiness .. altho judging by the light pole the image is vertical i still feel that it needs a very small amount of clockwise rotation .. other than that personal opinion i find this a very engaging image .. :)

Giving the Gift of Love
by cowtownmom

Comment by snaffles:
I like the sense of quiet expectation here. The gift sitting there waiting to be opened...so what is inside? Who got it and who gave it? The lack of a gift tag keeps us guessing, which is good imho :-)

The bokeh in the background is very nice and definitely adds to the Christmasy feel of the scene. There is a little bit of glare off the ribbons and wrap, but it's quite difficult to avoid capturing glare off of shiny wrapping paper. Occupational hazard, especially at Christmas.

There are two teeny changes I would make. One, turn the package a little bit so you can see more sides of it, that gives a good sense of depth. Two, put it on a surface like a bit of plain cloth that doesn't have a sheen to it. I think that would make the gift stand out a little more.

Overall a very pleasing and Christmasy shot. Good luck!

Holiday-Side
by cowtownmom

Comment by snaffles:
Very funny and entertaining pic of Gingy from Shrek, right? ;-) It's an interesting story here, because traditionally mascots are mute and not supposed to talk. But sure looks like Gingy is chatting up the cheerleader. I like the tilt of Gingy's head towards the cheerleader, and the red of the mouth draws immediate attention. Like how the blue of his eyebrows almost match her outfit! The lighting is very good, if Gingy had been too much in the sunlight it would have made him look a little flat.

Very appealing shot overall, and even if it wasn't meant to be funny, it is, in a very sweet and innocent way. Good work.

Message edited by author 2011-01-09 16:57:58.

My Christmas Tree
by cowtownmom

Comment by snaffles:
Lovely tree, great decorating job! There is a nice soft glow to the room. I really like the reflections of the tree and lights in the window. That gives a great sense of place and depth to the photo. It makes someone looking at the photo feel like you are there.

The train going around the base of the tree is a very cute touch too! If it had gone around the track a little more, a little closer to the window, the light from the tree would glint off the train. But, seeing the train in silhouette also adds a little mystery to the shot.

Overall very good work, and keep shooting! :-)

My Christmas Tree
by cowtownmom

Comment by Coley:
I like this image. It has great tone and a wonderful mood. You have done well to expose the details; the branches, the balls, the ribbon
I like the reflection as well as the hint of the cold winter outside of the background window. Very well done

Giving the Gift of Love
by cowtownmom

Comment by Coley:
I love this image The center composition, the saturated colours, the bokeh, the shallow DOF.
I love the hint of the reflection under the present i wish there was more of that.
The harsh light does not bother me. I think it helps the image ... Bam!!! It's Christmas

Holiday-Side
by cowtownmom

Comment by Coley:
A fun image I like the way the girls gaze leads you to the gingerbread man. Nice exposure and well done with the focus