Playing The Slots... at the laundromat
by darcy

Comment by rgarza:
sure buddy try again.

Playing The Slots... at the laundromat
by darcy

Comment by GP:
Witty idea! Just good.

Playing The Slots... at the laundromat
by darcy

Comment by cloverstar:
Great Idea. Perfect for this challenge. Nice depth of field.

Playing The Slots... at the laundromat
by darcy

Comment by ahaze:
Technical: Fits the challenge. Exposure composition focus lighting all good

Personal: Good idea!

My vote: 6

Playing The Slots... at the laundromat
by darcy

Comment by Ram21:
Good Depth of Field, I like the title.

Playing The Slots... at the laundromat
by darcy

Comment by ogdenm:
Could you not have included the actual slot? The price tag is as subtle as a brick. I think you are let down a bit by DOF. The foremost part of the iamge could be pin sharp.

Playing The Slots... at the laundromat
by darcy

Comment by mirdonamy:
Games, great waste of money, but fun! :) Photo is a bit dark though

Playing The Slots... at the laundromat
by darcy

Comment by unikorn:
haha that a preatty awesome idea (=

Playing The Slots... at the laundromat
by darcy

Comment by justine:
Unusual and unique shot. I like it very much. I think this is bang on for the challenge.
The focus is just a little soft, however just a little. Good work.

Girls Are Weird!
by darcy

Comment by dr rick:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

I think this photo works pretty well as a promo shot for Sara's show. The camera angle, slight tilt, and paper dolls suggest it will be rather zany (the title suggests the same thing, so I assume this is the case). The use of dolls also indicates that the solo show is not a soliloquy, but has multiple characters; an important fact for someone making a decision about her show.

The composition is good; the cropping and vertical format work well. I even like the light strip in the background; it adds interest to an otherwise boring background without being distracting. The focus and DOF are also good. The lines from Sara's fingers and facial features all point to the dolls, making them the center of interest. But they are a bit out of focus, keeping the viewer's eye from sticking there and allowing it to go back to Sara's face, which is in focus and interesting. The effect is perfect; the characters are what make the show interesting, but it is Sara that gives them life.

What isn't good is the lighting, one of the most important aspects of photography. You don't have to own fancy studio lights; just learn how to use household lamps effectively. The goal in most images is to have even lighting with a single set of shadows pointing in a consistent direction. Use a bright "key light" to cast the shadows and a less bright "fill light" or a bounce to lighten the shadows and make the lighting even.