First Light
by idnic

Comment by RulerZigzag:
great DOF and crisp defined water. lnstant favorite....9

Happy Birthday (Where's The Party?)
by idnic

Comment by strangeghost:
Greetings from the Critique Club
by strangeghost

COMPOSITION
Ah, first time I've gotten a ribbon-winner to critique! Here goes: Composition is perfect. A cute dog is a very good choice for a subject. A cute dog wearing an adorable costume is tough to beat. The off-center composition and liberal use of negative space work well. With the dog's very attentive look, it's obvious that you've riveted her attention with something just off camera. The composition creates a sense of anticipation as we're drawn into the expression her face. I'm usually the commenter calling for a tighter shot on faces to bring out the emotion and feel, but I think you've captured it perfectly here, and her body language adds to the attraction. The angle of the shot, using the floor as the whole of the background is great, avoiding any distracting clutter or extraneous detail.

TECHNIQUE
Very nice job managing the bright white backdrop. It doesn't overpower the dog or costume colors, and manages to look so effortless that it's hard to imagine any other color back there. Lighting is very nice, and the understated shadow is perfect. I'd like to see a bit more light on her face but as I've said above, the facial expression is preserved and adds so much to the impact. Good post processing and camera control. You didn't give any details which makes me think auto mode, but whatever, it worked for you and you got a real winner here, in more ways than one.

OVERALL IMPACT
Your score speaks for itself, and a ribbon to boot. I hope you're happy with this image. This is a pet shot that manages to convey tons of personality. Anyone would have been proud to have shot it. It begs to be printed, framed, and hung.

A Balancing Act
by idnic

Comment by Younger:
very cool shot.

Happy Birthday (Where's The Party?)
by idnic

Comment by Brad:
Congrats on your first Cindi!
This is just too cute, and can see this as a marketable shot.
Well done.

A Balancing Act
by idnic

Comment by nordic:
nice shot but it does seem highly processed and noisy in parts?

A Balancing Act
by idnic

Comment by Car54:
very classy image--great timing and sure to be in winner's circle--

Happy Birthday (Where's The Party?)
by idnic

Comment by scalvert:
That's hilarious (and it matches my hat). Congrats on your first ribbon, and into my favorites it goes... ;-)

Happy Birthday (Where's The Party?)
by idnic

Comment by Pooh Bear92:
i think it rocks, but my friend thinks it is an interesting choice.

Happy Birthday (Where's The Party?)
by idnic

Comment by Xilebo:
So cute! Congrats for a well deserved second place, now give Lexi another treat! She's a winner :)

First Light
by idnic

Comment by reeldeal4:
IMHO, a bit over effected.