Before the lockdown
by Janja

Comment by JulietNN:
Personally, very good, I like that you used an old time colour with this, it does look like an old time photo. You have a leading lines, you have a bridge, lots of points of interest, you are sharp and it is clear. It just needs something. I think contrast, some dodge on the river to draw your eye a little more, some dodge and burn to make the buildings a little less flat, play around with layers, that way you can always ditch a layer without losing what work you have done. In a Free Study, this would have got a 4/5 from me as of right now, a 6

Before the lockdown
by Janja

Comment by JakeKurdsjuk:
This is 1-a for me and like everything else would have gotten no better than a 5 in a free study. From a composition perspective it's best in the field, I'm just not a huge fan of the processing. I suspect the sky was dull so it didn't pop as a color shot, but I think I might have rather seen it that way. I see the rows of bikes and wonder about the interplay of the colors. I want to know how the buildings differed, what color the boat cover is. I want to explore it more but this treatment doesn't allow it. I read "Before the lockdown" and I want to think of things being bright and cheery. This is more "After the lockdown" in processing.

And there's just too much sky here that just isn't interesting but it's bright enough to keep pulling my eye to it which makes everything else appear darker. I find that if I scroll up to the point where I eliminate almost all roofs I get a far more interesting panorama feel that doesn't suffer as much from the sepia treatment and likely would have really worked as a color shot.

Definitely the best capture of the bunch by a long shot. You just didn't find the photograph in it for me.

Before the lockdown
by Janja

Comment by PennyStreet:
This must be Holland, and a very pretty day. There is lots to enjoy in this image!

Before the lockdown
by Janja

Comment by glad2badad:
Yay! I like this one. Hope you get the Blue! Nice choice of sepia tone.

Before the lockdown
by Janja

Comment by streetpigeon:
Handsome scene that brings to life the essence of place. It's busy yet orderly in the vertical whites of the window frames. The many people and bikes occupying this scene are balanced by the peaceful canal that opens in substantial width and narrows as it recedes under the bridge and beyond. Also by the sky above, interestingly modulated by the clouds, their flowing tones. The composition is well-measured. The dividing skyline affords a becoming negative space above. Though the overall toning works well, I'm a bit surprised that the image isn't in color, given the intent of the title. Overall, attractive and appealing.

Before the lockdown
by Janja

Comment by RyanW:
Great processing. It's strange how this already looks so odd... the locked up part of me wants to scream at these people to spread out and get home safely because we all underestimated this bloody virus

Before the lockdown
by Janja

Comment by Dennisheckman:
Nice city scape. The treatment does nothing for me though. The comp is pretty good with the canal leading into the background and houses acting as fencing on both sides. There is enough in the image to keep interest for a little while.

Before the lockdown
by Janja

Comment by mariuca:
What a place! You did justice to it. Amsterdam right?

Before the lockdown
by Janja

Comment by GeneralE:
That's a lot of bicycles! Good capture of the "feel" of the location, I like the "vintage" toning.

Before the lockdown
by Janja

Comment by GolferDDS:
Probably the best of the images entered. It̢۪s interesting, good depth of focus and nicely composed. I̢۪m not crazy about the dark sepia tone. Less is better.