Potby
hannafateComment by SJCarter: *Greetings from Critique Club*
First of all, I think this met the Circle Challenge very well (I scored it a 7). This shot has a lot going for it. It screams simplicity - which is great. The composition is terrific - I like the offset subject with the leading shadow. I can't really tell too much about the lighting (other than the shadows) because of the graininess of the image, but we'll get to that in a minute.
I like the color use too - black and white always work in my book, and the additional color in the light reflection on the vase is nice, not overpowering. I also like the border - again, simple and elegant, not too flashy.
Now to the graininess (I assume it was not an artistic choice, as I don't feel it adds to the image or mood of the piece). This could be from the original, just poor focus/DOF or a result of post-processing - maybe a mixture of both. Any way you slice it, that is the biggest downfall of this image IMHO. Because you're working on simple as a theme, it needs to be sharp, crisp, and distinctive. I think if you were to pump up the contrast and reduce the backlighting, it would add a sharpness to your shot that it is currently lacking. It would also increase the "pop" factor with the additional contrast.
Overall, I still think it's a strong entry and perfectly suited to the challenge. You might want to consider reshooting it and experimenting with your camera settings and the lighting to see if you can get a sharper image, because it has all the makings of a really great one.
Remember, this is just my 2 cents - your opinion is the one that matters!
Jimmy
Photographer found comment helpful.