The Palms Moter Motel
by Elemmennope

Comment by ShadowSpirit:
none

The Palms Moter Motel
by Elemmennope

Comment by faithriko:
Good focus, nice colors.

The Palms Moter Motel
by Elemmennope

Comment by ScantyNebula:
I don't like how you cut off the M(H)otel . Great focus and neon colors, job well done.

Decay
by Elemmennope

Comment by dinny:
great shot,

The Tourist
by Elemmennope

Comment by photom:
Hi Jennifer and Greetings from the Critique Club

First let me say I really liked your Balance Entry - on several levels.

Before we disect your The Tourist let's discuss the scores a bit. I suspect that a) some voters (many perhaps) may not have noticed the Eifel Tower replica - and spent time looking for the "miniature" cat. b) Some voters felt like there needed to another "similar" item to make the size comparison - that is a miniature spoon with a regular fork, but they would have trouble comparing a cat to the tower. c) Some voters plainly "hate" cats and vote them low. d) Others may not have drawn the connection to the title and the mood you were trying to convey.

Having said all that - now lets try some of the "standard" ways of looking at the image.

a) For those that "got it" - the moodiness of the lighting, or the mystery of a tourist in a foreign country, these comments won't apply. Let's face it - you "violated" some sacred rules.

1. The most obvious area is the lighting. a) The entire bottom of the picture (below the table) is in shadow, so the traditional lead-in line(s) is/are missing. b) The main subject is in shadow (most would think the subject is the cat) except for the ears. Many would really want more light on the face and especially the eyes.

2. The composition is also pretty non-traditional. There are several items that are not "straight" or "level." The lampshade, the angle of the table to the ground, and the angle of the baseboard all create an unnatural tension.

To get the attention of those who didn't get it, there are a couple things you may have tried - to EXAGGERATE the effect you were after. I know it probably would not work, but can you even imagine the cat in a tiny trench coat? Another approach would be a title in French instead of English - like "Regardez des champions du Mars" may have helped some.

In any event, I got the feeling you had fun doing this - and that's the most important thing!

Keep shooting (for yourself, not the voters) and sharing. It's more fun that way!

-Tom-

Decay
by Elemmennope

Comment by Mary Ann Melton:
I love the delicate lacy look of the vein lines on the upper left! Great detail throughout the picture and so much for the eye to explore!

Like Giants
by Elemmennope

Comment by MrAkamai:
I really like this one but it seems really grainy to me. :)

Shadow Dunes II
by Elemmennope

Comment by MrAkamai:
I prefer this one over the other. The other shot has too many distractions in the sand itself like dead plant matter. This one seems relatively void of such imperfections. I also like the background better here with the water and the birds in V formation. Although it seems difficult to tell if the horizon is level due to the mountains and water, it looks level. I'd tinker around with levels and curves to maximize contrast and maybe clone out the odd bits and ends in the sand. One more suggestion: try this in b/w or some other duotone. Sometimes the best nature shots, or shots in general, look much better in b/w.

Otherwise, great shots and keep up the good work! I wish I had access to dunes like these but I have stuff like the Walt Disney Concert Hall, sheesh. :)

Driftwood
by Elemmennope

Comment by frisca:
i think you did a GREAT job with this one..the blacks are dark and the whites are bright. its a good conversion and a very cool composition. well done.

The Tourist
by Elemmennope

Comment by KiwiChris:
What a cool cat photo.. The tilt on the lampshade and the lighting overall is neat, makes your pussy seem dark and mysterious. :-).