Hiding In The Shadowsby
bs-photosComment by Artyste: Greetings from the Critique Club. My critiques are generally geared towards trying to help you improve your score within DPC, and not on any true "artistic" merit of the photograph itself, unless it relates to DPC voters and scoring. Please keep that in mind as you read this.
Initial Thoughts
Ouch, I bet DPC killed this. *looks*. Yup.
Composition/Content
Not a bad composition at all. Draws the viewer in, and the slight distortion really works. However, DPCers really don't like.. "different", which is what I can plainly see you were going for here. Reading your comments, I guess there's really not much I can say. It really fits your intentions.
Background
The sickly green color fits well, and that distortion I mentioned gives it a nice "madness" feel.
Camera Work/Technical
This is where DPC took you apart, but.. again, you knew it going in, and nothing I would have normally said here to help a photographer that *didn't* know going in would really apply, would it? Good slight view of features that are still hidden in shadow, sharpness on the background instead of on yourself.. to me, you nailed your intent. Too bad voters never look at it that way.
Digital Processing
You don't leave any details, but whatever you've done to achieve that sickly, deathly, neon-ish effect works. At least for me.
Fits the Challenge
Unless it's not you, it fits.
My Opinion of the Photo
A wonderfully done photo in the artistic sense. Normally, I'd have given all kinds of critique to a photo like this, but.. because of what you've written in your photographer's comments, I can see that it wouldn't be worth my time. You knew exactly what you were going for, and you achieved it to your end.
Know, however, that voters on DPC will probably never embrace an image of this kind during a challenge. If you care to score higher in the future, you will need to give *them* what they want, and leave the artistic works for your own time. That, however, is entirely up to you, but I wouldn't feel right leaving this critique without at least saying that.
P.S. Also, in the future, it might be better if you left the "Give me an in-depth critique" button unchecked on photos of this nature, especially if you *know* they aren't high-scorers or if you know what you wanted in the first place. It just helps us to avoid leaving a long critique with a person that probably doesn't really want it anyway.
Message edited by author 2006-05-31 02:20:29. 
Photographer found comment helpful.
