The-Gravels-2.jpg
by orussell

Comment by Prime_Time:
The boat tip pulls you into the image, love the curves.

The-Gravels-2.jpg
by orussell

Comment by L1:
This is really pretty! I love the bright, cheerful colors and the wide angle. Lovely image! :)

The Gravels
by orussell

Comment by strangeghost:
GREETINGS FROM THE CRITIQUE CLUB
by strangeghost

Hi Owen! It's quite an honor to get to critique one of your images. I've loved your work since first "meeting" you in the bokeh challenge!

COMPOSITION
I like the overall composition very much but I think it's a bit cluttered with nonessential "stuff." The primary subject (red boat) with the background hills, harbor, and sky is wonderful. The other elements tend to be a bit distracting and unnecessary. I might have continued searching for a spot that gave you your desired comp but left a bit more open feel in the foreground. Lacking that, I might have tried to tighten up on the boat a little and frame that in a very close object with the water, sky, etc., forming a distant backdrop, keeping the very deep dof.

TECHNIQUE
The bright, beautifully saturated colors meet the challenge in stunning form. The rich greens of the grass, the rusty red of the boat, and the deep blues of the water and sky are wonderful. I particularly like the evident blue gradient of the sky. Superb sharpness and bright colors make the shot a real eye-catcher. Since you had access to advanced editing rules, I wonder if you considered selecting the sky and clouds and stretching things a bit more, or bumping the contrast with curves? It pops as it is, but I can't resist pushing the limits when I have a sky like this to work with. It's evident to me that your post-processing skills are superb and you have a great eye.

OVERALL IMPACT
A very pleasing image that begs a closer look. The wonderful play of colors and objects is a visual feast. Very well done!

Message edited by author 2005-09-15 17:38:14.

The Gravels
by orussell

Comment by owen:
Pleasant picture. Lovely bright colours and good composition.

s-2-BW.jpg
by orussell

Comment by trnqlty:
With some dodging and burning in the right places, this could really be an outstanding image. Right now its very flat but there is plenty in this that could be made stronger and more contrasty. Check out Pedro's tutorial, it helped me out a lot. Sorry I can't give you the link for it but it shouldn't be hard to find.

The Gravels
by orussell

Comment by jsas:
Love the colors.

Hellooooooo!!
by orussell

Comment by Jutilda:
So cute. Reminds me of that whimsical song "Banana Phone" by Raffi. It's hilarious. Download it for her - it's really cute.

Her eyes are spectacular!!! Such an adorable girl.

Hellooooooo!!
by orussell

Comment by armelle:
What a great capture. I love the expression and the composition! They are both perfect! The eyes on the banana do take a bit away from the candid shot (IMHO, I would try cloning them out?) I would also see if desaturating or darkening the background colors (the oranges) might increase the focus on the adorable face! A picture to cherish!

s-2-BW.jpg
by orussell

Comment by Riponlady:
Great atmosphere although I would like to see a version with a bit more contrast. Very sharp. Did you try an angle slightly to the left to avoid the bush right in front of the boat? I've tried to look at it with a different crop but I think you got it absolutely right. Well done!

Pink Grapefruit Spritzer
by orussell

Comment by cools98:
This is a cool photo. Nice lighting technique there, and very nice crop.