Spongescape
by gerard

Comment by thatguy:
nice lighting and texture, i like how the sponge blends into the background

Spongescape
by gerard

Comment by Anachronite:
great Deep of Field, but the subject is boring.. sorry

Spongescape
by gerard

Comment by kebmod54:
definitely fits the bill of "yellow".

Spongescape
by gerard

Comment by BJ:
What a great concept and composition. Very original! good job.

Spongescape
by gerard

Comment by KickDrum5150:
Funny...I was also thinking of doing a sponge...I think maybe a little more exposure would have helped you here...

Spongescape
by gerard

Comment by Paulk:
I think the lighting needs to be more dramatic on this kind of shot to bring out the detail

River Lagan: Frozen
by gerard

Comment by karmat:
CRITIQUE CLUB CRITIQUE
by karmat

COMPOSITION
I think the strength of this composition is due to the placement of the water and the division of the frame. The water enters at the bottom, and gives the eyes a "guide" to follow up and into the frame. This gives the picture some "movement." Also, it is interesting how the river dwindles to a point, then the picture "opens up" again with the sky. The division of the frame in thirds (horizontally -- trees/path, water, trees) makes it interesting to look at, and keeps it from having a focal point. The limb in front helps to add some interest, but I suspect it is liked by some and not by others.

TECHNIQUE
The lighting in this shot is very dramatic and effective. I think, though, the bottom right of the frame is a bit dark, as all details seems to be lost. I think the softer focus on this probably hurt your score. This is a shot that the more it is looked at, the better it is, but many people simply do not have that much time to study the pictures and vote with gut reactions. The gut reaction on this one, for many people, was, "it is out of focus." If you wanted a sharper focus, I would strongly recommend a tripod if you don't have/weren't using one If you were, maybe try a remote control or timer device to activate the shutter. I have found that even the slight movement from pushing the shutter button can cause camera shake blur. If you don't want to carry a tripod, a small bag of sand or flour/sugar can provide a relatively secure and still base on which the camera can set.

OVERALL EFFECT
This is a very relaxing and peaceful photo. It is the kind of place I would like to rest and read a book or have a picnic.
Again, I think the soft focus probably hurts a picture in a contest like this, though it is a very good shot. I have enjoyed studying it, and look forward to seeing more of your work.

River Lagan: Frozen
by gerard

Comment by clicker:
I like this shot with the beautiful lighting and shadows. It is well cropped and the path takes the eye from front to rear. The focus takes away a bit from what you were trying to capture. Do you need a tri pod? What was your DOF?

River Lagan: Frozen
by gerard

Comment by jab119:
nice framing, but seems a little too soft on the leftside of center and too dark on the right...maybe a different time of day would have made a better pic at this angle.

River Lagan: Frozen
by gerard

Comment by Swashbuckler:
Nice pic, but I gotta ask about the title: frozen? It looks pretty warm, were you referring to it as in frozen in time? No matter, it's a fine picture, nice colors, I like the branch hanging in the foreground. Sun on the river might have made this a tad more appealing, IMHO. (stronger reflections on the water, mostly) 7 Swash