The Unbearable Lightness of Being
by posthumous

Comment by krnodil:
Most likely the "horizon" tilt was the Achilles heel, although it doesn't bother me. And funny you say it's a curb, but before reading that, I thought the background was a park area, with people sitting on the grass - those two dark shadows looked like people to me. Title is perfect - Kundera would like the shot and not fault you the "horizon". :)

don't stop looking
by posthumous

Comment by krnodil:
Never underestimate the indefatigable will of a dog to sniff grass allllll day. Nice choice to express persistence. :)

roovin on a sunday afternoon
by posthumous

Comment by krnodil:
Great title! I like how muted the colors are, it's just like what you would see peering up at them in the glare of the sun. Is that rope the guy on the right is holding the "net"? Not much of one, I think. :)

"I wandered lonely as a cloud" -Wordsworth
by posthumous

Comment by RulerZigzag:
Oh Wow, sorry to have missed this one in the challenge. This is a gem for sure. The dark middle of the image works well into creating a sense of depth and mystery.

Message edited by author 2007-09-15 21:56:12.

don't stop looking
by posthumous

Comment by violinist123:
Critique Club feedback -

Obviously voters in this challenge had one specific style of 'poster' in their minds, and the entries that stuck prety close to that ideal tended to do better than those that followed a different path.

Motivational posters are propaganda - nothing more, nothing less. Wether or not they are art is secondary to the fact that they are designed to inspire a very specific feeling in the people who look at them. They do this through 3 things

- message
- photo to reinforce the message
- font and text placement for maximum impact

This shot has a clear message. Making the catch-phrase larger than the rest of the poem was a smart move because you get about .047 seconds to get the message across so it had better be obvious.

This photo works well to reinforce that message. However the dog looking for something is such a small portion of the overall scene that its impact is greatly reduced. A much tighter crop focusing on the dog sniffing around on a patch of yard would be stronger and would also likely avoid the great shifts between dark and light that follow the poster from top to bottom.

The font used here is very lackluster and the message's placementin the scene is a bit haphazard. However, if done consciously, placing the catch phrase right at the spot the dog is sniffing was an excellent choice. Again, imagery to reinforce message.

Obviously this challenge called for skills (or at least the ability to copycat other's skills) that aren't entirely photographic in nature, so it was a tough one for many.

Good luck!

Prefigurement of Loss
by posthumous

Comment by violinist123:
Critique Club feedback -

I really have no background or credentials for commenting on graphical art. I think you did a good job with the painting, and this looks like a lot of pieces of art in this genre that I have seen before, so I have to assume that it is a good example of what it is.

don't stop looking
by posthumous

Comment by Melethia:
Had I had the chance to vote, I'd have known this was you by the poem and by the dog. Nice work on all counts.

Les Fleurs Du Lumiere
by posthumous

Comment by roby21112:
Don
Nice photo,I would have liked to see this on the darker side.

Message edited by author 2007-09-14 11:03:49.

Les Fleurs Du Lumiere
by posthumous

Comment by levyj413:
A pretty image, Don. Ironically, I think people might've voted this down because it had sharp areas! Good for you for not just applying PS filters to make it look like a painting.

Evening Closing In
by posthumous

Comment by liberty:
Nice shot, 6.