Camelot
by posthumous

Comment by SEG:
2 totally different images that still work good together. Not the typical scene in this challenge and I like it for that reason.

a metaphor for falling
by posthumous

Comment by sidpixel:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

Sadly, an undervalued image worthy of a much higher score than it received. It displays good creative vision and your title adds another dimension.

I am unfamiliar with your post-processing technique but I always prefer to do my mono conversion in PS. Whatever your technique is it has made, what I suspect was probably a mediocre mono image from the camera into a much stronger image.

The problem with the in-camera mono option is that it throws all of your valuable colour data away thus severely limiting your options, in particular colour filters, which is where all of your tonal possibilities are held.

The foreground leaf grabs your attention and lets you explore the other underwater debris nearby, your eye is then naturally led up the boulder to those absolutely gorgeous ripples after feasting on those slowly drifting up and out of the top of the image. You have a lovely, near full, range of tones, with detail in all areas from the darkest shadows to the bright highlight of the ripple.

Its sad that it scored so low but how on earth anyone can possibly justify the sub fours is way beyond my comprehension, they have managed to completely distort the end result, you have my sympathy.

More of the same please, Sid

Thy Landscapes Shall Have Color And They Shall Be Wider Than They Are Tall
by posthumous

Comment by sidpixel:
*Hello from the Critique Club*

...and they shall not go anywhere near the rule of thirds or have any strong focal point!

I like your tongue-in-cheek title and approach to the challenge which is determined to break all the rules as we know them and too often slavishly follow. I'm all for breaking the rules whenever I can but in doing so we want to show that there is good reason for doing so with the end result.

Without the title, I would look at your image and fail to lock on to a focal point, the sapling on the left and the roof probably have the greatest potential but are unfortunately too insignificant. The horizon is very central too and the lighting fails to enhance any particular features within the scene.

Personally I have no problem with mono, I absolutely love it, but mono is always best done in post-processing where you can enhance those features that will benefit the image as a whole rather than let the camera's, neutral and often rather boring, mono facility decide what tones lie where. In post-processing that sky could have really been enhanced very well to bring out more of a 'storm brewing' feel to it, there is some lovely contrast potential there that the camera has simply ignored.

If the bird you cloned out was very small and insignificant then it was probably best to remove it but had it been large enough then perhaps it could have given us a focal point to lock on to?

In terms of composition, I think if you had made the reeds a foreground feature by moving closer to them and lowered the foreground so that you could emphasise that quite gorgeous sky with the upper two thirds of the frame you would have significantly improved the end result. But given your title all this is probably irrelevant because I think you have deliberately chosen to go against all the 'rules'. Anyway I'm sure you had lots of fun and thats what it should all be about ΓΆ€“ keep at it.

Chopin's Piano Sonata No. 1 in C minor, Op. 4: iv, Presto
by posthumous

Comment by 2mccs:
I didn't get around to commenting and I am sorry. I had this as my top rated. Perfect flare and lots to hold my interest.

souvenir
by posthumous

Comment by cowboy221977:
Hello from the critique club...

1st of all I want to say I like it. The feather being off center is a good touch. The overall scenery is good. I like being able to see the rocks/pebbles at the bottom of the lake. Fairly clear water. I also like your DOF. The only thing that is just not doing it for me is the brightness of the shot. The sky is too bright and that bleeds down into the water. Good job. Happy shooting.

throttle-wattled
by posthumous

Comment by tnun:
(I sort of missed free study).
wonderful. still a place for young hollerers.

Chopin's Piano Sonata No. 1 in C minor, Op. 4: iv, Presto
by posthumous

Comment by tnun:
the triumph of good spirits. great synaesthesia.

address unknown
by posthumous

Comment by skewsme:
good, thank you

Chopin's Piano Sonata No. 1 in C minor, Op. 4: iv, Presto
by posthumous

Comment by jmritz:
lovely

checked out
by posthumous

Comment by bvy:
Ten from me. Nice work.