Being left out
by snaffles

Comment by purpleflutterby13:
Greetings from the Critique Club! :) (again - it seems to like me pulling out your images)

Good capture - as you say, the body language works perfectly. And an interesting, personal take on the challenge - I can certainly identify with that nightmare.

In this case, I think the original capture is good, but that different post-processing could have been used to convey the message more effectively. I don't normally like selective desats, and I do think here it works rather well, though I wonder if a more gradual, softened selective desat would have worked better (so, like, fading out the colour more and more as you move away from the girl). Also, the background seems to contravene the message of the shot, since there are these pretty white flowers, a big white tent etc. I'd be tempted to make liberal use of dodging/burning/vignetting/overlays/soft light layers to add a more contrasty/edgy/nightmarish feel to the surroundings. Also watch out for signs of oversharpening - it might have been intentional, but I find the sharpening halos quite distracting, there are other ways of increasing contrast that don't produce the same artefacts.

Anyway, as I said, I think it's a cool shot, but I'd like to see you spend some quality time in Photoshop with it, have a few more shots and see what you can do with it. (do post any interesting experimental results :) )

Skitter
by snaffles

Comment by bennettjamie:
This photo would be much better if it wasn't so blurry.

Skitter
by snaffles

Comment by Ammie:
Great idea but lighting is very harsh

Get off the tracks!
by snaffles

Comment by raish:
Casey Jones you'd better...

They could at least have given you the brown...

Skitter
by snaffles

Comment by cynthiann:
Nice composition, but a tripod would have done you a world of good here for more detail. Also, a frontal view if possible, is 90% the best way to go with animals, in my opinion.

Skitter
by snaffles

Comment by bobcc:
a little out-of-focus?

Being left out
by snaffles

Comment by rodfulk:
The colorful one feels left out, how ironic and true in most cases.

Message edited by author 2009-04-27 00:22:32.

. . .W A I T I N G. . .
by snaffles

Comment by bvy:
Kind of funky. It's growing on me.

. . .W A I T I N G. . .
by snaffles

Comment by Teafran:
The sense of "moment" is present in this image and the obvious character being captured carries some visual impact. Technically, it's a very well composed image which is a plus. From an artistic standpoint, it lacks impact. A worthy entry into the challenge just lacking that something special to make it stand out.

Get off the tracks!
by snaffles

Comment by purpleflutterby13:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

My first impression of the image is that it has immediate impact - the zoom burst actively sucks the viewer into the picture, into the front of the oncoming train. The processing is extreme, but actually really quite appeals to me - I think it adds to the in your face impact of the shot (it somehow seems appropriate that the viewer is forced to fight the onslaught of the incoming train, I think it creates an interesting kind of emotional engagement with the shot). The nightmarish quality is rather appropriate given the perspective in this case.

Overall, I'd say it's an unusual, artistic perspective on the subject matter, and in my opinion an interesting one that has been very effectively executed. As for the score... It's not everyone's cup of tea, ah well.