Around The Bend
by EssAreDubya

Comment by dr rick:
Greetings from the Critique Club

This is a refreshingly different take on the challenge: the Vanishing Point is out of the frame! That may have cost you some points from people who thought it didn't meet the challenge, but I personally like it.

The staircase has a lot of character and makes an interesting subject. The panoramic format suits it well, although the DPChallenge limits keep it from being large enough to really appreciate it. (That may have cost some points too, although it was a good choice for this photo.) It's hard to say without being there, but a lower point of view (a "child's eye" view) might have been more dramatic.

The non-directional light here isn't very interesting, but probably not something you can control (although you might try different times of day or different weather conditions). But you can make up for it a bit in Photoshop by increasing the midtone contrast. Actually, I think the midtone brightness is a bit high too. Both of these can be adjusted using Curves. Try setting a point at about 190,190 to keep the highlights intact, and another point around 65,38 to increase midtone contrast and decrease brightness, and see what you think. (Move both points up and down to meet your tastes.)

One nit: it looks like there is some trash on the 4th step. Although you can't clone it out with basic editing rules, it could have easily been removed before taking the photo. But it's only a mild distraction, not really a big deal.

Overall, a nice photo. I love the different lines and textures, and the whole idea "what's behind the bend" it captures.

Dirty Pigeon Landing
by EssAreDubya

Comment by ericwoo:
Hey there from the Critique Club

Camera Work/Technical: It's difficult to find your main focal point. It looks like your focus locked onto the rail instead of the preferred area of the pigeon's eye.

Lighting: Your lighting is pretty good, but maybe just a bit flat. I think a little curves adjustment would have helped out a good deal.

Composition/Content: I like your leading lines and your rule of thirds use. The eye is immediately drawn to the nice placement of the subject, while the rail, sidewalk and street lines all work well together to draw the eye around the frame.

My Opinion: Funny, but not quite what the voters were looking for. With a better placement of your focus and a little bit of a lighting adjustment, I think this would have placed a bit better.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide a critique on your entry,
Eric

Around The Bend
by EssAreDubya

Comment by kawhona:
lighting is flat but, the composition is interesting ... might have been better as a B&W

Dirty Pigeon Landing
by EssAreDubya

Comment by simontaylorphoto:
Good comedy value here

Around The Bend
by EssAreDubya

Comment by Dirt_Diver:
I like the picture but there is just soemthing about the lighting that isn't right. Just curious, did you just happen to come across this or did you know what you wnated to take this picutre?

Around The Bend
by EssAreDubya

Comment by boyd2000:
Nice arrangement of a close vanishing point.

Hoops In The Park At Dusk
by EssAreDubya

Comment by karmat:
CRITIQUE CLUB CRITIQUE
by karmat

I like the randomness of this shot (perhaps candidness is the better word), the angle from which the shot was taken (very interesting, not just straight on), and the fact that you have caught some motion blur showing the action. These things work together to indicate that this shot has a lot of potential.

I agree with several of your commenters that it is dark. As a result, it is difficult to see everything that is going on, and makes it less than pleasing to view. I see some noise/grain, especially in the green of the courts, which could be the result of the saturation/exposure boost. I think using a higher ISO would have helped with the exposure issue. There may have been some noise as a result, but you have the noise anyway. So with high ISO you have slightly better exposure and noise, and without it you have bad exposure and noise.

Again, good shot. If I need to further clarify or explain myself, please feel free to contact me.

karma

Dirty Pigeon Landing
by EssAreDubya

Comment by Melethia:
Ha!! Love the band name, love the album title. Decent shot of the pigeon, too.

Hoops In The Park At Dusk
by EssAreDubya

Comment by Dantzr:
Nice shot, but even though is at dusk, is still too dark for my taste. I know there are ways to manipulate the camera in order to bring an early nighttime effect to the shot without losing definition and clarity because of the darkness.

Otherwise.... great shot. Loved the angle from which you took the shot...wouldn't have had anywhere near the impact if you had been on level ground or even below the line of sight.

Great job! I would have given this an 8 but for the darkness I dropped it a point. This decision will haunt me...

Hoops In The Park At Dusk
by EssAreDubya

Comment by tapcity:
good catch of that dusk light