? Pinkby
sfmorrisComment by eamurdock: Greetings from the Critique Club! Thanks for the opportunity to comment on your image.
Pros:
Great bokeh, nice definition on the feathers, particularly on the neck. Lighting is good. Basically technicals are spot on. I also think your interpretation of the challenge was excellent.
Cons:
This is hard, because you have a technically good image that voters liked (scored slighly above average), but didn't love. So why didn't they love it? Well, we enter now into the realm of personal speculation, nothing more. But I hope it's helpful.
1) The color thing. Flamingos are "supposed" to be pink. I can't imagine anyone conciously marking you down for it, but it cuts into the "wow" factor.
2) He seems a little rumpled. Again, it's ridiculous to expect him to preen for you, but it cuts into the "wow" factor some more.
3) There's not an intense connection with the viewed. In my recent spate of farm animal critiques, I noticed the most powerful were the ones where there was a strong eye-contact connection between the viewer and subject. That's not present much here. I think voters saw a technically very good photo with little to grab them, so voted "average".
Challenge:
Your connection to the challenge is rock solid, and highly creative in a difficult challenge. I'm frankly surprised it didn't push you somewhat higher. I think has the image been just a little "grabbier," so people had spent a little longer thinking about it, it could have done really well.
Congrats on a very nice shot.
Photographer found comment helpful.