An Old Friend
by JamesKW

Comment by Ann:
Technically, you've done a very good job, both with the original shot, and with the desaturation, although I would agree that the other stuff on the porch is a bit distracting. I think the problem with the image, and the reason that your score was merely "above average" is the subject matter. To me, it's just an empty chair sitting on a porch. It doesn't resonate emotionally, and looks like an exercise instead of being art.

An Old Friend
by JamesKW

Comment by posthumous:
desaturation tends to take things out of their environment. In this case, the chair is just floating in space and has no weight, no heft. If you are trying to tell some story of loss, it is spoiled by this effect. So I all I saw was a competent but pointless use of selective desaturation, and gave it a 5.

An Old Friend
by JamesKW

Comment by Hipychik:
Hi James, I really like the warm feeling I get from this shot. I thought it was great. Got an 8 from me.

An Old Friend
by JamesKW

Comment by genghis:
The desaturation is nice, but there's something about the composition that bugs me. Not sure what exactly it is, because I have trouble with that myself.

An Old Friend
by JamesKW

Comment by Bruce_the_Robert:
The placement on this I don't get at all; I gave you a ten, and thought it was spot on (it's possibly my favorite shot of the challenge, though maybe tied with the brown dog pic). Good composition, nice conversion for the subject matter. The warm feelings it evokes, the perfect use (IMHO) of selective desat to tell a story (rather than lead the viewer to something that is otherwise a non-subject in the shot, as many of the entries had). Can't explain why it didn't attract more attention. Next time put a naked girl in the chair, I guess, and it'll do better.

Dragonfly1977
by JamesKW

Comment by samtrundle:
Not a bad effort - but would probably be improved if the composition was slightly less centred and the dragonfly was a bit crisper. Insects aren't always easy to shoot.

Dragonfly1977
by JamesKW

Comment by the99:
W O O O W !!!!! 10 for me....

Dragonfly1977
by JamesKW

Comment by glad2badad:
Nice find to catch this dragonfly out catching some sun. Looks like the body of the dragonfly didn't quite fall into the focal range. The leaf underneath seems to be the sharpest area of the image.

Dragonfly1977
by JamesKW

Comment by Alley Cat:
Great Macro

An Old Friend
by JamesKW

Comment by DefyTime:
Very simple...nice. I would have liked the background better with nothing on the porch since the items on it add nothing and are lite enough to remove for shot. Maybe just a bit more contrast to make your B&W pop more. I do like the feeling it gives...feel like I'm on my grandmothers porch back when I was a child.