Flaming Monkeys
by OneSweetSin

Comment by darcy:
cool arrangement, but a little oversaturated i think. kind of hard to look at. and while the arrangement is cool, you left a big gap between to of the monkeys at the bottom, which throws it all off...

Winter In the Mountains
by OneSweetSin

Comment by Harz_Joerg:
Greetings from the Critique Club

Initial thoughts/My opinion
Nice winter scene speaking of a hidden place. I like the picture for itself but don't expect a B&W-image to be in NG. But this comes more from a feeling what should be in NG rather then actually knowing it!

Content/Composition
I really like this hidden place in the woods. Also it seems that no one lives in that house, it still is somehow inviting.
I also think that the way you set the focus is OK: having it on the front trees keeps the house somewhat vague, as if one just sees it for the first time while stepping through the snow. The low contrast and darkness on the house adds to this impression too: it's like not having the eyes adjusted to the darker house.
While B&W fits very well to the image itself (it's almost a must), it might be the point that make the voters vote low (see my thoughts above).

Camera work -technically
As you can see from my statements given above, I do like the exposure and focus.

Digital Processing - Technical
It's also fine to me: one could sharpen it more, but with how I see the picture it is just OK. The addition of a border might have been nice, but might be difficult to get it right due to the vertical lines given by the trees.

Fits the challenge
As mentioned, that's where a see a shortcoming. I and probably most voters associate NG with colourful views onto the world.

Good luck for your upcoming submissions

I Can't Drive 55!
by OneSweetSin

Comment by carlacryptic:
Nice photograph.

Flaming Monkeys
by OneSweetSin

Comment by carlacryptic:
Clever use of color and shape, not to mention concept. Nice job.

Flaming Monkeys
by OneSweetSin

Comment by Shannon:
cute idea, but the monkeys seem a bit overexposed to me.

Winter In the Mountains
by OneSweetSin

Comment by TooCool:
Nice composition, but my eye is irrevocably draw to the sharply foucused tree to the right of center. All the lines seem to point at it or parallel it. Is this where you wanted me to look? Very interesting!
TC

Winter In the Mountains
by OneSweetSin

Comment by Crafty Sue:
Interesting 7

Nip and Tuck
by OneSweetSin

Comment by amsmyth:
Greetings from the Critique Club:

My first impression from this image is one of busy-ness...there is too much and no place for my eye to settle. As the challenge was POV this means to me that you did not meet the challenge. That being said I think that you were after something here that doesn't quite get across and I would like to know more of what you had in mind. The title doesn't help me either since I cannot apply the two meanings that I know for the phrase to your image. I don't really want to suggest crops or other changes as I am so unsure of what you intended.

Adding to the above: I asked Anna more about her intent and discovered that the title refers to the cosmetic work done to RR cars. This makes it a very clever title but one which is not supported by the image. Her intent in point of view was to take it from an angle usually neglected and I feel that she accomplished this. If the image could have been pared down, perhaps with a foreground crop to the iron fence, perhaps simplified and made to emphasize the rehab nature of the work then it might have been stronger. The clarity and starkness are all there in contrast to the usual glamour of a "makeover" place. It was an interesting image to critique and I thank Anna for responding to my effort.

Message edited by author 2004-01-22 19:06:16.

Winter In the Mountains
by OneSweetSin

Comment by vtruan:
A bit more contrast would have helped.

I Can't Drive 55!
by OneSweetSin

Comment by GoodEnd:
Beautiful composition. The picture reveals a underexposed sign. A common lack in this challenge. This happen because of metering system. In this type of pictures you need to target the horizon, setup the exposition, lock it, then recompose your scene focus and shoot.