Painting with fireby
purpleflutterby13Comment by KaDi: Critique Club Comment...sorta...
I have looked carefully at your image and would like to give it the critique it deserves...but time is expiring and I am unable to squeeze within the shadow of the timeline. So....I hold my place with this comment and will "come back" tomorrow to add my thoughts. I hope you find that acceptable.
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Finally getting back to you with something more like a critique:
This image has immediate impact of motion and fire. I especially like how the flame in front of the young woman appears. It is, however, a bit scary to look at--all that flame near dry brush and the fire behind her head make this seem dangerous. Yet at the same time the expression on her face is quiet. These factors do make me pause to figure out what's happening in the picture...what's the story?
Technically an image such as this is difficult to pull off. The light must be in motion but the model needs to be fairly still for the long exposure. Unfortunately the exposure is left with blown out whites in the flame and arms that disappear into the blackness. Digital, in general, has difficulty dealing with extreme lighting of this sort--the detail in the blacks (such as the clothing) is lost and the fire creates great swaths of empty space. It's not necessarily "bad" it's just something to be aware of when looking for depth in your image.
I like the choice of the square crop that frames the subject and keeps it contained with the space of the action. I like the way the face is lit with the softness of the lights. I like that this looks like a playful moment. But, in the end, I'm left wondering about the reason for the image...why it should interest me beyond the level of experimental photography. Your scores and comments clearly indicate that you grabbed people's attention...now I think you need to find some fire dancers. :)
Have fun with your photography and keep playing!
--Kadi
Message edited by author 2007-04-09 17:11:45. 
Photographer found comment helpful.
