Babbling Brook
by nitro102

Comment by Silver Fox:
Can you hear what it's talking about?

Babbling Brook
by nitro102

Comment by 'Pong:
There is neithee subject to tell in the photo, IMO, nor the texture to make a pattern. So I don't know what should I look at.

Strainer shadows
by nitro102

Comment by joanns:
I like this a lot. I would have liked it a lot better with a stainless colander for the reason that you have a wood counter, natural sunlight, and something else natural looking in the background and the plastic colander just doesn't fit in the otherwise natural looking scene. But, that said, it is a well done photo, nicely composed and excellent use of natural light.

Strainer shadows
by nitro102

Comment by FranziskaLang:
Good idea, I like shadow plays. Removing the knife block in the background would make the background even less obtrusive.

Babbling Brook
by nitro102

Comment by Amiee:
Nice image. I like the way the light hits the water making it look sort of irridescent. Nice use of value and texture as well. Good job.

Deception Pass
by nitro102

Comment by FranziskaLang:
A Comment From The Critique Club

Hi Steve!

My very first impression on your photo was how the color of the bridge matches the water and just how high the bridge seems to be. Very cool :)

Your composition is good, I think under the bridge shots often work well, and it does here, too. The metal 'parts' make for interesting patterns without obscuring the landscape on the other side of the bridge. Your eye is lead all the way through the picture by following the bridge, and actually finds a 'resting place' on the other side, but doesn't wander out of the photo, because there's still space to the right. Well done.

The thing that lets your photo down a bit is the bland white sky. I know you can't exactly control the weather, and I don't know if you could've come back at a different time of day (that might also eliminate the shadow on the water), but a polarizing filter helps sometimes unless the sky is just a gray mass of clouds to begin with. If it is just a washed-out blue, the polarizer could be used to enhance the color. Another suggestion I've been given on bland skies is to simply exclude the sky from the photo altogether, but I feel that wasn't an option here for you.

The photo seems just a tiny bit soft, did you use unsharpen mask? If you didn't or usually don't (I know I didn't even know what that wasuntil after I started at DPC), it is best used after you crop and resize your photo, resizing it down makes it inherently a little softer, and unsharpen mask counters that. I believe there is a tutorial on this site, too. Your border nicely enhances the photo without being distracting.

Your entry definitely met the challenge, and has a lot of potential. There are some things that you could improve on further, if you live close enough to the bridge you might want to go back when the weather is better for photography and take another set of shots and see what a difference it can make.

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments about this review.

Franziska

Strainer shadows
by nitro102

Comment by KarenB:
with all of the natural tones going on, too bad you didn't choose a metal collander. Hmm. Love the shadows and lighting

Babbling Brook
by nitro102

Comment by ChrisW123:
LOL that's a funny title.

Strainer shadows
by nitro102

Comment by Gracious:
The basic comp is good. Nice color, interesting shadows. The Henkel Knife holder in the bg adds nothing to the photo, other than distraction. Also the upper left corner has something distracting too.
This is worth redoing. I like it. NIce and simple with strong graphics.
Good luck!

Strainer shadows
by nitro102

Comment by DougPaz:
Probably would have worked better without the knife block in the background. Although I would like to show off my Henckels too!!