How low can you go?
by WonderDude

Comment by sidpixel:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

An interesting image that meets the challenge.

I like your quirky style, certainly different and more appealing than the bog standard standing in front of the limo type shot that is normally created. Actually your title makes me think of another version, with just your feet sticking out from under! I've just read your comments, not possible! Perhaps imitating a strenuous effort to try and lift it up from the ground?

Its certainly an interesting looking motor but I find the peoples reflections in the headlamp a bit distracting. I think altering the composition so that there was only this motor and no people could have improved it. The image is well exposed, the uniform lighting has given you a nice even range of tones throughout.

Thanks for your submission, Sid

How low can you go?
by WonderDude

Comment by tnun:
ah, a mad person.

How low can you go?
by WonderDude

Comment by Kroburg:
Some kind of lawn mower? Great car.

Dress shoes of the South
by WonderDude

Comment by sidpixel:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

An unusual image that struggles to meet the challenge.

Its a nice idea and I like the ground level viewpoint, its always effective to get a different perspective but those shoes are far too clean to fulfil the challenge brief. They may be dirty to you but they're near pristine to me, yes, you're right my standards are low! In actual fact what I initially thought may be marks on closer inspection appear to be part of the shoe's pattern.

The other problem here is the focus, it is too far forward, its just the shoes we should be interested in here but there is too much dirt in focus. I'm beginning to wonder if that was your intention but I have to go by the title which implies that the shoes are the most important element. The DOF is too shallow, we only have the tip of one shoe in focus, so given the title we ought to have say, f2.8 and a focus point on or near the tip of the shoe for a more effective result.

Thank you fro your submission, Sid

What's that sound?
by WonderDude

Comment by sidpixel:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

An appealing animal study that meets the challenge well.

I feel for the frustrations it sounds you experienced during this challenge but I think it was worth the effort you have caught the cat's expression well here, it does evoke a sense of curiosity. It is so near being an excellent portrait that would undoubtedly have scored much higher.

You were obviously shooting in a low light situation which meant you have to raise the ISO and shoot at maximum aperture and its this that has left room for improvement which you readily acknowledge yourself in your comments. It would have been good if we could have had both eyes in sharp focus and a higher shutter speed to make the image sharper overall but I think you have done the best you can in difficult circumstances, so well done. Its all very well to talk about reflectors or artificial lighting to raise the illumination levels but capturing the moment as you have here doesn't always allow for it.

Thank you for an interesting submission, Sid

Dress shoes of the South
by WonderDude

Comment by jnenvir:
Unpolished

Dress shoes of the South
by WonderDude

Comment by quiche:
Excellent DOF. Those boots don't look all *that* dirty.

Kiss you for it
by WonderDude

Comment by sidpixel:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

A great image that fits the challenge very well.

I love this! This works really well, the silhouettes are very effective with the trolley forming the centre point and the binding bridge that both binds and separates you both at the same time. It makes the trolley an integral and strong part of the whole and as such completely meets the challenge brief with impact.

I like your low viewpoint it enables you to isolate the scene very effectively from any potentially distracting background. The background you do have is a very appealing sunset with a lovely blue sky that darkens around the upper part where you are both joined in a passionate kiss. The whole thing is very appealing and effective, well done. Your certainly getting your money's worth out of your new lens!

There are some good images on the front page of this challenge, its a real shame yours was not there too, it certainly deserved to be, better luck next time, Sid

What's that sound?
by WonderDude

Comment by jayzundel:
Wonderful expression

A Taste of Bokeh
by WonderDude

Comment by sidpixel:
*Hello from Sid and the Critique Club*

A fairly pleasing flower study that meets the open brief of the challenge.

A simple shot of a simple subject taken with a simple lens in a satisfying way for you. It is satisfying when you can use simple and lovely old lenses in conjunction with a digital camera and it will hopefully lead the way for lots more similar experimentation for you.

With regard to the image itself I like the composition leading in from the top left the way it does and as your commenter observed, some lovely contrasting colours too. What I am not so keen on is the distracting over-exposed square behind the flowers, unfortunately it overpowers in a negative sort of way. The other issue is the sharpness overall which given your high shutter speed is obviously not camera shake so therefore must be down to the lens itself. It doesn't exhibit as softness per se but more a resolving issue, there is apparent sharpness but it just doesn't seem to make the flowers stand out the way they should.

Thanks for your submission, enjoy your use of manual lenses, its very rewarding, Sid