Hummingbird Moth
by Drake

Comment by sulamk:
a beautiful image full of vibrant color and movement

Red Beauty
by Drake

Comment by sfalice:
Greetings from the Critique Club

One of the things I enjoy about this Critique Club job is getting the chance to look at people's portfolios. I must tell you that I enjoy your bird pictures immensely - and for sheer "awwww factor" your cygnets in training is a delight.

Okay, back to work: You have an image that meets the Challenge but just didn't excite the voters all that much. I think some of your commentors touched on the main problem, when they suggested the red rose did not appear to be as fresh as it could be. The colors of all of them, however, are quite beautiful. The shadows are indeed a bit harsh and I also think the moisture on them (if emulating dew) was a touch heavy-handed.

So, I'd suggest trying diffused lighting. Using a tripod is often helpful with still-lifes, so with that in mind, think about taking your aperture to a lower number, experimenting with 5.6 or 6.3 or even lower, but not increasing your ISO.

I wish you continued success in DPC. It sure was fun looking at your portfolio.

....That it's Too Rough To Be on The Lake
by Drake

Comment by sherpet:
Magic image here of very rough weather....

....That it's Too Rough To Be on The Lake
by Drake

Comment by TG73:
Awww...I wish I was there!!

Hummingbird Moth
by Drake

Comment by IndigoButterfly:
I'm sure I won't be the only one that says it looks like a lobster's body with wings. :)
Good capture!

Hummingbird Moth
by Drake

Comment by Konador:
Really nice capture. Thats a weird looking moth! I think a little bit of USM would help the softness a bit.

....That it's Too Rough To Be on The Lake
by Drake

Comment by scantin:
Gorgeous photograph. Looks a little noisy but that could probably be cleaned up with some further editing. Thanks for contributing this!

Hummingbird Moth
by Drake

Comment by JunieMoon:
This is one hard guy to get. I know, I have tried. Nice stop action, but even so it still came out a bit too soft in focus. The leaf on the bottom seems to really be sharply focused, so
I am trying to figure out why the flowers didn't come out as sharp. Maybe a smaller aperture opening would have given the flowers just as much clarity.

....That it's Too Rough To Be on The Lake
by Drake

Comment by shaver:
Very nice photo.

Hummingbird Moth
by Drake

Comment by Kelli:
Wow... I've never even heard of these let alone seen one. Great job.