m a l e v o l e n t • a s c e n t
by Ja-9

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

An oft repeated but nevertheless effective shot that meets the challenge.

These type of shots always work well because they lend themselves to an easy and straightforward composition, they also easily hold our attention on the main subject, the stairwell.

I like your mono conversion you have a near full range of tones with good contrasts, it suits the subject very well indeed. The exposure is spot on with full detail throughout, the brickwork is excellently rendered. There is so much detail here to feast your eyes upon, it really is lovely.

I think I understand why you have titled it the way you have, not just for the number and steepness of the steps but those metal treads look extremely unforgiving should you slip, ouch! Thank you for another interesting entry, Sid

g l o w i n g • e m b e r s
by Ja-9

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

An abstract that meets the challenge to some degree.

When the challenge description gives you the scope it has in defining orange as a range of colours between red and yellow not all will recognise the 'orange' qualities equally. Whilst your image has appeal it is significantly towards the red end of the definition to the extent that the smaller yellower elements in the top left stand out as being distinctly orange by comparison. If it had been me I would probably have subtly altered the hue more towards the yellow spectrum to get nearer a recognisably distinct orange through more of the image.

Having never tried to capture this sort of image I assume the long exposure enabled you to bring out more of the glow and less of the blacks because of the changing nature of the glowing embers? Bet you were nice and warm for this one!

Thanks for submitting Janine, Sid

s e a • s p r i t e
by Ja-9

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

A simple image given extra quality.

As soon as this started to appear on my screen I actually uttered an oohâ€Â¦ it has instant appeal for me. As your commenters have stated it has a dreamy quality to it.

Your slow shutter speed and deliberate(?) movement during exposure has created a much more unique image that has an extra appeal all of its own. The vogue is so often for very long exposures turning the sea into a flat lake which, although it has its merits, has been way overdone of late, this is much more preferable. I like your composition with the child well off centre and looking in towards the rest of the frame, it works well.

There's not really anything I can add, it works for me, thanks, Sid

• n i r v a n a •
by Ja-9

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

A nature study without a strong focal point.

This is the Orton effect again isn't it? The end result looks very similar to your image I recently critiqued for the challenge 'the Orton effect', most of my introductory remarks equally apply to this image.

I find it difficult to rest my eyes on any particular aspect of the image I am wandering around and not seeing anything that holds my attention. There is an imbalance between the right and the left, everything of any interest is to be found on the right. The general tone of the trees just doesn't look natural there seems to be a colour cast throughout.

I do like reflections and I think this may have worked better if you had concentrated on the right and more water using portrait orientation, it would probably have made it more interesting.

I'm sorry this one is just not doing it for me, Sid

s e a • s p r i t e
by Ja-9

Comment by tanguera:
Ethereal and dreamy

s e a • s p r i t e
by Ja-9

Comment by npasel:
Ahhh...nice

s e a • s p r i t e
by Ja-9

Comment by Abra:
Dreaming.

Line Up
by Ja-9

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

Congratulations on your high placing for a superb image very worthy of its position that fully meets the challenge

What a stunning image, I really like what you have done here, the high contrast mono works really well. I love the pure blacks throughout the image.

I'm intrigued by the lighting which I am assuming is behind and below, anyway it is well controlled and very effective. I fall into the camp that likes the squares breaking up the reflections, I think this element really adds hugely to the overall effect. It is far more effective than a straightforward pure one for one reflection, it gives us a vague feel for the battleground itself and it breaks the pieces up with such irregularity it adds real intrigue, I love it.

If I am going to be critical although the lighting works really well when I look closely it also brings out unwanted detail like the resin flow but in particular the seams on the rooks and the queen. I can visualise just how stunning this could be with a glass set with all the lovely effects the lighting would have on the glass and then those reflections, divine.

Thank you for another lovely submission, Sid

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep" ~ Robert Frost
by Ja-9

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

An interesting image that probably meets the challenge.

I must begin by admitting that I have never consciously used the Orton effect myself so I am not best qualified to assess how effectively it has been used here. Looking carefully at your image I would say that it shows an enhanced range of tones and detail beyond a normal exposure. Unless you are familiar and a regular user of this technique I wonder how many people would have recognised it, particularly with a cursory glance, during the challenge and therefore how much it has affected your score.

I like your viewpoint and the way the composition takes us into the depths of the woods, it is very engaging. I see you have used a very small aperture with a large DOF but there is evident softness throughout, how much of that is due to diffraction from that very small aperture or from the out of focus image you will have used to achieve the effect I don't know. Either way, I am imagining a sharply focused image and thinking hmmâ€Â¦ I would probably prefer it without the softness but obviously that is not an option for you in respect of the challenge brief but perhaps it could have been a little less evident in which case it may have affected your score even more!

Another competent submission from you Janine, thank you, Sid

Where's Lunch
by Ja-9

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

An appealing image that barely meets the challenge brief

You have a nicely executed image of an appealing subject but your position in relation to it is only marginally above it simply due to your own height to it, in other words to meet the challenge I think you needed to be in an elevated position which is much more apparent than yours here. Perhaps your intention was to convey the birds position above its prey but I would suggest that the somewhat lower than deserved score reflects this aspect in relation to the challenge brief itself.

I find the image itself very appealing, the exposure is good, the composition is also good, the colours are good. I particularly like the reflections and the interesting detail in the water. The focus has the eyes nice and sharp and the shallow DOF isolates the bird nicely from the background and foreground, though a wide open aperture would have given a shallower DOF which would probably have improved the small section of background above his back.

Thank you for your submission, Sid