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

p e a r l s
by Ja-9

Comment by colorcarnival:
Such a gorgeous macro. Congrats on 5th place!!

p e a r l s
by Ja-9

Comment by Jules1x:
Wahoo Janine, great shots. One of my favorites in the challenge.

p e a r l s
by Ja-9

Comment by Lydia:
Go, Janine!

p e a r l s
by Ja-9

Comment by Lydia:
Go, Janine!