Ascension
by Brent_S

Comment:
Dude, you're on fire this month :)

Great concept, really like the idea behind it!

Champagne Shower
by Judi

Comment:
Love the expression on his face, way to go Judi, it's great to see you back up where you belong ;)

... all will be well ...
by Bear_Music

Comment:
Get well soon, Robert!! All my greatest wishes to you. Take care, Joao

The Human Catherine Wheel
by sarampo

Comment:

Originally posted by Bear_Music: This is very nice. I was one of your 10's — I was surprised it didn't ribbon, but HM is sweet too "-)

Thanks Robert :) Can't complain, since it started as a fun experiment, but we did learn from it, which is more important.
Regards,
Joao

A Spoon full of Sand
by luckyluciano

Comment:
Hi Chrissy m greetings from the Critique Club :)

I'm happy to be able to help you on a comment, I see that you joined recently, and I know how important it is to have some feedback on our photos ;)

First of all, I really like the feeling behind the image, it's a very candid moment, captured on the right timing.

Taking this into consideration on the challenge, I guess that being a Spoon challenge, you would need to give more importance to that aspect.
It's not the main subject in the photo, and in the overall scene it does blend in too much.

Anyway, it's a keeper photo, so you can have it for yourself, since it's a very fun moment.

A few tips on how to improve the photo:

Be careful with the horizon. If possible, try to check it in-camera, to make sure it's straight. If not, that can be corrected in post production.
Also, compose your photo in the viewfinder before shooting. The crop as it is it's too tight, the left foot has been cut ever so slightly.
And lastly, there are a few sharpening techniques that could help you get the most out of this photo, and make it really good!

Hope this helps, please feel free to contact me if you need anything :)

Cheers,
Joao

A conversation with myself
by manavg

Comment:
Hi again Manav :) Another one from the Critique Club.

By the photo, can I assume it's a double exposure? Are those the same person?
I'm just confused because in the photo details you have put that the exposure speed was 1/100.

The overall exposure is indeed a bit dark, in a challenge around knifes it was necessary to give the main part to the knife, in this one it seems a bit secondary.

AS for the technical part, what I can say is that you could have used the fact that it was advanced editing to darken a bit the background.

The blurry pattern of the background makes the impression that the actual photo is blurry, which it isn't.

The idea was good, and with more direct lighting it could be better accomplished.

Hope this helps, contact me should you need anything.

Cheers,
Joao

The Couple...
by sekarmalathy

Comment:
Thank you for your kind words Raj, it would be a dream to get a score like this, but it's completely deserved, absolutely wonderful image, even if you only had the fireworks it would be great, but to include the couple is perfect.

Congrats on a stellar score!!

The Flower of Gabriel
by navilor

Comment:
Hi Kevin, greetings from the Critique Club!

Congratulations on your top 10 photo, it's really a great placing :)

The lines on your photo are very clean and smooth, and the toning is just right.

The pollen and flower tip is very sharp, and I would love to get more details on the Nikon+Canon lens thing going on there.

It fits the challenge perfectly as it's a good example of high key.

I would like to see two things in this shot, I think that it could improve it a bit.

First, get a bit more contrast on the yellow part and its shadow. Make it less "grey", by adding a bit more depth to it. Most of the top places have a contrasty element in the photo, to direct your viewers' eyes to it.

Also, I would take advantage of the direction the tip is pointing and not center it that much, I would place the tip more to the left, so to guide the photo.

Other than that, it's a great result and your first top 10. Well done!

Please feel free to PM me should you need anything else.

Cheers,
Joao

A Happy baby
by manavg

Comment:
Hi Manav, greetings from the Critique Club!

First of all, congrats on your shot, you really got that priceless look for the baby :)

As for the technical aspects, I believe that your photo should have placed higher, although a 5.6 score is nothing to throw away.

There are only two things that I can think of that maybe hurt this shot, and that I would probably have liked to see differently.

The crop is a bit to close, you could either go to a face portrait, or then give it a little more breathing space. As it is it's the awkward middle point, were it fills the frame but it's not close enough.

Second aspect is that you could have tried to light also the baby from the front, either with an additional light, or with something reflecting the back light. The background is very well worked, but there are a few burned highlights by the left diaper and the cheek.

Also, something strange is happening on the baby's left hand, maybe it's from the low shutter speed, it looks like it's moving.

Other than that, you got 6.8 from commentators and that is pretty good, I think you should keep this shot, adding just a bit more background to the right, and make a great canvas :)

Please feel free to contact me should you need anything.

Cheers,
Joao

Waiting for the Story
by dali_lama_2k

Comment:
Hi Brad, greetings from the Critique Club!

Thanks for reaching out to us, I'll try and give you my opinion on your photo.

First impression of the photo is that it's a bit dark and not entirely focused.
It's very hard to have a low key image and still maintain the details on your photo.

The part that hurts the photo more is indeed the focusing. With a f/1.8 lens you could have opened up a bit (I see that it's f/11), and reduce the ISO.
Of course you could have used the 1 second exposure to try and light up a bit the right-hand side of the photo.

It's very hard to focus on such low light, I would have suggested that you took the bird as a focus point and try to get it from there.

Having said that, I do believe that you capture the high votes from the storytelling that this image provides.
You really touched an important point with the lonely bird, waiting per chance a little boy or girl to come. You really did a great job on the meaning of the photo, and with a little technical aspects you would have conveyed your vision.

Advice: Direct your viewers to where you want, lighting up the chair and the bird. Keep the photo focused, and increase the contrast a bit. Most of the top places are very contrasty images, almost black and white, little grey.
Keep up your imagination, it was a very well-thought of shot.

If you need some additional comment, please feel free to contact me.

Cheers,
Joao