Flower Burst
by SandyP

Comment:
This looks like you applied a selective blur to the non-flower portions of the arrangement. The effect is very nice, but the irregularity of the boundaries is a bit disconcerting.

Frazzled
by spreadcom

Comment:
Whatever method you used, this image has a three-dimensional quality that is very attractive. I can't decide if this is a real natural background or if you used a prop. Whatever the case, there is a sharpness and apparent relief that makes me feel as though I can reach out and grab a flower. Well done.

Anole
by JOHNBOY1970

Comment:
Very nice photo, but in my opinion, 'twould be better if the greens were not so similar as to blend so much. It does a great job of showing the animal's camouflage capabilities, but would pop more if there were more color contrast.

Christmas tree for Angels
by sigitas

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club
by strangeghost

COMPOSITION
A unique perspective on a fireworks burst. We're so accustomed to seeing these from below, backed by sky. The burst itself is unusual too; instead of a coherent starburst, it looks like dozens of smaller bursts happening together. Since there is so much dark space (both in the town and in the sky) toward the upper left, I think I might have cropped differently, placing the fireworks burst in the upper left quadrant of the image, thus drawing more attention to the better illuminated buildings and ice rink (?) below and to the right. That's a very subject call though. IMO, it might have lead to a more interesting composition.

TECHNIQUE
This is a tough shot to pull off and I can't find any technical fault. I wonder if you were maxed out in your zoom already or if you could have pushed in a little tighter. Focus, clarity, exposure all look pretty good to me.

OVERALL IMPACT
After my initial fascination with your "above the action" perspective, there was not a great deal in this image to keep me interested. Your final score of about 4.9 indicates that the voters thought it was an OK photo, but nothing spectacular. For a fireworks shot though, I have to give you credit on finding something different.

Not ... Rose Coloured Glasses
by Coley

Comment:
Yeah, we've seen those glasses before! Superb shot, excellent response to the challenge. Perfect crop. The expression on her face (what we can see of it) is priceless. I would like to see greater contrast in the BW portions - I think this would make the image pop a little more, but as is, it's a top 10 for sure.

Reworked, post comments
by hutch699

Comment:
I like the close crop on her face. The dark background gives the picture an overall "dark" look, which coupled with the expression on her face, makes it feel like very serious portrait. This is not a bad thing at all. It makes for a portrait that conveys a very serious tone. The lighting looks good. You might want to bump the brightness and saturation a tiny bit. I'd probably tweak it with curves a tiny bit and see what results.

Dining Out
by owen

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club
by strangeghost

COMPOSITION
The first thing that grabs me is the use of leading diagonal lines, drawing my eye gently to the upper right. How'd you get the bug to pose so perfectly?? It's a great image for the challenge, IMO, because there are several distinct levels of pattern to occupy me; the fine detail of the leaf, the broader patterns of the major veins, and then the interesting camouflage patterns of the bug caterpillar itself. I also think you showed an outstanding sense of how to crop the image.

TECHNIQUE
Great color saturation on the leaf, but the dark tones of the insect are a little disappointing. I'd have liked to see the same level of detail in his skin, but it appears a little softer than the detail in the leaf. I'm assuming that with f22, you were attempting to buy yourself the greatest depth possible given your closeness to the subject. I wonder if you struggled with this when shooting or editing? It's been said many times in the forums, but I'll repeat here, we love to see your own thoughts in the photographer's comments section. It would have been nice to know what you were thinking as you shot this, what lens was used, etc. Having said all that, I do think this is a technically excellent image.

OVERALL IMPACT
As I said above, your use of leading lines really makes this image work. It's so much more effective this way than a simple caterpillar sitting on a leaf. Your eye for detail made this one work. Your score was well above average, but I think would have scored even higher if you had preserved the same level of detail in the caterpillar that you did in the leaf.

Most commenters really liked the image, and your score reflects this. A great job but I bet that added detail would have added to the wow factor and a consequent bump in score. I enjoyed studying this image for the critique. Keep shooting!

Spiky Circle
by AFViper

Comment:
I don't know if your intention was to capture those rays in the background sky, but they're much more interesting than your subject! Those are ante-crepuscular rays. Look it up on the web. Very, very cool.

49195882-L.jpg
by stare_at_the_sun

Comment:
Phenomenal shot. I'd like to see the snow a bit whiter though, but it's wonderful as is.

Meridian Towers
by JeffryZ

Comment:
I've been to this building many times. My father-in-law used to live there. Great view of the bay! Though the picture creates a pleasant repeating pattern, the lack of a clear subject will probably hurt you in the voting.