Manistee Harbor Sunset
by Drake

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An appealing image that makes a significant contribution to the challenge.

We̢۪ve probably all been there at some point, putting the camera away too early, so pleased you didn̢۪t here Drake, well done. A nicely composed shot with the emphasis clearly on that fiery sky, you̢۪ve caught it all at just the right moment with the sun lighting the bottom of the cloud in a most pleasing way. I like the counter-balance of the lighthouse and your timing to wait for some illumination form it too. I think there is scope to tweak the brightness a little to increase its appeal but still a lovely image Drake.

Seljalandfoss Waterfall, Iceland
by Chris_Ang

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An appealing image that makes a significant contribution to the challenge.

Good old Iceland! Another lovely landscape from this wonderful part of the world that has been well composed. I won̢۪t labour the point but my main criticisms would be those already expressed about sharpening and saturation. I always fid it quite intriguing just how powerful and dominant a colour red is! The two people to the right and the smaller one a little higher up they really draw the eye, I think there would be a strong argument for some desat at least on the two. Apart from this Chris you have a lovely image that has been well received by your viewers, congrats on making the front page.

Lady in Red
by jjstudiosphiladelphia

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An appealing image that meets the challenge.

A lovely studio shot of a beautiful lady with perfect colours for the challenge brief. The lighting is good bringing out all the detail well, her pose is good with her weight distribution making a nice shape to her bum. I̢۪m gonna be really pedantic here because that̢۪s what I̢۪m here for! Three minor improvements I would make, yes as you and your commenter have observed, the lack of hair would have made for a simpler more effective image. Secondly, a little more symmetry by placing the left arm in the corner the same as the right and cropping just a little lower so that there is no flesh above the top of the corset. And finally, yes I know its pedantic but it does matter, that twist in the top of her knickers by her right hand is just a tad annoying.

Proto-chili
by clickodak

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An appealing image that meets the challenge.

A great concept, well executed Marcel. The fiery red of the chili jumps out from the dark bean background which in itself adds to the culinary fell of the image is a whole. I like your diagonal composition this adds a real dynamism to the shot. The lighting is good, giving nice detail to the beans but really making the chili stand out well, the water, cliched as it is, undeniably helps too. This is gonna look really good in your kitchen, well done.

Hotels
by gintay

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An appealing image that meets the challenge.

Simple? Well yes, I think it works quite well in a simplistic way though not necessarily minimalist way Gin Tay, which may or may not, be relevant to what you were aiming to achieve. I like it, it works quite well but I̢۪m wishing we didn̢۪t have the edge of the board the way we do. I̢۪m seeing a closer composition from the soft focus corner to the focus where it is on the red hotels with the car still out of focus but there is nothing but monopoly board. I don̢۪t know if this would have been possible but it would have made me feel much more in monopoly land concentrating on those reds.

Red Beauty
by Drake

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An appealing image that meets the challenge.

A lovely red rose Drake and as you say, nice lighting. The lighting is enhancing the petals and the detail therein giving it all a lovely 3D quality which is all working very well. Although your composition is slightly off-centre I don̢۪t feel you have made the most of the flower̢۪s potential here. What I think works very well is for a frame filling composition with the heart of the flower placed on one of the hotspots. I̢۪m finding the green twigs and white flowers in the background all a little distracting they̢۪re competing for my attention.

Aythya americana
by hahn23

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An appealing image that meets the challenge.

I do agree Richard, that is definitely a red in my book too. However, the dominant colour here is the blue, its the first thing that hit me because it is spread throughout the image and whilst reds are normally so powerful in attracting your attention, the red here is secondary to the blues. In itself it is a lovely image, well executed with nice sharpness where its needed on the ducks eyes. I like the DOF and the nice soft foreground and background but I would prefer a less central composition, a diagonal using one of the hotspots would have greatly improved the end result. The standards of the rest of the entries need to be high to justify the placingâ€Â¦? I've only just seen dtremain's comment, I agree.

Snow Storm
by clickodak

Comment:
Well done Marcel. A perfect representation of the challenge brief. Wow, look at those ribbons lining up, star pupil...

The Barn
by Ja-9

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An appealing image that does not meet the challenge

I̢۪m sorry Janine but I have to agree with Mike here, given the nature of the challenge, in my mind this is a long way from minimalist. You have found an appealing landscape and stamped your usual authority on it, there are no problems technically although the blues feel a little too strong they could do with pulling back a little. Obviously I don̢۪t know what the rest of your scene was like but if you could have taken this from further away with the buildings much more insignificant then I think this would have come nearer to the challenge brief but even then that sky is very busy. The small galvanised shed on its own in the distance as a focal point would be much nearer to my idea of minimalist.

Blue to Blue
by riot

Comment:
Hello from the critique club

An appealing image that meets the challenge

A very calm and tranquil scene that would soothe anyone in the room in which it was hanging. The blue of the sea is a nice contrast against that of the variegated sky. The composition is good with the sky very clearly emphasised. If I̢۪m really pedantic, which is what I̢۪m here for folks, there are a couple of minor issues. First their appears to be faint banding in the sky, most noticeable in the mid blues. And secondly the horizon has a very slight tilt to the left. They both have to be looked for very hard so they are not detrimental to the image.