picture disCby
messerschmittComment by Kavey: Critique Club
Composition/ Content
Perhaps this is one of those cases where the decorations looked better in real life than they come across in a photograph? Based purely on what I see in the image my first thought is not "classy". I would say that using the CDs to refract fairy lights is certainly a novel idea and was probably a lot of fun to do.
In terms of the image itself I find it very messy. The composition seems haphapzard – no obvious focal point that I can identify – and not particularly balanced. Some parts of the image are out of focus (due to the depth of field) but I can't see any rhyme or reason to the decisions made about which bits are in focus and which bits are not. The splashes of colour are spoiled by the strong white reflections which, because of their brightness in a fairly dark image, have more prominence than the subject matter.
Overall the content does not appeal to me either in terms what I am looking at or in terms of the abstract visual of colours and shapes.
Camera Work - Technical
Would recommend attention to lighting, unwanted reflections, depth of field (selecting an aperture deliberately to achieve a desired depth of field and deciding which elements of the image are inside and outside the plane of focus), composition.
Fits The Challenge
Communicating the somewhat loose concept of "classy" is a difficult challenge and, in my opinion, requires a very light hand. In many of the more successful entries I notice a tendency towards simplicity of content, minimalist composition (use of negative space) and limited colour palette.
Whilst "classy" is certainly in the eye of the beholder, this image doesn't strike me as one that would likely convey the concept to many viewers.
My Opinion On The Photo
An interesting idea in the flesh that didn't translate strongly into the photograph.
Photographer found comment helpful.
