Just Between Us
by jmoore

Comment:
Hey, and greetings from the Critique Club.

When it comes to fitting the challenge, this image does very well indeed. Technically, you have managed to get the film look you wanted, and that works. As you can see, people comment harshly on noise and softness, but when it was your intention and you went on with that and made it work, I can't say anything on that :)

Composition: The image shows these two people well, and there's no doubt on that they are the main subject. However, I feel that the image is a little tight, and the composition itself doesn't give me a natural point to rest my eye. This doesn't matter so much here because the people are by far the biggest objects in the photograph.
To me, these two are sharing the view of the sea and relaxation after having a bath together. Thus, my thoughts were a 3:2 (instead of 2:3) image that showed some more landscape, although not in focus, it might have solved some of the "heaviness" of your result (totally my subjective personal view :). I'm also a little bothered by the skin patch showing - except after looking at it for a while, it's almost heart shaped.

The in-camera work you've done is of course well. You know what you're doing, focus hits the spot, depth is fine and improves showing the people and not the landscape. Seeing in your portfolio that you're a photographer by profession, it won't be nescessary to say anything on the camera technicals - and I don't have anything to say either!

Your post processing is good. You have chosen a sepia toning for this image, and I think it works well, it makes some more emotion as it feels chilly, and they're warming each other. The noise you have applied throws away some sharpness as you wanted, and it doesn't look too artificial as it can often do when you post-apply it to the image.

As you can tell from what I'm writing, you manage to get emotions channeled from both these people and yourself all the way up to the post-processed photograph. I admire that greatly. As graphicfunk also mentioned, it has a lot of feelings and probably wakes memories, happiness and loneliness - what really makes this shot is that it leaves the viewer to his own mind, you just leave the work to them. Everyone has memories of their best friends through life. In the end, it makes me feel really happy, well done! :)

If you have any comments about this critique, feel free to PM me.

Message edited by author 2005-03-23 15:10:06.

Being Woman
by Computergi

Comment:
Great stock image! This fits in many places, and would sell well. After all, people sell the most.

California Coast
by nrulkov

Comment:
Superb! Great contrast, the composition is beautiful, and the sky has helped you a lot here. Maybe a little more depth, the foreground looks a tiny bit soft. But that hangglider really adds up as well.

Vintage Silver Phone
by Rook3000

Comment:
Your bokeh is really exquisite and the subject is OK, but I'd include the whole thing. This wouldn't sell just because it's not a whole phone, rather an 80% one.

Lemon slices
by GinaRothfels

Comment:
While this might be a good idea, I think stock food photographs need to have delicate pieces of food to work.

Anytown, USA
by Patents4u

Comment:
Exquisite capture. For a non-american, this can really be Anytown, USA.

smooth
by parrothead

Comment:
A good stock image, except it would require to be of a little more quality (eg. less noisy) to do well.

Cool and refeshing...
by sissi

Comment:
I like it. But, I think I'd like it even more if the motion was stopped entirely!

WATER for LIFE
by librodo

Comment:
His expression is great, and the picture has a message too. Well done.

Soaring High
by Zap228

Comment:
Almost very good. A little too blurred and the background is a little intense for me. Otherwise, good capture.