At Wit's End
by Anachronite

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club
By Inspzil

Composition - The composition of this photo is awesome. I really think this is a terrific idea and a great study of the human form. It also reminds me of something on the Twilight Zone TV show from days of yore. The hands over the back of the neck are great. The greyscale with totally black background build the mood masterfully. I wouldn't change a thing.

Technical - The soft focus works well here. This is not a photo that demands an ultra sharp perspective to be effective. I think this is where your score suffered a little, unfairly I might add. The lighting is really really good. The only thing that I might suggest for this pic at all is that the contrast be turned up a little to make the skin a little whiter and not so grey.

Overall - I think you've really done an excellent photo. I'm trying to think of reasons it didn't score better and I really can't think of anything except that it just doesn't immediately grab the viewer, but it has definitely grown on me. Great image and good luck in future challenges. - Bob

Bad News
by brianeden

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club
By Inspzil

Composition - Wow that's some serious snow!! I live in Michigan and we get our fair share too. We haven't had a lot this year, but it has been exceptionally cold. Oh wait, I'm doing a critique....sorry forgot.

The subject matter in this particular photo does not lend itself very well to the despair challenge. I think the snowy situation is inconvenient, but its difficult to judge despair without a more animate subject. In any challenge, I think this subject doesn't have the "WOW" factor we are constantly seeking. It's a little to busy in the background to be totally effective. The picture is pretty dark and I have mixed feelings about that. I think that it does add to the despair mood, but that it takes away from the overall picture quality.

Technical - Maybe the contrast could be boosted a little so it wasn't quite so grey. The photo seems to be pretty well focused. It does however seem a little underexposed. Snow shots are difficult to properly expose. A little higher EV and I think you could get the dreary feeling without being quite so dark. By turning the contrast up a little with the current photo, I think you'd see about the same effect.

Overall - Not a particularly good photo for this challenge. I think the photo is a little dark overall but not badly taken. Hope this was helpful for you. GOod luck in future challenges. - Inspzil

1 apple
by boyte1

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club
By Inspzil

Composition - Good choice of subject for stock photography IMO. I think the simple aspect of this photo makes it very suitable. The subject is very centered in this photo and I think it has to be. You might have left a little more room at the top and bottom of the photo though. I don't like the little blue dot on the left side of the apple. It is pretty distracting and I can't think of what would cause it. This background might be a little light. I'll elaborate more in the technical section.

Technical - Most of the problems that I see with this picture have to do with exposure. The bottom half of this apple looks black. It is really underexposed IMO. I think the light needs to be brighter and moved perhaps a little more to the right judging by the highlight. I think with the background being so light, it would be difficult to properly light and expose this photo so as not to wash the background out or leave the apple dark. If the exposure was more the background would most likely was out. This might be a good place to use the grocery bag background trick. I think with that dark a background you could effectively light the subject and not wash the background out. As it stands I feel the apple is underexposed. The focus is good. The crop is a little too tight.

Overall - I like the simplicity of this photo and I think it meets the challenge. The pic needs a little less contrast so that the exposure could be increased without fear of washing the background out. The crop could leave a little more room on top and bottom. Hope this has been helpful to you. Good luck in future challenges Boyte - Bob

Wrestling With Coffee Addiction
by Swashbuckler

Comment:
Greetings Swash from the Critique Club
By Inspzil

Composition - Very unorthodox depiction of despair. I'm not real sure this meets the challenge as it was intended, but we'll say it does for the purposes of discussion. The expression is the first thing I notice and its good for this challenge. I'm a coffee-holic also so I can relate. I'd be wrestling with the EMPTY cup though. The background needs to be smoothed out, or not so brightly lit. The bright light on the bottom left corner really makes the wrinkles in the background stand out. The hand is also very brightly lit. I think the intensity of the lighting on the subject's face is pretty good, but it's generally too bright on the left side of the picture where I'm guessing the lighting source was held.

Technical - I think this photo was pretty well taken actually. Most of the problems I feel are due to the lighting. The exposure of the subject is pretty good though on the face and for this particular challenge a little on the dark side is probably beneficial. Processing stuff doesn't seem to be too much of an issue on this picture.

Overall - A humor photo more than a despair one. I think the lighting is the source of most of the other problems with this picture. The background needs to be smoothed out a little more as well. I'm not particularly fond of this photo for this challenge. I think there are other challenges for which it would be more appropriate. Good luck swash on future challenges. I look forward to your comments. - Bob

dying love
by treme

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club
By Inspzil

Composition - The single rose dying isn't really the greatest representation of despair, but for purposes of discussion, we'll say it is, for now. The framing of the picture is pretty good. There are several problems with this picture though. The picture is so small, something I don't recommend. The background is not terribly attractive either. There is something up in the lefthand corner that is pretty distracting.

Technical - The flash ring around the subject is not a good thing to have. The reflection on the table from the flash or other means of lighting is equally unsightly. The picture is not very well focused and that's one of the "don'ts" if you will of the DPC voters, sometimes even if it is on purpose. It definitely would've benefitted you to take this photo with ample light where the flash was not necessary or if you didn't use the flash, a tripod to hold the camera still. With the shutter speed as slow as it is, it is possible that you didn't use the flash and had other means of lighting. I have to think that little if any post processing was done to enhance this image. I think that the sharpen filter in Photoshop would've helped some, but not to the degree this photo needs to be sharpened. The color levels seem pretty good for the rose.

Overall - This is not a strong photo and was voted accordingly. I strongly suggest using something for a background like a posterboard or a piece of cloth. I've seen some excellent results from a grocery bag as a background. The next thing to tackle is the lighting so that the flower is amply lit without the reflections off the table or a ring around the flower. Sharpness and clarity of pictures is a must on this site the greater majority of the time. Perhaps a tripod would have been good if you didn't use one this time. The shutter speed is pretty slow to try to successfully handhold the camera still enough.

I hope this critique is helpful to you. Good luck in future challenges. If you have any questions or concerns about this PM me if you want to clarify anything or have me further explain something.

Inspzil

Our Future
by smellyfish1002

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club
By Inspzil

Composition - This is a wonderful shot. Very cute kid and you really capitalized on that for this shot. He has a great profile! I said a couple things in my comment during the challenge that pretty much still represent the way I feel about this. The frame should've been filled a little bit more. I think this would've help tone the lighting down a little. And the lighting is a little overpowering. I do think that it should be bright, overexposed to a lesser degree though. Tremendous idea though and honestly one that is a couple very minor things away from being a ribbon photo.

Technical - A little extra soft on the focus. I don't mind soft focus at all, when used appropriately. This is one that I think it can be very effective on, just that this needs to be a little less soft. Part of that might be the proximity of the subject to the camera. The ultra bright light cannot be helping that either. Exposure is obviously blown out purposely but I think a little too much here too. I would've toned it down just bit, but definitely kept it pretty bright.

Overall - I really liked this pic and still do. You've done a great job capturing this little guys innocence and sense of wonder in a remarkable picture. The eyes and eyelashes would sell this one in a heartbeat. Even with all the criticism here, I think this is one of the ten best from this challenge. Thanks for sharing it - Bob

Floating Around
by Gordon

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club
By InSpZiL

Composition - Yet another great picture Gordon. Framing is very good. I like the corner to corner approach. I think if the heads and paddles were at the same angle, you might've won this week. The contrast between background and subject is really good and the green of the water really makes the red on the boat stand out. The water in itself is neat the way it accepts the sun on the top left and makes the frame sort of a gradient. Doesn't look like anywhere I'd want to swim though due to the odd color.

Technical - Crisp and mostly clear, only a slight fuzz on the paddles probably due to them rowing which is sort of the whole point of why they're out there so its an acceptable fuzz in my book. The exposure is perfect. The only thing I wonder about is if you cropped this pic that close to the back on purpose or if it was just taken this way. I don't see it being a huge problem, but if the back had a little more room I think it would only help.

Overall - A great example of how to take something not so exciting and transforming into a nice image. Very good capture. I really like the contrasting colors and the corner to corner portrayal of the boat in the frame. Very good shot! - Keep up the good work Gordon.

-Bob

trying to hold on
by magnetic9999

Comment:


Message edited by magnetic9999 - not neighborly.

Hen
by GinaRothfels

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club
By Inspzil

Composition - Firstly, this meets the challenge by a thread, on a good day. That's my opinion anyway. The rooster is in pretty bad shape judging by his feathers. He doesn't look to pleased to have his picture taken either. If you took this in the day with no flash, I don't think he'd look terribly yellow. I think the flash is the biggest reason he has any yellow at all. He's framed pretty well.

Technical - The flash on his right breast is killing me. It's way too bright. The focus is okay and the rest of the lighting looks okay. Without better lighting, I think you did the best you could with what was available. Maybe during the day would've worked out better though. You could've done a little more in PS to make his color seem a little more yellow, if you didn't already try.

Overall - Not a strong picture. Not a very healthy bird by the way he looks. Doesn't have much appeal to the viewers IMO. Very hard to give much useful advice on this picture. It really just isn't challenge worthy material. Better luck next time. Sorry if this seems a little harsh. - Inspzil

BC....Before Crest
by autool

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club
By Inspzil

Composition - Cute title to go with this picture. Must be a sperm whale or some other toothed whale. Damn clear for a 1 sec exposure. Color is definitely sort of yellow. The subject is relatively interesting but unfortunately not something I would ever consider hanging on a wall in my home or garage. The detail of this photo is very good. The highlights on the tops of the teeth look great.

Technical - This is very very clear for a one second exp. but fairly shallow for f11. This may have something to do with the long exp. but I can't be sure. The white balance is probably the culprit of the yellowness of the pic. I keep blaming it for my pics anyway :) Framing is about as good as I think one can expect for a photo like this. For any other challenge BUT yellow, I would expect you'd mess with the colors a bit to make them a little less.... well, yellow. But for this challenge, it works.

Overall - Not a badly taken photo, but not a terribly interesting one. When I think, "would I hang this on my wall given any improvement that could be made were done?" The answer is definitely not as long as I am married. This is a picture that I could definitely see being used in something like a textbook though. It has some value methinks, just not as "art" in my terms anyway. Good luck in the upcoming challenges autool. - Inspzil