Days Gone By
by msdoubletrouble

Comment:
Great composition and very interesting subject, but the lighting is too flat. You have a very nice start, but the exposure looks off.

Pop
by gloda

Comment:
Yummy! Very nice and creative. I like the depth of field you used here and the super crisp eyes make this a very nice shot. I would like to see her tongue and the lolipop in focus. It looks almost like an artificial blur that you applied. Nice capture overall.

stream of life
by arsenal

Comment:
Great idea, but the lighting and multiple elements make it too busy and confusing. The exposure is nice and the focus is sharp, but I'd try to isolate the stream a bit more.

Rho-Ophiuchus-Region of the Milkyway (IC 4604)
by coliwabl

Comment:
First off, the image is too small. Always take advantage of the full size parameters that DPC allows. Secondly, it just appears that there is a haze over the entire image. Looking through others that have posted similar photos, I see that there is a lacking clarity. For instance, consider this photo by Kirbic, . Even with over 2 minutes exposure at f/2.8, there is a beautiful clarity to the shot. Also, look at this one by strangehost, . It also possesses a clarity that this particular shot does not have. While I have no experience with photography stars and such, I would venture to guess that yours is a bit over exposed. You coverall composition is also lacking. The apparent focus of the image is the brightness that you composed in the center of the photograph. I would suggest applying the rule of thirds to add interest to this type of photography. Perhaps even upping your shadow level in Camera RAW would deepen your blacks here and give the photograph a better contrast. Even easier, use photoshop to make a curves adjustment to clean up the light haze that you have here. I copied the image, applied two curves points, one at I:174 O: 203 and a second at I:98 O:36, and this gave the image a much more dramatic feel. None of the stars were lost and the overexposure was remedied. I hope that this has been helpful and that there is some information that you can "practically apply" as you requested

Division
by nards656

Comment:
--Trading Post Comment--
I really can't see the blur, but I think that you suffered from not choosing complementary colors. Red's complement is green and blue's is orange. Either way, I like this iamge. The composition is nicely balanced and the wodd in the middle really works well to draw the eye up and through the image. My only ding in voting was the colors. Still, very nice work.

Missing Man Formation
by Melethia

Comment:
--Trading Post Comment--
Top 15 finish, very well-done. I think shifting more to your right and cropping off some more of the left would have made it even better. My favorite element in the shot is the texture that the metal sculptures revealed in negative. Very well seen and nicely executed. Congrats on the top 15!

...rorrim ,rorriM
by timfythetoo

Comment:
--Trading Post Comment--
I am surprised that it didn't do better. This is definitely one of the most creative shots of the challenge. The composition is very nice and the lighting looks great for a negative image. The brightness of your hair is a bit overbearing, but not enough that I would have voted low. I didn't vote in this challenge, but this would have been in the 7 range for me. Nice work and awesome creativity.

spooky
by DanSig

Comment:
--Trading Post Comment--
I bet it was a really mice portrait, but, other than the eyes, it doesn't pop as a negative image. The eyes, hands and hair really jump out, but the white shirt that he was wearing adds too much darkness as a negative. I absolutely agree, it is spooky. I didn't vote in this particular challenge, but I would have voted 5 or 6. Definitely above average, just not the wow factor as the ribbons.

Event Horizon
by Louis

Comment:
--Trading Post Comment--
I didn't vote on the negative image challenge, as it was way too painful to sort through that many negative images. That siad, I am very suprised that this one didn't place higher. It is one of the few that still leaves a pleasant image as a negative. The focal point is perfect, though centered, leading the eye all aound the photograph. This is also a very interesting depth of field. Even looking at the original, its hard to determine how you pulled it off. I also think that the lighting and exposure are terrific. I have no idea on what would improve the scoring of this one. It would have been one of my 7s or 8s had I voted.

Profiles of Purple
by Kelli

Comment:
--Trading Post Comment--
Great concept, but I think that it needed a bit stronger yellow background to really stand out in the challenge. With the lighting, it is also hard to pick out one area of crisp focus. I think that is was underexposed from the start, and curves could only amp it up so much. I do like the flowing composition that you created. It definitely serves to lead my eyes around and through the frame.