"Floating Heart"by
crystaldmComment by emorgan49: Hello from the critique club -
This is a fairly simple image. The challenge was "Heart", this is a heart. It didn't score very well, mostly 4s and 5s. Why?
I suspect the main reason is Voter-Monitor-Calibration-Syndrome. On my monitor it seems very dark, much darker than your other images. Too dark for my liking. Perhaps you intended for it to be dark, but remember a dark image will appear even darker on some peoples monitors. Too dark is one reason for a low score.
Another DPC voting pattern is the Found-Object-SYndrome. Voters will vote lower it you photograph a found man made object than if you photograph a "found" leaf or flower or rock. Somehow there is a perception that it is cheating to use something that someone else has fashioned. Figurines, toys, statues will always get marked down.
So we can blame half of your poor score on the idiosyncracies of the DPC votors. What could you have done to improve your photo? Lighting is the big problem. It is too dark. The light is causing unattracive glare on the surface of the heart. Perhaps the glare cold have been softened by simply putting something transluscent over the light source. Even a piece of paper or a tissue can soften a harsh light. The light is making intersting shapes inside the heart. I see a man with a hat. But again, the are too dark to hold my interst for long. What if the light had made these same shapes show as shadows on the red background?
The sharpest point of focus seems the be the left, or further away, edge of the heart. I think it light look better to have the edge that is in the center and more towards the viewer be in shape focus.
Your composition is simple, an off center subject with some negative space in the background. But why? It feels awkward to me. Why is the heart off center and what does the negative space add? Perhaps it gives the man with the hat inside the heart room to step out of the heart? He seems to be facing in that direction.
Next time you choose to shoot a still life, take a good look at your portraits and see what lessons you can learn. Your photos of people, especially the children are STUNNING. When you photograph children you seem to have a natural eye for balance in composition, placing the eyes where they will grab the viewer most effectively. You make it look so easy and unforced! You DO have a great sence of design but it doesn't show in this heart submission. You can doo much better.
Disclaimer: this is all just my opinion and I am be no means an expert. Ellen
Message edited by author 2006-03-03 10:38:29. 
Photographer found comment helpful.
