Quiet Contemplation
by sajin

Comment:
Love the warm tones thrown off from the candlelight that really complement the skin tones of the model. Her pose and facial features help project the mood of quiet contemplation. Photo is technically well exposed with details sharply and cleary shown in the fur jacket, a well defined candle flame and even down to the sheen on her lips. My only critique on this photo is that I would have liked to have seen her hands holding the candle. If the models hands are "cradling" or gently clasping the candle between her hands it would strengthen the mood of 'quiet contemplation'.

Affection
by stare_at_the_sun

Comment:
Tis a shame the the photo is blurred and fuzzy for I see all those nice warm orange/yellow tones that really complement the skin tones of the people in this shot. A sharper more detailed image would be better. Either the subjects needed to be more still for the long exposure on the camera or you might have introduced another light source (a few more candles off screne to help with exposure time. Also pulling back and not having such a tight crop on the two people to show more of just a head shot (full head from the neck up) would be better visually. It could also add to the composition possibly if you included a burning candle in the shot that would rest just below the faces and between them so as to not obscure the people. The symbology woutd be to strengthen the visual imagery of 'burning/heated passion both in the kiss being exchanged and the burning flame.

Candlelit Christmas Card
by linda12201

Comment:
The only thing lacking in this festive holiday card photo are those nice warm tones that are cast on the whole scene by the glow of the candlelights. The lighting here is a full on white light either from daylight lighting the scene or by indoor lighting. There are none of those nice warm orange/yellow tones that bath the scene in a warm and inviting light. It is that type of light (candlelight) that could help the scene become more warm in mood and feeling.

Warmth of the Holidays
by angela_packard

Comment:
A nice holiday spirit photo. Tones, lighting, and subject all all well captured. My one critique on strengthening the visual impact of the holiday spirit in the photo is that more of the christmas tree - as in the full trianglar shape could be present in the background. The candle would still be the main subject and should/can still retain the same size and porportion of the photo. By just moving the candle further away from the scene and composing the composition exactly as you did here more off and possibly the full tree would be visible in the background.

Big things come in small packages
by json

Comment:
I cannot begin to phantom how you made this candle appear explosive is the flame it is firing off much less how it survived long enough to retain it's waxy shape given the heat that it has to be expelling. The candle and the explosive flame is what arrests our attention first off. Upon second look, there is an unflattering ground plane on the bottom half of the image - I say unflattering for it adds nothing to the overall composition as that it is a distraction. A solid black backdrop to keep attention focused on this explosive candle would be much better for the composition. This may or may not be possible as I look more closely and take notice that this action maybe taking place in a fiireplace for safety reasons. If so then a simple run through photoshop/paintshop to Burn - darken the areas that are distracting would be an alternative. Another suggestion is that you could build on the simple presentation by adding a few more elements into the scene to play up the 'supernatural action' of the exploding flame from the candle: A scene where people are sitting around the table at a seance, a ghostly figure off in the background, a book on hauntings laying next to the candle etc, etc, etc.

Scrumptious Romance
by Sunshine86

Comment:
The picture presents a very romantic mood and setting. Food is sometimes the most difficult thing to make appealing in pictures and coupled with the challenges of working with candlelight I'd say you did a good job here. The card with the "I Love You" is a nice little detail that adds to the composition. Now on to my critiques on this piece. Compositionally really good but a few things in the composition could be oriented or detailed differently to strengthen the imagery of a romantic liason between two people and the visual appeal. First, the cheesecake should have been oriented where the longest length of the slice is facing us (point of tip pointing to the right with the crust portion pointing to the left). Reason, we would have more length of the cheesecake for eyes to travel upon and drool on:-). Another suggestion is to orient the plate such that the shape would be not be a square but a diamond with one corner facing the viewer. Reason it just adds a different dimension, interesting angle and not to mention may even be a subtle visual that "diamonds are a girl's best friend" :-) Next, there are too many flowers resting on the plate. I think it would work much better to have a composition of twos present throughout the image to strengthen the connection that this is a romantic night for two people: Two flowers adorning the cheesecake, two crossed roses laying off to the side or possibley two crossed forks depending on which looks more visually appealing and lastly two lighted candles.

Still Life
by STEINR

Comment:
I really like the mood you are trying to create here. Still life with Literature instead of fruit or flowers. Curling up with a good book on a dark and cold night with just a single light source to illuminate the words of the unfolding story is the feel I get from looking upon this image. Or another way of looking upon it is that the candle is there to provide illumination to the an author waiting to take up his/her spectacles and pen the words of the next classic. I like the details that you put in this composition - the old, rustic and well loved/worn book, the ink blotter with caligraphy pen, and the antique style candle holder. There are just a few things that could go a long way with strengthening the image you have captured here. First the items really need to pop more off off their background. The black backdrop is not nearly as dark and black as it should be and thus serves to distract attention away from the main subjects. Burning and/or dodging or even a selective gamma correction may improve on making the tones of the background a deep black color so the attention is directly focused on the objects in the scene. Also if you could have included some "ink" in that ink blotter it would further strengthen a connection to the pen waiting for the hand of the author to stard penning a new novel. A tighter crop or focus on the main objects would draw the eye's attention instantly and directly to the main objects of the photo. Lastly, depending on what imagery you are trying to convey you may or maynot have wanted to illuminate the spine of the book so the title could be visible (this would only apply if you wanted to convery to the reader the thought of picking up the book to read it by the light of the candle)

Midnight Snack
by brianhendee

Comment:
I like the presentation of the image and the elements you have composed for the shot. Even the candle shows fruits that compliments the fruits pictured on the platter. While everything is well lighted in the scene such that the color hues are vibrant it robs the from the mood that would be created if all elements were bathed in the warm amber glow of candlelight. That warm amber light bathing this still life would make it more visually appealing. Adding a red apple at the end of the platter on the right would create a symetry balance between the red fruit pictured on the candle on the left hand side. Lastly the angle of the shot should have been lowered such that the flame of the candle is more visually prominent against the black background.

i believe
by mesmeraj

Comment:
This image is simple and elegant in presenation. I like the pose of the model as well as the dress for it invokes imagery of druids and those in tune with the natural world. The B&W presentation is good for the skin tones are well balanced and the druid/model really pops off of that black background. In her hands she cradles the single flame of 'imagination' or spark of imagination - to a degree it invokes in my mind the imagery that was present at the end of the film Neverending story. My only critiques for this image is that the fingers of the hand are a little blurred (I would have preferred sharper detail since all other elements in the photo are sharply defined), that a little more of the flame be visible so that we establish a stronger connection to the "flame of imagination", and that the crop be a little tighter for there is a little too much negative empty space.

In The Cathedral
by e301

Comment:
I like this capture for is is just a simple presentation of the inside the cathedral. The look, the lighting and the 'grain' of the image gives the feel of actually being inside the cathedral - such that I can smell the burning of the candles. The grain of the image adds some 'texture' to the visual and helps with setting a brooding/reflective mood - the exact words to describe why this comes across escapes me at the moment but it does. The background of the church with the arches adds some visual interest. My only critique is that I would have shot this at a lower angle - kneeling perhaps so that it plays strongly into the perception of kneeling at the candles as one lights a candle of reflection/redemption/hope. It would also give it a sense of scale and more visual interest that a straight on level shot does not. A change in angle gives a different perspection and can add visual interest to the composition.