Family Airtime
by jesperandersen

Comment:
While this is a really great action shot - and I love the expressions caught on the faces of the father and child - the elements in the background are detracting to the overall appeal of the image. The red truck and the hotel are elements in the background that compete with the main subject which is the two people jumping with glee into the pool. If it was at all possible I would have recommended that you shot this action against a backdrop that is almost neutral - meaning you do not have a whole lot of background elements distracting the attention away from the main focus. It may have been possible to move the angle of taking the shot to just have that backdrop of the trees that I see in the background - of course that would mean that there were hopefully no other cars parked behind that red truck.

Autumn's Offering
by Jutilda

Comment:
I love the subject and the focus on the single leaf caught in the rake. Lighting is especially good with very sharp focus on the main subject - the leaf caught in the rake. While this brings up strong imagery of autumn it doesn't quite bridge the gap of connecting it to celebration. There is an element/object missing from the photo such as maybe a pile of raked leaves with the rake resting the wall next to an open window that holds a pie cooling (could be pumpkin pie or some pie which along with the pile of leaves makes us think of fall festivals or even the thanksgiving feast).....hmmm the image could even have a pile of leaves sitting there and two children caught in mid-air ready to jump into the pile of leaves to scatter them everywhere - and of course the expressions on the children's faces would show joy. I hope you see where I am going with the suggestions and examples - there is just something missing to the photo that would make a stronger connection of conjuring up celebratory events surrounding autumn.

A New Begining
by smokeditor

Comment:
The start of a happy life together...hmmm makes me wonder what the groom said to earn that kiss. He does look very happy.

Birthday boy
by DogAngel

Comment:
A very sweet and endearing capture of family love and joy. That smile on the little boy's face just captures joy and happiness all in one.

Crome Style
by bruster54

Comment:
The composition and lighting make this piece very interesting. I see something no one else has mentioned. I see something that you really could have played up in this photo (although it may have detracted attention from the main focus of the challenge). The chrome sphere behind the two eggs is getting a reflection off of the eggs which make it look like two eyes. Specifically, the shape of the that sphere and the two eyes make it look like an alien head very similiar to what sci-fi fans call Greys. That imagery coupled with those two eggs makes me think of the sci-fi movie Alien and how they used to advertise it - an egg cracking open with a green glow. All you would have needed to further establish a stronger connection was to have one of those supermarket checkout rags that proclaim in the headline that "Aliens have landed!!!"

Sweet Freedom
by idnic

Comment:
Techniqewise everything is spot on perfect: the lighting is excellent, the model is cooperative, and colors are good. The problem, I think, is the composition. Oh it is a cute and fun shot no question, but I think the photo fails to show us the concept of freedom without relying on the title to tell us. You have the imagery of prision in the shot - normally this imagery conjures up negative thoughts and ideas (prision is a terrible place to be, it's cramped, horrible nasty people go there, etc, etc. ). You needed one more thing to bridge the gap and introduce the happy and playful concept of freedom - that could have either been from having the shackle around the ball and chain snapped and the dog rushing happily to some object that we would recognize as giving happiness - i.e. a doggie treat, a bowl of favorite food or chewie toy. Those "prision bars" could have also been used to stage a "jail break" to freedom by having the dog seemingly slip through the bars in a side shot with the little pooch's eyes on a nice big happy chewie toy to greet him/her on the opposite side. I hope I am explaining myself clearly when I say that this needed a little extra "omph" to bring the idea of "freedom" into the image such that the image would better represent something to celebrate.

Wedding Cake Sharing
by boyetv

Comment:
There is too much empty space surrounding the two main subjects that does nothing to compliment the image overall. A closer zoom/crop focusing on just the bride and groom (say a shot from the shoulders up) would have greatly strengthened the image and made this scene less busy - especially with all the bubbles floating around which makes the eye dizzy. Lastly, it is always best to wait for the moment - and by that I mean waiting to capture a good facial expression as well as action taking place is sometimes all it takes to get a really good shot instead of an O.K. shot.

Celebrate The Coming Of Autumn !
by Coley

Comment:
Wonderful action shot. Great capture of people jumping for joy. That is this photo's strength. It's weakness is that the viewers do not get to see the facial expressions on the jumpers. It would have made this photo all the more exceptional if the viewers could connect to the action by way of seeing the joyful/happy expressions on the three main subjects.

Finishing the Chicago Marathon Under 4 Minutes: Priceless
by flip89

Comment:
The photo holds promise: If you had centered and zoomed to make your main focus on the man with the royal blue shirt such that he fills a large portion of the frame, this would have been a strong photo. As it sits here you have so much empty space that these runners barely make up 20% of what we see. They get lost in the scene which is too busy. That man with his arms raised in joy of finishing is what you want to focus your main attention on. He is the one showing most expression and showing that would make this a really interesting photo.

...Happy Anniversary Keturah
by saloonstudios

Comment:
I don't get the sense of celebration when I gaze upon this image. Instead I look upon what I see in the photo and I get this sense of prevading sadness. The main subject rests in shadow - we don't see his face nor do we see his expression as her gazes on a single wine glass held in his hand. His head is bowed. The posture of the main subject gives me the idea that he is mourning instead of celebrating or rejoicing. Not only that, he holds in his hand ONE wine glass - the mood of the shot seems to suggest that there should be two. A companion to that glass is missing. Since the main subject is in shadow instead of bathed in light it seems to suggest a time of darkness - a period in which a person has moved into a time that is not so happy. Lastly, the ground plane in the foreground of the shot is all broken and in a state of disrepair - this also suggests to me that the time of this person's life is broken; is in disrepair. It is a good composition and really good shot but all these elements within the photo speak of sadness which is the complete opposite of celebration. Mayhap it might be making the statement of "be happy with what you have"......but I still just cannot get away from the feelings of sadness that this photo seems to project.