Living behind the Sign
by arnit

Comment:
I think this picture would have been positively awesome if you had used a different DOF, putting your aperture at highest it would go, would have allowed the sign to be in focus as well as the background. The colors here are great, as are you use of composition. The sign being out of focus is just really bothersome though. Nice creative use of the challenge. -8- good luck!

Directions To My House
by bamaster

Comment:
Nice angle here, I like the clean background, and the way you didn't shoot straight on. Very nice use of blank space as well. I really like this picture, because of the clean look to it. Even though it's not extremely exciting I really think this is a great photo. My first -10- Nice job, and good luck!

Roadsign?
by jonr

Comment:
Nice catch... I maybe would have tried cropping off a little more at the top, and maybe some on the left but that is just personal oppinion. I like the bend in the sign, I think it adds character. Good luck.

Broken Laws
by DJLuba

Comment:
Are you sure this isn't the drinking limit? hehehe... interesting effect you have here, it would be interesting to see how you did it. I didn't know any place had a speed limit of 21, but thats a little too slow for me :-) Oh well... hopefully I won't come across that road anytime soon... You did a very nice job of having the sign not too bright as well as the moon, nice job of using exposure... also I like your composition, the moon in the upper right hand corner is a nice touch. Good job, and good luck!

Mississippi View
by teachme53

Comment:
Hi JG, I'm going to try and critique this... kind of challenging, because, hey you taught me a lot of what I know... but bear with me, and let me know what you think!

I see what you were trying to do, using the trees to frame the bridge, however I'm not sure if it really worked in this case... although you have good use of DOF with both the bridge and the trees in focus, the sharp lines of the trees tend to grab my eyes, long before the rounded bridge does. Since you were going for the bridge, I'm guessing as one of your main subjects, I would say that the lighting did not go with your intentions. The greyness of the day tends to give the bridge a soft look to it. In your photography I know you like to go for something in the foreground to give the photo more depth, but I think that the trees somewhat overpowered the photo. I think it would have been more effective possibly with the tree on the left, bare, and not with the dull green. Seeing as how the colors are very dull in this photo, I might suggest that you try this in black and white. This is easily accomplished with one step in photoshop, and then you could play with contrast and levels. As it is, the entire picture seems to be covered by a grey film, which mutes what could be a very beautiful scene (though common for me ;-)) I like your use of composition... following the rule off thirds in your breakoff from the river to the sky. I also like the fact that you didn't center the bridge... and that it comes out of the bottom left hand corner, leaving some lines for you to follow when you finally get past the trees to the bridge. Hopefully this critique helps... and let me know what you think!

-Talya

Fishing Hole
by DougPaz

Comment:
Critique Club...
Yup this is definitely a strange land :-) I love the idea behind this picture... its similar to a sledding picture with sleds on the body, but this is such a cool idea! :-) The first thing I really notice is how much I like the composition here! I really think you did an excellent job with that! I also like the white background, it makes it almost look like snowy hills or maybe a bunch of clouds, I like the extra texture that background puts into the photo. Your dof is pretty good here, I like the way the front of the picture is just slightly blurred, so you can't tell what it is until you get closer to the "fishing hole". I think this is a neat effect. The one thing that really takes my eye away from the photo as a whole is the tape that is holding the fisherman up.... I'm not sure what you could have done there... but it is slightly bothersome... though I understand why you had to put it... The fisherman is kind of weird the way you can clearly see his shirt, but not his face... I think this would have been better if either you could see the details in the fisherman, or you could just see a sillouhette of the entire little guy. I do like the fish though. I wonder how this picture would have looked in black and white? It might have been a neat thing to try. Overall I definitely think your picture got your idea across. Its an adorable photo, that I think should have had a better score! Nice job. Good luck in future challenges!

-Talya

Smile!
by greenem2

Comment:
Hehehe... this is cute! I never would have thought of a tractor like that :-) The black and white makes it look old fashioned which is pretty cool . Only thing I would say is cropping part of the bottom off might have been more effectual -7-

The Nuclear Family
by Gekker

Comment:
By the title, I'm guessing your thinking this is what might happen with mutation between a cat and a dog... or something like that? I don't really get it otherwise, and I'm not sure how this is funny. It just looks like a cute cat, cute dog, and cute puppy cuddling together. I don't think it meets the challenge. Sorry but thats just my opinion. I do this its a cute picture though.. and your very lucky to have what looks like some great animals... I miss mine while I'm at school :-( -5-

New Hands Free Kit
by Onie

Comment:
Wow, now that is lone sexy and sleek phone! hehehehe... good idea for humor though it wasn't shot in the most attractive way. The way you have the subject driving and it's obvious by the passing outside is great... Also your composition is not bad though I might have liked to have seen a little more of the left cropped off, as the glare on the seat detracts from the subject. Good idea, I just think a little more thought could have gone into taking the photo, not just setting up something funny. -5-

"Tug Of War"
by Erastis

Comment:
A kitten playing tug of war now this is really cute and funny. Is that your shoe string he has in his mouth? hehehe... It bothers me that the shoestring or whatever is sort of out of focus, also the lighting looks a little harsh, especially on the right side of the photo, and you lose the detail in the fur, simultaneously you have the left side being too dark. I would have liked to have seen the two front paws in the photo... but I like the way you cropped the head, it makes him look like he is sort of backing out of the photo. Unfortunately you got a part of a black border only on the right side of the photo, which is annoying to look at. This is a cute picture, and a good idea, but I suggest you might want to try reshooting it, if you can get your kitten to do this again! -6- Good luck