For the Teacher
by kirtiebu

Comment:
A nice still life set up but I don't find that the extreme high key approach is the right mood for the theme. It looks like you knew what you were doing in terms of lighting so I won't suggest how you could tone it down but I think it needs it. The high key approach is nice for a slick, modern look but IMO warmer lighting is called for. If the apple had been resting on a lap top than this approach would have worked beautifully for me (although it still needs toning down a bit as the details in the apple and the colors just aren't popping like they should). Nice effort!

Grade 2 singing their Morning Song
by Pug-H

Comment:
This has lots of potential. I llike the somewhat wide angle approach. It puts the viewer right in the picture. I feel like I could reach out and tweak the ponytail of the nearest little girl. It's a bit overexposed (the detail in the book is completely blown out for instance) and a tad noisy. I would like to see more detail and the skin tones and in the highlights. A very good effort.

Misinterpretation
by plumber711

Comment:
I don't really understand the connection to the challenge. I'm not sure I understand the theme of this photo, actually. I realize there is a cultural statement being made but I'm not sure what it is. Guns and the Bible? How does this relate to school and education? If it were a Bible and a copy of Darwin, or a gun resting on some school books I would get it. This I don't get.

In terms of the quality of the photo---either you did some good trick work with a long exposure or the gun has an acrylic barrel? I can't tell because the transparency isn't quite ephemeral enough--the gun looks fairly solid. There are some very distracting highlights. Overall, this just doesn't work for me. Keep trying!

One Room Schoolhouse c.1820
by lagavulin

Comment:
Great subject. Decent lighting. It's still lacking a bit, for me. I'm not sure what. It may be the cropping. I think I'd like to see more of the room in a wider angle shot. I wonder if stopping down the EV setting (i.e., shortening your exposure time) would have heighened the contrast of the play of light and shadow on the benches and across the floor?

Math problem
by drakushor

Comment:
This is an interesting idea for a shot. The black and white of the chalk and board have great graphic potential. Sadly, it is quite a bit blurry. I suggest using a tripod next time. Even a litte $10 table model would make all the difference. Keep trying!

film to digital learning
by spease

Comment:
I'm sure you've heard this a few times already but it can't be emphasized strongly enough---this is far too small to evaluate. Please take advantage of the 640 pixel max. It makes all the difference.I believe there are tutorials on how to compress your file size without sacrificing pixel size and quality.
From what I can see, you've got a decent eye for a still-life set-up and the lighting looks pretty good (perhaps a bit overexposed from what I can judge by the extreme white of the books' pages--I should see some shadow area).

School Bell
by FrostyPaws

Comment:
A nice find for the challenge. I'm nut nuts about the composition and it is a bit overexposed. This is a typical type of lighting challenge (strong contrast between bright sky and shadowy areas). If your camera has an EV setting you could fiddle with that. I find stopping it down to somewhere between -.7 and -1.0 usually makes a dramatic difference.

Vintage Encyclopedias
by zeke123ca

Comment:
The texture and color of the books have potential for making a nice graphic statement. I find this to be a bit overexposed however. Some side lighting to capture the nubbiness of the cloth binding would help. Side lighting creates shadow areas which bring out texture.

Recess Rules!
by debitipton

Comment:
Nice capture in terms of the boys' expressions and I like the angle you've chosen. The photo is a bit overexposed for my taste. I would like to see more shadow detail in the sand and the tire treads, etc.

Hampton School No. 9
by coolhar

Comment:
This is a cute little school house and you've met the challenge. However, I find this to be a pretty cold and sterile image. There isn't much going on in terms of light and shadow and the builiding just isn't interesting enough (to me, anyway) to carry so much weight of the photo. A human element or more dramatic lighting might help.