Hoar Frost and Holly
by dsidwell

Comment:
I really like the composition and the subject matter. The frost on the tips of the leaf add interest, depth and a detail to an already intricate subject. Black and white was the perfect choice, great work!

Little Red Rooster
by Seanachai

Comment:
Congratulations on 2nd place, great image!

Nemo: The Truth About Clown Fish
by KING

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

KING,
I have to agree, this image is extraordinarily sharp, I can see why though...I also have a 50 f/1.8. The first thing that grabbed me about this image was the colors of the rock in the upper left and the colors of the fish. The dark background works perfectly and the positioning of the fish (composition) is extremely well done. There really isn't much to critique about this image so I'll stop right here and say, great work!

Quadrajet

Cancer the crab (Horseshoe Crab)
by ladpupmoe

Comment:
Absolutely top notch subject.

Critique:
That being said, the fact that the angle is uninteresting, the lighting is a flat, on camera flash and the background is screaming at me doesn't do the crab justice. That is why I'm giving you a 2.

Suggestion:
A nice soft light from the right, the crab facing the camera (not square on, but not facing AWAY like it is now). A white something for the crab to be sitting on while casting a soft shadow showing the horns near the eyes...shadows of the spines falling on the white background. That's probably how I would have shot this fanastic subject, but of course this is my opinion, so take it for what it is.

Cancer - pointless metaphor n°3
by jjbeguin

Comment:
Great setup and lighting...no, superb setup and lighting. The exposure is absolutely top notch and the composition is unmatched in this challenge. Top 3 material, congrats on the ribbon.

Gemini twins bicker in the house of Aquarius
by ccraft

Comment:
Excellent title, great composition and color. I like how the waterfall doesn't stand out, but when you see the title it makes a person look/think. Great work.

Aquarius, The Water-Barer
by adine

Comment:
Great lighting, excellent use of monotone, fantastic composition and exposure. Top 3 material for sure.

Aquarius
by STEPHENIE

Comment:
The on camera flash is not flattering in this photograph. Specifically because you have a wall directly behind the subject, upon which a harsh shadow is cast. Add to that an uninteresting angle and you have the makings of a photograph that doesn't score very well.

The thing you have going for you, is the fact that this image is on theme and it's rather sharp.

I'm giving you a 3 for this image.

Suggestions for improvement:
>Using an on camera flash is ok, but try to be aware of your backgrounds. Get as far away from walls or anything that the subject can cast a shadow on. You also want to be aware of anything that could stand out in the background, lights, objects...anything that can draw attention from your subject.

>Try shooting from different angles, try getting lower and maybe more in front of the subject...shooting up towards the face with the water closer to the camera. Ideally (in my opinion), shooting in portrait format while having the water prominently featured in the lower left hand corner and the face in the upper right hand corner would make for a very interesting composition.

I hope this helps,
Quadrajet

Capricious Capricorn
by moodville

Comment:
Very nice...excellent framing/composition and subject. I like the simplicity of the black and white, great choice. Very good photo.

Leo the Regal
by Glen King

Comment:
Critique:
The image is out of focus, the on camera flash has given the cat "red eye", there's nothing very special about the composition and the vibrant blue backgorund/foreground is extremely distracting. Bear in mind that this is all my opinion, so please take it for what it's worth.

I'm sorry to say that I had to give this shot a 1.