Break free
by bsluijk

Comment:
Reminds me of Lady Cassandra though looking at what appears to be the artists initials and date on the corner, this would pre-date Doctor Who... Maybe that's where they got the idea from!

After the Party
by vawendy

Comment:

Originally posted by gcoulson: Hey Wendy, could you please leave a note on how you lit this and processed it? Would love to know how you got the background perfectly black like that.

Perfectly black background? I see a gold coloured fabric (cushion probably?)

Maybe my brightness is up a bit more than yours Garry...

Anyway, just wanted to say congrats - a great shot, very funny, and deserving of a ribbon.

Nicole
by lobrin

Comment:
Heh, I was the other of your 10's - also surprised to not see this on the front page. I only gave out two 10's in this challenge, the other being to the red ribbon winner. A really lovely portrait and beautifully lit.

showing its age
by bmartuch

Comment:
Commenting for the critique thread - I see I gave this a 4 in original voting. For a free study I set the bar of expectation somewhat higher than normal and had this been in a relevant themed challenge it may well have been scored 5-6. Also with free study's moreso than any other, I adjust my votes based on the strength of the competition and tend to use the full range of 10-1 so you may have just been competing with a high standard of images that month.

The main issue for me is the leading lines throw my gaze immediately out of the frame to the left, so I have a hard time looking 'at' the image. Maybe being closer to the wall and having the lines go 'into' the frame rather than across it would hold my interest more.

I also found the colours to be a competing distraction - this may really benefit from a high contrast (or HDR) black and white treatment.

This shot just didn't do it for me.

The-Secrets-We-Keep.s
by mariuca

Comment:
Commenting for the critique thread - although I have just read your description, I would have called this as a clone... The patterns of the stray hairs on her forehead and above her crown are just too exact to have been 2 different people, as was the position of the booklets (albeit the clever flipping of one the images on the booklet is a nice sleight of hand) and her fingers... Too many similar elements to have happened by chance :-)

That said, you have clearly fooled some, so you can't have done too badly!

For me, the dead giveaways apart from the girls themselves is the noise pattern is interrupted quite clearly around the girl on the right so to make this more believable you could perhaps add some noise after the edits to smooth those areas out - looks like a lot more editing artefacts right up the fit hand side of the image - have you cloned out another frame or something?

Technicals aside from an editing point of view, I actually really like the engagement of all 3 faces and the symmetry is intriuiging. With a bit more effort at the editing this could be a real winner.

The Mask of War
by cowboy221977

Comment:
Commenting for the critique thread - clearly you got slammed for the DNMC.

In a relevant challenge I would probably score this 5-6 depending on the strength of the competition.

It tells a story, but is clearly focussed very tightly. A wider angle view of the destruction might give a broader context.

As to this particular composition, the very bottom of the shot has some rocks that distract - a quick clone of at least the lower ones would help but that's almost insignificant. Maybe a high contrast (even HDR) black and white might be more impactive.

The shot also seems to lack a bit of clarity (especially around the top of the building) but that may be because I am viewing on an iPad currently.

The Look
by MinsoPhoto

Comment:
Commenting for the critique thread - somehow I missed this at voting time, I think I was taking a break from voting at the time. I would have scored this a 7-8 depending on the strength of the competition in the free study.

I'm really just echoing other commenters now - for me the amount of white is overwhelming and a portrait crop might help with that or just an off centre composition. I also agree that the right arm looks a bit dirty, but not enough for me to mark down.

Other than that, the clarity and processing are spot on. What keeps this from being in the 9-10 range for me is that extra spark of something 'different' and little (picky) things like the crumpling of her dress around her right breast, her hair obscuring the necklace and suchlike which just feel like a lack of 'polish'. Of course, with her tattoos, piercings, and hair colours, she probably wouldn't suit being so perfectly polished.

I think the 1-4 marks you got were uncalled for, but it's the large amount of 5's that probably did you. I'm not getting why this would be a 5 (i.e. below average) - completely disagree with that.

On the whole a very good image, but with room for improvement.

Jeanette
by kawesttex

Comment:
Commenting for the critique thread

Had this been in a challenge, I would probably be scoring it around 6-7 (providing it met the challenge!)

I would echo much of what has been said.... I think you could stand to lose the entire top third of the image (maybe a square crop) as that seems like wasted space. Her right hand has blown out highlights, and she has something sticking out of her ass - Both of which serve to detract from an otherwise nice pose.

I agree squatting can be unflattering, but I think you get away with it here. I personally don't mind the hard lighting.

On the whole, a good shot, just not a great shot.

As an aside - from a "Fashion Police" viewpoint, those boots are shocking!

Leaving tracks
by snaffles

Comment:
Commenting for the critique thread (also viewing on an iPad right now).

I see I scored this a 6 in the original voting, as it met the challenge and was technically sound but didn't engage me in any particular way.

The reasons for this echo much of what has already been said - not being able to see your face results in a lack of connection with the viewer, not much definition in your legs (I really would have loved to see this with a billowing skirt or some such) and your left hand tucked behind your body is a shame - both arms a little more outstretched might have helped.

I also feel that the leading lines going to the vanishing point sort of drag the viewers gaze straight through the shot to the far distance rather than leading directly to you

I'm happy with the exposure, focus and processing, just not really the composition.

On the whole, not a great deal wrong with the shot, just not a world beater.

Waiting for her return
by markwiley

Comment:
Commenting for the critique thread - I agree with your description of "really nice light". Echoing what others have said, the band of door is really distracting and detracts from the balance. Try cloning that out with the blackness and see if that improves the balance. I also agree with GeneralE that the use of negative space in this shot is really good.

The texture of the carpet and the way it runs through the image is really nice.

On the whole, a very good low key pet portrait.