Nature's Rhythms
by kandyj

Comment:
Hmmm. a cabin on the river, huh? Niiiiiiiice.
First off, yes this fits the challenge though I think of it more as a texture shot than a repeating theme. If the leaves were all in a line or going the same direction then it would be more repetitive IMO.
I do like the color, but something about the lighting is bothersome. The leaves are rather shiny to begin with and the little hairs are white so the colors aren't as prominent as they could be. Focus is good, but because of how close you are to the subject - some areas are soft and the lines aren't as distinct as they could be. Those little hairs are a bit like animal fur close-up... very hard to focus on and nearly impossible to sharpen in post processing.
I just think this is a difficult subject to shoot b/c of those hairs. You did a decent job though. There just isn't enough interest to hold someone's attention for long. The colors are a bit of a blur b/c of the glare off the leaves and there aren't strong lines or an obvious focal point.
I don't really like the frame. Unless it can really add to the shot, it's best to just let the picture stand on its own probably.
Overall, decent shot of what may not have been the best subject. I can see what drew you to it but I'm just not sure it makes a strong photograph. Good luck!

somebody loves me
by shutterfly

Comment:
HELLO!
This is such a happy picture. The comments are kind of funny though. People are always complaining about backgrounds being distracting, and now they're complaining about it being too plain. I do think that a solid in a different color would work better though. The lighting is a bit harsh, and the white bg only makes it more so.
I also have to agree about the cellophane wrap. It's really reflective and somehow cheapens the bouquet.
Technically: Focus is good. Cropping is good. Lighting could be more even and diffused. Colors are nice. This reminds me of 99% of the christmas morning shots where the kids are holding up their presents to show off. Because of that, it doesn't bother me that she is looking at the camera.
It's a good shot for the challenge. The lighting, plastic wrap, and bg are the only improvements I can think of. Maybe she could hold the flowers a little lower in the frame or wear something a little dressier. Honestly, I think this is a tough age b/c they're really too old for the "cute kid" factor and too young for the "glamour" or fashion shots. For the most part, people just don't have a lot of interest in looking at pictures of other people unless they fit into those categories. Outside of the proud parent album, this sort of shot would probably work best in a flower ad campaign. It still got a very decent score, and IS a nice photo.

A Mothers Love
by Tarbini

Comment:
Hello!
This is a nice capture on your part. It looks more like a grab shot than anything too thought out in advanced. That sort of thing is usually harder to perfect because you don't have as much time to think. I think you did a nice job under those circumstances, but for the sake of this critique I'm going to assume that you could stage it and take the time to perfect it.
Composition: It's a bit busy. My eyes are drawn to the colorful flowers and then to the umbrella (because it is so large, colorful, and centered). Context is nice, but it should add to the shot instead of BEING the shot. Maybe a different angle, closer to the subject, would help. The helium tank is also distracting since it is so close to the woman. It might be possible to move so that it is hidden behind her. If you had really good focus and enough resolution then you could just crop really close around her - leaving just some flowers and part of the umbrella. The focus should be on the two of them and this moment that they are sharing, but instead you're left wandering around in this busy, colorful image.
Technically: Focus is soft. I'm not really sure where (or if) it locked because everything looks a little too soft. Did you already try using an unsharp filter on it? Exposure is good although the woman's face is a bit dark ... maybe if you had been closer and exposed for her then it would be better.
I do think this is a good representation of the challenge and probably was a spur-of-the-moment catch (in which case you can't do a lot to improve it). It got a very decent score, and I think you should be happy with it.

Stairwell
by jimmyn4

Comment:
HI! It looks like you live in a nicely restored old building. I love places like that.

Composition: The wood railing and ironwork is really cool. The stairs themselves just aren't too interesting. I don't know how you would isolate the rail and iron more though ... what happens if you shoot up from that lower landing? Is there some way to compose it against a solid wall or ceiling? I think I'd rather see it more as an architectural detail shot - rather abstract - than a stairwell shot. I sort of like the window in that it matches the railing, but it puts a little too much interest in that top part of the shot.

Lighting is good. The shellac on the end of the railing is obviously very shiny ... You can hold up some sort of paper or diffusing material to block direct light on problem areas like that.

Focus: I guess you tried to use a shallow dof to emphasize the perspective, but I'm not sure it works with this shot. There just isn't enough difference between the near and far. I'd rather see it all in focus or the front in focus and the back blurred a lot more than it is.

Yes, this shot fits the challenge. Technically, it has a few glitches but nothing major. I think the biggest problem was just composition and subject. If the wood and ironwork is what drew you to this subject then that is what you should try to really show in the shot. Having the stairs and window just makes it a little too cluttered IMO. There are too many lines going too many different directions.

Your score was decent though, and it's obvious that you are keeping your eyes open. Good luck in the future challenges.

Preserved but Forgotten
by Refracted

Comment:
OK. I gave this a 5 in voting. My idea of this topic was to take the best picture you can of a cliche topic - in order to appreciate all those pretty, cliche shots you see all the time. Roses are cliche, but this is not how you usually see them. The dust and decay of these flowers just turned me off. It's interesting, but not very appealing to me.
Technically, it's very good. I like the colors and tones and focus. Lighting is even. Composition seems a little weird b/c of all the negative space on top but the bottom rose is cut in half, and the right side is cropped too close.
I am a tough voter. To get a good score from me, it has to be good technically and have be an appealing picture that took time and effort. You have the time and effort and technique down. Upon reflection, this might deserve a 6, but that gut reaction works against you in challenges where there are so many photos to go through.

Ladies in Red
by TerryGee

Comment:
HEY! Someone knows how to use a border! :)
I like this. It's a high quality shot - very sophisticated and professional looking. May need a tad more exposure as the shadows on the flower seem too dark. Focus also seems a little off - oversharpening maybe? Nice score. Very dramatic shot. Deserving of a good score. I like the composition, but I don't like that dark area between the left and center flower - either get more detail in it or take the shot from the right more so that we can see more of the flower on the right and less of the black hole.
(please excuse the brevity but lots of shots arent getting critiques at all this week)

Cats Eye
by Anachronite

Comment:
HEY! (please excuse the brevity but lots of shots arent getting critiques at all this week)
This looks a lot like another cat shot I critiqued earlier. Very similar composition. I actually like this one because of the color. That green eye is perfectly placed. Here are my complaints. Focus - parts of it (esp the nose) seem soft which is probably due to the aperture. Was this on purpose? If you're showing such a small area of the face then I want it all in focus. It also looks like you might have sharpened. Sharpening fur (or anything with so much texture) is always really hard b/c it doesn't take much to look like too much. There are a couple of whiskers in particular that have diagonal jaggies (look like stair steps), and that bothers me. Quality is always a big issue with me enjoying a shot. Lighting is another one. I think this seems a little dark. Love the composition tho. Nice shot. Decent score - esp with such tough competition.

DON'T touch my catnip ball..... or else....
by kosmikkreeper

Comment:
KITTY! Hope you keep this one locked up on Halloween.
I like the composition a lot. My first thought was that it needs some Rogaine. The hair is really thin above the eye and the harsh lighting w/ the b&w makes it really stand out. For that reason, I'd crop just above the eye probably (I also don't like seeing the beginning of the ear). I dunno if the light is just bright or if you have too much contrast, but it's on the verge of being sort of abstract.
Tough challenge for cat shots. I think the shot is good. Good focus for such a close-up especially, but it doesn't stand out from the other cat shots. Decent score. No major problems with the shot. Fits the challenge, but the competition was rough.

Cliche: "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna' get."
by Bitz

Comment:
I think this is an excellent score considering it isn't exactly a photographic cliche. Bet you're wishing you could submit this to the Valentines challenge though.
I'd actually like to see a shot of just that vase and rose for cliche. The red shadow is great and the shot of green helps your eye move within the frame. I really like the composition. Lighting is very good. Could possibly have some fill on the partially eaten pieces to prevent the dark shadows and make them easier to see (the coconut is especially dark), but it's not a biggie.
I think this is a good example of the use of a diagonal alignment to move the eye across the shot as well as an example of how subjects in odd numbers are more pleasing than even. The vase, box, and candy grouping make this a much stronger shot than it would be with only two of those.
It's a very clean shot with nice focus and colors. Using the posterboard and natural light was a good choice. Nice job with the exposure and white balance. The red, white, and browns make it a very sophisticated and classic photo, but the half eaten pieces throw in a bit of fun and keep it from being too boring.
Nice job. Nice score. Keep it up.

Before and After I put on my Glasses
by Azrifel

Comment:
Wow! Now that's what I call a photographer's comment. I don't vote in the member's challenges so I didn't see this until it popped up on the front page of all places! Congrats.
It's such a simple shot, but very effective. I do really like that font by the way. It fits the challenge so we'll move on to technical aspects. I really like the blur vs. non blur, but it bothers me that the frames are so out of focus. I guess it's impossible to have the part inside the frames in focus and have the frames in focus, not to mention that it wouldn't make much sense since you wouldn't wear glasses that make things blurry... but it just takes a little more thought to actually figure out that what you are seeing is a pair of glasses. I really like the composition. The wide horizontal works very well. The fact that you only show part of the lens doesn't help me figure out what it is I'm seeing, but I wouldn't change that. Good even lighting, but the white does seem a little too grey. I don't know if it's the actual print on the paper or the photo, but the letters in focus have diagonal jaggies on my screen. I like the simple black frame as well. A good example of a frame that works. It is a good shot that was obviously well received. That's a great score. Good idea and good execution so I don't think there's much more I can say.