Dirty abstract reflexion
by clickodak

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

In terms of the challenge ... I agree that abstract can be tough. I think your picture struggled in this challenge because the lines and colors are a bit too uniform/clean. While some of the colors are "dirty" (i.e. browns, etc.) there's a structure and flow to the comp that goes against the "not not rely on clean lines and distinct patterns".

That being said ... the colors are great! I love how the muddy, murky, earthiness of the greens and browns balance with little bits of the blue. The portrait layout is nice as well since it gives height to the pattern in the colors (but the pattern probably cost you in this challenge). I agree with Cutout ... definitely some "dizzy" going on. :)

Oculus Visitors
by pgirish007

Comment:
Picture is gorgeous but not sure it fits the "crowd" theme.

Umbrella of color
by clickodak

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!
I love that you went to a home improvement store to help you with this challenge. I definitely wouldn't have thought of that one. The umbrella is definitely a colorful subject and the range of shades represented is terrific. Clearly a fit for this challenge. The off center composition is wonderful; and the supports create nice leading lines to highlight each segment. Two things that detract at least for me ... 1) the out of focus know in the bottom right clutters up the clarity of the lines and segments; and 2) the vibrancy of the colors feels a bit off. I like the shine and textures of the color segments but there's just a touch of "oompf" (horrible technical term - but I don't know how to describe it) that would kick it up a notch. That being said, this is nicely executed. I may have to visit a hardware store.

Menacing!!!
by coovt2001

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!
Congrats on the honorable mention and the new photo in your top 5 list. Nice work leaving no doubt in anyone's mind that this is all about the teeth.

Love the details and sharpness you've captured here. I can almost feel the texture of the fur through the picture. You even captured a bug in front of his/her face! (Although I doubt teeth are needed for that tiny creature. ;) ) I'm not usually fond of black and white for animals ... their colors are just too beautiful to pass up ... but here it adds realism and depth. It also prevents the color from detracting from those beautiful teeth. I can't offer an constructive feedback here ... this is amazing, especially for the challenge.

Please keep the entries coming! Congrats again!

Empty office space
by clickodak

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!
Can't argue with the emptiness of this room! I can almost hear the echo of footsteps as they cross this empty room. I agree with Gordon_1, the effective use of negative space really makes this composition come together. Good choice on the black and white approach. The tones are wonderful without color to detract from the drama of the scene. The repetitive geometric shapes (tiles and lights, etc) create leading lines that are both interesting and pull you in to the window. Nice find!

Out of bound
by kaiyang

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!
First Impression: Gorgeous, even with the barbed wire. ;) Love the pastels and the ability to see down into the lake as well as the reflection on the smooth surface.

Challenge: At first I questioned the entry for this challenge ... to me a jetty is a barrier used for water flow control. But I googled it and the second definition indicates that boats can also dock at a jetty. So in that regard, definitely empty! But this picture seems so full of interesting things to look at and beautiful colors it's still hard for me to equate it with emptiness. Based on the updated definition though ... I'm game.

Composition, Details, Etc: I love how the empty jetty (see I'm learning!) leads the eye off into the distance to encounter those wonderful trees on the distant shore. The shore in turn pulls the eye to the warm sun-touched clouds. I LOVE that I can see the rocks under the water. This picture is so clear I even found myself looking for a fish down there photo-bombing the serenity of the scene.

Spring Migration
by giantmike

Comment:
I love this scene. The beautiful pastels on the horizon and a nice balance of the dried grass and water. Definitely a tribute to new beginnings (i.e. spring). My favorite in this challenge.

Observing Wildlife
by Phocal

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!
I'm not sure laying in cold water for hours is something that would make me happy but catching this image certainly would. It's so much fun to watch birds as they hunt, so I can see how this makes you happy and meets the challenge. :) I love how the coolness of the water comes through and balances with the warmth of the yellows and browns in the background and on the heron. Great focus on the heron to capture the feather details. The clarity of the bird with a soft-focused fore and background definitely works. The perspective is also great. Laying in that water paid off! I wish I had some constructive advice to offer here but I'm stumped ... I mean, shoot ... you can see the eyes on the fish! How can I argue with that?!

Sir Jon Sunfire battling the great dragon Wartywings
by snaffles

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!
I love your sense of humor and whimsy. The winter landscape really works well with the ghost like characters. I'm going with the dragon as the good guy ... there isn't enough magic in our practical world. That being said, the dragon's eye could be bigger and his teeth sharper. Of course, if he's been saving a damsel in distress a few too many times ... well that would explain the worn teeth. Ha! Nice work with the textures and colors to make it feel realistic and balanced.

pups in purple
by tanguera

Comment:
Yes, I am a sucker for purple but I just love how happy the pup looks. Details and focus in this are off the charts (IMO). I'm expecting a high score on this one. My favorite in this challenge.