Untitled
by KarenB

Comment:
CRITIQUE CLUB!

I hate critiquing photos of people I know -- I'm just sure they're going to get upset. Sorry in advance.

What I like:
I love the ducks in motion -- their trails are really just perfect for this challenge, although it's something I probably wouldn't have thought of. Very enjoyable idea.

What I don't like:
The breaks in the water -- I can't tell what they are. Shallow water around grasses? Sandbars? I don't know. Unfortunately, they detract from the ducks which are the focus. Also, the two ducks going in similar but definitely different directions throws off the "rhythm" of the photo. If I didn't know what the challenge topic was, I'd probably not pick up on rhythm being the theme.

Suggestions:
Maybe zooming in closer on one duck and focusing the frame on his wake? Or, if multiple ducks were the goal, maybe capturing them without the grasses would help the negative space define the wakes so they'd stand out more?

Very nice idea, though. I do think that the wakes were a great interpretation of the topic.

:)
Rob

Benched Snow
by crabappl3

Comment:
CRITIQUE CLUB!

See, now there you have it. This was one of my top picks for the challenge. I always end up critiquing the photos that I think were really good to begin with.

Two comments here, really. First -- the shadows on the lower right of the wires. I'm not sure what the background is here, but the shadows blend right into it. I would like to see them pop from the background more -- if for nothing else than to just give a sense of depth. Secondly, and you may think I'm nuts, but for this challenge I think a closer crop on the top and the bottom (so that just the bench back is showing) would be better. This would fill the frame with the "rhythm" that is, after all, the subject.

Nicely done. If you're aching for more snow to shoot, I've got 14 inches on top of 1.5" of ice in my yard. Knock yourself out. BYO shovel. :)

Rob

Commercially Happy Childhood
by Annida

Comment:
CRITIQUE CLUB!

When I make these critiques, I try hard to form my opinion before scrolling down and reading what others had to say. Most of the time I have one or two unique things, but in this case it's almost all been said.

Great concept -- and very topical for the challenge. I also just really like the dishes and think they're fun.

My biggest suggestion for this photo would be to try and fix the lighting. The shadow inside the bowl is the most distracting, but upon looking longer at the photo, the glare on the rim of the bowl and the right of the glass are both pretty pronounced. For more even lighting, remove anything blocking the light on the left and try a lower-wattage bulb OR (my preference) some kind of diffuser on the light on the right (typing paper works well for a quickie -- use 2 or 3 sheets for really subtle light). Working with shiny objects is really really tough to avoid glare, but I used the typing paper trick on this photo.

That's about it. My only other comment is the border. I'm admittedly anti-border, but in this case I think a contrasting or more subtle color would be better. You want the border to help the photo pop out, but don't want it to compete with the image. Here, I think it gets in the way.

Keep on shootin'
Rob

texture
by jimmyn4

Comment:
CRITIQUE CLUB!

Overall, an excellent photo that meets the challenge quite well.

What I like:
The color and lighting are both quite enjoyable. I like the pointed light from the right and the resulting shadows on the left -- I think it really brings the texture out more.

What I don't like:
Since it's obvious that the texture of the sponge was your secondary goal (your primary being the yellow color), I thing that the photo might have been better if it had been simpler. While I'm a huge fan of DOF, the fuzzy foreground and background both somewhat detract from the sharp center portion of the sponge. Just an idea, but in this case the DOF interferes with the texture.

Also, I would have tried to crop out that yellow blotch in the lower left corner...it does stand out.

Well done.
Rob

one item, wine, glass, drink, vertical, nobody, close-up, empty, curve, blue, fragile, transparent
by Pep Ventosa

Comment:
LOL. I'm voting on this one first because your title indicates that you're someone who spends a LOT of time on corbis (like me). It really did make me laugh outloud!

Oh, yeah...and good shot too. Very simple and I like the blue tint.

Alone in the Light
by indigo997

Comment:
Yay Indi!!! One of only 2 exceptions to my self-imposed "every flower photo in this challenge gets a 4" rule.

Beautifully done!

Rob

Almost Gone
by JPR

Comment:
Excellent! One of my favorites of the week.

Decisions, Decisions !
by Bitz

Comment:
Nice concept. Good lighting. And, best of all, you can't see the photographer in the reflection on the can!

Spring is coming
by mbardeen

Comment:
Subtle and very effective. I enjoy how the yellow is not IN YOUR FACE like so many other shots.

Knot Yellow
by boyte1

Comment:
Excellent excellent photo. Great DOF.