Looking Out My Window....
by jrjr

Comment:
*Critique Club*

I drew this photo for critique and it somehow didn't get critiqued, so here I am for that critique.
The very first thing I notice about this photo is the right tilt of the background. Makes everything look like it's going to slide off the edge of the world. I wonder if there was a way to straighten up the background, yet still have the window from angled? I think it would be possible, just play around with angles and perspectives.
About the perspective aspect, is this really a creative perspective? I do think that it's a different type of shot, and I like the way it's shot through the window, but I'm just not so sure there is a special perspective that adds to the photo. If you take the definition of perspective as just a way of looking at something, then sure, works for me. lol. Does that make any sense?
Focus and clarity look awesome. I love the detail in the front boat and the houses.
The reflections in the water are not as crisp focus probably due to some ripples in the water, but I think that adds to the photo, not distracts.
Colors are very nice. Wish the boat were a bit brighter lit. The way this is set up, the background seems like just that, a background element, because it is so small in relation to the big picture. The boat seems like it would be more considered a main focal point, yet we don't really see much of the boat.
A good photo of a lovely view. ~Heather~

Message edited by author 2005-12-04 12:53:58.

Down to water level
by Mark

Comment:
*Critique Club*

Sorry for the delayed critique, I had drawn a couple photos from the list and somehow didn't get to critique them, and just now noticed they weren't done, so here goes...

First off, I think I'm in agreement with the other commenters. The photo hurts my eyes. Really pretty scene, nothing 'jume out of my seat exciting', however, looks relaxing and definately not a place I'd see every day. I think it's the softness that hurts the photo in my opinion. It's not just the water, it seems that the rocks to the right are soft too, and also the rocks to the bottom, so really it's the whole photo. Was this a hand held long exposure? Maybe a little movement that blurred it?
One comment states that a tighter crop would work, and one states that the crop may be too tight chopping off part of the waterfall. Hmmm... I'm going to have to go with tighter crop. I think that by cropping off the tiny section to the left would eliminate any feeling that there was something else to the left. Also, by eliminating the rocks at the bottom of the photo, it brings our view up to the bottom of the waterfall, which is certainly more exciting than the dark rocks at the bottom of the photo.
While I think the green is a very pretty shade. Nice and vibrant, I think that there just isn't enough of it to really help the photo. In otherwords, it creates a random distraction rather than adding to the visual appeal of the photo. Does that make sense?
Lighting appears to be ok, although the mixture of dark objects to light objects just doesn't seem to flow. The photo isn't balanced right. Not really sure what you could do to fix that in a natural setting such as this, (natural in the sense that you can't change it) but it is an observation.
Overall I get the feeling of the location, but I'm not drawn in. ~Heather~

Message edited by author 2005-11-14 01:19:39.

The Puppeteer
by Mark

Comment:
*Critique Club*

Sorry for the late critique, I drew a few critiques, somehow didn't get to critique them, and just realized they were not done, so here goes.
Not really much to say here. Excellent color!! nice crisp lines, focus appears dead on. The strings look a bit jaggy, but I think that's just the texture of the strings. There's a small area in the bottom right corner that is lacking the crisp focus of the rest of the photo, and looking at the photo as a whole, it doesn't affect the photo much in the way of how appealing it is, however, sitting here staring at the image, it does become a bit noticable and somewhat of a distraction.
Nicely done silhouette. I only see one small spot of the lower wrist that was not totally emerged in blackness. Overall a very tiny nit picky detail however.
Placement of the subject is great, I see nothing that needs improving upon.
This is an excellent image, and your score and placing reflect that nicely. Wish I had more to add, but consider that a great compliment.
~Heather~

Message edited by author 2005-11-13 23:44:55.

Ozymandias
by trtfeasor

Comment:
*Critique Club*

Without your photographer's comments, I would not know what this was.
As for the relationship to the challenge, I am also not sure how you have used a perspective to enhance the subject. By your horizon line, your subject was shot almost straight on. The photo isn't tilted enough to add any dramatic angle in my opinion, so the tilted horizon comes off as just a mistake.
the colors are dull and lacking something to really make it punch. The sky is just flat and also does not compliment the subject well.
I think your focus is soft, but ok enough that we can still see some detail in the subject, for example the little plant growing on top of it to the left.
Lighting to me just seems flat. Looks like it was just that kind of a day outside.
Overall the image doesn't scream 'cool perspective' to me, the subject is interesting, but not enough to hold my attention long, and the colors need a boost. Maybe some saturation of the blues would work? Something to play around with anyway.
~Heather~

Now This is a Knife
by paul58

Comment:
*Critique Club*

I have pondered over this image for a couple days now, and I am still stuck on the opinion that it doesn't look like a real image. The knife looks digitally altered or something. Not sure if it's the lighting or non reflection or what that makes it look this way, but it looks flat and fake.
I think it's the band of grey at the top near the tip of the knife, and the flat surface of the knife that make it look this way.
Your intentions were to keep reflection off the knife, and for that, I think you did a good job. But maybe too good, cause it just doesn't look natural.
I like the positioning of the knife and the angle at which you chose to shoot it at.
Focus and clarity are good, sharp where it needs to be.
I can't decide also if I like the tiny area of purple up in the upper right corner either. Seems like a distraction, however, had that area not been lighter, the handle would not be as visible.
Overall, it's a neat clean image, just doesn't look natural.
~Heather~

Ronin
by Nazgul

Comment:
*Critique Club*

Well, what to say. I really dont think I can add anything to this that the other 74 commenters haven't already said.
The only real negatives I see are the odd glow around the outside of the man, Which is mostly visible in the dark areas of the background, and the jaggies around the hat.
Really, other than those 2 small details, This is a perfect photo. Fits the challenge perfectly and great focus and clarity. Excellent lighting, love the mood of the photo...not much to add.
~Heather~

Climbing the sky ...
by Prophecy

Comment:
*Critique Club*

It is definately an interesting perspective. This could have worked for the 'perspective' challenge as well as the new 'from the ground up' challenge.
The shape of the tree is interesting, and the sky really compliments the tree very well.
There are 2 things I notice about the shot that for me, would have been better with some improvements.
First is the focus. Seems generally soft on the tree trunk, branches and leaves. I wish that the focus were more crisp in those areas.
Second is the lighting, while it seems to have been a beautiful day for taking pics, This side of the tree is a bit dark. With the soft focus and darkness, we don't really get much detail in the trunk at all, which is the part that's really 'in your face'. Up toward where the branches start at the curve, it's really dark and really soft focus and it kind of jumbles together into a busy area.
I like how you placed the image within the frame of the photo. Really nice subject placement, interesting subject, just wish we could get more detail out of it.
Otherwise, great shot for the challenge.
~Heather~

Message edited by author 2005-09-22 13:46:55.

Branch ... By Definition
by rwouthuis

Comment:
*Critique Club*

I think what I really like about this photo is that our eyes are drawn straight to the words, even though they are not in the center of the photo. The glasses draw our eyes right to where they need to be. Excellent placement of the subject. The glasses only being part way in the photo also works for me beacuse if the other lens had been in the photo, then we'd be looking through that one and not the one we need to be looking through. if that makes any sense.
Focus is excellent throughout the photo. I see a couple comments suggesting that the non branch part of the book be out of focus, but I don't think that's needed with the way you set up the image.
Lighting is good. I like the shadows from the glasses. Nothing distracting there.
~Heather~

Message edited by author 2005-09-22 02:53:30.

Dove Branch
by FotoMunki

Comment:
*Critique Club*

I really only have one thing to say. Excellent Job! This is such a lovely photo. So peaceful. Your focus and clarity are awesome, and DOF really adds a lot to this photo. The branch is definatley not the main focus of the photo, however, there is a branch in the photo, so I think that it fits the challenge nicely.
The background is wonderfully green against the browns of the forground. Blurred nicely, no distractions there.
I was going to say that I wish the photo were just a bit brighter. Maybe some extra lighting in there somewhere, however, as I sit and look at it, I think it's the browns that really make the photo for me. Expecially the brown whispy things at the top which I think are maybe pine needles. So, really I think that if there were more light in the photo, then it wouldn't be the same color wise.
I really see no reason to not give this photo a 10. Great shot, wish I could offer more in the way of improvement, but I just don't see anything I would like to have seen done differently. Congrats.
~Heather~

Message edited by author 2005-09-22 01:48:56.

Bourbon and a branch...JR's favorite
by groundbeef

Comment:
*Critique Club*

I had a nice long crit on this and the site timed out on me, so he we go again...
Focus and clarity seem good on the glass and liquid. I think the detail there is good. I would like to see a little more detail in the plant and I think that would require some extra lighting in the leaves. The leaves seem a little dark.
Is that a branch or a stem? Oh well, close enough.
I like the lighting on the background. I like how it's bright at the top and creates some neat shadow at the bottom. I think though that the leaves are a bit dark and detail suffers a bit from that.
I think that the way you have it right in the center works ok, but would be interesting to see other angles to see if there could be a better one. not really sure with the subject if a different angle would work, but maybe a different crop? Would have to see it to determine it if helped or hurt the photo.
The subject is definately different. Not really something I'd hang in my livingroom, but I could see where some people would...so I think you have something there.
Technically a good photo.
~Heather~

Message edited by author 2005-09-21 14:07:05.