Branches of Love, Life, Heart, and Fate
by wavelength

Comment:
*Critique Club*

Ahhh...with the description, it all makes sense. Even with the title, I would not have gotten it, since I have no experience with palm readin or such. I wonder how many other people failed to see the connection?
The way I see it, almost anything can be turned around to be some kind of 'branch'. So it fits the challenge to me.
On to the photo. Lighting isn't the best. While the background is a nice dark color (minus the window), the lighting on the hand itself is bright. See in the center of the hand the yellowish bright area that kind of erases some detail. In the rest of the hand, we see the finger prints and such, but not there in the middle. Detail is gone. I think a different lighting might be helpful. I'm not sure what you used (no photographers comments) but definately something that's not quite as harsh, in my opinion.
White balance also looks a little off, since the hand seems yellow instead of typical skin tones. This is probably also a result of the lighting.
The window in the background is a bit of a distraction, unless it was meant to be there for some symbolism or something. Even if it was symbolic of something, I think it's almost too small to even really tell what it is. One commenter didn't recognize it as anything, it looks like a window to me, but I supose it could be a lamp with a goofy shade. Anyway, point being, I think that if it serves a purpose in the photo, it's too small to properly portray that purpose. If it does not serve a purpose, then it doesn't need to be there. It's a distraction to the real purpose.
Focus and clarity appear to be ok, if maybe just a tad soft, we still get some nice detail in the finger prints and lines.
Overall, it's an average photo, lacking something to really make it stand out. Good take on the challenge, and need more equal lighting.
~Heather~

Message edited by author 2005-09-21 13:41:43.

Hanging by a thread
by elee3009

Comment:
*Critique Club*

You didn't leave any photographer's comments on the photo, so without knowing what your intent was, I can only give my own personal opinion on this shot.
It definately fits the branch category in a very literal sense.
Usually, having the horizon line not horizontal bugs me, however, it's off enough in this photo to actually benefit the photo with dramatic angle. I think it does help to add some interest to the shot. There is some grain or noise in the background that I'm not sure if it was intentional or not, but In my own personal opinion, I would like to see it without the grain.
the color of the leaves is good. I also like the added color of the sun in the upper right.
The focus seems a bit soft throughout the photo. it works on the background to keep the background non distracting, but I would like to see some crisp focus on the leaves. The sharpest focus looks like the spot on the left edge of the photo where the yellow leaf is damaged, which is not the most appealing area of the photo.
I like the angle you chose not only because of the interest it adds to the background but also because the leaves are coming out of the upper right of the photo and create nice diagonals within the photo.
I think it's missing something though to make it really stand out among all the other branch photos.
~Heather~


Message edited by author 2005-09-21 11:31:55.

Dieing branch
by pkarkare

Comment:
*Critique Club*

What I'm thinking about this photo is that the DOF (Depth of Field) is really interesting. I like how the branch is in nice focus and the backgrould is blurred. however, about the background, the areas of light in the background (the white circle areas) almost run right along with the in focus part of the branch which creates a distraction from the branch. I go to look at the branch, and see the light background and then find myself looking at the background instead, SO...the background is distracting from the branch even though it's pretty much out of the picture since it's out of focus, but it would work better with a solod background, or at least without the bright areas.
OK, on to the angle. It's almost dead center in the photo, and this just doesn't work all the time. Turn the camera, try a off to the side crop, something. This is one photo where it just doesn't work being in the center. If you made the branch 'coming out of' a corner and then branching off into the photo, then I do think that would add some nice diagonals, and interesting perspective.
Overall, I think you have a really neat idea. The subject isn't making me jump out of my seat with excitement, however, it does fit the challenge.
Being your first submission here, you'll learn what individual views like to see, and such.
The little tiny branch in the lower left corner is also a bit of a distraction.
~Heather~

Message edited by author 2005-09-21 02:29:14.

Branch of Abraham
by unicum

Comment:
*Critique Club*

Not being into religion myself, I'm going to trust you on this one. Since you asked for an in depth crit, it would have been nice to have some details on the photo as to your intent, feelings about the photo, post processing, anything, but I supose I'll wing it.
The photo is grainy. In this particular photo, I think that the grain works well, but may have cost you some focus on the subjects. The photo in general seems too soft for my personal taste. I can picture this being crisp and full of detail. Was the shot not quite focussed enough and you tried to hide it with grain? Or did you add the grain and it compromised the focus? Either way, I would prefer focus over grain. Both would be nice though, but if I had to chose one or the other...focus.
I like the mood of the photo. Really nice moment you have captured here. I don't know what they're talking about, but there is definately a pleasant atmosphere.
The one thing that's really bugging me about the photo is the pole sticking out of the top of the boys head! Very strange looking. Very obvious once you notice it, and then it's all I can see. when I look at the photo, my eyes go straight to the pole stuck in the boys head. The lighting fixture behind the pole makes it look even more strange to be there.
Otherwise, this looks like it could be a movie still. I picture a heart felt moment between the boy and the man and some sappy music playing in the background. Lovely moment.
~Heather~

obscure ways
by soeren

Comment:
*Critique Club*

Being a flower from your garden, I would consider this more of a stem than a branch. I think that's a bit of a stretch on the challenge.
Focus is soft. I don't know if that was your intent or not, since it does't say in your Photographer's commnets, however, the out of focus look doesn't appeal to me personally. I would like to have seen this in focus. As it is, we don't get any detail from the flower what so ever. If you were going for a silhouetted look, then maybe a different background would have been appropriate.
The blanket in the background creates some distracting elements by having the squares behind the plant. The shadow on the right side is also a bit of a distraction since the left side is so bright.
I think that more contrast would be a good idea, however, again, not knowing your intent, it's hard to say. but the overall photos seems greyish.
It is good that you have your subject off center, I think this would have very little impact at all had the subject been in the center of the photo, so that was a good choice.
I also wonder if color may have been a better choice for this. I think it would have added something a bit more interesting to look at.
The idea behind this image is ok, but I think it just needs cleaned up some. Needs focus, lighting and more detail to look at. I'm just not drawn in and held there.
~Heather~

Your Name
by sprite777

Comment:
*Critique Club*

Due to the site being terribly slow for me right now, the comments and score came up and I saw all the positive comments. The score doesn't really reflect those comments, so I was all excited to be the commenter that got to really pick this apart. Then the image came up, and I really can't see much that I would change about it at all.
I love the DOF, focus is great and right where it needs to be.
The tones and color are great. This photo really creates a mood. A dark saddened mood, and due to the content of the photo, I feel that is appropriate.
The lighting is great, although I think my only nit pick with the photo would be that I wish I could see the part between From and for. It says Love From --- (maybe 'me'?) for chris (missing the s).
Not sure how you could have made it any clearer without compromising the mood of the photo, so really a well done shot.
I like the angle and framing/cropping you chose as well.
Overall a great image, lots of mood, technically well done. Definately fits the challenge.
~Heather~

Tree Moss Branches
by ShaneBlake

Comment:
*Critique Club*

The subject is just boring to me. Not something I'd hang on my wall and not really something that captivates my attention for long at all. I guess it just doesn't have the wow factor for me.
The DOF is ok, but I think it creates some soft areas within the focused areas and therefor is distracting.
Color is also a little bland. The branch itself is dark, the background is dark and the branch thingy just doesn't jump out of the photo the way I would like to see it.
I think the way you composed the shot with the subject to the left and the negative space to the right is a good idea. This helps to create balance within the photo and offers the opportunity for good composition.
While this is really a close up of something really tiny, it looks like a far away shot of something larger. With this vision in my head, I want to see the tiny branches close and with more detail. Since the viewer has no sense of scale here, it appears that we are not getting much detail of this object what so ever.
Knowing though that it's just a small thing, you can tell, but not knowing, you can't. If that makes sense.
Overall, I'm just not drawn in.
~Heather~

Death
by mystical_princess

Comment:
*Critique Club*

Finally an image that truely looks high contrast to me. Bright whites, dark blacks, I think it works great.
I think the thing that bugs me in this shot is the background. The background area to the right of the photo seems odd. While it does add to the contrast of the photo, it doesn't add to the appeal.
Focus and clarity seem ok, but maybe a tad soft. It might just look that way cause of the harsh lighting, but I feel that the lighting is more important here than the crispness, so I believe you made the right decision there.
I like the placement of the subject within the frame. Having the subject facing the right of the photo with some neg spave in front of it is a good thing. To me though, I wish the negative space had been something other than that bush(?)
Overall a mysterious photo, appealing to look at, but could use a different background in my opinion.
~Heather~

Lily Pad
by Photogirl_in_Vancouver

Comment:
*Critique Club*

The first thing that I notice here is what others have mentioned already is the centered flower. I think this would be better with some dramatic angle or by placing the flower off center a bit. This would create some added interest that might hold the viewer in for a bit longer.
Next thing I see is that while it's a good shot, it's not exactly high contrast either. There is contrast in the photo, but not 'high' by my personal standards. Everyone is different in that aspect, I believe, but this is just my personal opinion.
What happened here, is you took the photo and added the contrast in post processing. I think had you taken the photo with high contrast in mind, and then post processed to ENHANCE your vision, that this might have faired better.
Focus and clarity on the subject seem good and we get some great detail in the flower and lily pads as well.
The upper left area in the water looks odd. It's a distraction. Not sure if it's reflection, or what, but it looks quite odd there at the bottom of that upper left lily pad.
Overall a pleasing image that could benefit from a different crop/angle.
~Heather~

Sail away
by stupot

Comment:
*Critique Club*

Well, if you didn't find the 9 great comments you have already received as helpful, then I'm not sure I'll be able to add anything useful myself, since I tend to agree with all commenters thus far.
The first thing that jumps out to me is the tilted horizon. You have a very strong horizontal line in the background and not only does it cut straight through your main subject, but it's also tilted. What this does, is it makes the photo look like it was not only quickly composed, but also that not a lot of time was spend post processing, which is important, especially on a photo like this.
This photo suffers greatly from noise too. See the grain in the sky? This could be improved by running it through a program intended to reduce noise. Neatimage is one such program and can be downloaded //www.neatimage.com/ there. There is also a program called noiseninja, however I have had no experience with that.
While there is contrast in the photo, I'm not sure I would consider it as HIGH contrast. There really isn't any dark darks in the photo, except for the guys shorts, and that's such a small portion of the photo, that i'm afraid that it doesn't make for high contrast of the bright sail.
Focus seems a bit soft, but this could be due to the high noise in the photo. We don't really get much detail out of the man on the boat or the man in the water, and I find him a bit of a distraction.
A bit of brightness/contrast and some hue/saturation adjustments could help out the colors a bit. Definately wouldn't hurt to try.
~Heather~