Engine #25
by JeremyFleury

Comment:
::: Critique Club :::

Hi, my name is Kari and from the critique club.

First Impression - the most important one:
A big congrats on the improvement .. I really like how you have retaken this shot.

Subject:
Meets the challenge .. and does so extremely well. You had many comments in the first challenge .. some totally contradictory .. soft focus .. too much sharpening .. and I think you have taken the best and really slam dunked this shot.

Composition:
I like this portrait version .. it works well ... I also like that the stack leads the vertical thireds line up ... the 25 is not centered ... and tht the train leads the eye to the back on the picture ...

Technical (Colour and light):
Duotones has works incredibly for this shot .. and I think that is as it is historical .. the natural light has provided a good glare free shot ... which is great .. you not only took it in a different season but a different time of day :) The lack of glare and fantastic focus of the shot speaks for itself.

To grow its vote?:
Maybe include the whole of the front of the train .. think about the photographic rules and how to meet them ... I think that personally you have made a fantastic job of this retake.

Summary:
Great work .. shows that we can all improve.

If you've got any questions about this critique, please feel free to contact me via the PM system.

Cheers

Kari

Classic Edward Durell Stone II -- Done Within the Rules (I hope)
by TomMMD

Comment:
::: Critique Club :::

Hi, my name is Kari and from the critique club.

First Impression - the most important one:
You have answered an age old question .. how can you improve the score of a picture ... make it a retake of one that has previously been DQed :) Well done .. and good on you for meeting the rules.

Subject:
This definately meets the challenge ... and does so with gusto.

Composition:
The flag is on vertical thirds .. with the top of the pole being on horizontal thirds ... the interest or leading lines may have worked better if mirrored and you then would look up the pole then right along the flag .. a more natural movement than the eyes going left on an image... I also like that you can see more of the flag itself ...

Technical (Colour and light):
Well the sky is a definate improvement on the prevoious .. but don't you guys have blue skies by dnow .. cos ours are really grey and misrable. I love the natural light and that you have taken the time to remove the stains ..

To grow its vote?:
I think trying a mirror on the image ... also .. really get a natural blue sky .. I think that would increse the score huge.

Summary:
Great work ... well done .. you are certainly improving.

If you've got any questions about this critique, please feel free to contact me via the PM system.

Cheers

Kari

Window in to the sky (from the something old challenge )
by facesastheycome

Comment:
::: Critique Club :::

Hi, my name is Kari and from the critique club.

First Impression - the most important one:
Interesting choice for a reshoot ... not sure I would have been brave enough to reshoot a top 15 shot ... but well done.

Subject:
you did this .. and took into account the comments you recieved at that time ... that is what the challenge was about.

Composition:
Compared to the orginal ... I think that the distant crop .. rather than the close crop is what didn't really work here as well ... the orginal, although fairly centred worked well showing the sky in the background and the crop up close to the window framed it without too much other stuff ... in this new shot .. the window is full .. and the wall itself creates a really busy image ... if you had just recropped with a slight ommph towards the right maybe that would have worked better than enlarging and engaging more surface area.

Technical (Colour and light):
The colours are extremely different and so amazing ... it is hard to tell how reall or saturated they are ... I like the narural light and the shadows on the wall (bottom left) ... but the details is almost lost from the slab below the window .. whereas last time the texture in it added quite substantially to the picture.

To grow its vote?:
Again a closer crop ..maybe not all the way ... but maybe half again of this .... think about the background (cut down that growing tree :} ) as the sky added a different dimension and less business last time.

Summary:
Good work ... keep it up . .I know you are always improving.

If you've got any questions about this critique, please feel free to contact me via the PM system.

Cheers

Kari

accordion with indicator ver. 2
by visaksen

Comment:
::: Critique Club :::

Hi, my name is Kari and from the critique club.

First Impression - the most important one:
An interesting picture to retake ... some improvements .. but some errors as well.

Subject:
This meets the challenge ... and does so very well .. but I am not sure that you used the comments you hasve recieved to create this new image .. so that you have taken the shot and just used your more critical eye to improve.

Composition:
This works well .. you have the indicators on the thrids horizontal ... and the white line in almost there at the top ... this is a narrower shot ... which is quite lovely in that it seems to create its own length and create great lines for the eyes to follow.

Technical (Colour and light):
I really like the crispness of the colours on the first shot .. they seem so much more vibrant .. although from the dirt I would say that the bus was newer then :) ... I think this is natural light and that is fine ... the image seems slightly sharper this time, and it has not been overdone which is great.

To grow its vote?:
I agree with Yanko .. cloning out the dirt would have been a smart move ... it just makes it a pic of something dirty. Also the colours sold better more vibrant and looking at that may also help.

Summary:
Great work ... and a good improvement from the original .. keep it up.

If you've got any questions about this critique, please feel free to contact me via the PM system.

Cheers

Kari

Reveal Thyself II
by SherwinJames

Comment:
::: Critique Club :::

Hi, my name is Kari and from the critique club.

First Impression - the most important one:
Way improved .. and previous comments acted on in the right way.

Subject:
This definately meets the challenge ... and contains a serious jump in the scoring.

Composition:
I think that the door lines down the thirds works well .. but also the way that the face is angled creates a leading line through the side of the pictura. The eyes are great ... in that they force you to remain in touch with the subject ... it ensures a second look.

Technical (Colour and light):
This has shown a vast improvement .... you have lightened the scene incredibly well .. and that in itself is fantastic ... you have also sharpened but not overused that tool.

To grow its vote?:
Well you have by heaps so far ... so not sure of the next step ... I think that maybe a slightly wider shot or more space above the eyes to have them working the horizontal thirds .. may work.

Summary:
Great work .. good taking on board comments received. Well done keep it up.

If you've got any questions about this critique, please feel free to contact me via the PM system.

Cheers

Kari

Me Myself and I
by terje

Comment:
::: Critique Club :::

Hi, my name is Kari and from the critique club.

First Impression - the most important one:
What an awesome picture ... such vastness ... and so completely encompasssing.

Subject:
It is beautiful .. I am not sure which picture this is a retake of ... It is not easily identified ... but if it is of Natures King .. then very well done .. and I think that his shot is improved from the comments you received. But if it is not that shot .. let me know which one ... :)

Composition:
I think this works very well .. the angle that the shot is taken from is very good ... the slight up to the man and big down to the river. The lines of the mountans also create a wonderful leading line for the eye which then takes in the photographer. I would have liked slightly more of the cliff that the guy is standing on as this may have bought him more onto the vertical thirds.

Technical (Colour and light):
I think that the black and white here is really good .. I would not think it works well for landscapes .. but this shot has opened those eyes ... I always like natural light .. .but this shot also has long exposure .. so how did you get him not to move?

To grow its vote?:
Fantasic score as it is .. but to improve maybe a slight recrop .. and I don't know if that would result in the score being upped.

Summary:
Well done .. congrats on the ribbon.

If you've got any questions about this critique, please feel free to contact me via the PM system.

Cheers

Kari

Out of the Shadow
by kano

Comment:
::: Critique Club :::

Hi, my name is Kari and from the critique club.

First Impression - the most important one:
I really like this and the way that the shadow plays on the wall.

Subject:
This meets the challenge .. and does so in an exceptional manner.

Composition:
Having the chair on the vertical third works, and is enhanced by the shadow on the wall being on the half mark. A little more floor could have brought the horizontal lines into the thirds realm, which may have enhanced the composition to the eye a little more. The angle that the picture was taken appears to be upwards ... I think that perhaps a slightly more straight on may have worked well here.

Technical (Colour and light):
You have a huge ISO and I am surprised the picture does not have more grain in it. The colours are fantastic and earthy, which is one of the things I was looking for ... in this shoot.

To grow its vote?:
Just think a little more abdout the composition in the frame of the picture itself ... how does the angle of the seat play into the imagination ....

Summary:
I really like this shot .. liked it in voting and still like it ... keep up the good work.

If you've got any questions about this critique, please feel free to contact me via the PM system.

Cheers

Kari

£150 later - I Just Made This
by sarsonuk

Comment:
::: Critique Club :::

Hi, my name is Kari and from the critique club.

First Impression - the most important one:
Is this a room .. wow I am glad to be in NZ where the rooms are bigger than a closet :)

Subject:
This meets the challenge, I understand in England that the radiator forms part of the room so therefore the room has a toolbox in it. Good concept for the challenge.

Composition:
The picture feels very cramp for the amount in it ... the angle of the radiator is very sharp, a softer angle may have helped to soften this into a leading line across the picture. With the room being so narrow adding the tool box, which is huge for the room may have just overpowered slightly .. something from the toolbox like a power tool may have been effective just the same .. and being smaller could have played in the thirds lines.

Technical (Colour and light):
Interesint and reasobly shaer. I see you had quite a high ISO ... and I can only see minor grain so you did well. I think that the gausation blue could have been avoided by changing the apertaure on the camera.. but how you did it is just fine.

To grow its vote?:
I think that where they say something like empty room many people are looking for expansive spaces rather than small and cramped, which may not have helped with the voting ... so trying to make a room look expansive even if it ain't it worth a try.

Summary:
Not a bad shot ... I have looked at your other work and you seem to have an eye ... keep it up.

If you've got any questions about this critique, please feel free to contact me via the PM system.

Cheers

Kari

CRW_1430.jpg
by dahkota

Comment:
I think that this is a great concept .. well done ... I love the idea .. and think that you have a very clever imagination.

life goes on...
by charliev

Comment:
Critique Club

Hi my name is Kari from the critique club.

First impression
Interesing subject for the title .. not too sure how this fits.

Subject[\b]
The title meets the challenge .. how the picture does well that is ok ...

[B]Composition
I think that this is a little too centred and this is distracting. I also find that whatever it is that is pink in the background is distracting. Working towards the rule of thirds of the golden triangle rules of photography may help in creating interest that will keep the veiwer looking at the picture, rather than saying 'its a bird' and moving on.

[bTechnicals[/b]
The DOF is causing slight difficulties with the background in this shot ... even though having it outside the field is good .. it kind of makes me want to know what is there.

The actual focus appears to be on the nest and not on the bird .. which makes me wonder what I should be looking at ... I know birds are hard to photograph.

Improving the score
Take a look at the comments above and see how and if they can be applied.

Final words
This is a good picture .. and I think is a growing point for you .. you have an interesting portfolio which I am sure will grow.

Any questions about the critique send me a PM.

Cheers

Kari