Time Zoned
by caba

Comment:
A true 10 - took the challenge to another level. I wish u well in this challenge!

Domesticated Elements
by Ductyl

Comment:
I am not sure what everyone else will think or vote, but this is the most original composition in the bunch, I can see it getting slammed, but I give it a 10. Hope people will notice the subtle light changes in the shelves - no matter where u end up, this was great thinking on your part!!

Ocean View
by scooter88

Comment:
*CRITIQUE CLUB*
WHAT I LIKED
The texture of the log/tree.

PROBLEMS
Starting with the ocean view - about the right 1/3 of that part is close to being blown out. The water itself has very little detail and kind of mixes with the bland sky.
The tree/log - The knot (top left) is really dominate, and should have been left out, the root system is mostly in the shadows and a different angle would have really helped.
Overall - there are to many distractions to allow this photo to work. There is a lack of ANY contrast which doesn't help either.

[b]SOME SUGGESTIONS[/b]
A different angle, like from the top of the tree down to the water, might have helped. Another idea would have been just a bit of the trunk, and all of the root system (metering for the roots - might have to take a couple shots and combine them to get some detail in the water)

Your using some of the best equipment out there for photography, just have to work on the techniques.

Russ

Fallen & spilled
by carofo

Comment:
*CRITIQUE CLUB*

I really like the contrast here, very simple but well done.

I like the glass and reflection on the table and the placement of the scene is great, filling the frame.

Like you said, it was a last minute entry, but it could have been better with a drop of camera angle giving the milk a bit of height (resulting in a more 3D feel. As is, the milk sort of looks painted on the table).

I probably would have given a 6 on it had I voted, it does show some imagination, even if it was just a "quickie".

Russ

No Remorse
by nutzito

Comment:
Very powerful, made me WANT to help!! 10!

Daily Crime Scene...
by F-StopBlues

Comment:
Out of the several using this theme - YOURS was perhaps the MOST creative!!10!!

A Young Cowboy's Toys
by bobnospum

Comment:
*Critique Club*

The "woody" reference cracks me up also. I wish the photo had a bit more impact somehow, perhaps a light shining down on the figure, leaving the hat and grass in natural light. There are other possibilties, including the one you have here, but there needs to be some impact in a challenge of this type. While I wouldn't go so far as to say it DNMC, it needs a little help. Even turning the head towards the camera a bit.

Looking at it from a technical standpoint, you did a good job with the dappled light, focus was really good too (most sensors dont read light, dark, light very well). The grass in front of the hat and figure are somewhat distracting also.

Overall, I do not believe the 1's and 2's you recieved were deserved, but I can see the others.

If it were me, I think I might have tried to find an older more ragged (well played with) version of the toy placed a bit haphazardly with the hat and titled it Forgotten. Might not have scored that well in this particular challenge (tribute)

Russ

Sin City
by Mephisto

Comment:
*Critique Club*
Hi, my name is Russell and I am doing the critique that you requested!!

First off, let me say, this is REALLY a tough one!! Not only did you ribbon, I thought (personally) that it should have been first place.

What I liked - The idea and title is truly "nailed" (I too, am a big fan of the movie), so the composition is great. Your background is a perfect fit. Overall, it not only matches the challenge but exceeds it (again GREAT call on the movie)

What I didn't like - Now is where the critique gets tough - it is such a great shot, that anything mentioned here are strictly personal thoughts, so please take it for what it is worth.

The lighting above and to the right of the model lightens that section of wall making it a part of her vs a part of the setting.
The bird "pooh" could have been taken out or darkened a bit.

Overall, there is VERY little NOT to like here, the likely reason you came in second instead of first was due to the African child portrait, not overly creative, but very powerful in it's vision - I see alot of ribbons coming your way in the future!!

Russ

Canadian Rockies in Infrared
by Citadel

Comment:
*Critique Club*
Hi, Russell here and this is my critique of your shot.

What I Liked - Just a really good overall landscape shot and fits the challenge perfectly. The light is falling perfectly and the overall immensity of the subject out-does the minor imperfections (to me anyway).I am not an infared shooter (though I am going to attempt it this summer) but after getting a self-taught lesson from the internet, I find that traditional infared turns the green a "hot" white, if there is enough light in the scene (of course there are other things also - but this seems to be the main draw) since yours has a bluish tint (and the clouds above) I am thinking that you didn't have "perfect" light for "perfect" infared. Honestly though, the tint is what MAKES the shot for me (combined with the absence of the tint- for the most part- in the light falling on the mountains)

What I didn't like - very little, which makes it difficult to critique. I can only see three issues - 1. the large sign on the road 2. the bridge support under the sign 3. the small piece of sky at the far left of the frame. To me, the road is a PART of the landscape, and does not really take away from the overall shot. The sign and support however (likely due to the black) tend to draw my eye away from the subject some.

Changes that might help - A small change of angle, moving forward and to the left a bit, MIGHT have put a tree in front of the sign and bridge support - cutting the dark distractions by 2, however, the tree on the left may also make the shot a bit unbalanced. That could also be corrected by zooming in the lens a bit. Since I was not there with you, I don't know if the terrain would have allowed for that, but if so, it would have gotten rid of the sign and support.

Overall - it is a great capture, had I spent 5-10 seconds looking at it (like most do during voting) I would not have even noticed the items I mentioned. Since I took longer to study the area and not just the subject, those items appeared. So, would I hang a print of this proudly in my living room - probably, since most people would not study it in detail and up close like I had to.

Red-Striped Tulips
by riversong

Comment:
*Critique Club*
Hi!! Russell from the critique club here - lets get started!!

What I liked - Tulips are some of the coolest flowers, so many different colors and great strong stems make them easily posable. Here we have the same, great color and no distracting background to keep the viewer from seeing the flowers. Good composition too.

Problems - Lighting is number one, the bottom flower is so much brighter then the rest (to the point of blown-out in spots) it takes away from the rest of the arrangement which seems much darker. The background, while featureless is also suffering from blown highlights that take away from the leaves and several of the petals on the bottom flower. There is very little of the tulips texture(in the titles)showing on any of the flowers. Since this is one of the greatest things about this particular flower, getting it into the photo is a priority.

Lighting is the major issue here, might have worked better if there was more transition from the darker flowers on top and the bright on the bottom, possibly a strong diffuser of some kind would have worked to soften that light.
After looking at it a bit longer - I wonder if a closer shot of the upper four flowers and losing the one that is mostly hidden (leaving three great blooms) wouldn't have given it more impact. Great texture and color from the petals and great featureless background.

Overall your photo did well in this challenge, perhaps with a bit of lighting work I believe it could have done better and possibly even earned a ribbon - your on the right track for sure.
Something about the "jaggies" on the stems - since I don't know what your using for making adjustments (PS, elements, etc) I can't say for sure, but I believe they are due to sizing and the problems inherent with jpeg. If you are using PS or elements, play around with the "save for web" settings it might help.

Russ