S H Y
by Love6

Comment by Melethia:
Good composition, but either it's a very tight crop of a much larger photograph, or the focus just wasn't there to begin with. As RKT notes, it *looks* like it's been plasticized - a common result of too much noise-reduction software. There is no detail in the feathers, and while "soft" most definitely CAN work, here it doesn't do it for me because of the plastic-like oversmoothed appearance. Hopefully this helps explain your score a bit. (I was one of your 5s.)

S H Y
by Love6

Comment by BJokerud:
There are some very good qualities with this photo! Coming close to a swan like that either demands some darned luck or a LOOONG lens, excited to see which it is =) Thinking of taking an hour drive myself to get some swan photos. One or two of them resides right next to the mainroad. It's in Tyrifjorden =) Probably haven't heard of it, but being I saw a man taking photos of the swan right before deadline of this challenge, I had to mention it. ANYWAY!!! Good qualities, yes indeed! The moment of capture is stunning! And SHY is the word! Interesting how the water drops havent disapeared in it's feathers, beautifull! There's some less good qualities of this photo to, but being obvious reasons like noise and some strange colors in the eye and the.... beak? You know that mouththing birds eat with. Now this have been a darn long comment, and I hope you got something out of it!

S H Y
by Love6

Comment by Ja-9:
really like your shot, just wish the focus was a tad sharper and your tone is pleasing

S H Y
by Love6

Comment by RKT:
I am longing for the texture of the feathers that I know is there but has perhaps been lost in a noise reduction application? I do find the composition very appealing though.

I just got your PM. Regardless of whether you actually used a noise reduction program or not, to my eye it looks like you have. There is an unnatural softness about the feathers. If you have done minimal editing as you said in your PM, perhaps you did a good deal of cropping to arrive at this composition. I saw in the score tracking thread your score is in the 4.6 area and you seem really frustrated. Score has nothing to do with how good you are as a photographer. A vote is an opinion. I get horrible scores all the time. The average DPC voter is very technically minded, and this does have what appears to be some technical issues. I'm not one to harp on that sort of thing, I embrace all things blurry, soft...expressive. But something about this photograph does seem unnatural in the lack of detail...it has that plasticy melty look of overzealous NR application whether you used it or not. For what it's worth, I've scored this a 5 because I do enjoy the composition very much.

ye ol'princess
by Love6

Comment by suemack:
This really appeals to me.

My Daughter Cooking - 708449
by Love6

Comment by suemack:
I love all these precious childhood memories.

My Daughter Climbing A Ladder
by Love6

Comment by suemack:
Outstanding portrait. She's adorable!!

Joy
by Love6

Comment by jomari:
This little charmer makes such a lovely picture, which was way underrated imo.

Joy
by Love6

Comment by jomari:
Lovely shot. The body language says it all.

Joy
by Love6

Comment by digifotojo:
Nice backlighting!