determinedby
barbaraanneComment by SJCarter: *Greetings from Critique Club*
First of all, let me say that I think this shot met the Independence Challenge well.
Composition
The image is way too busy, with too many distracting elements in the background - taking the viewers' eyes away from the main subject of the photograph. A tighter crop would help this quite a bit. Also, you can't really see what she's looking at (wrong angle to capture both).
Lighting
The lighting is a little harsh, but you're just on the underside edge of having blown highlights. Because the light is behind the main subject, it causes an emphasis on her back (which isn't necessarily good or bad, just an observation). You might be able to reduce some of the backlighting in PS (or whatever post processing app you have) and increase the contrast a touch to help bring out more detail and depth.
Color
You have a nice array of natural colors, but they are a little washed out. Because there are so many colorful distractions (and the old lady is rather bland in color), have you considered a selective desat to help bring emphasis to your subject (i.e., color only old lady and the items she's viewing)?
Appeal
I love the old lady and the fact that she's still out there being independent. The shot has a lot of emotional appeal to a wide audience. The image is a familiar one, in that most people have experienced an open flea market/yard sale and have elderly family members struggling for their own independence.
Overall
I think the shot has a lot of potential, but because of the cluttered environment and a few other "fixable" things listed above, you received an "average" score.
Just my 2 cents... :-)
Jimmy
Photographer found comment helpful.
