Amphibious Rain Frame
by 777STAN

Comment by albc28:
This photo has no real set frame. There is a lot of negative space on the right and at the bottom of the photo. You probably should have zoomed in on the toad a little more. The object on the left really hinders the photo. And there could be some adjustment with the brightness and contrast

Drop Everything!...It's Rain Fall!
by 777STAN

Comment by Nikonian Ninja:
hey Stan, i really like this shot!

Amphibious Rain Frame
by 777STAN

Comment by dolikemagoo:
I DON'T SEE A FRAME IN THE FOREGROUND.

Hummingbird On A Chain
by 777STAN

Comment by KiwiChris:
Greetings from the critique club.

I find this image a little hard to look at... I don't mean that it's a bad photo, just that it makes me think to much, I think.

You've shot the image on an angle, and the title tells me that it's hanging on a chain, so I expect to see some blur, or some other sign that the wee bird is swinging around on the chain. It'd be interesting to know if you wanted to show motion by shooting it on an angle?

When you're shooting a photo for a specific 'market' you often need to sit back and wonder how other people will see the shot. Do they see the off angle as a striking feature, or does it confuse the viewer? I think you're somewhere in the middle of confusion and feature with this one..

The other slightly odd thing to my eye is the way the Hummingbird is doing a nose-dive when they are normally shot with their beak horizontal, flying into one flower or another.. If I rotate your shot 90 degrees counterclockwise it looks much more natural to me.

Now that I'm over my confusion with the orienation and movement (or lack there of) the image itself is technically OK. Focus appears to be good on the bird, although it is looks slightly over exposed on the chest/front of the bird. The background hints at where the bird is, but isn't too distracting.

Compositionally (Long word for the day) the chain leads the eye out of the photo.

When I look at the image I see the bird and it's strong colours, then my eye follows the chain up to the top right, and out of the picture. There's nothing to pull me back in. Where you've got leading lines in an image they either need to be the center of attention like a long road or fence leading off into the distance, or they have to have an anchor, to stop them carrying away the eye from the main subject. In this case the chain isn't the main subject, but carries the viewer off to the right where most people naturally want to go in the first place..

Hmmm, that's a bit of a waffly critique, but I hope it's helpful. This image is certainly an improvement on your 2 second entry, which was the intention of this challenge, thanks for sharing...

Cheers, Chris H.

Amphibious Rain Frame
by 777STAN

Comment by no__1__here:
Personal opinion is DNMC. There's some line elements on either side, but not really framing IMO. Without the framing aspect, I find the right side distracting.

Hummingbird On A Chain
by 777STAN

Comment by 777STAN:
Thanks for the chance to improve this photo for competition! It doesn't to have improved the scores any, but at least I feel better about the result.
With improved lighting, creativity & saturation, I have provided the viewer with an image that one can describe intelligently, even if it doesn't evoke pathos to "write home about it."
Oh, well, I guess you can't get a "car out of the mud" if you're not willing to get 'down & dirty' with all attempts. I will continue to hold onto the hope that I will "get the concept" one day and get my photography unstuck. 8P Stan

The Light's Green...GO!
by 777STAN

Comment by 777STAN:

Originally posted by TheHummer: Sorry I don't understand it!

So, sorry, my Friend! With my current "crop" of poor scores and misunderstood titles, I am forced to re-think the names I give to my creations as well as the creations themselves.
Even though my ego is "taking a beating" right now, I know that "hard-to-learn" lessons are often the best teachers & they usually provide the longest-lasting results.

As to this subject I confess, "It really is GREEN!!!!" It's also terribly cluttered, but my focus was what appeared to me to be a truly "saving grace." One leaf on the far-right seems to be pointing the direction "Go Forward!" (This is because I usually look from left to right, like I read.)
The title (I admit) was way too "insider" for use here. However, to explain, it is a phrase that I am learning from one JOY-filled toddler who is presently learning to speak.
One day recently my wife was teaching JOY about traffic lights on the way to the store & back. She said, "Shanna, when the light's red, we stop. When the light's green, we go."
The next time Shanna & I went driving I didn't need the radio because I was serenaded from the back seat. "Light's Red...Stop! Light's Green...Go! Light's Red...Stop! Light's Green...Go!.......", ad infinitum. :) Stan

Amphibious Rain Frame
by 777STAN

Comment by smurman:
he looks upset.

The Light's Green...GO!
by 777STAN

Comment by JunieMoon:
needs better focus. Also, the white parts of the leaves are really overexposed. The composition seems too busy. Less may have been more for this image.

Hotter Than Heyyyyy...No...Wait!!!!
by 777STAN

Comment by 777STAN:
As you may have guessed by now, the theme of this photo is certainly not my typical genre. Yet it seemed apropos to use a bit of irony/ opposite of my hopes for those that I love.
I have readily admitted in my Bio that I believe in Absolutes (a truly un-PC concept in the contemporary mind,) but I must remain consistent in refusing to compromise personal integrity for the doubtful possibility of fleeting popularity.
That being said, I am totally convinced of the existence of Heaven and Hell as well as the Truth that every human soul in History will have an eternal residence in one of these two localities.
The photo representation here demonstrates the sad realization of the busy human who had no time to think about God, but who "came to himself" in Hell with the thought "Uh, Oh! This is for Real!"