Cactus
by Veiolets

Comment by jasonlprice:
Great example of contrast, shapes and blur combined together to make a wonderful b/w study. I love the natural vignetting caused by the shallow DOF and those almost translucent spikes are wonderful. Great photo!

Americana
by Veiolets

Comment by booboo_goon:
I like this capture alot, I do think a bump in contrast could benefit even more =p

Pretty Stream
by Veiolets

Comment by benee:
I agree with some of the other posters - the white expanse bottom left is a bit too much for me.

That said, I really enjoy the serenity of this shot - you've got some interesting textures running through that stream area

Pretty Stream
by Veiolets

Comment by em3:
It is avery nice scene. I think if you crop the sides and about 1/2 an inch off the bottom. Boost the constrast a bit and it'll be a really good image.

Americana
by Veiolets

Comment by colorcarnival:
I can't add too much more than what you got. The only other thing that I would say is that the picture looks slightly out of focus. I'm one that likes to see sharp features in the main subject and nothing really jumps out at me. The light shining thru the flag is probably gorgeous and I think what might be cool would be if you could get closer to the house, and take a straight-on portrait shot of just the bench and the flag.

Pretty Stream
by Veiolets

Comment by tnun:
Like this a lot. And do crop those sides, especially so I can see if I truly truly disagree with trevytrev about the white expanse, because it seems to work very well for me, balancing all the activity beyond. Delicious curves. (Look forward to more from the FZ18 - not too bad at ISO 200). T

Americana
by Veiolets

Comment by tnun:
Very much like the way you show this Americana - good angle, drawing the eye down and towards the deteriorating porch and compensatory accumulata which haply abut the flag and period bench. I think you need the space on the left, but maybe minus the corner of the unseen window. Bright white pillar is good visually and symbolically. Your framing is distracting, though maybe intended to augment the lines in the picture, but I don't know what to suggest. Oh, and I can't tell that there is light coming from behind the flag - it looks just flattish grey.

Americana
by Veiolets

Comment by salmiakki:
Certainly looks like there is some construction going on here. Very intriguing. the B&W conversion feels a bit flat, wonder if it needs a slight boost in contrast.

Pretty Stream
by Veiolets

Comment by trevytrev:
nice scene, I'm not sure what that is on the sides either but I would crop it out of the frame. A bit of a raise of the camera to get a bit less of the white foreground and more river in the frame might help this a bit. The large white area distracts a bit.

Americana
by Veiolets

Comment by trevytrev:
Cool old house and it does speak americana, lots of story in this. i will agree with a previous poster that cropping the left a bit more so the porch support is a bit more in the third of the frame might strenghten the composition.