Winter In the Mountains
by OneSweetSin

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

Initial thoughts/My opinion
Nice winter scene speaking of a hidden place. I like the picture for itself but don't expect a B&W-image to be in NG. But this comes more from a feeling what should be in NG rather then actually knowing it!

Content/Composition
I really like this hidden place in the woods. Also it seems that no one lives in that house, it still is somehow inviting.
I also think that the way you set the focus is OK: having it on the front trees keeps the house somewhat vague, as if one just sees it for the first time while stepping through the snow. The low contrast and darkness on the house adds to this impression too: it's like not having the eyes adjusted to the darker house.
While B&W fits very well to the image itself (it's almost a must), it might be the point that make the voters vote low (see my thoughts above).

Camera work -technically
As you can see from my statements given above, I do like the exposure and focus.

Digital Processing - Technical
It's also fine to me: one could sharpen it more, but with how I see the picture it is just OK. The addition of a border might have been nice, but might be difficult to get it right due to the vertical lines given by the trees.

Fits the challenge
As mentioned, that's where a see a shortcoming. I and probably most voters associate NG with colourful views onto the world.

Good luck for your upcoming submissions

Home on the Range
by Shannon

Comment:
Great earthy colours and nice background too.
I would have placed the Bisson more on the right, so that it is directed into the image rather then outside of it.

The Highland Cow (Scotland`s hardy breed)
by geewhy

Comment:
While I like this hairy cow (reminds me a little on our dog :)) to me it is a little too tightly cropped at the top.
Nice colours and well focused though.

Shy
by dr rick

Comment:
I do like the great smile of the girls eye, I can almost hear her giggle. I don't see to much "shy" in the image though, more "hide and seek". Also the foreground rose disturbs a lot.

Earth Tones
by jonpink

Comment:
Great topic! It's the one that come in everybodies mind frist when thinking about NG.
It's a little dark though and the expression of the model is too much emptiness.
Still, I do like it very much.

Heartland Morning
by cshep

Comment:
Nice warm colours and well composed. I think that it is a little to dark and the bright upper left does not look too natural to me.

Bush Living 'tradition without technology'
by camelotnorth

Comment:
I really think that this could be a image in NG: well chosen topic and shows real life. I would have preferred if it had a warmer colour cast. Right now the white are to bright, a little bit into yellow would give the image a more natural look.
Good luck.

Church Doors
by cardinalmom

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

Initial thoughts/My opinion
This image speaks of symmetry and pleasant warm colours. The bright central light disturbs a bit though.

Content/Composition
You captured beautiful, calm scenery with the two church doors. One could imagine how prayers are singing behind the doors and one smells the candles.
Your symmetric composition works well, although you should have moved further to the right to get the image fully symmetrical. As one can see from the line on pedestrian walk you were a bit off and thus the scene is twisted, most visibly at the top. This results in a somewhat odd feeling. As far as I know humans are extremely sensitive to distortions of a 2-fold vertical symmetry.

I do like that one sees some snow at the bottom and how the bright, central light shines on the walk. This light is of course way overexposed and disturbs a little. However, this is fortunately very localized and didn't blow out the whole scene.

Camera work -technically
Looks good to me: focus and exposure are just right

Digital Processing - Technical
Also OK, maybe just a bit more sharpening. That you didn't add a border was wise.

Fits the challenge
Yes, it does for sure.

Good luck for your upcoming submissions

The Mayhem of Night
by jonpink

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

Initial thoughts/My opinion
Image full of colour and drama. I like the distant view to the fire. The action of the blurred persons could be more pronounced.

Content/Composition
Great content, although probably not for the ones that live in the burning house. Hope the fire was not too severe.
I very much like how you composed the image: focusing on the fire engine and the street and not putting the fire in the centre was wise. It leads to the feeling that one wants to walk along the road to get closer to the fire.
The blurred persons disturb though: while they of course do show action, one can not see what they are doing and it seems that they do not run towards the fire. The two persons on the left are just some vague, unstructured shadows. However, getting this right was for sure almost impossible.
I like the colour of the image, especially on the lower portions of the street.

Camera work -technically
Looks very good to me, especially considering that you probably could not test all kind of exposure and focus variation. I like the balance between the bright lights and the darker parts of the image: just set right to make the scene dramatic and still keep the after-dark-feeling.

Digital Processing - Technical
Maybe a tad more sharpening. I do think your border choice is OK, although it might also look good without a border.

Fits the challenge
Of course it does!

Good luck for your upcoming submissions

Wash Day
by nsoroma79

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

Initial thoughts/My opinion
Like this image very much because it's clear structured. Less background might have been better.

Content/Composition
I like the shinny and clean washing machines and their nice alignment. Combined with the lines of the ceiling it results in a good leading line effect. The back wall is disturbing a bit though: the leading lines lead the viewers eyes to the soap automate and he/she starts to read the text and things about what it is. However, because it's of no special importance, it should have been cropped away to make the image clearer. Same applies to the trashcan.
But all this is not a too big issue.
As suggested by others, a tighter angle along the machines might have been also interesting to improve the Point-of-View feeling. However, at a shallower angle the back wall would get more into the focus and using a shallower DOF to blur it would not work well IMO.
So I think you did regarding composition the best that is possible.
I like the clean light too.

Camera work -technically
Looks well done: exposure and focus (especially DOF) are well set.

Digital Processing - Technical
A bit more sharpening could have been applied and a tighter crop at the right and maybe also bottom and top. The border is not very special but it also does not disturb me.

Fits the challenge
To me it does so, however the POV is not too special and the Wow-factor is missing somehow. But this is my very personal view on the challenge topic.

Good luck for your upcoming submissions