After flipping through lots of images...then hitting this one....these are my thoughts.
It's lacking the "special" element. The "unique" element. It just has a snapshot-y feel to it. Its as if you went to a graveyard, whipped out your camera, and just took a simple shot from a normal and uninteresting perspective.
The composition is just average. It's not visually strong. Right when someone looks at an image, their eye should be drawn to the focal point. The way this image is composed, the focal point isn't imediately evident to the eye. Is your emphasis on the cross?
Now I could be wrong....but it looks like this was taken during the mid afternoon sun....which is not a good time to take pictures because the sun is directly overhead. What you DO have going (so that your image doesn't look flat) is the shadows under the trees in the background. Thats very good.
Another problem I have is the lack of imagination that I feel went into this. When you were entering the challenge, didn't you think you'd see a lot of images JUST like this one? You should have the mentality of, "How will my image stand out? What will make people remember my image?" It could be with creative low-key lighting, a unique perpective, an uncommon and unconventional technique, or perhaps a very unusual subject.
Anyways, this is just my 2 cents. Please take my critiques with a grain of salt. I'm sure your a great photographer and take pride in your pictures. I just wanted to give a full detailed critique of you image because it seems like the kind that will finish just in the middle of the pack with few really deep comments that can make your submissions better. Nothing anoys me more than people who leave pointless comments that don't benefit the photographer.
Happy Shooting!
Chris A |