Last Resortby
mikehollemanComment by strangeghost: Greetings from the Critique Club
by strangeghost
The first three parts of this critique are written based purely on examination of your photo. "Final thoughts" is written after reviewing your score, photographer's comments, and voter comments.
TECHNIQUE
Focused but almost has an oversharp feel to it, as if it's a crop of a larger image that you tried to salvage detail by using USM? Exposure is excellent for the building but the sky has washed out to a very pale blue. It looks like you shot with very high sun. Such shots are usually better early in the morning or late in the afternoon to take advantage of the much lower sun angle to create interesting shadows and textures. Colors are OK but a bit muted. The greens and yellows of the vegetation could really form a dramatic contrast to the starkness of the building.
COMPOSITION
A good viewpont of an abandoned building - a shot that surely meets the challenge. I like the inclusion of foreground vegetation that also looks abandoned. As mentioned, the oversharp appearance hurts here, especially in the branches of the bushes. I might have recommended using a single foreground bush and re-composing placing the building and sign on one side and the barren bush on the other. As shot, the composition has the plants blocking a part of the structure that my eye wants to see more of, the unique overhang in front of the main entrance (?). For a photo like this, you really have to answer the question, "what is the main point of interest you want your viewers to see?" I'm not sure I know exactly what that is when I look at this pic. The sign draws the eye, as does the architecture, as does the damage to the building and the vegetation. What's the main subject?? Know that in advance and then compose your shot and you'll have a photo that seems to express a clear purpose.
EMOTIONAL IMPACT
While this photo clearly meets the challenge description, it doesn't have any truly memorable or unique element that makes me go "wow" and keeps my eyes engaged. I think playing with the light and rethinking the composition more thoroughly could have helped, but it's difficult to say.
FINAL THOUGHTS
You obviously touched a nerve with some of your commenters who either recognized the location or realized the intent of your photo/title combo. Your final score of 5.1 is not bad, but I wonder if you were a bit disappointed? I see that it's your first challenge (well done, welcome!) and that you did confess to using the USM. Back off a bit on that filter, it's very easy to over do. Keep shooting, I enjoyed studying your image for this critique!
Photographer found comment helpful.