Broken Ball and Broken Game
by rosco

Comment by joycobb:
Very nice find and composition. Too many jags and compression marks.

Broken Ball and Broken Game
by rosco

Comment by rheannasmommy:
Its ok, needs something though I think.

Broken Ball and Broken Game
by rosco

Comment by Gatorguy:
Interesting picture. It looks like you are photographing from inside a prison.

Studying Fire
by rosco

Comment by persimon:
I lke the way you put yourself out there to capture this shot, and I know it must have been exciting.

Crystal Clear Water For A Morning Duckling Dip...
by rosco

Comment by strangeghost:
Greetings from the Critique Club
by strangeghost

COMPOSITION
Though an attractive, slightly off-center composition is better than dead-center in most cases, I think here you might have done better if you had zoomed in slightly tighter on the duckling and filled the frame a bit more. However, your title indicates that you intend the water to be an essential part of the composition, so I guess you did what you had to do. I would also argue against the square crop. A landscape orientation would have given a more pleasing use of space. Given that the duckling's body is partly submerged, you have, pardon the pun, an odd duck. I wonder how many of your voters paused long enough to realize that he's just emerging from the water so we're missing the tail? Too bad his head is pointed obliquely away. Might have been stronger if we had a more visible face with expression. Faces are good in animal shots.

TECHNIQUE
Ducky's highlights are very blown. Your exposure was perfect for the water, which was fatal for his white feathers. Focus looks better on the water than the duck (who was probably in rapid motion). I think the water is a bit too green as well. Bump the blues a bit in sat.

OVERALL IMPACT
This picture probably lacked the punch and initial visual appeal that is so essential in DPC challenges. Instead of the duck in mid-dive, a more sedentary pic of a pretty duckling paddling along would probably have had significant cuteness that this shot lacks. Also, the facing away/facing toward the camera is imperative in animal shots. Most of your commenters picked up on the same stuff. Though many liked the shot (and thus stopped to comment), you probably got a huge majority of pause and vote 4-5 and move on. To make the voters stop, you've got to rock them with visual appeal, popping colors, and (in the case of animal shots) personality. Keep shooting and good luck!

The End Of The Line
by rosco

Comment by echo54:
neat

The End Of The Line
by rosco

Comment by Krikkit:
Small pic but clear shot

The End Of The Line
by rosco

Comment by dw_photo:
good concept, i think a little more track at the top and getting rid of the weed at the botom would help, and making the entire picture larger would be good.

The End Of The Line
by rosco

Comment by james_so:
Interesting shot, would have liked to see the first and last sleepers at thirds horizontaly and the rails symetrically placed though.

The End Of The Line
by rosco

Comment by phylsy7:
I think this photo would have been better done lengthwise with more of the covered track showing and without the border.