Independence Day
by MarkS224

Comment by e301:
I guess this challenge running over the weekend of the 4th was bound to be too tempting for you Americans! The best critique I could offer would perhaps be to study moodville's second-placed shot and compare with your own: the capture of the motion of the fireworks, and the detail of them is completely comparable - indeed yours are probably more intersting in themselves. It's the other elements that have put that shot up where it is and yours down here: some context for the photo.

One fairly glaring criticism though: why have you left that enormous black area to the left of frame? If I brighten my screen an awful lot, I can just make out some smoke there, but at a normal setting it's absolutley blank.I would hazard a guess that either you need to check your own monitor settings, or to be aware that a lot of people here have theirs set reasonably dark.

It's a good moment that you've caught though - intersting to see the different stage of process of diffferent fireworks. Two reasons immediately come to mind for the low score though: there were so many firewirk photos in this challenge, and without some context it doesn't obviously meet the challenge.

Ed

Up and Down
by MarkS224

Comment by hortopth:
great idea. (you might notice I've taken to escalators too).
The first suggestion that popped into my head, is if the two people were slightly blurred. Now that you've given me the idea, I might go and reshoot my escalators at a slow shutter speed, of 1/4 second or slower, so see what I get.

Independence Day
by MarkS224

Comment by Stewan:
Cool! Looks like no other firewoks I have seen...

Independence Day
by MarkS224

Comment by vtruan:
I like it..

Independence Day
by MarkS224

Comment by briphoto:
Not bad, fireworks are hard to shoot! I know, I was trying for my first time that night. The composition could be greatly improved by adding some surrounding scenery that in some way could enhance the fireworks. The better fireworks shots add a reflection off a lake, etc., for example.

Independence Day
by MarkS224

Comment by darci:
Needs to be more original

Independence Day
by MarkS224

Comment by SharQ:
cool picture, but where is the nightlife?

Independence Day
by MarkS224

Comment by brettd:
With a title like that I expected to see the white house beeing blown up :-) Nice photo.

The grass grows greener...
by MarkS224

Comment by wewillexplore:
Greetings from the Critique Club
Hi Mark! First let me say I can't believe how few comments you got on this. I'm glad I picked it to CC.

Composition
I think the perspective on the wheelbarrow is more of a journalistic "recording" of this than an interesting piece of art. To me, it's just a wheelbarrow. While that could be said about a great many pictures, I think it really does apply here. What made you want to take this photo like this?

Color
Your colors are actually very weird. I'm not sure why the logs look magenta, but I have a feeling it's the same reason your grass looks unnaturally green. I know we all like oversatured and supersaturated colors in some respects, but I think there's a limit to what looks good (as I learned the hard way in Magazine challenge).

Focus
Your focus is good here. It doesn't stand out, which is usually a good thing.

Lighting
Flat lighting - not very interesting and it doesn't add to the shot at all.

Subject matter
As I said, it's just a wheelbarrow with some grass. I'm not sure if this is country life or suburb life, but it's green, it's living, so I'd say it meets the challenge.

Overall

I think Jason said it best "bit dull and lack of pop." To do well on dpc, you need "WOW" factor, something interesting that would make someone want to come back and see it again.

Keep shooting!
Mav

Faded Rose Bud and Antique Lace
by MarkS224

Comment by dsidwell:
A good pairing. Textures are wonderful! I also like the subtle tones (which help give emphasis to the textures).