50's Pearls in The Dark
by Krisby

Comment:
Hi! This is an amazing shot and I'm really surprised it didn't do better. I love the lighting, the colors, the whole set up is very well done. I'm guessing what hurt you in the end is coloration. I think it works well for this period that you are representing but I'm betting others found it a bit off because it's not "in you face" colors, more muted. Also, a slightly tighter crop on the left side might bring a better balance to the shot, leaving the negative space on the right and top. Otherwise, I wouldn't change a thing! :)

Oh, one more thing, don't know about red lipstick, but a slightly brighter or maybe a little darker color might have helped just a bit.

Good luck in future Challenges!

Deannda

court fooll
by phoenix46

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

What an image! It freaks me out at first because I'm not a big fan of Jesters to start with, LOL but getting past that the expression on the person's face is very candid and telling. I think that despite what most people think, jesters weren't just clowns of old, but the trick for them was to humiliate and point out the faults of others, including royalty, they were the only ones who could get away with it. So his look, the lack of a smile really works well for this for me personally.

The tones are okay, nothing really stands out and jumps off the screen at me and says, "HEY! LOOK AT ME!" much like my 3 year old son does, LOL :) Perhaps just a touch more contrast to really make this shot pop would have brought yours core up. The cropping is okay but could be tighter to me. Using my magic envelopes I brought in the crop on the bottom, cutting out most of the shirt and just a touch, a very small touch on the sides so the very edges of the hat is touching the sides, creating lines to bring me in and out of the shot.

Again, great concept, good shot. Hope my comments help!

Deannda

He's So Shy
by jaylen

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

And welcome to DPChallenge! I see this is your first challenge entry and not a bad entry at that. I like the idea and the way the shot is set up is pretty good. The DOF is also good on this, the eyes and nose are in focus while the rest is just slightly out of focus.

So why did it only receive a 4.3? Well, my best guess would be lack of a "WOW" factor in the shot. This is a great idea but to really bring across the idea of shy it might have been better if you could have gotten him to look up at you through his eyelashes. Seeing their eyes is so important to me with kids shots, they will tell you so many stories with just one look. Also the overall tones are very bland, a bit boring, no real distinctions from one shade to another. Not really giving me a sense of duotone but more a monochrome type shot, just different shades of one color.

Also, leaving the camera on Auto is great but you can still get the information if you right click the shot, select properties and then look at the information. I'm guessing a opening the aperture more to let in just a touch more light and also reducing the ISO if it's set hight to take out some grain in the shot.

But again, great idea, beautiful child.

If you redo this shot I would love to see the results! Hope my comments help and GOOD LUCK in future challenges!

Deannda

sailing early morning
by lolor275

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

What a stunning image to look at! I love the lines, the way you are lead in, brought up to the boat in the background and lead back out the other side. The tones are also very warm and inviting. So the questions remains, "Why only a 5.6?"

A couple of tiny things would be my best guess. First, as mentioned before, the horizion is slightly off kilter, just a touch. Makes you think everything is going to slide out the right side of the picture and the taller traps on that side lend to that feeling. If you possibly slightly rotate it back to the left, bringing the horizon back to a level line that might make a difference. And last, the choice of colors for the duotone. It comes off almost as pink on my monitor and it is calibrated. Warmer sepia tones might have really made this shot stand out. If you redo this shot I would LOVE to see the results! Hope my comments help!

Deannda

My Neck Hurts
by cloverstar

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

WHOA! For a second there I thought that was a person in the top of the shot! EEK!! :)

I can see why your neck would hurt, mine does and I'm not even standing there with you, you created a great shot that makes me feel like I'm standing there with you, waiting. Wonderful.

The shadows and tones are well done in this shot, the framing of the buildings, also well done. So you are probably asking, "Why did it only get a 5.576 then?"

Well, hard to say, to get into the minds of the voters is very hard indeed. I'm guessing the slightly off kilter of the top of the building on the left is part of the reason, if you had rotated just a bit so it was straight up and down might make a world of difference in this shot. If you do rotate and crop just a little differently I would love to see the result. I'm betting it will make a world of difference.

Hope my comments help.

Deannda

The Stairs
by msieglerfr

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

This is a stunning shot when you first look at it. The lines leading you in and out and in and out and in and out, oh, hold on, getting a little dizzy here ;-)

The comments about the black space in the upper left have already been said so I won't repeat the, not sure what you could have done about it though. I like the crop on the bottom as it is, the way the curves on each rail is just inside the picture and even playing with my magic envelopes I can't quite find the crop that would work better that would take away that distracting black area. Too bad the lights weren't on that level.

As for the shot, the shadows are playing with my eyes or you had a tiny bit of camera shake. It's a great illusion either way but irritating at the same time, just like any great illusion shot, making you really look twice and try to figure it out.

The colors work well for this scene, the stark black and yellow tones work very well together.

Hope my comments help.

Deannda

Down on Fascination Street
by melismatica

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

I loved this image when I saw it but I'll be honest, the coloration bothered me a bit at first. The looks are perfect, your children did a wonderful job of dressing up, especially your daughter.

But as I look at it more now I do see how the coloration and treatment you did aterwards does work very well for this shot. The overall composition is well done though the final cropping seems just a bit off, maybe if you worked it more towards the rule of thirds? Cropping a bit off the left might bring the look in that I have in my mind.

Not much else to add, again, great idea, great shot, great models!

Deannda

Into the groove
by Hauxon

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

This is a wonderful image and I love the colors, the set up, the lighting, the focus, the model's look. It's a great overall shot. I scored it high during the challenge, the only thing missing was the hair, though I can't talk, I had pretty short hair during most of the 80's as well, LOL!

There really isn't much for me to offer in the way of critique, it's a great shot.

Hope my comments help.

Deannda

You Want a Piece of Me, Pacman?
by GIS_boy

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

Wow! What can I say about this image? It's great! I loved it in the challenge, it beat mine and it's more 80's than a lot of things I remember. I do so remember spending quarters upon quarters in this game, though I don't remember that cute young man, LOL! They were little ghosts in the game, right? ;-)

Great shot, great composition, congrats on getting the little one to help out.

Deannda

Material World
by liebe

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club!

Well, as someone who actually lived in the 80's (graduated high school in 1980) I would say you did very well in capturing the look of the time.

When this first came up in the challenge I thought, "WOW! That could have been my older sister getting ready to go out!" Not to bad for someone who wasn't even alive during that time! :)

Now to the picky part. I like the tight crop, it really brings the subject in close and fills the frame. That works for me on this shot. Looks like a good use of the rule of thirds in this shot.

There are only two little things that really bother me about this shot overall. One is the lips. For some reason, the open lips and the way the lipstick is applied just doesn't look right. If you were applying mascara or lipstick that pose would work, but the when I applie blush my lips were closed so I could see the natural cheek bone line. But that's me. But also the very distinct lines, very precise, almost too precise, the lines just bothers me for some reason.

Second was the lighting, it is just a tad too dark, just a touch more lighting so it would look more like a make up mirror or lighting you might use to put make up on would really make this pop and bring out the colors.

Other than that, great shot, hope my comments help and good luck in future challenges!

Deannda