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>>> 2.3 (Feathered or Scaled): Critique/Discussion Thread
DoctorIt
Administrators Posts: 11,951 moderator
In the new challenge format, we now have a week between shooting rounds to critique and discuss the photos, the topic, the weather... Ok, maybe not so much the weather, but the point is: this is a community driven thread! It's up to you all to use this week "off" constructively.
As soon as the judges make their decisions, I will submit their critique in this thread, and post the voting poll at the same time.
The challenge theme was: Feathered or Scaled
Your judges were:
fashiznitsgrins (2.2 winner
)
Greensquared
**************************************
from fashiznitsgrins:
#3 Wacrer – The Calling
There is so much that I love about this shot. First of all, I noticed the little guy (of course). Then I noticed that it was a finger he was sitting on. So, immediately the scale theme comes into play – but it’s a double bonus with the dirt because it adds character as well as a scaled look to the skin. Then there’s the dark background that highlights the antennae… icing on the cake for me! Definitely my favorite!
#8 KurtPreston – Overflight
I really like the way the wings go from one corner to the opposite and you just couldn’t have asked for a better look on his face!
#10 DCorrin – Ah, youth.
The colors on the fence and rust really compliment the coloring on this little guy. I love his look and although he is obviously very young, he reminds me of an aging professor with his grey tufts of hair at the back and stiff upper lip!
#18 Richtersl - The ABC's of Playing the Piano
This is kind of a “seen it before” kind of shot for me, but it has a good feel to it, really like the sepia treatment to it and I especially like the way the sunlight is hitting the left hand page.
#19 Vanquiz – I Am Just as Big as You…
Really like this one too! Any other time and the treatment would have been over the top, but for me it works on this one. Timing was everything here.
#22 Halite – Winged Director
It’s hard for my old eyes to tell, but this one looks a little OOF to me, but the colors in it are simply divine and the lighting is superb – great capture!
#29 Photobrando – You’re being watched? I’m being watched.
Another saturation that any other time wouldn’t work, but pulled it off on this one! I did turn it 90 degrees counter-clockwise and works SO much better for me that way. This would be a wall hanger in my house…
#35 jko – Weighing the Air Above Me
I came back to this one a few times. It took a little convincing but I was ultimately drawn to the colors, selective focusing, and intrigue as to what it is that I am looking at. Meets the theme just enough, yet leaves me wondering exactly what it is…
#38 jeffmeyers – Try Me
Boy, the birds must have had some extra attitude this past couple of weeks or something! Another awesome capture – something a little different than your usual owl shot, an owl with a grudge!
#42 SciurusNiger – Watching the Dawn
Looks like there was very little post processing done here. I love the composition and of course the lighting! Another wall hanger…
A couple of notes that I would like to mention:
1. I decided to take a leaf out of Emily’s book and I completely stayed away from the threads the past couple of weeks.
2. I had my son download all of the photos and delete any watermarks so I had no idea whose photos were whose.
3. There were a lot of very, very good entries. There were a few that almost made it but didn’t quite, as I am sure is usually the case.
I would like to leave comments for all of the entries but do not possess the tact, finesse, grace or whatever ingredient it is that allows one to give feedback without fear of upsetting people. Therefore, if you would like to have my feedback on your photo, please PM me and I will be more than happy to do so.
from greensquared:
#3 – Wacrer – The Calling
Love it!
#5 – pemmett – A depressing view no matter how you look at it
This one had a great first impression on me. Looking at the crop (and apparent slight tilt) of the last image really threw it off a bit. I think the first image by itself would have been strong enough, but kudos on trying something different.
#8 – KurtPreston - Overflight
Awesome shot. Love the comp.
#12 – Nikolai – Paradise Bird
Really nice! Could use a touch more pop and even a closer crop for stronger impact, but that may just be a personal opinion.
#18 – richtersl – The ABC’s of Playing Piano
Really nice concept and execution. Feels a tad slanted, but overall, very well done.
#20 – pyroPrints.com – Plumage on the water (or branch on a blue civic)
I love this. I really wish it weren't centered, but still, I really love its color and simplicity.
#26 – The Curious Camel – Number 62 and 49 on the life cycle
Apart from the yuck factor, this is a fantastic capture.
#29 – photobrando – You’re being watched – I’m being watched
Love little critter shots like this, especially when the color is so great. DOF is fine for me, I just wish it weren't so centered.
#33 – Karrie McD – It’s the style
This one totally works for me. Lighting is on the essential area for the message. The eye and ear make additional areas of interest, with the focus returning to the "feathering".
#35 – jko – Weighing the Air Above Me
Extremely nice color and comp. Great focal point. A pleasure to view.
*********************************
As soon as the judges make their decisions, I will submit their critique in this thread, and post the voting poll at the same time.
The challenge theme was: Feathered or Scaled
Your judges were:
fashiznitsgrins (2.2 winner
)Greensquared
**************************************
from fashiznitsgrins:
#3 Wacrer – The Calling
There is so much that I love about this shot. First of all, I noticed the little guy (of course). Then I noticed that it was a finger he was sitting on. So, immediately the scale theme comes into play – but it’s a double bonus with the dirt because it adds character as well as a scaled look to the skin. Then there’s the dark background that highlights the antennae… icing on the cake for me! Definitely my favorite!
#8 KurtPreston – Overflight
I really like the way the wings go from one corner to the opposite and you just couldn’t have asked for a better look on his face!
#10 DCorrin – Ah, youth.
The colors on the fence and rust really compliment the coloring on this little guy. I love his look and although he is obviously very young, he reminds me of an aging professor with his grey tufts of hair at the back and stiff upper lip!
#18 Richtersl - The ABC's of Playing the Piano
This is kind of a “seen it before” kind of shot for me, but it has a good feel to it, really like the sepia treatment to it and I especially like the way the sunlight is hitting the left hand page.
#19 Vanquiz – I Am Just as Big as You…
Really like this one too! Any other time and the treatment would have been over the top, but for me it works on this one. Timing was everything here.
#22 Halite – Winged Director
It’s hard for my old eyes to tell, but this one looks a little OOF to me, but the colors in it are simply divine and the lighting is superb – great capture!
#29 Photobrando – You’re being watched? I’m being watched.
Another saturation that any other time wouldn’t work, but pulled it off on this one! I did turn it 90 degrees counter-clockwise and works SO much better for me that way. This would be a wall hanger in my house…
#35 jko – Weighing the Air Above Me
I came back to this one a few times. It took a little convincing but I was ultimately drawn to the colors, selective focusing, and intrigue as to what it is that I am looking at. Meets the theme just enough, yet leaves me wondering exactly what it is…
#38 jeffmeyers – Try Me
Boy, the birds must have had some extra attitude this past couple of weeks or something! Another awesome capture – something a little different than your usual owl shot, an owl with a grudge!
#42 SciurusNiger – Watching the Dawn
Looks like there was very little post processing done here. I love the composition and of course the lighting! Another wall hanger…
A couple of notes that I would like to mention:
1. I decided to take a leaf out of Emily’s book and I completely stayed away from the threads the past couple of weeks.
2. I had my son download all of the photos and delete any watermarks so I had no idea whose photos were whose.
3. There were a lot of very, very good entries. There were a few that almost made it but didn’t quite, as I am sure is usually the case.
I would like to leave comments for all of the entries but do not possess the tact, finesse, grace or whatever ingredient it is that allows one to give feedback without fear of upsetting people. Therefore, if you would like to have my feedback on your photo, please PM me and I will be more than happy to do so.
from greensquared:
#3 – Wacrer – The Calling
Love it!
#5 – pemmett – A depressing view no matter how you look at it
This one had a great first impression on me. Looking at the crop (and apparent slight tilt) of the last image really threw it off a bit. I think the first image by itself would have been strong enough, but kudos on trying something different.
#8 – KurtPreston - Overflight
Awesome shot. Love the comp.
#12 – Nikolai – Paradise Bird
Really nice! Could use a touch more pop and even a closer crop for stronger impact, but that may just be a personal opinion.
#18 – richtersl – The ABC’s of Playing Piano
Really nice concept and execution. Feels a tad slanted, but overall, very well done.
#20 – pyroPrints.com – Plumage on the water (or branch on a blue civic)
I love this. I really wish it weren't centered, but still, I really love its color and simplicity.
#26 – The Curious Camel – Number 62 and 49 on the life cycle
Apart from the yuck factor, this is a fantastic capture.
#29 – photobrando – You’re being watched – I’m being watched
Love little critter shots like this, especially when the color is so great. DOF is fine for me, I just wish it weren't so centered.
#33 – Karrie McD – It’s the style
This one totally works for me. Lighting is on the essential area for the message. The eye and ear make additional areas of interest, with the focus returning to the "feathering".
#35 – jko – Weighing the Air Above Me
Extremely nice color and comp. Great focal point. A pleasure to view.
*********************************
Erik
moderator of: The Flea Market [ guidelines ]
moderator of: The Flea Market [ guidelines ]
0
Comments
#2 Eating Away (rparige) - This almost made my personal top ten, great sharpness and detail in the critical elements of the pic. I think a vertical crop focusing on the leaf and the head of the silkworm would have pushed this near the top of the list.
#3 The Calling (Wacrer) - A fine shot! I believe having the mantis face the audience would have made this stronger. The partial finger could be cloned out (of the lower right hand corner).
#4 Watching My weight (douglas) - Love the concept! Two things bugged me about this one, the BG was a tad bit distracting, maybe a backdrop would have overcome that. And a tighter crop.
#5 A Depressing View (pemmett) - In my top ten, love that the light focuses on the scale reading and the toes. Only nit, and it's minor, is the shadows on the back of the legs is just a touch too dark.
#6 Exit ... Stage Right (Bill M) - I like it, but wish there was less motion blur in the body of the red wing blackbird, the wing motion is very nice though.
#7 Wings (WomanWithACamera) - Same problem for me as the above shot. Too much motion blur in the body and head, the wing blur is terrific. And the crop on this may be just a bit too tight, feels crowded.
#8 Overflight (memememe) - I took it so I'll just say what I liked about it and what I wish I had improved. The head position, eye contact and wing spread was what attracted me to the shot enough to enter it. Wish the shutter speed was up a bit more to freeze the upper wing tip and it may be lacking contrast (looks fine on home monitor but slightly washed out on other monitors I've seen it on).
#9 Feathered Branch (JAG) - Love the comp and the tightness of the crop. Something about the lighting bothers me a bit, could just be the overly bright needles in the BG.
#10 Ah, youth (dcorrin) - I love the punk attitude the juvenile robin displays! The crop, and detail are great. Just can't love the environment, although a shallower angle that was ore square to the railing would have pushed this up a notch or two.
All I have time for now, will continue tomorrow.
http://www.jonathanswinton.com
http://www.swintoncounseling.com
My hats off to you PuzzledPaul! I love the thought you put in to this.
However, since it didn't make the cut I have to say I'm loven "Ah Youth" what an awesome photo!!!
wacrer - The Calling. Nice execution of the scale theme. Good DOF. Love the olive-tone you used. The only thing that would have made it even better was if that critter had turned and faced the camera.
pemmet - A depressing view, no matter what angle you look at it. When I first saw this all I could think was "how true"
KurtPreston - Overflight.
dcorrin - Ah, Youth. This fellow is just full of attitude, which you captured very nicely on camera. Every time I see this, it brings a smile to my face.
Nikolai - Paradise Bird. I'm not a big fan of studio shots but this one caught my eye from the start. Love the subtle light on the model's face.
Mrs Cue - doh ray me far so lah te dohhhhh!!!. Very clever execution of the theme. Love it! A little on the soft side, but your sense of humor won me over.
SunsetSailor - Storm Sails. Gorgeous shot.
Halite - Winged Director. I love momma's backlit wings. Great shot!
Marian - Falcon Eyes. Lovely bird portrait. A wall-hanger for sure.
The Curious Camel - #62 and 49 on the life cycle. Definitely not a wall-hanger (at least not for me) but definitely National Geographic-worthy.
photobrando - You're being watched? I'm being watched. Love those lush green colors. Great DOF! The little fella's face really "pops".
http://lrichters.smugmug.com
Kept jotting down ideas and then rooted around (in garage / workshop) to see what I'd got lying around to implement 'em.
Unsure atm what'll get my vote ... (plain brown envelope with rhs scale dish contents might help ...
Well done to all finalists ... and good luck.
pp
Flickr
Thanks for the comments Kurt...good advice.
Fantastic finalists...#3 & #8 are my favs.
#11 Lunge (Quark) - I think I would have soiled my britches and forgot about clicking the shutter release
#12 Paradise Bird (Nikolai) - made my top ten, and there's not a whole lot to criticise here. Does seem to lack some pop and vibrancy.
#13 With a Purposeful Grimace ... (achambers) - Well, I'm a BOC fan so you get points for the title
#14 Taking a Dive (Vandana) - easily made my top ten, I'm amazed you got so much detail in a smaller bird in flight ... they are tough! A vertical crop *may* have made this stronger.
#15 A Fine Friend Indeed (Ulrich) - Maybe just a little too contrasty. I like it but the light was a little to harsh for me to love it.
#16 Do Ray Me ... (MrsCue) - Love the interpretation, with both the fish scales and the caption fitting the facial expression so well! Minor nits but there is just a bit too much space off the stern of the fish and not enough at the bow. Tighter crop would boost this a notch or two. Just a tad too soft, just missed my top ten.
#17 Storm Sails (SunsetSailor) - Love the stormy sky, I wonder how this would look as a pano. Alternately, a tighter vertical crop to the suspension lines and clouds. The ?pier? next to the bridge in the FG detracts slightly.
#18 The ABC's of Playing the Piano (richtersl) - Made my top ten. I love the lighting, the monotone, and the motion blur of the hands. Excellent comp. No idea how to improve this.
#19 I am Just as Big as You ... (vanquiz) - I voted for this one so I must like it
#20 Plummage on the water (pyroPrints) - Just barely missed my top ten. A tighter, more vertical crop with the pine needle in the lower part of the composition would have really kicked this one up ... wish I would have thought of suggesting that when you put it up for comment
More coming later.
Well that little fish was hard to capture. It was darting about all over the place lol.
Not sure if anyone got my total concept though, of a scaley fish singing its scales and arpeggios, hence the title.
Thank you for the cc.
*
http://member.onemodelplace.com/member.cfm?P_ID=214042
Knocking a few out while on break.
#21 Six Degrees from Pegasus (HoofClix) - Connection to the theme relies too much on the caption, unless I am missing something. As a pic though, looks pretty good except for the headless horseman
#22 Winged Director (Halite) - Darned cool shot! It was number 11 on my list, just missing out because of the funky colors caused by the backlighting and the shadows on the water. I love that you kept the female mallard's head so sharp with wing flapping.
#23 Falcon Eyes (Marian) - Simply the most outstanding perching bird shot I've seen in a while. Beautiful comp, exquisite lighting, wonderful colors, great sharpness and detail, and the frame work is quite attractive. Made my top ten with considerable ease. Wish I had taken it
More later ...
This will be a bit embarrasing, but got the Scale singing bit right away ... it took me a few seconds to realize the darned fish had a physical scaly interpretation
Great round! Many of you stretched the themes even more than I expected and that part always amazes me. I'm working on feedback for the remaining entries and will get it posted within the next day or so.
Keep giving each other feedback...PLEASE!!! That's what this interim week is supposed to be for, so you can all really study how others view your image and how you view theirs. Perhaps even think about reworking your shot based on suggestions and reposting here for further feedback (Doc...is this ok?).
Emily
moderator of: The Flea Market [ guidelines ]
#24 Comeone Calling Me (bfjr) - That is some great feather detail! I hesistate to say it, but a vertical, tighter crop might have pushed this to superb.
#25 Scale Modeling Tools (samsplace) - The lighting and monotone are very attractive! The detail and clarity of the blueprint lets me linger over the shot appreciating everything. Can't think of a single thing to improve this shot.
#26 62 and 49 on the Life Cycle (curiouscamel) - I, of course, love a good osprey shot and this one is excellent. Got both feathers and scales, with feathers establishing it's dominance
#27 In Search of Food (photman) - very nice flight shot, only suggestion I have is more in the timing of the shot ... the green floating mat in the BG detracts a bit, waiting until the bird cleared this a bit more would have been a stronger image.
#28 Color, Scale, Sky (cmorganphotography) - There are alot of very strong elements in this shot that I love. The beautiful reflection of the clouds that match so well with the BG sky that the monument appears translucent, and the reflection of the nearby flag. The connection to Scaled was a little tenuous to me though just from viewing the pic.
#29 You're Being Watched ... (photobrando) - I really like the sharpness of the head and the outrageous color! One of two things come to mind to improve the shot ... either a bit wider DOF so the frame isn't so dominated by OOF objects, or a tigher crop to the head.
#30 16lbs of Cuteness (Michael Atkins) - The caption says it all and I really enjoy this shot
Yet more coming later ....
Thank you Kurt for the Kind words! It's funny you say you would have prefered seeing her face in light. At the time I was shooting the lighting was pretty good and I was trying to shoot using window light for a softer effect. So after I was happy with what I had gotten I decided to screw around with my flash too. When I shot this one:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3191/2640927755_8f2c1d0b32.jpg
At the time I thought I should put her back on the scale and try to get some more with the flash. But she was getting ansy and I wasn't sure which would be better. Looking back maybe I should have done it. Thank you for your comment I feel like I definetly learned something new on this shoot.
My favorite shots were
#14 - "Taking a dive" by Vandana; Love the detail and it makes me think about how committed that bird was to whatever it's diving for. Really liked it.
#22 - "Winged Director by Halite; Thought this shot was great! The idea of the mother directing the ducklings was very creative and the motion in the image adds to that! Super shot!
#35 - "Weighing the Air above me" jko; The colors are outstanding and I thought the detail and dof were perfect. Great job!
Why hesistate
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But can it cure five wisdom teeth? I'm praying like h*ll it can. :cry Sorry, tangent.
I posted an explanation on page one of this thread on why I submitted the photo I did. Enjoy or not enjoy. I have more wisdom than you!! I have the x-rays of proof! ahahaha
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http://member.onemodelplace.com/member.cfm?P_ID=214042
Than You for your comments. The best part comes when I start to built the model.
Gil
Kill Nothing But Time :clap
Leave Nothing But Footprints :thumb
http://www.samsplacephotos.com
Surely not pineapple by itself on a pizza ... but pineapple, italian sausage, and jalapenos on a pizza will cure most ills and clean your sinuses too!
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#31 POV and 5' Apart (shatch) - Now that is one heck of an illusion! Love the shot. Not sure how to improve it, except that maybe more features in the clouds would add just a touch more drama to it. The wife just strolled by, locked eyes on it and said 'That's so cool!'
#32 Zoom (El Ess Vee) - I like the technicals, comp, DOF, sharpness and detail. didn't thrill me overall though. I think a better BG would help alot.
#33 Its the Style (Karrie McD) - I like it as an interpretation of feathered. The lighting is very good and I like the shallow DOF. Maybe the center of the focal plane could be moved down a bit as my attention is drawn too far into the corner.
#34 Longest Beak on the Block (mycaptures) - Nice persoective and I like the post processing. Only real complaint is that everything is oriented vertically so a vertical crop may have more impact.
#35 Weighing the Air Above Me (jko) - pretty good for a first post
#36 Nature vs Greed , A Fine Balance (puzzledpaul) - very creative! very nice job using DOF to isolate the contents of the scales. The dinero fades a bit into the background though because of either placement so far into the corner or similar contrast with it's BG.
#37 Balancing Act (sunita) - Love the comp and the simple nature of the shot, spartan compositions like this seem more powerful to me on average. The glass bead or gel thingie is probably a mite too far over to the left, and it seems to be a little softer than you would expect by being in the center of the focal plane.
#38 Try Me (jeffmeyers) - I do like that amost half lidded 'Come get Some!' look the owl has
#39 Maillot Jaune (jrnlyst) - Wonderful concept, well executed! Not sure where to improve this except that maybe the fill flash was a touch too powerful. But I'm about as adept with fill flash as a pygmy is with a two handed claymore, so I'm not a good judge
#40 Eye to Eye (jwear) - great capture! Feather and scales together. Vertical crop on this would enhance it, and I'd like to see more feather detail. The critical area of the head with soon to expire fish is excellent.
More follows later ...
Kurt,
thanks for taking time to provide feedback. It is a great service. I know it helps you also, but it is a sacrifice of time on your part. A big thank you for it.
Some of My Photos: app.electrikfolio.com/v/steven-hatch
My favorite didn't make the finals, but there were so many good shots. Good work, all.
Along with the photos that have already made the finals, I also thoroughly enjoyed all the feathered friends (hey, I'm a wildlife fanatic, and you can't go wrong in my book with animals!), Storm Sails (great color!), Scale Modeling Tools, 16lbs of Cuteness, Point Of View and 5' Apart (great concept, couldn't you just play with that for hours?) and Nature vs. Greed.
I'm very glad I'm not a judge. I wouldn't have been able to narrow it down to ten!
Also, I was on the road for 2.2 and didn't get to comment when that was fresh, but I loved the winning photo. Congrats! My favorites were Vandana's The Falls, Raptorcaptor's Twisted Flight, Pyro's Fractals in Nature, Renstar's Modern Farm and TLee's Refracted. Halite's Oobleck got my vote in that round. Awesome shot!
http://snowcatcher.smugmug.com/
#2 Eating Away (rparige) Creative take on the scaled theme; well lit image for texture and detail. Big drawback is that the whole right side of the image does nothing to support the theme.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
#3 The Calling (Wacrer) I really enjoy the ironic juxtaposition between the insect and the finger: usually we think of bugs as ‘dirty’ and ‘icky’, but in this case the insect is smooth and pristinely clean while the human is dirty and scaly. The slightly greenish tinge of the B&W conversion contributes to the fantastic ethereal quality of the image. Well done.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
#4 Watching My Weight (douglas) Humor and graphic simplicity make this image strong. Love the creativity and the execution.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
#5 A depressing view, no matter what angle you look at it! (pemmett) An amusing take on the theme. Selective lighting is effective. I would’ve preferred more focus on the scale and less on the legs (no offense, but…). The crop of the heels in the center image weakened it.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
#6 Exit Stage Right (Bill M) I like the full display of feathers your action shot captured, just wish it were sharper. Nice sidelighting. Conventional thinking on cropping would suggest leaving room for the bird to fly into, but the tight crop on the right supports your story of “exit”.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
#7 Wings (WomanWithACamera) The bird’s posture definitely displays ‘feathered’. The image, however, is soft and doesn’t really pop.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
#8 Overflight (KurtPreston) Love the elegant lines of the bird composed diagonally across the image. This image shouts ‘feathered’ from edge to edge. The downward stare seals the deal. Superb!<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
#9 Feathered branch (JAG) Pleasing lighting and composition. I like the delicate play of the layers of branches against each other in front of a simple black background. <o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
#10 Ah, youth (dcorrin) This guy looks like Grandpa <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Munster</st1:place></st1:State> in bird form—very cute! Apparently, he’s not shy either, since you captured this shot with a 55mm lens. Nice detail and sharpness in the feathers and great point of view. The busyness of all the fence bars is offset by the generally unified orange and black color scheme.<o:p></o:p>
Good advice...thanks
<o:p> </o:p>
#12 Paradise Bird (Nikolai) My daughter’s comment when she saw this image says it all, “It takes a professional to do that.” Love the selective light and the whole sweep and dance of the feathers. My critique relates to the post processing: seems that the image could’ve been sharper with more contrast in the eyes and mouth.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
#13 With a purposeful grimace and a terrible sound (achambers) Really cool musician portrait. Love the brassy colors, especially the play of the warm reds and magentas in the foreground against the cool cyan in the background. Doesn’t really shout ‘feathered or scaled’ to me. Feathered hair? Musical scales? So cool image, not enough theme.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
Continued:
#14 Taking a dive (Vandana) What a display of feathers here. Great capture! Love the geometry of the fanned wings and tail against the clear, blue sky. Not sure why you included so much sky to the right of the bird, other than to avoid centering it. Since you’re not saving room for text and nothings happening over there, why not center the subject of your portrait?<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
#15 A Fine Friend Indeed (Ulrich) Nice concept for wordplay around ‘feathered’. Contrast is too harsh for it to be a pleasing execution of your idea.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
#16 doh ray me far so lah te dohhhhh! (MrsCue) Underwater solfege. Scaly scales. Very cute! Nice lighting on the main subject and well highlighted scales. Ideal placement of the fish would’ve been a bit more separated from the background plants and objects—framed and not overlapping ideally.<o:p></o:p>
(I better hurry up before halite catches me *heh*)
#41 Jailhouse Rock (mwgrice) - Fun shot! I even like the detective canary hiding behind the bushes
#42 Watching The Dawn (SciurusNiger) - Love the lighting, and good comp! It may be just a wee bit dark overall. Tighter crop would enhance this.
#43 Feathered (Firetreee) - Definately speaks to me as feathered
#44 Feeling Clucky? (tamplum) - I love the rooster's posture and warm color. Just too soft on the back end of the bird, but good sharpness at the head. Probably could have sacrificed a little aperture and ISO for some more shutter speed.
#45 Methaphyte Scales (NikonsandVstroms) - I like the textures and the DOF. It's just a little too dark to get the full enjoyment of the texture.
#46 Wavy Skin (TPBinKC) - Love the interpretation! The scaly roof has good lighting and nice comp. The DOF is a little too shallow or the focal point should be shifted back a bit, I would have liked to see that second row more in focus since there is not enough shingles in the first row to grab my attention strongly.
#47 Relaxing in my Pool (bkatz) - Nice frog, good color and decent lighting. The comp is nice but the watermark is just too obtrusive and detracts. Frogs just don't connect with scaly in my mind.
#48 There Goes Tokyo (imax) - Cool, another BOC and Godzilla theme
#49 Going Back to the Beginning (jet) - Nicely done, I really like the isolation of the relevant passages by focusing through the glasses. The angle of the book is too shallow and the text is harder to read because of it, reducing the underlined text's impact and message.
Whew! That was fun and it was something I'd seen a few people do in the LPS post contest discussions. I found it to be very valuable as an entrant to have some feedback, especially if I didn't qualify, so wanted to give back a little.
Thanks fashiznitsngrins (jeebus, say that three times fast!) and Emily for including my entry in your top tens!
Thanks to everyone who commented on my entry and liked it
#2 – rparige - The Eating Away<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
Really great shot. I love the pattern it has eaten out of the leaf. The theme isn't obvious here, however.<o:p></o:p>
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#4 – <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place>douglas</st1:place> – Watching My Weight<o:p></o:p>
Really cute concept and love the color. I think you could lose some off the left of the image, which would also off-center your subject. Just missed my top ten.<o:p></o:p>
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#6 – Bill M – Exit Stage Right<o:p></o:p>
Neat capture. It's a shame the bird isn't a touch sharper.<o:p></o:p>
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7 – WomanWithACamera - Wings <o:p></o:p>
I love the expression and the angle of the wings. A bit more space around your gull might be nice.<o:p></o:p>
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9 – JAG - Feathered Branch <o:p></o:p>
I like this a lot. I think cropping some off the bottom and darkening the lighter branch underneath may gives this a little more impact.<o:p></o:p>
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10 – dcorrin - Ah, youth <o:p></o:p>
I love this guy's expression and especially the little tufts on its head. The background was a touch busy for me, but it's still a great shot.<o:p></o:p>
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11 – quark - Lunge <o:p></o:p>
Very dark and menacing. I wish for a touch more clarity, but otherwise really nice!<o:p></o:p>
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13 – achambers - With a purposeful grimace and a terrible sound <o:p></o:p>
Great job with a difficult shooting situation. The little white light on the left is quite a bit distracting though, so you might want to lose that.<o:p></o:p>
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14 – vandana - Taking a dive <o:p></o:p>
What a great capture. I really wish for a bit more sharpness in the wings, but overall, very nicely done. I really love the black and white pattern.<o:p></o:p>
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15 – Ulrich - A Fine Friend Indeed <o:p></o:p>
Neat interpretation, lacking texture for me. Maybe a little too contrasty?<o:p></o:p>
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16 – MrsCue - doh ray me far so lah to dohhhhh!!! <o:p></o:p>
Made me laugh for sure!<o:p></o:p>
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17 - SunsetSailor - Storm Sails
Gorgeous, truly! I'd love to see it with the left 3rd cropped.<o:p></o:p>
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19 – Vanquiz - I'm Just as Big as You <o:p></o:p>
Really nice. I love the pp choices. Cropped a little too tight on the right for me, but otherwise really nice.<o:p></o:p>
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21 – HoofClix - Six Degrees From Pegasus <o:p></o:p>
Beautiful, just a real stretch on the theme.<o:p></o:p>
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22 – Halite - Winged Director <o:p></o:p>
Lovely light on the mama duck. Your title choice really added to this shot for me too! <o:p></o:p>
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23 – Marian - Falcon Eyes <o:p></o:p>
This image has great clarity and detail and may well have made my top ten.<o:p></o:p>
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24 – bfjr - Someone Calling Me <o:p></o:p>
What a great subject. I think better light and a touch more DOF could have really brought out some fantastic detail.<o:p></o:p>
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25 – samsplace - Scale Modeling Tools <o:p></o:p>
I really like the soft tones in this image and the concept is great. There's something missing for me that I can't put my finger on, however. Maybe it's lack of a specific focal point.<o:p></o:p>
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27 – photman - In Search Of Food <o:p></o:p>
The green stuff behind the bird is just so distracting to me, otherwise could have been super nice.<o:p></o:p>
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28 – cmorganphotography - Colour, Scale, Sky <o:p></o:p>
The theme is a little too subtle for me to grasp here, but I certainly do commend you for all of the thought you've put into your image.<o:p></o:p>
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30 - Michael Atkins - 16lbs of Cuteness <o:p></o:p>
Very cute! I totally didn't see the scales when judging, however. I guess because I kept bouncing between her eyes, which needed some more light, the big pink flower and the yellow shoulder strap.<o:p></o:p>
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31 – shatch - Point of view and 5' apart <o:p></o:p>
Really neat idea. The composite needs some finessing, but what a great interpretation!<o:p></o:p>
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32 - eL eSs Vee - Zoom <o:p></o:p>
Great interpretation. I guess pictures of cameras have just never done anything for me. Sorry.<o:p></o:p>
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34 – mycaptures - Longest Beak on the Block <o:p></o:p>
I truly love this, I just hate that the tail is missing.<o:p></o:p>
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36 – puzzledpaul - Nature v Greed - A fine balance <o:p></o:p>
Once again, a great concept, just a touch busy for me. I think a wider view of the scale on a white background would have had more impact for me. I do love the snail though and kudos for all the thought!!!<o:p></o:p>
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37 – sunita - Balancing Act <o:p></o:p>
Lovely colors here and a great interpretation. I'd love to see a touch more dof here to really bring out the texture of the feather.<o:p></o:p>
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38 – jeffmeyers - Try Me <o:p></o:p>
Definitely feathered, very nice<o:p></o:p>
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39 – jrnlyst - Maillot Jaune<o:p></o:p>
Fantastic idea and really nice comp. The pp work just has too many flaws, however. The flash is a tad harsh and the sticky tape is overly noticeable. Really great idea though, truly.<o:p></o:p>
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40 – jwear - Eye 2 Eye <o:p></o:p>
Totally cool to have the eyes in there and meet both themes. I just couldn't get past the cut off legs…sorry!<o:p></o:p>
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41 – mwgrice - Jailhouse Rock <o:p></o:p>
Definitely a different subject. It's missing something for me though…maybe more dramatic light?<o:p></o:p>
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42 – SciurusNiger - Watching The Dawn <o:p></o:p>
Gorgeous light, perfect pose. Really nice.<o:p></o:p>
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43 – Firetreee - Feathered <o:p></o:p>
Totally feathered. Maybe with both birds in the frame it may have had more impact as I could see the full interaction.<o:p></o:p>
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44 – tamplum - Feeling Clucky <o:p></o:p>
What a handsome fellow. A sharper image could have been great!<o:p></o:p>
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45 – NikonsandVstroms - Metaphyte Scales <o:p></o:p>
This one definitely made my first cut and I lingered on it for a while. Maybe a touch more dof would have shown the texture of the scales better. I still like it though, a lot.<o:p></o:p>
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46 – TPBinKC - Wavy Skin <o:p></o:p>
Great subject, just not so fond of the shallow dof for this theme.<o:p></o:p>
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47 – bkatz - Relaxing in my pool <o:p></o:p>
Cute frog. Not seeing feathers or scales though.<o:p></o:p>
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48 – imax - There Goes Tokyo <o:p></o:p>
Great concept here. As with my own past experience, however, I think expensive Hollywood graphics tend to set the bar super duper high.<o:p></o:p>
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49 – Jet - Going back to the beginning… <o:p></o:p>
This too is a neat concept, just a bit too subtle. Bravo for thinking outside of the box though!<o:p></o:p>
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#17 Storm Sails (SunsetSailor) Beautiful study in blue monochrome. Compositionally, I love how the dark line of the bridge leads the eye into the image and toward the boat. The connection to the theme eludes me.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
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#18 The ABC’s of Playing the Piano (richtersl) I was originally headed in this direction as I was planning an image for this theme. So, other than that you stole my idea (just joking of course!), I love your approach to the scaled theme. The motion blur on the hands, the lighting exactly where it needs to be and the inclusion of the music with scales make for a very strong image. Maybe I could see a bit more contrast and more depth of focus to keep the music sharp.<o:p></o:p>
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#19 I Am Just as Big as You (Vanquiz) Your title pulls together a cool story to an otherwise very surreal image. The post processing is unique and compelling. I would consider cleaning up some of the little floaties, which detract a bit from the lines of the hippo.<o:p></o:p>
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#20 Plumage on the water (or a branch on a blue civic) This one wowed my daughter (as it did me as well). A simple and graphically bold, beautiful image. The fact that the components of such a strong image are so common and ordinary reiterates to me that not all beauty is exotic. Thank you for that lesson.<o:p></o:p>
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#21 Six Degrees From Pegasus (HoofClix) Lovely light on a magnificent animal is a start to a great image. But the headless horsewoman, the dark bush in the foreground and the glaring sign in the background all detract. The connection to the theme is only in the title.<o:p></o:p>
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#22 Winged Director (Halite) Time for self-critique, I guess. I liked that I got the mama duck sharp and the whole family lined up in a reasonable composition in a nice patch of sunlight. I would’ve liked to have gotten more depth of field to get the baby ducks in focus as well.<o:p></o:p>
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#23. Falcon Eyes (Marian) I would love to have such an exquisite bird portrait in my portfolio.<o:p></o:p>
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#24. Someone Calling Me (bfjr) Solid composition. Love the color and detail around the eye and the beak. I crave even more depth of field for more detail in the feathers.<o:p></o:p>
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#25 Scale Modeling Tools (samsplace) Creative take on the scaled theme. The lighting and B&W conversion convey a sense of a clean, well-lit workspace. The calipers and scale strengthen the connection to the theme. The placement of the other objects around the boat strike me as unnatural and contrived.<o:p></o:p>