This January has been just horrible weather, and along with working alot it has made it hard to get new material. Meantime I relooked over the ones which did not make it....or did not make it yet. Be nice to just do this years images....this year, but.... so lets see what never made the cut for you and lets give feedback. Going to put them in full size I use for gallery, but less compression. This kind of feedback really helps me with things I want to shoot later down the road.

#2 Under a bridge

#3 Park Bench

#4 Prepping to row

#5 Some little white crest

#6 of course a duck

Ooooh ooooh ooooh, i love threads like this one. Beautiful selections Doug. Now here comes the result of the swedish jury: #1: Absolutely gorgeous!!! DEFINITLY something for the gallery. #2: I LOVE IT!!! Cant really put my finger on it, but it looks really futuristic in a way to me. Reminds me of a movie called "Equillibrium"...or something like that. Also gallery-worthy IMO. #3: Beautiful...but in all honesty, a little "boring". Probably cause you started off with two such amazing shots. #4: The way that her leg looks bent makes me quite nosiated. #:o( A very fine shot though. #5: Hes cute but rather dull isnt he? #6: Now this is a winner!!! WHAT AN ADORABLE LITTLE THING!!!! Gorgeous capture!!!!!! In conclusion....id go with 1, 2 and 6....maybe 3 too... Have a great one buddy!!!! #:O) MAS4EVA!!!!

Thanks andreas.... Lol yeah that little bird is quite nothing.
I was really hoping to catch that girl falling in the water though hehe, just that position looked so tempting to give a little push. My thoughts on the park bench was it is a little more suited maybe for a greeting card.
#1 I wish I had more of the web though.
Lets see more of these threads.
MAS4EVA
Now where is Kort with the new Simon...?

Message edited on: 01/27/2006 03:33

Woahhhhhhh 6 very different images and a lot to consider and write about all at once, but I'll have a try. Firstly you say you want feedback to help you in the future so I will try to be as straightforward as I can but these are just my feelings and opinions and don't reflect on you or your photography, just how I see these particular images today, and of course they may not be the views of everyone so take or leave the bits you find helpful. : )

1. First thing that strikes me is I love the colour a beautiful palette, you have taken it in great light to bring out the drops and a good mix with backlight. Your subject the web and drops are great contrast and great sharpness, I like the way the web leads into the central drop and the other drop placed further away to move the eye around the scene. For me it looks as if it should be a square crop as I don't see the negative space on the right as balancing anything or being necessary. It is a great idea to have a foreground out of focus and and nice plain background to keep focus on your subject but the bramble cutting across the frame does not work for me it seems to trap me either above or below it stopping a free flow around the image.

2. I like this one a lot a great surreal feeling and sense of depth. I would concentrate more on the depth and crop out a lot of the concrete at the top just leaving small stops to make it a panorama style image maybe with just 3 pillars as the main subjects. It would benefit from playing around with levels and curves to add a greater sense of depth and drama to it. I like this I would just play around with it a bit to make it suit my style and tastes.

3. Again fabulous colour and taken in a soft even light to make the most of them. The highest contrast area combines with the strongest colour and is up in the top left which for me drags and holds the attention all in the top left of the image. Not sure what the subject is: the tree which is grabbing all the attention or the bench which is placed perfectly on a power line third into the image. I get the feeling it should be the bench.

4. Spot on - terrific lines and triangles making a superb composition and all presented perfectly. I like the way the oars echo the shape made by her legs and arms and the triangles of the boats.
   Nasty mark she has got on her knee ; )

5. Great reference type shot of this little bird. Great pose and capture, could do with a little postwork just to polish the image and make the background noise disappear. I don't think it is dull at all !
   I would adjust: levels and curves to give the shot more impact and selective colours to eliminate noise and adjust the background.

6. You need to clone or paint in an eye !

Message edited on: 01/27/2006 04:05

they are all beautiful the only one i would be iffy about is the duck... awesome shots Doug!

#1 My eyes lock in on that awesome web, but at the same time I get the urge to bend down, so I get an unobstructed view of it! In other words...the thorny vine is distracting. All that foreground blur/dof doesn't work for me here! #2 - The subject matter is what grabs me... Industrial/abstract! The half solid/reflections pull me in! The only thing the bugs me is its a tad "off kilter" and leaning to the right. The cylinder on the left also throws off the balance (to me.) I think there are a bunch of cropping and compo options for this image! If you can return to this spot...and explore the space more, I think it would be well worth it! #3 This one doesn't seem clear to me...has a muddy look to it...(maybe the compression) #4 is just a great "slice of life" capture and you're right, it does look like she's about to "take a plunge" #5 Cute bird (not much to say here!) #6) Captured the feathery details really well here. Those 2 blades of grass are a minor distraction.

#2 is absolutely excellent!

Well what can a humble beginner say? absolutely brilliant! I really like the 2nd one, something different...

hi doug. It's really good that you are doing this and putting your work out here. Critique is the only way that you can go up to the next level. I hope this is not too 'harsh'? ^_^ 1. the web is fantastic, but thorn is obstructing the whole image. 2. i really like the subject matter of the second one, but how about lowering the camera so that the image is not so top heavy. Also changing the levels so make the colours more intense and surreal looking. 3. a bit of a 'regualation shot' i've seen many pictures like this before. the colours of the leaves are extremely brilliant though, so maybe get a macro shot of these? of the leaves on the grass, and the then the leaves on the bitumen(the constrast of the elements would be cool)? 4. i like this one, i can see the lil scar on her leg. Maybe make it more landscapy?? and maybe lower the angle a lil bit. 5. With the bird, I think the focus is a bit off and the colours are really too grainy. 6. The focus on the duck is really good. However the cropping is a lil off? the picture looks a lil cramped

1 & 2 for sure. The under bridge shot is my fave with all those reflections. 4 & 6 maybe. I like the play of lines in 4, and 6 is and excellent close-up. 3 & 5 no. While not bad photos, yes, 3 looks like it has been done before, and there is something about the compo that dosen't click for. The focus of 5 bothers me a bit and again there is something not quite working for me in the compo. My 2, hope it helps. Rain, rain, go away! I hope you don't mind, I played around with #1 a little. It is such a cool shot, but I wanted to see if I could do something more to bring out the reflections. If you decided to keep your current compo, then may I suggest skewing the top left to the left a little so that the supports are more vertical and don't lean to the right so much?

Oh yeah Kort...that is what I tried on it too, but felt it was too hard to see what it was, but looking again, it does do it justice. Might give that a go from the original. All real good critique here. Love it.

Wonderful shots Doug! #1 I agree that the thorny branch is a bit distracting, but I love the web and the drops. #2 is great. Very unusual. I like what Kort did. It evens it out a bit. With a shot like this, it doesn't really matter if you know what it is, it just have an awsome look with all those reflections. #3 has beatufiul colors, but it is a little muddled or something. Not sure, it's just not one of your best. #4 looks great. Everything is nice and clear with great contrast. I could see her taking a dunk too so it gets the imagination going. :) @ Andreas....my legs bend like that too, but I control it now because it does look weird. lol #5 is really cute. I just love little bird shots, but again, not one of your best. #6 I think is adorable. The eye is a little dark, but I didn't really notice until it was pointed out. I was mainly focusing on the detailed feathers. I like it that close. Well, I wasn't going to go into detail, but I couldn't help it. Great shots all around though. I may have to steal this idea again too. I have some questionable images just sitting here. :)

1. I do like this one but as mentioned the thorns detract from this image, but as far as colors go I really like this one! I wish you had taken more of it! 2. Is just awesome and I do love what Kort did with it too! I think this is my favorite of the lot. 3. I really like this image too! The yellow leaves draw my attention immediately and then I look down at the leaves on the seat of the bench and back up again. I like this one as well. Greeting card? Most definatley! 4. This would have been a really cool shot had she fallen in! ;) Kind of boring to me, but that is just my opinion. 5. I think this compo works and is actually a nice little shot! 6. Hmmmmm those things sticking out of the duck's bill draw my attention almost immediately, but they can be cloned. It is a shame that this duck's eye isn't visable either. Keep in mind that these are just my opinions and we all know what they say about opinions... LOL! Brenda :)

Doug,

My preference goes to #2 [ I know that you did not ask to choose ] but I love it and I hope you do not mind my suggestion :)

Carlos.

Sorry doug, i couldn't help it. I really like #2 & #3.

Jim you're next. ;^]

Sooo, when are we gonna see these added to your gallery? ;]