>>> 2.1 (Moving Forward): Critique/Discussion Thread

DoctorIt · May 26, 2008

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: Moving Forward

Your judges were:
Vandana
Greensquared

Greensquared:******************************************
Notes on my voting system:
I have stayed away from all of the challenge threads for the past two weeks (the hard part!). I had my husband download all of the images with titles only and remove any copyrights after the entry thread closed. I had no idea whose image was whose. I individually looked at every image, giving points for technique, creativity, styling, composition, originality and meeting the theme. I then wrote feedback for the image before moving on to the next. When I was completely finished doing this for every entry, I then pulled my top ten highest scorers. At that point I went to the entry thread and assigned names (that was the coolest part!).
It has been an honor judging all of your work!:barb

MY TOP TEN

#2 – pyroPrints – O, that way madness lies
Smack on the theme. Love it!
:lust

#5 – shatch – A Change of Heart
Very creative. Without the title, I would have thought more "indecision", but the title pulls it together with the theme. The heart shape created by the outline of the image is a nice, subtle touch and my only suggestion would be to clean up the black areas a touch more to emphasize that. Also, the red line through the head on the right could do with being removed. Overall, excellent job.
:thumb

#17 – Velvet Ride – The Power of Moving Forward
Brilliant! Powerful, emotive, and technically very well done.
:clap

#18 – redklaus – Going Home
Way cool! I love the pp choices. The only suggestion I have is to crop some off the bottom, losing the railing.
:lust

#20 – jvismara – All Together Now
This image has a lot of initial impact and makes me want to know the story. The title lightens the mood, which was kind of a let-down for me. Composition is nice, but would prefer a little more space on top.
:clap

#21 – crayzphotography – to get to the Other side
Haha!!! Love it! Very well done technically and message is loud and clear.
:rofl

#22 – eoren1 – Baby Steps
I love this one. Fantastic compositionally…perfect use of leading lines as well as rule of thirds. The crop is great with my wish is that there were a touch more space to the left so the one toe wasn't cut.
:bow

#37 – NikonsandVstroms - Porter
Excellent use of repetition. I love the angle and pp choices too. Theme is more implied than obvious, but this image has a great feel.
:clap

#39 – Hoofclix – With Full Hind Sight
Really excellent shot for clarity, color, comp, exposure and definitely love seeing all four shoes! Title pulls it all together…great job!
:clap

#50 – Kubben – Paddling the high seas
LOVE it! Absolutely awesome comp, color, crop, everything!
:bow

Vandana:******************************************
Here are my top 10. It's been difficult choosing these. Some pics that are not here were technically perfect but didn't excite an emotion in me. Others I felt didn't fit the theme. In order of entry -

8. Davev - Moving on - nice motion blur, the stormy skies seem to go well the theme.

17. Velvtride -power of moving forward -wow, yes, lots of power.fits the theme. very cool !

18.Redkulas - GOing home - wonderful composition, you've caught the fun of a train ride. I feel like I'm sitting in there watching all that graffiti go by. nice processing too.

22. eoren1 - Baby steps - well done !.love the composition, the crop. emotionally charged without being too obvious. lovely

24. Jeffreax2 - Released - Love the joy and anticipation in all those faces. the star above seems like the wonderful future awaiting each one of them ! Love it.

37. Nikonsandvstroms - Porter - like the perspective, maybe a slower shutter speed, more motion blur might have been better..but it's difficult to find fault. Nice BW.

38. Imax- debt consolidation - Interesting take on the theme. Like it.

40. swintonphoto - burning pain - a powerful shot. yes, the caption adds to the shot and to the emotional impact, but yet the chinese writing, the bleakness of the shot are powerful in themselves.

41. Karrie Mcd - One life - the ghost of a woman passing thru, trying to move on..very touching

50. Kubben - paddling the high seas - very nice composition..the peaceful, relaxing 'moving forward' of kayaking..very nice.

Discuss! Discuss!!

Tango · May 26, 2008

swintonphoto!!! loved your entry!
topped my list!

doctorit, along with our c&c should we post my top ten here in this thread? or we doing that somewhere else?

DoctorIt · May 26, 2008

AaronNelson wrote:

doctorit, along with our c&c should we post my top ten here in this thread? or we doing that somewhere else?

This is your thread, you can post any type of critique/challenge discussion you want. We're not doing that official/unoffical business anymore.

Dig in and tell us why you think cswinton's photo was the best...

Give us your top ten...

Whatever you want!

Shudderz · May 26, 2008

My favs....

These (besides my own of course:D) are my favorites.
(I know this is not LPS, but I liked being able to know right away which images someone was talking about without having to go back and search through the entry thread for it. Putting all the images together like this seemed the easiest way.)

These are the images I felt first of all met the theme and secondly stood out above the rest for one reason or another.

when I have a chance, I will come back and add my thoughts as to why I chose the ones I did.

mmmatt · May 26, 2008

I was most impressed with niconsandvstroms image http://i25.tinypic.com/2d8es05.jpg (even though I"m a devout canon/speed tripple man

) Great perspective, great contrast of the slightly imperfect strait lines formed by the floor bumps with the curved ceiling of the tunnel. I thought this was a very stong image. I don't know if this was a crop or shot vertical but I thought that was a good call as well. The vertical view really accentuates the "floor to ceiling" of the shot.

my $.02
Matt

swintonphoto · May 26, 2008

AaronNelson wrote:

swintonphoto!!! loved your entry!
topped my list!

Thank you Aaron! I am very flattered and glad you liked it. I think it accurately represents the feelings of the people.

-Jonathan

Cameron · May 26, 2008

DoctorIt wrote:

Dig in and tell us why you think cswinton's photo was the best...

Hah - I wish it were my photo - that is SwintonPhoto's picture. We're actually brothers so it can get confusing.. cswinton..swintonphoto..

I'll get back and comment on my favorites in a bit

Denise B. · May 26, 2008

My favorites

DoctorIt wrote:

This is your thread, you can post any type of critique/challenge discussion you want. Give us your top ten...

My favorite photos so far have been in no particular order:
VelvtRide The Power of Moving Forward (the power in that truck is amazing!)
darkdragon "Enron style" (love your sense of humor)
imax Debt Consolidation (love this picture!)
TPBinKC Looking Up (great photo and I love the colors)

I really enjoyed looking at all the photos, these were the ones that really stood out for me though.

Cameron · May 26, 2008

My favorites & a few comments
My favorites, in order of appearance in the thread, are below. I didn't include mine but it is, of course, worthy of note

A Change of Heart - shatch
http://www.dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=829593&postcount=5
This photo fits the theme very well and was a well executed composition. The photo has an ethereal feel to it - I love the emotion conveyed and the feeling of movement. The lighting was used creatively and adds to the theme. A unique and impressive photo.

Moving On - davev
http://www.dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=829963&postcount=8
I'm a sucker for a good long-exposure shot. The exposure was good, it fits the theme well. The use of a small aperture (f/22) was a good choice both for allowing a long exposure and the star-burst pattern in the lights which resulted from that aperture. As for composition, the 3 lanes of traffic lead your eye from the bottom of the photo to the center and up to the city-scape - overall very pleasing. It doesn't hurt that it's a very pretty photo.

Baby Steps - eoren1
http://www.dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=832343&postcount=22
This is a photo that when I saw it I thought "I should have thought of that". My entry was also of a baby (note, shot before this one lest anyone think I copied.. <grin>) so it's a subject I like. I love B&W photos and it was well used in this photo. Color would not have added anything. The contrast difference between the foot and surrounding areas quickly draws attention to the center of the frame. I liked the use of a narrow depth-of-field to further isolate the subject (f/2.0). The space between the boards on the deck leads the eye up to the toes - nice composition.

Released - Jeffreaux2
http://www.dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=832714&postcount=24
There's nothing like the feeling of graduating and "moving forward". Overall the photo has good contrast and captures nicely the excitement of the event. The use of vignetting helps focus the viewer to the center in what could otherwise be a very busy frame. Additionally, the vignetting gives a nostalgic feel to the photo which works well. The shutter speed was fast enough to freeze most of the action and guarantee a sharp shot but allowed for some blurring and sense of motion. A fun picture of what was likely a very fun event.

Porter - NikonsandVstroms
http://www.dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=834702&postcount=37
A very well done black and white image. I loved the composition. The patterns produced by the flooring lead your eye into the distance and the lines on the ceiling parallel these floor patterns. This doesn't fit the theme quite as well as some of the others [for me] but it is such a strong image in other respects that I feel it deserves some recognition.

Debt Consolidation - imax
http://www.dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=834849&postcount=38
This image was a creative take on the theme which I liked a lot. The white ash is nicely contrasted with the color from the card and the flames, drawing your attention to those areas. The composition is balanced and the eye moves around the frame without many distractions.

Burning Pain - swintonphoto
http://www.dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=834893&postcount=40
Lest anyone suspect Nepotism, I noticed the photo before seeing who took it (we're brothers). Contrast and a narrow depth of field draw your attention to the incense in the foreground. From there, the flow of the smoke leads the eye nicely into the distance and back around, following the trail of incense - great composition. I think Jonathan does more in B&W than anyone I know, so that wasn't a surprise

but it also works well. The cool tone reflects the message of the photo. Nice use of a current event which fits the theme.

VelvtRide · May 26, 2008

This is my first time offering any type of critique(more of an opinion, really) - not sure how helpful they'll be, but I sure loved these below.

I love the composition and the lights in the darkness. The colors are fantastic and it makes me feel like I'm missing something in the world.

This looks like a sketch using colored pencils. Again, the colors are what captivate me. Makes me wonder where the train is going, where it's been and what the passengers lives are about and how they'll change when the train gets to it's destination.

This is just outstanding. Colors, black and white - awesome the way the water is surrounding her. I absolutely love the smoothness of how the water is covering her face and the look as the shutter snapped.

Everything is smooth in this photo - I love the way the paddle is slicing into the water like butter. A hint of the kayak, nothing on the horizon but sky and clouds... beautiful composition.

pyroPrints.com · May 26, 2008

Full Feedback (if a little short):

jeffmeyers - The New Day Wars Against the Darkness: beautiful image, but theme connection a little strenuous.

darkdragon - "Enron Style": interesting idea, but doesn't quite do it for me

shatch - A Change of Heart: very cool image

Netgarden - for Survival: nice, works well with the theme. Could benefit from a little noise removal and sharpening.

Pat664422 - new growth: nice image, but a little generic.

davev - Moving On: Well done, nice filter.

ifocus - The Moment prior: interesting idea, but doesn't quite do it for me

ConfusedUs - Steppin' Through: interesting idea, but doesn't quite do it for me

pemmett - For the cause: it's certainly interesting, though not sure how it relates to the theme

Travis - She's going the distance, she's going for speed: well done, fits the theme very well. I would have tried using curtain flash to freeze the motion a little bit more.

MrsCue - Another year older: nice, but has that snapshot quality

mmmatt - Waiting for her world to change: image, though a lot of noise in the darker spots

achambers - Out Of The Mud: cool shot, better colors than your first shot

tag - Waterfall forward into summer: nice shot, but nothing grabs my attention

VelvtRide - The Power of Moving Forward: Very cool shot

redkulas - "GO"ing Home (GO Trains): good shot, but way over processed. would be much better if this was sharper

Tentacion - I Feel the Need For SPEED: works well with the theme, but a lot of noise

jvismara - all together now... : interesting shot

crayzphotography - to get to the Other side... : i really, really like this shot. top 3.

eoren1 - Baby Steps: i don't usually go for baby shots, but this is very well done.

Vanquiz - Fly To The Sun: doesn't do much for me =c/

jeffreaux2 - Released: very nice, sharp shot

puzzledpaul - Life after the 'op': doesn't do much for me =c/

dcorrin - SOARING EASTWARD: nice shot, but nothing grabs my attention

hawkeye978 - Renewal: nice shot

Shudderz - Soul Flight: interesting. is that selective contrast i see?

wesscott - Contemplation: it's a really nice shot, but it seems like the opposite of the theme

jrnylst - Warm Up: nice shot, but no umph.

KurtPreston - Smartly, with Precision and Grace: nice.

kwalsh - Forwards, Backwards and Sideways: interesting

cmurph - trot on: nice shot, I'd blur the background, and up the contrast

jwear - Move OUT THE WAY ---PUT DOWN THAT DAM CAMERA AND HELP ME: very interesting and funny shot

JAG - ...and jumping for joy in the rain: ok image, but something's missing, not sure what

NikonsandVstroms - Porter: beautiful image, but theme connection a little strenuous.

imax - Debt Consolidation: maybe almost too conceptual?

HoofClix - ... With Full Hind Sight: woohoo floating horsie =c)

swintonphoto - Burning Pain: Insence Burning in Chinese Temple for Sichuan Earthquake Victims: nice shot, theme connection a little weak

Karrie McD - One Life/One Step At A Time: interesting, would be better if you got a longer shot of the person walking

explorish - no parking: theme connection is a little weak

thegreenegg - Moving On by Moving Forward: interesting

NeilL - Breakthrough!: i don't get it

samsplace - Moving Force-First, Second, & Third Gear: nice shot, nice car, would be better if car was moving =c)

CSwinton - Learning to Stand: trying to move forward huh?

Dee - Fast Forward: well done

The Curious Camel - Full Speed Ahead...:tiny boats are awesome =c)

mwgrice - Stride: would be better if you dragged the shutter like you did, but also dis curtain flash at the end

Kubben - Paddling the high seas: nice shot, I like the low angle

SunsetSailor - Braving the Elements: moving forward verrrrrrrry slowly?

Eric&Susan - A Kid at Heart: fun photoshoot?

RoguePhotographer - Time Goes On: =c/

TPBinKC - Looking Up... : very cool shot

fashiznitsngrins - Onward And Upward - One Leg At A Time : creepy, but cool

aktse - Full Speed Ahead : nice shot

Jwill - The Final Parting: i don't really get it? is he throwing something away?

JFreeman - A Clean Shave? :very well lit, and shot photo. the concept is a bit of a stretch but it works

Shudderz · May 26, 2008

pyroPrints.com wrote:

Full Feedback (if a little short):
Shudderz - Soul Flight: interesting. is that selective contrast i see?

I admit there was a bit of enhancing done to the one monument, but at the same time, it was made of different materials than anything around it. The stone was a white marble, everything else was grey. The figure was metallic instead of stone, so the way it reflected light was completely different from everything else.

I removed a sprinkler and moved the text that was on her stone.....the quote was under name and dates, simply moved it up.

Before (straight out of camera) and After:

(forgive the watermarks......taken from a different gallery online and don't have time to repost w/o marks)

NeilL · May 26, 2008

VelvtRide wrote:

This is just outstanding. Colors, black and white - awesome the way the water is surrounding her. I absolutely love the smoothness of how the water is covering her face and the look as the shutter snapped.

You describe my pic very beautifully, VelvtRide, thanks! I'm glad you like it!

Neil

The Curious Camel · May 26, 2008

pyroPrints.com wrote:

Full Feedback (if a little short):

The Curious Camel - Full Speed Ahead...:tiny boats are awesome =c)

Thanks, I appreciate it. They are a blast!!!

Peace, gail

Jwill · May 26, 2008

pyroPrints.com wrote:

Full Feedback (if a little short):
Jwill - The Final Parting: i don't really get it? is he throwing something away?

Thanks for the feedback. The guy in the image is throwing away a full cigarette packet - giving up smoking. It might have helped if I'd had a cleaner background behind the motion, and also a side light on the subjects right to make a motion trail.

VelvtRide · May 26, 2008

Denise B. wrote:

VelvtRide The Power of Moving Forward (the power in that truck is amazing!)

pyroPrints.com wrote:

VelvtRide - The Power of Moving Forward: Very cool shot

Thank you both for the nice comments. I had mucho fun with that thing - amazing power. I have an average lens for my 10D, but on that day, I ran into a Canon rep that let me use a 100-400 L lens to play with for the day.

VelvtRide · May 26, 2008

Jwill wrote:

Thanks for the feedback. The guy in the image is throwing away a full cigarette packet - giving up smoking. It might have helped if I'd had a cleaner background behind the motion, and also a side light on the subjects right to make a motion trail.

Until now, I hadn't noticed the pack of ciggs in the photo. :uhoh

puzzledpaul · May 26, 2008

<< puzzledpaul - Life after the 'op': doesn't do much for me =c/ >>

... well, if you're not anticipating being able to walk / hike (properly) again - after having had a replacement hip joint fitted - I don't suppose it would ...

Thx for taking the time to comment, tho

pp

pyroPrints.com · May 26, 2008

puzzledpaul wrote:

<< puzzledpaul - Life after the 'op': doesn't do much for me =c/ >>

... well, if you're not anticipating being able to walk / hike (properly) again - after having had a replacement hip joint fitted - I don't suppose it would ...

Thx for taking the time to comment, tho

pp

That makes more sense, i though it was some kinda climbing gear <img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6029383/emoji/mwink.gif" border="0" alt="" >

NikonsandVstroms · May 26, 2008

Thanks everyone so far for the good words about my shot. The connection with this theme is more conceptual, the shot was part of a group of three possibilities I had where instead of showing a direct representation of something "moving forward" the idea is that by laying out the composition in this way the viewer is the one "Moving forward" through the image.

As for other images. The one that grabbed my attention was "baby steps" because I see some aspects of photos by Arno Minkkinen especially with the wood on the bottom and the use of body parts without showing the whole figure

pemmett · May 26, 2008

pyroPrints.com wrote:

pemmett - For the cause: it's certainly interesting, though not sure how it relates to the theme

PyroPrints, Thanks for the feedback - let's just say I was a little short of time and a bit desparate to get a photo in the first round

Eric&Susan · May 26, 2008

pyroPrints.com wrote:

Full Feedback (if a little short):

Eric&Susan - A Kid at Heart: fun photoshoot?

Yesterday was a nice day so we took the kids to the park. They were off playing on the slide, you can almost make them out at the top left of the pic. I was sitting on the swing watching them and holding my camera. I remembered the theme and thought why not:D

Thanks for taking the time to give feedback for all of the entries.

Eric

Tentacion · May 26, 2008

pyroPrints.com wrote:

Full Feedback (if a little short):

Tentacion - I Feel the Need For SPEED: works well with the theme, but a lot of noise

Yup, I guess it would have noise, due to lack or no lighting that was available, this was done at very HIGH iso, Fast Shutterspeed.

If you have never attended a Slam Bam Roller Derby event, then perhaps you don't know the conditions involved, you have to be faster than fast, pan your shots, follow the skaters thru your view finder around the rink, all the while the sweat is pouring down your head due to the heat (Florida), and be able to catch them at a precise time, and most of them want the shots when they are slamming their opponents....no studios lights or high flash is allowed as you may distract the skaters or blind them as they are making the turns on the curve.

Please feel free to look at the rest of my derby girl event's photos at
www.dpstudios.smugmug.com .

There is one photo of a "blown out" ref. jumping in front of me as a couple of derby girls were about ready to crash into me...I kept it as a reminder, that I have to be FASTER...

Thanks for your comments they are appreciated!
Donna

PS: These are a few of my favs. (no particular order)

# 12 Travis (Great Motion Blur and Selective Focus)

# 18 Redkulas (Nice Post Processing Work, Very Clean)

# 37 NikonsandVstroms (Like the Monochrome tones, and angle of capture. This Looks Like Boston "Red Line")

#39 Hoofclix (Nice Detail, Color Contrast, and Timing, I also like how you captured from the back to indicate moving forward).

# 44 Neill (What can I say, original, I Love Water Shots, nice presentation, and I loved that touch of color

# 51 Sunset Sailor (Great Detail, Awesome Angle of Capture, Nice color contrast)

eoren1 · May 26, 2008

Great Job!
Excellent work everyone!
And thanks to those who commented on my image - greatly appreciate all the kind words. Never would have taken this shot if not for the contest.
Here are my comments/critiques on the lot:
2 pyroPrints.com - O, that way madness lies: Very nice image. Fits the theme perfectly. Top 10.
3 jeffmeyers - The new day...: Wish there was more foreground to complement the sky. Doesn’t quite fit the theme for me.
4 darkdragon - Enron Style: Nice image. Would have preferred having the entire left hand in-frame.
5 shatch - Change of Heart: Well made! Took me a while before I noticed those subtle details - the face in profile sitting in the blur. And, for some reason, what looks like a puppy to me on the right side of the blur... Top10
6 netgarden - for survival: Nice capture. Doesn’t quite hit the theme for me.
7 Pat664422 - new growth: Would have liked to see this one with a wider aperture to give a more pleasing bokeh/isolation of the flower.
8 davev - Moving On: Very nice shot. Fits the theme very well. Good job. Top 10
9 ifocus - The Moment Prior: Wish the face was turned a bit so I could see some emotions. As-is the shot lacks a dramatic element (though the mood is set well with the fog).
10 ConfusedUs - Steppin’ Through: Would have preferred having the girls coming towards the camera.
11 pemmett - For the cause: Nice processing to give this a post-apocalyptical feel. Gun is cut off and the expressions don’t quite seem to convey either pride at being survivors or a sense of ‘don’t mess with us’ that I would expect from this scene.
12 Travis - she’s going the distance: Good concept. Just a bit blurred. Would have liked to see the arms and face sharp to separate them better from the movement in the legs.
13 MrsCue - another year older: A nice capture of an important moment. Wish the backdrop was thrown into darkness to provide for more separation from the subject.
14 mmmatt - waiting: Too noisy and too far from the subject.
15 achambers - out of the mud: Nice capture. Flare distracts a bit. Otherwise well done.
16 tag - waterfall: Great scene and very well captured with good detail in the shadows and highlights. Wish you had a different lens and could have grabbed a bit more of the bottom of the falls and the area to the right.
17 VelvtRide - Power: Great capture. The subject is excellent. The smoke and fire...compositionally very strong. Wonderful use of the theme. Top 10.
18 redkulas - “Go”ing home: Nice scene with good post processing. I like the futuristic feel that the treatment lends it. Well done. Top 10
19 Tentacion - I feel the need: Good subject but wish you had opened up a bit and tried to slow down the shutter to allow for some nice panning to bring in a sense of motion.
20 jvismara - all together now: Great shot. Subject fits well with the theme. Excellent timing and exposure. Well done. Top 10.
21 crayzphotography - to get to the other side: Excellent theme interpretation. Nice DOF.

22 Mine - thanks again for the comments!

23 Vanquiz - fly to the sun: Nice use of the zoom effect. Doesn’t quite hit the theme for me.
24 jeffreaux2 - Released: A great moment very well captured. Fits the theme well. Great B/W conversion. Top 10.
25 puzzledpaul - Life after the op: Not sure what this is...
26 dcorrin - Soaring eastward: would have been awesome to see what was at the top of that streak. As-is, the subject is too small in the frame.
27 hawkeye978 - Renewal: Lighting is a bit strong and I wish the shot was framed/cropped differently. Would have preferred to see a just-opened flower isolated from the rest.
28 Shudderz - soul flight: A great statue and wording. Light is a little harsh in the background. Early am/late evening would probably produce a better mood for this one.
29 wesscott - Contemplation: Welcome to dgrin! A very nice shot with good use of fog. Doesn’t quite fit the theme for me.
30 barrotj - out of the dark: A nice flower shot. Catching a newly budding one or one in the midst of decay would have fit better with the theme.
31 jrnylst - Warm Up: Nice capture. Would have liked to see some movement in this one in keeping with the theme. Panning with a snowy background would have been really nice.
32 KurtPreston - Smartly: Excellent capture of a great aerial display. Just missed my top10
33 kwalsh - Forward, Backward and sideways: Very cool! Great timing and impressive capture. Good light and exposure. I wonder what Shay’s pano crop would look like on this one. Made my top10
34 cmurph - Trot on: Nice subject for the theme. Wish this was captured with either more motion blur or in another part of the stadium as the spectators are quite distracting - mostly because of the number of empty seats. Panning would have helped erase this I think.
35 jwear - Out the way: Very humorous. Wish the guy in the foreground was a bit sharper though.
36 JAG - and jumping for joy: Nice capture. Light is a bit flat and we lose the rider’s eyes which detracts a bit.
37 NikonsandVstroms - Porter: A DC capture! I never thought to take this perspective of the Metro. Very cool shot with wonderful DOF and B/W conversion. Made my top10
38 imax - debt consolidation: A good concept that is very well captured. Just missed my top10
39 HoofClix - with full hind sight: This says Moving Away to me more than forward. Would have preferred some detail of the horse and riders’ faces
40 swintonphoto - Burning pain: Nice shot with great composition and use of B/W. Without the subtitle, I’m not sure I would have gotten it for the theme. Just missed my top10
41 KarrieMcD - One Life: A nice concept. Lights are a little overexposed.
42 explorish - no parking: Not clear on the concept. Doesn’t fit the theme for me.
43 thegreenegg - moving on: Not sure I would have gotten it without the intro. Nice composition and exposure - especially for a play.
44 NeilL - Breakthrough: The angle leaves me confused as to what the water is - a pool or something else. Probably would have preferred her head in a portrait orientation.
45 samsplace - moving force: Would have preferred to see the car moving as the engine itself doesn’t say ‘moving forward’ to me. Also, the Camaro in the background distracts a bit.
46 CSwinton - Learning to Stand: A cute shot. Would have liked to see the young guy walking that early-toddler walk to give a sense of moving forward. Also a lower angle might have offered a view of his expressive face.
47 Dee - fast forward: A nice action shot. The image lacks some sharpness on the kite surfer’s face and has a bit too much noise. Would have liked to see the kite included provided it was fairly low.
48 The Curious Camel - Full speed ahead: Took me a second to realize this was a toy boat. Very nice capture with the boat moving toward the viewer. Nice spray. Well composed and captured. Just missed my top10
49 mwgrice - stride: A simple concept but very well done. Great panning and blur (including the shoes). Nice diagonal formed. Just missed my top10
50 Kubben - Paddling: Welcome to dgrin! What a great shot! Perfect DOF, composition, exposure. Love the diagonal formed by the oar and water. The saturation is also well done. Made my top10
51 SunsetSailor - Braving the elements: A nice turtle shot with great DOF. Doesn’t quite hit the theme for me.
52 Eric&Susan - Kid at Heart: Great concept. Nice job of keeping good focus and just enough DOF to show the kids and playground in the background. Probably would have preferred bare feet.
53 RoguePhotographer - Time goes on: Simple concept. Works with the theme. The shot would have been improved with better masking from the background/wall. Also, some movement in the second hand via longer exposure would have helped.
54 TPBinKC - Looking up: Nice shot. Well exposed and composed. Is this an airport or some other structure? Doesn’t quite fit the theme for me.
55 fashiznitsngrins - onward and upward: A nice shot. Would have liked to see this guy up close (ie macro) with maybe a crop to focus on his moving feet.
56 aktse - full speed ahead: Good concept. She seems isolated though - as if this is just her on the ice. Would have liked to see other players/fans to liven this up a bit.
57 Jwill - final parting: Great capture - can’t believe you managed to get the Dunhill in such focus! A great concept for the theme. The yellow is distracting and I can’t help but wonder how this would have played in black and white.
58 JFreeman - clean shave: Nice composition, capture and expression on the model. Doesn’t quite hit the theme for me - especially without the shaving cream it doesn’t seem like he is really ready to move on and shave...

crayzphotography · May 26, 2008

pyroPrints.com wrote:

Full Feedback (if a little short):

crayzphotography - to get to the Other side... : i really, really like this shot. top 3.

Thank you! just made my day. I was a little unsure about my entry, it was a little silly but I felt it fit the theme well.

My top 3 in no order.

A Change of Heart Great shot, Amazing long exposure result

.
all together now... Great lighting!
A Clean Shave? Great Expression! That is about how I look right now after a long fun weekend, back to work tomorrow:cry

Thanks!
-crayz

Cameron · May 26, 2008

eoren1 wrote:

Excellent work everyone!
46 CSwinton - Learning to Stand: A cute shot. Would have liked to see the young guy walking that early-toddler walk to give a sense of moving forward. Also a lower angle might have offered a view of his expressive face.

Thanks for the comments! I agree walking would have been nice... check back in a few months.

I also agree with your suggestion for a lower angle - thanks.

JAG · May 26, 2008

Nice work everyone!

eoren1 wrote:

36 JAG - and jumping for joy: Nice capture. Light is a bit flat and we lose the rider’s eyes which detracts a bit.
..

Thanks for those who commented. Although I agree that not seeing they eyes is a distraction...and I should have chosen a shot that shows the face more...(hard with the hats though)... the "bit flat" is because of the pouring rain storm that was coming down. A very dark sky and pouring rain isn't the best to shoot into....but I was under a cover tent!

I do appreciate the commments as I have never shot at a horse show before and helps me for future shoots.

As for my favs...
#5...shatch....I have studied this image and really like it. I am at aww on how you did it!

#8....davev....super job of slow speed shooting!

#17...VelvetRide...love this shot! Only thing I want to know is did he ever get his muffler fix??...lol:D

#24...jeffreaux2....That is a really sharp capture that really tells alot. The joy on the faces and the overall festive mood is captured forever in a frozen moment in time. I like the fact you did it in black and white.

#35...jwear....that is such a priceless capture! Nice you had a camera handy! It brought a smile to my face.

#38....imax....a very strong photo composition! Nice work!

#40...swintonphoto.....great work. Nice composition, dof is superb and I like the black and white for this composition.

#41...Karrie McD....I like the ghost like figure here....very nicely done.

#44....NeilL....superb editing and image!

#54....TPBinKC....what an unusual image! Talk about being in the right place at the right time! I like it.

HoofClix · May 26, 2008

I'll be back later to put in some critique, but wanted to say, "ain't it great to be back" to many who've been around for a while, and "welcome to the forum" to a few fresh and talented faces in here. There're a lot of really nice images there. I will make one specific comment here.. Jwear, you made me laugh!

As for my entry, moving forward, away, sideways, or backward, thanks to those who appreciated my "tail-on-cheek" use of an everyday equestrian shot. I'll get more serious for future challenges!

jeffreaux2 · May 26, 2008

cswinton wrote:

Released - Jeffreaux2
http://www.dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=832714&postcount=24
There's nothing like the feeling of graduating and "moving forward". Overall the photo has good contrast and captures nicely the excitement of the event. The use of vignetting helps focus the viewer to the center in what could otherwise be a very busy frame. Additionally, the vignetting gives a nostalgic feel to the photo which works well. The shutter speed was fast enough to freeze most of the action and guarantee a sharp shot but allowed for some blurring and sense of motion. A fun picture of what was likely a very fun event.

Shudderz wrote:

These are the images I felt first of all met the theme and secondly stood out above the rest for one reason or another.

when I have a chance, I will come back and add my thoughts as to why I chose the ones I did.

pyroPrints.com wrote:

jeffreaux2 - Released: very nice, sharp shot

eoren1 wrote:

24 jeffreaux2 - Released: A great moment very well captured. Fits the theme well. Great B/W conversion. Top 10.

Thank you all for the kind remarks on my journalistic approach to the challenge. I was excited when I saw the theme since I knew that my son and daughter were each graduating...one from college and the other from high school ...during the allotted timeframe. I envisioned this ahead of time but sadly no hats were thrown at my son's graduation. I arrived early to get a good seat, and wasn't shy about positioning myself when the time was right. I was stoked when I had three excellent frames to choose from, but this had the most hats! I had several events during the timeframe to choose photos from including a huge bash for a ladies 90th birthday with her blowing out 90 candles....and I also photographed a graveside service that was very moving, but this held the most energy. It was a painstaking BW conversion, but since it is such a busy frame, color simply wouldn't work. I did use a vignette to lead the eye, but also made the decision to hold and even enhance sharpness and contrast in all of the ares of the photograph simply because the more I worked on it, the more I liked looking around at each individual face and the joy that was evident. The title was a no brainer. The kids throwing their hats...freedom from high school.

Thanks again!:D

achambers · May 26, 2008

pyroPrints.com wrote:

achambers - Out Of The Mud: cool shot, better colors than your first shot

Thank you. I was a little farther away this week so the flash didn't wash the colors out.

eoren1 wrote:

15 achambers - out of the mud: Nice capture. Flare distracts a bit. Otherwise well done.

Thank you. Unfortunately the lights are where they are, I catch them a lot.

HoofClix wrote:

As for my entry, moving forward, away, sideways, or backward, thanks to those who appreciated my "tail-on-cheek" use of an everyday equestrian shot. I'll get more serious for future challenges!

Don't feel bad, my entry came from one of my bread and butter everyday shots too.:D

jeffreaux2 · May 26, 2008

Faves
My 6 favorites.....(other than my own of course...

) There were many fabulous entries. For some, I could not see without further explanation how they fit the theme, but I thought that all of these listed fit very well...in addition to being wall worthy images.

In no particular order-

- Baby Steps-eoren1- Not much to critique here. It fits the theme well and was well executed. I like the choice of aoerture. Very nice!

- The Power Of Moving Forward-VelvtRide- Excellent exposure and theme fitting as well. I think it could be better if the truck and flames weren't centered, but I still get the sensation of movement. Nice job!

- Moving On-davev- I like the energy and sense of movement here as well. Very well done.

- to get to the other side- crayzphotography- I like the treatment you gave this shot. The contrasty richness does it for me. That bird is definately outta here!! Very well executed.

- All Together Now-jvismara- Nothing here to critique. Nice capture!!

- She's going for distance, she's going for speed- Travis- I wish the side walk weren't there, but that is being nitpicky on a superb image. Sweet!!!

Best of luck to all of you.

>>> 2.1 (Moving Forward): Critique/Discussion Thread

Comments