my beautiful italy Mill

I think John Rowsell is onto something here, too, Duncan. That would be a fun thread, but I think that we would want to get permission from "winners" if it was known that others were going to be offering their improvements. We would also need almost completely unmanipulated versions to start with.

We can already manipulate and upload our own versions under the rules, but a separate thread that began with unprocessed files would be great. It would be interesting to see what different people came up with in terms of post-processing options. It would probably also be good to have persons volunteer shots of their own, from which an editor or group selected one or more per week. It could be a real learning exercise, and something unique (I think) to Photo.net.

What would one call such a thread?

I would like to try it with this week's photo, but the natural colors have been lost.

--Lannie

This one is very beautiful! Great composition & colors.

Poor exposure poor composition, just exactly what is it that is suppose to demonstrate good photography here. Sorry to the person

who took the image but there is nothing here that demonstrates excellence in photography, or demonstrates story telling.

I think Michael's drastic crop to be the most viable alternative. Though I prefer the entire windmill, any sky from the building to the left of frame just doesn't make it. It's far too blown out. There's nothing left to burn in at far left. My eye keeps wandering to the bright spot. I think the only other viable alternative would be to pass on this one

I'm not convinced that the POW necessarily has to demonstrate "excellence in photography." I think the best discussions come from photographs that have aspects that people both like and dislike, but even if a photograph is severely criticized by a majority (and I'm not suggesting that's the case here), I (and perhaps others) can still learn something from the photograph through my own analysis and especially by reading the critical comments and suggestions from others on this site. As an example, I thought John A's comments were especially useful, and I learned something about photographs from his comments that I hadn't known before.

The notion of "excellence in photography" is a primary reason why I wish we could refer to this aspect of PN as a "critique of the week" rather than the "photo of the week." The expectations of those two titles are very different, and I think "critique" better expresses what actually happens on this forum.

Mid horizon is boring, neither earthy/watery, nor ethereal. No wow factors in subject, lighting, composition. Hill on the left is meaningless, clouds are too strong, the water has not enough ripples, no glorious setting-sun lighting up the side, with saturation cranked up to VIVID.

In spite of all the specific things that might be wrong with it, it manages--in its totality--to succeed in catching and holding the eye. I like it very much.

Congratulations, Giuseppe.

--Lannie

Stephen, maybe we could have both: a POW and a COW!

The first would be evaluated by how good it is perceived to be by quite a number of voters, after being nominated by a smaller group (elves or analogs of elves). The second would simply be subjected to analysis of the type often seen here.

--Lannie

Giuseppe is obviously a thoughtful photographer, and from the looks of his portfolio knows how to take a good picture. This is an interesting scene, and one no doubt that he 'had' to shoot. I doubt that even he would agree that this represents some of his best work. And to address what Stephen said above.....No, the POW does not necessarily need to 'demonstrate excellence' in photography. But I contend that there are many other images in the 'excellent photography' category that would still spur discussion and/or disagreement on many other counts. Meanwhile Giuseppe would not have to incur the dissection of a photograph that (I'm presuming) he may not have given a great deal of thought to capturing. So as not to be redundant, I find the same faults with the image that have previously been stated; however I do find it an interesting scene.

I believe Stephen Penland's observation is exactly why the elves make their choices