my_pics

That appears to be a young male, not quite mature enough to stake any claims. Nonetheless, his face, I don't think anyone would disagree, is the power of this image.

 

Too bad he's not chomping on a warthog or wildebeest. The Thompson's Gazelle (Springbok) being eaten in this picture is my favorite in the gazelle/antelope family. Their pronking, especially in concert with many, is a great thing to see. Well, from this angle, it appears to be a Springbok. But, alas, the food chain has to stay in place.

 

Again, kudos for the capture of the powerful intensity in the lion's face.

Will, no offense intended to you. :-) An architect and I have been close friends for at least a decade and we have spent hours discussing renderings. Very important to an architect is how and from where light strikes a building. Modern, high-end software allows the delineator to put light(s) from any position inside or outside the image frame. The software also accurately displays reflected light on walls that are not hit by direct light. Shadows and compound shadows are perfectly rendered. All this to say, yes, the lower portion of this image is soft. But it is accurate and since architecture is a serious art form itself, I like the lighting just as it is. If I were to make a complaint, it would be the loss of detail in the reflection at the top of the peak. But contrast manipulation cannot help that. You've a very fine image, Julius. I like it better than mine.

Very good! (This is the second of your images I've seen.) Skin detail is a real plus here. I know diffusers, etc., are popular to soften a pretty lady's skin; but this shot surely doesn't need it. Everything all the way "down" to the highlight around her nose is very good.

 

When I purchased my first camera '83 or '84, I also purchased a couple how-to books. I remember reading in one of those and since have heard it talked about on television that it is the eyes that make the girl. I know a lot of folk would tend to disagree; but this comes from some of the best. If the eyes aren't "alive," don't sparkle and are uninviting, then there must be a very different reason for the portrait for it to be a success. The eyes here are the jewels in a beautiful face. Pefectly focused and exposed.

 

Two tiny knit-pics. While the lighting on your subject is el perfecto, the "catch light" in the eyes and the shadow created by a flash bottom-left of lens axis tell a different story than that of the tropical, soft, warm light of a setting sun. Just a curiosity. :-) The other thing is, the hair across the eye is absolutely no problem for me. However it's going on across the top of her nose to the other side is the only thing, (IMO - which isn't worth much), I'd try to do something about.

 

Truth is: my humble portfolio has no portraits this beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

The warm tones/color are everybit as "warm" as she seems to be. Relaxed. Composition is good: I particularly like the "lines," placement of her arms and hands. The position of the head/face is very appealing. The touch of blue sky is a nice good.

 

My guess is that this is a mirrored image, considering which side her hair is parted and which hand has the wedding ring. If this is a mirror, I agree with you, the head to the left is more appealing.

 

Are the two lines in the top right area shadows or an attempt at cloning something out? Whichever, that's my only knit-pic in an otherwise wonderful portrait.

 

Regards

What we see is an overcast sky. However, there is strong, non-diffused light on the subject and sand. Perhaps the sun has found a spot beneath the edge of the clouds. What this does is add to the diversity of light detail. There are as many things done with the light in this image as there are textures. Very good.

I agree with Lauri. The distant arch is in good juxtaposition to the model's head. Add to that the hands draped over the knee adds more to the benefit of repeated pattern in a work of art. And if we want to take it the rest of the way, there is the same thing with the peak of the forehead surrounded by hair. Colors are very complementary. I personally am fond of blues and browns together. Side lighting is good all the way through the image and it appears you used a bit of fill from some source or reflected. The various textures are nice: skin, hair, sweater, stone, and pant leg. The eyes are very crisp and "alive." The causual pose is commanding. She appears very relaxed and content with the shoot. And...by the way...she is beautiful.

Placement of material in this frame (composition) is quite nice. I for one, do see the need to see the entirety of the bench. The jacket is bit "loud." Maybe it's just me; but I think it would've been nicer to have her looking wistfully "into" the scene, as though lost in it than to have this posed look. All in all though, a very nice photo. Cheers!

I tend to disagree with Thomas. Sorry, Thomas :-). Having begun doing some stargazing and astrophotography, here's my take. One, just as in studio photography, straight-on light as from an on-camera flash, "flattens" the subject. Here, the same result happened because the sun was behind the photographer; that's why the moon is "full." This flatness reduces detail considerably. Two, sometimes there are changes in the makeup of the atmosphere between viewer/photographer and the moon or deep space objects. That is, within the line of sight, rather abrupt changes are present which causes, if only minimal, refractions. This too, could explain the softness of this image and lack of detail.

Night before last, I had my FinePix S3 Pro (12mgpxl) mounted on the Meade-Schimidt/Cassegrain scope and was shooting with 4,000mm of focal length. That kind of power made it nearly impossible to capture the moon without the aid of the computer. The speed of Earth's rotation and lunar orbit is great. I had to plan ahead on framing of some part of the crescent (couldn't get the whole thing in the view). Even though the scope is mounted on a very sturdy Meade tripod, there is enough distance and joints between the legs and the scope as to allow for some shaking. Even steadily holding the shutter release cable, depression of the plunger caused vibration.

I don't see the standard linear blur caused by vibration in this picture. I just think the softness and lack of detail are due to the dirction of the sun behind the photographer and atmospheric conditions. Another thing that happens is dew, even the thinist layer can land on a lens pointing upward and diffuse the light. I have a "dew zapper" on order from Orion Telescopes now.

Yes, the image is lacking in detail; but I think this is one of those times the effort should get better marks than the results. :-)

PS: Maybe this image was loaded in image editing software and the stretching tool was applied? LOL. That would do it.

I see the ratings for this pic are rather average. However, I'm particularly fond of fanning lines. They are also especially nice in a 3, 4, 5 hundred dollar, hand carved, briar pipe. (I don't smoke them; I just know a good looking one when I see it, :-).)

Again, you've maxed out a bending of the Rule of Thirds. The rays fanning out from the lower right intersection is great...and so is the eye that didn't let the fleeting beauty escape capture.

Tree-mendous manipulation of perspective. Everything works...even the dark slope down to the sun and then horizontal from that point. Excellent exploitation of the Rule of Thirds. The silhouetted sappling is like the creme in a doughnut -- very, very good.

You've done a fine job of forcing the Rule of Thirds off the beaten path and leaving it well intact. Yes, your aperture choice is very good. It would be nice to see one stop smaller just for comparison . . . Then we'd like this one even better, lol. Colors and strong metalic reproduction makes this image jump. Well, that and the repeated patterns and fanning lines from the point of the pen. Not only are ther lines fanning out from the point, but there are two kinds of circular patterns fanning out from it: the brushed lines in the metal and the larger circles of the pen's construction. Again, the blues, silver with reflecting light and overall exposure are excellent.

Maybe the next view won't think so much of this pic; but there's a "lot going on" here.

Regards

Living on 80 acres of woodland and having shot every kind of leaf, petal, caterpillar and you-name-it, I've shot enough thorn vines to prevent me from calling this image original.

That said, your image is indeed very good. The soft, complimentary colors are very good. I don't know...I think I like the leaves at the top forming something of an (I know it's dumb) umbrella shape or framing. The two bright spots are a bit disturbing; but I know how difficult it can be to make everything out in the natural "perfect"...especially if you don't have a couple people to help hold background leaves out of the way or twisted around to prevent hot spots. It does appear you have some jpeg artifacts on the stem. I've had to learn about them the hard way...attached to pictures I otherwise very well like. For me, they show up most on just this sort of thing: small stems or the curve of bird beaks.

Don't ask me why, but here's a 7 for aesthetics anyway.

Cheers!

Wow! I very much like this shot . . . except that the "light" is too bright. The diffused light gives a nice surreal effect. Composition is good with the placement of the path and the framing formed by the trees. It would be nice if the bright spot did not wash out so much of the distant detail. There you go: my opinion and a buck seven will get you a 99 cent burger. :-)

Color cast is a bit red, especially noticable on the skin. (It may be the monitor on this new notebook.) However, the crispness is good. Both pair of eyes are good. (IMO,ahem, eyes are very important.) Even though you used on-camera flash, it doesn't appear this image is too flat.

While "everybody" is looking for those keen professional level creations, it is great to see this kind of real life in candid photos. And...it helps having two beautiful people, :-).

Regards

Yeah, that's a common problem with doing macro on little critters -- you move, it moves. Then, sheesh!, either the background or foreground or everything else becomes problematic. Here, you got stuck with a misplaced foreground leaf and most of it with glare. Exposure on the hopper is very good and I personally like the the translucence of the back lit legs.

DoF is not bad at all. Most of the subject is in focus and the correct part of the subject. It shows up nicly in the detail of the flower. The angle of the stem and wasp is good and I like it being on the left third. Colors, including background are complimentary.

Janet,

Composition is very good, even with the Rule of Thirds. The translucient layer of music is very, very good, even with the placement of each sheet. The front of the keyboard and just below is a bit hot. I don't understand the bright bar on the music stand.

Ever see one of those pictures you are not compelled to sit and analyze. You like it and are content with just that? To me, this is such an image. Yes, the composition is good with the Rule of Thirds and the young lady somewhat framing the window. The textures are complimentary. Patterns and detail are good. Well, there I went, being analytical. But really, this image is relaxing, just as she appears to be quite relaxed and lost in thought: memories or hope. Melancholy, that's it, melancholy.

 

Thanks for the moment of softness and in an otherwise get-with-it afternoon.

This image is vaguely reminiscent of the famed image of Pablo Casals with his cello by the world renouned photographer, Yousef Karsh. (Here.) The reasons being, lone musician, stark and seemingly cold, stoney room, back to camera and Black and White. Casals was seated and playing his cello.

If you will tolerate it, I'll share a short story about Karsh's image. Every afternoon, a young man would enter the gallery where the Casals portrait was on display. He would stand and gaze at it for lengthy periods of time before leaving. This went on for many days or longer. Overwhelmed with curiosity, the curator approached the visitor and asked him why he so studied the picture. Immediatly came, "Shh! Can't you hear the music?"

Your image is different enough so as not to be called a copy/cat and unique in texture and finishing touches.

Regards, Certo

Excellent use of the Rule of Thirds, repeated patterns/lines, textures and curve leading deep into the scene. Very beautiful.

Rule of Thirds, simple color scheme: orange and green and blue and gentle patterns and textures make this a fine picture. The spots on the legs almost look like the jpeg artifacts my Sony produces so well on small round things like insect legs and flower stems. This type of image is quite common; but again, you've done it very well. O-5 / A-7

Thanks for sharing.

IMO, this image approaches art form. The only two knit-pics would be: 1. The flame would be more attractive if it were not as washed out and showed a bit of color. But then I suppose there wouldn't be enough light to get the effect that makes the rest of the image so good. 2. Maybe it's just me, but it seems if there were something small to the right, it would give a bit more balance ??? I tried to imagine what. There's not enough table for anything to look good. Perhaps something on the wal behind. But if it were high, that would be bad and if it were low, where balance would look good, who would expect something that low on a wall?

So given that my two "knit-pics" are themselves problematic to this beautiful and as far as I know, relatively unique picture, 7/7.

One more thing: I don't often care for the frames people add. Just me, I suppose. But this one works very well.

Thank you for sharing.

How were you so luck as to be standing in the right place for this --perfect-- composition? Thanks for sharing this pic.

This is a fine image. The color scheme is simple and complimentary...even if the sky is a bit less than desirable. :-) The jets and their wings are long the lower "third." Especially good are the repeated patterns/lines. I like the curved, yellow guidelines in the foreground and how they turn and lead into the picture. ...Or are they leading the fighters out? LOL

Nice work.

I was going to use the word "stunning;" but I see Michelle beat me to it. :-) I'm just getting started in deep sky viewing and imaging. This image is very encouraging/inspirational. Thank you.