mtmixon

I've always wanted to take a shot like this, with one individual sharp in the middle of a sea of blurry people going about their business.  The execution here is quite good, and I like the composition (with the three clocks providing a symmetry at odds with the otherwise chaotic movements below).  The one thing I might do is crop the photo a little at the top, so the top is just above the left-most clock.  The activity above that doesn't add anything to the photo, and is a little bit of a distraction.

My first visit to the Olympic National Forest. This was taken towards the

very end of the "good light", when there was still a little bit of color left in the

sky. I've seen photos like this before (with the receding diagonals of the hills

and mountains), but had never had an opportunity to take one myself.

Feedback would be welcome on what I did right, and what I could have done

differently.

A very serene scene.  Gorgeous pastel colors, and excellent framing, with the boat/fisherman balanced nicely by the land mass.  I agree with Matthijs, though...a tighter crop (some from the top and bottom) would probably make for a more dramatic image.

Just gorgeous all around (lighting, subject, composition).

A beautiful photo. The colors are rich, and you've done a great job blurring the waterfall and keeping enough detail in the rushing water (i.e. not blowing out the highlights).  The tree on the left creates a natural framing element, and the converging lines of the main waterfall and the small trickle above it lead the eye effortlessly to the center of the image, from where it travels outward again to explore the detail in the foliage and rocks.  The only thing I would fix would be the blown out bit of sky at the upper right edge of the frame...maybe just underexpose that zone a smidgen to keep the light apparent on the foliage while eliminating the bright bit of sky that competes with the waterfall as the brightest spot in the photo.  Nicely done.

The mood and colors are very evocative.  I balance of cold blue and warn orange/gold light is very pleasing, as is the visual balance of showing three lampposts vs. just one or two.  I also like the diagonal line that connects the lampposts with the window, arguably the strongest focal point in the photo.  The only thing I am unsure of is whether you need to extend the photo as high up vertically as you have.  I suspect cropping it about halfway down would still convey the same mood but keep the eye from wandering up into the far less interesting top half of the image.

Great framing, capturing the parallel conspiratorial mood of the statue and the children.  I also love how my eye is naturally drawn along the invisible diagonal line from the top of the front statue's head to the two children.  The only thing I might do in post-processing is clone out the sliver of moulding in the top of the frame, as it introduces a (weakly) competing diagonal that doesn't add anything to the overall photo.

As I highly doubt this was staged, all I can say is bravo for recognizing the photo opportunity when you saw it, and being skilled enough to frame it the way you did.

A wonderful photo.  The depth and framing are fantastic.  The only thing that bothers me is the obvious halo around the sun.  I like the intensity of it, as it pulls the eye from the climber, across the entire frame, but the halo is a (minor) distraction.

The photo without the tire would have been pleasing yet generic.  The tire clearly adds a unique element to this photo and gives it almost an otherworldly feel.  I also like how you use the tire to highlight the break in the pier, where the sun happens to be setting.  Very good framing.

Gorgeous depth and light.

A really dramatic photo.  It does almost look like the boats are floating in the clouds.  Compositionally, I like that there are three boats instead of just one or two, and that there's an imaginary line that connects them and leads the eye from the one in the foreground to the one off to the right.  The dynamic tension created by the subjects (the boats) and the brightness in the clouds in the upper half ensures that my eye explores the entire image and thereby sees some of the more subtle elements (e.g. the sliver of green trees, the differing blue hues of the hills in the background, the ripples in the water).  Nicely done.

This photo definitely exudes serenity.  I like how you've balanced the horizon, and how my eye travels effortlessly along the subtle lines in the water up to the brightness in the soft clouds.  The pastel colors really add to the overall feeling of calm.  I can see where an alternative version of this (where there was a lone boat or a bird placed somewhere off-center) would work as well, but the version you have is quite effective without any specific focal point (beyond the brightness in the clouds).  It invites the viewer to explore the entirety of the frame, which enhances the calming effect.  Really well done.

This almost looks like two different photos.  And while it caught my eye as I was scrolling through the images in the critique gallery, I'm not sure it works.  My eye keeps bouncing back and forth between the misty scene in the top half and the interesting lines in the bottom half.  The different blue hues are pleasing, but for me, this photo would have been improved by either focusing on the more dramatic portion (i.e. the mist swirling around the trees), or perhaps by positioning yourself in a way whereby the natural lines in the foreground led the eye to the misty trees instead of just meandering horizontally along the bottom half.

I liked how isolated this gorilla looked while napping, and wanted to

accentuate its visual weight against the massive slab of wall behind

it. Feedback welcome.

Wonderful, moody atmosphere.  Very rich colors.  Nicely done.

Stephen, you're right that crops are very personal decisions. :-) Not sure I would crop this as tightly as you have done, but I can see where you are going with it.  I'll probably play with this a bit more.  In looking at both versions, the "ideal" might be somewhere in the middle.

Taken at the new Turtle Reef exhibit at Sea World. There were a

number of windows to shoot from, but the light at this one was the

most beautiful and so I stayed there and waited for the turtles to

come to me. Feedback appreciated.

Stephen - I debated on the crop as well, and went back and forth.  At first I thought a tighter crop didn't work (it just felt "too" tight), but the more I played with it again after your suggestion, I do see the merit in that approach, as it does remove all superfluous elements and focuses the eye on the interaction.  Let me know if you'd crop it a bit differently than I've chosen to.

Thanks for all of the great comments.  I am really happy with this photo, especially given how unplanned it was (other than me being on the ground at the same time as my son and just responding quickly to a moment), and I'm glad it resonated with all of you as well. 

David - I've already taken thousands of photos of my son, and he isn't even 1 yet. :-)  Our daughters have gotten to the age where they run when they see me take out my camera, so I'm enjoying having someone around who doesn't mind the "papa"razzi.  

Mike - I've played around with larger apertures (e.g. 2.8) but don't find them to be as practical as f4 for these types of photos.  The background appears equally out of focus, but getting a good foreground focus with 2.8 is very difficult, especially with a fast moving subject.

Sam - yeah, I would have preferred a slightly wider crop (specifically for framing), but I think I'll just print this one with a border so that the entire photo remains even after it's matted and framed.

Thanks Stephen.  

When you're crawling around on the floor with a baby, you obviously

don't have complete control over lighting and composition (at least I

don't seem to). This is one where I loved his expression, but the

original image was too dark (due to him being under our pool table),

and so I had to do some dodging and enhancements in LR. Critiques and

feedback would be appreciated.

I came across this image via the recent Editor's Pick collection of baby photographs (congratulations!).  This is a very intimate and powerful photo...the vulnerability of that little head next to the hand and face of its parent is stark and compelling.  I also love how the baby is holding onto one of the fingers.  A really beautiful shot.

A photo of my dad and my son. Feedback and suggestions for

improvement are welcome.