vicki_huynh

I like this shot a lot - the angle and the juxtaposition of nature vs. man-made objects is interesting. Have you thought about burning the clouds? They may be a little too bright. I also go back and forth about whether or not the trees in the bottom of the frame add or detract from the image.

Thank you.

Not sure, but I find the flag pole(?) to the left of the building a little distracting. Would it have been possible to move further to your right and cut it out of the shot? Other than this, the colors and sharpness of the sky and building are very eye-catching.

Since the woodpecker is the focus of this photo, it would be better to see him more sharply in focus.

I like the shape of the tulips and the soft light. However, the pansies in the bacground are distracting - they are almost the same color as the tulips so it's hard for me to just focus on just one thing. Consider making the rest the background behind the tulips momochrome.

Thank you.

very well composed. beautiful colors. i especially like the outline of the city in the distance and how the sky looks like a painting.

Thanks.

Will offer comments and critiques in return.

You have free access to such a fabulous model! I'm so envious.

 

I like the fact that here eyes are hidden and closed.

 

I really don't understand how the chairs could be the subject of this image (aren't there actually 4 of them, by the way). The title of the image and the fact that her face is out of focus (looks very pixelated) entirely detract from what is more or less a good composition. Focus on the eyes. Let the background go out of focus. Get a telephoto lens and take a step or two back if you have to.

Interesting photo, but I think it could be better if we could see more of the child's eyes. Perhaps, this would bring out more personality in even a somber expression. Two methods you could consider to achieve this:

 

1) Shoot a series so that you have a few where no bubbles are in front of either eye

2) Focus on the eyes and let the background go out of focus

3) Try both ;-P

Good light, interesting composition, and interesting depth of field. There are parts of the background on the left, specifically the gray area, which may be a little distracting.

I think your composition is very good, but I also wish that the image was sharper or that I could see more details. A wider tonal range would also make this image great by, perhaps, giving it more depth.

 

Love the concept, though. Very well seen and conceived.

Getting 6-12 ft. away and using a flash at 30% output would have been better. This photo is too dark. You're not really preserving any natural light effects when you are at this angle to the couple and the sun. The birds in the sky are distracting and the horizon is not level (which would be is less important if we could see the couple more clearly).

Nice composition and colors.

I love astrophotos. The colors and clarity in this one is very good (of course that's probably to be expected given the kind of equipment you're using). Is it possible to move the frame a little to the right to get more of the star in the upper right corner (without cropping out the large yellow red and bluish starts on the left)?

 

Oh, BTW, the "dashed line' effect with the light of the two largest stars also makes this photo more unique.

Thoughts, comments, and ratings appreciated. Thanks!

This image is a little boring compared to your "Simple Tree" and "The Cloudy Country Road," both of which, I think are really good, by the way. The colors in this image are not outstanding which leads me to wonder why you've decided to keep it in color. The widescreen format with the big black border on the top and the bottom aren't very flattering and makes it look like a strange version of a certain country's flag.

I just can't stop admiring this image: the tones, the composition, the selection and size of the elements, the idea expressed in the title. Good work.

I think, perhaps, the use of the Photoshop filter is a bit too strong (obvious or faceted) in this one. A slightly toned down version with smaller or softer brush strokes and a more photographic feel might work better for me.

Just one person's opinion but, perhaps, the flash on the subject and the leaf in the foreground is a little too strong (causing a slight flare on the wings). Would it have been possible to turn down the flash strength or step a little further back while keeping roughly the same composition and depth of field?

Hi Mark,

Long time not chat. Last time I came around, you had bats and loads of green spiral vine things. I really like the feeling this image evokes for me: something to do with a feeling of duty or devotion and a certain melancholy or sadness in carrying a fallen companion back to the nest after some big fallout. The colors and the 'time of day' you chose also help strengthen this theme (although, i'm tempted to use the word 'comrad' instead of 'companion' as a result). At the end of my ruminations, I think I am again left with the same feeling I got from the bat images: are these creatures displaying human emotions or are we just projecting our own experiences on actions born from animal instinct.

A few things you might want to try for kicks:

1) More texture in the object the ant is walking on (there already seems to be some there due to the uneven coloring).

2) A gradient in the somewhat flat sky (either top to bottom or around the sun).

P.S. The spiders are giving me the creeps. Sorry, Just can't bring myslef to stare long enough at those pics to conjure up any useful thoughts. I'm sure you're aware, but Mark Plonsky's specialty is portraying insects (even mundane houseflies) beautifully. If you haven't had a chance to check out hos work yet, you should give his portfolio a visit.

Best wishes for the new year,

She is adorable. Good job capturing her expression. Good use of depth of field (or zoom) to blur the bakcground.

 

This crop seems a little too tight to me. Consider including the very top of the subject's head and a little more of her neckline in future. Her face is also a little too blurry. With such perfect complexion, it doesn't hurt for us to see every detail!

The colors are the strongest part of this striking photograph. Although the straight forward composition is not entirely original, it works here because its symmetry helps us to better enjoy the structure of the building and the lighting. Nice work!

I like the composition and the soft colors too. Not every picture needs to hit you in the head with bold color to be a good one. The light coloring gives it a 'heavenly,' airy feel.

 

Since it was still early in the morning (and, I assume not too many people were out yet), using a tripod and a higher F-stop or a sharper lens to bring out details might make it better. Now that the image has been captured, try increasing the contrast (in a program like Photoshop) to see if you can come up with something you like better.