alex_medeiros

I think this is terrific. An image that makes me want to take several looks at it. Great use of shadows and lines and this type of image is not usually my thing. Thank you for sharing.

Just a comment about the location. I had the chance to visit last year and took mainly black and white shots. The racetrack does have a very rough dirt road to get to it. This is one long dirt road and took about two hours each way. You feel good when you can go 15-20 miles an hour. I wasn't sure if it was going to be worth it. As a matter of fact one guy coming back tried to dissuade me from continuing the drive. He said he went all that way and then he found out he couldn't drive his 4x4 on it!

I loved the location! Talk about isolated. This place felt so remote. It was a great adventure. Just make sure you have very reliable transportation. As stated above these tracks and rocks are the real deal. While I did not find lots of them I was surprised as some of them were larger than I expected.

 

Best wishes!

I really like this image! It is almost as if it were from a fairy tale. Well done!

This is a very interesting approach to the subject! I think the composition is strong. I would probably crop about a third of the base building still leaving it there for perspective put allowing even more emphasis on the stack and the smoke. Well done!

David, thanks for your response. In the end this is an effective image because it required the viewer to think about what is going on and want to learn more. Best wishes!

With all due respect, I'm not sure that I agree with your conclusion. It would be interesting to get more background information. Are you saying that tourists dumped this debris in the water or on the beach? It is just as possible that this debris is dumped by locals or off-shore.

I have witnessed cases where tourism has helped to clean up areas as most tourists have no interest in visiting areas that are trashed like this.

In many places off of the Phillipines local fishermen use cyanide and explosives to fish, devastating the reefs. In some cases, when local people realize that tourists will pay to visit pristine waters, it can provide an incentive to maintain the ecology for the long term benefit of the people and the region.

I am not claiming that the hotel/visitor industry is free of culpability, just that the picture is often much more complex than it may first appear.

I think you have captured a great expression and pose! It speaks of trust and vulnerability and does evoke emotion. It makes me think of my own daughter who is now 12.

On the technical side the highlights seem blown-out but it could just be the post (JPEG) or scan.

Well done!

I love this shot! I have hiked Mount Rainier many times. Where did you take this from? Gobblers knob? I would love to see a more detailed version. The large version has lots of JPEG artifacts. Well done!

I really like the blurred figure with the lighting. I would have been happy to have made this shot. Well done!

Overall, it is well composed. I would crop a bit off of the top. The tree is fine as a framing device but it is too heavy on the top. The light is nice and the overall image gives a sense of place. Best wishes!

While I can see the trash can, it's so dark it's difficult to see anything. Is this what you intended?

I'm sorry, but I think you are missing a key element with the lack of lighting on their faces. The composition is fine on the left but the onlookers are a distraction on the right. The placement of the tree immediately behind her head is also a problem. Just one opinion.

I am sorry, but this shot really doesn't do anything for me. There are some unique angles but I'm not sure what you are trying to communicate. The focus is obviously the weathered tree, but if so is there a reason it is cropped? The textures in the rock might be interesting but it is hard to tell with the scan and the lack of detail.

Yeah it does stand out. For me it is only mildly annoying. I still enjoy the shot. I like the overall mood of the lighting. Nice job!

Sorry, but this is basically a pleasing snapshot. There are distracting elements in the background, particularly the basketball hoop. Even a shallower depth of field here would have still left the background distracting. The posing and the expression are good. Look for different locations without the distractions so that the focus is on the subject.

I agree the lighting is lovely and my eye is drawn to hands, face and text. Maybe if the top of the frame was expanded just a bit?

Could you post this a little larger? It's kind of hard to see!

 

Just kidding of course. The smaller image I see in the screen to submit a comment looks good. The immediate grass in the foreground is slightly distracting.

I really like the composition on this! This has a lot of JPEG artifacts and the skin tone is way off. Best wishes!

I have to ask - Did you use Portra 400 or NPH as it says in the details?

The scale of the tree adds interest when you go through your folder. The lighting doesn't work in this picture as the highlights are very blown out. Too much JPEG or is this digital artifacts? Best wishes!

What is your intended image? I am assuming it is the reflection in the car. If it is, I think the lamp post is distracting. You need to find a way to use the reflection to greater advantage. Contrast it with a person looking out or with some other focus. Best wishes!

I would probably go without the feet in the corner or maybe try using a much greater depth of field to render them in focus if you are wanting to include them. Best wishes!

Overall, I like this composition quite a bit. The flare at the bottom on some of the foreground keeps drawing my attention. Look for a way to shield the lens if possible. This spot is worth a return visit! Best wishes.

Detail is blown out in the highlights. Also, look at the details when it comes to backgrounds. I would either use something that is indistinct, use a shallow depth of field or have the background tell something about you or the person in the portrait. (Environmental portrait..). I like the clarity in the eyes though!

Overall I like this shot. The sky is great. The thing that ruins this for me is the RV in front. It takes away from the feel of the shot. While there was probably very little you could do about it, I would have tried to reposition from a different part of the harbor to eliminate it.