Críticas

BilboCA (734) 2009-10-02 21:13

Hi Colin,

I like very much the color you've captured in this lake. But even moreso, I really like the way that the reflection is combined with a transparent/translucent character that imparts a wonderful richness to the scene.

On top of these features, the sprinkling of red in the distant hillside and the details we can see in the foreground left, both above and beneath the surface, make this a special image, indeed!

Compliments,
- William

BilboCA (734) 2009-09-28 12:48

Hi, Jean,

Well, this was clearly quite a close encounter!

The subject is lovely.

Your photo is very well executed, especially considering that it is inherently candid! (Imagine asking the lioness to pose!)

Even though your subject is backlit, her features are very well defined.

I like her diagonal positioning across your frame, while the land still appears level.

I also like the echoes of tawny colors between the lioness and the dry vegetation.

Compliments!
- William

BilboCA (734) 2009-09-28 6:38

Hi, Ney,

Classic yes!

Clearly, it is shot so many times because it is such a special scene, both aesthetically and historically.

Your execution is excellent. The composition is strong, with a visually compelling foreground (the ruins), dramatic midfield (the sharp "nose") and the bright background (clouds and distant mountains) arrayed nicely in a diagonal across the frame.

The colors are attractive and the image is sharp.

Light management must be a challenge here because of the strong contrasts and high elevation (= extra UV). Did you use any filters? I'm guessing that a UV filter would help reduce the blueness of the background. A polarizing filter might also help sharpen the distant part of the scene.

Compliments!
- William

BilboCA (734) 2009-09-27 20:16

Hi, Luca,

Thanks for sharing this story with us through your photo and note. There is great value in this sort of documentary reporting about conditions for people working (and living) throughout the world.

There is much about the photo to like aesthetically. I like the colors: the rich blue sky, the green-blue pool, and the yellow sulfur cakes are striking in intensity. The steam creates a mystical quality. (The sulfurous fumes no doubt make this environment hellish when added to the enormous workloads of the miners, but that smell doesn't come across in the photo...) You've placed the elements nicely in the frame.

Compliments,
- William

BilboCA (734) 2009-09-26 9:37

Hi, Donato,

The features of this photo that initially caught my eye are the shimmering sea and brightly lit land against a dark sky.

I like the detail of the utility pole on the right and especially its reflection in the water.

After studying the photo a bit, I thought of some potential improvements, which I've tried through a WS post. The main goal is to put some extra emphasis on the play of light on the rippled sea surface. Have a look?

Regards,
- William

BilboCA (734) 2009-09-26 9:26

Hi, Roman,

This is a sharp and attractive photo of an interesting subject.

The building's colors are very interesting (even the rust-stained roof). The framing is excellent, with green grass below, blue sky above and trees to left and right.

I would have preferred the shot without cars in the scene, but I understand that this detail is not under the photographer's control!

Regards,
- William

BilboCA (734) 2009-09-26 9:11

Hi, Wolfgang,

Your photo displays an excellent composition of a most attractive scene with outstanding lighting and superb colors.

I like the repetition of threes.
(1) Three main zones in the frame: the grass, the autumn foliage, and the background (hillside, sky, and clouds).
(2) Three important details, nicely arrayed in the frame: the two buildings straddling the wedding party.

The low sun angle helps illuminate the scene to great effect.

Compliments,
- William

BilboCA (734) 2009-09-26 8:59

Hi, Pat,

I love the idea of the triptych, which conveys the action and adventure much more effectively than any single shot. You really need the first and second shots to set up the third.

You had a pretty slow shutter speed; I'm surprised that the action is so well frozen. I guess the telephoto plus polarizer required this. Do you think you got a large benefit from using the polarizer in this case? The scene doesn't seem to be too brightly lit.

Regards,
- William

BilboCA (734) 2009-09-26 8:47

Hi, Way,

As usual, this photo features many of your strong traits.
- Crystal-clear sharpness
- Excellent color rendering
- Compelling subject

Usually, I find your compositions superb. Here, there is a key element that I don't like: the placement of the very interesting tree against the very interesting distant canyon walls. Each of these components is visually complex and worth displaying. To have them overlaid, as here, creates in my eye conflict rather than harmony.

Regards,
- William

BilboCA (734) 2009-09-26 6:57

Hi Hoa,

You've done well with a challenging subject.

The strong contrasts in the scene pose inherent difficulties and yet you've managed the light nicely so that the color renderings are honest, the bright areas are not overexposed, and the darker areas are still nicely resolved.

I like that the dominant lines of the trees are vertical, rather than converging toward the center as often happens when photographing tall objects.

And including a human subject is essential to conveying well the sense of scale.

Regards,
- William