I don't usually comment on the gallery, but here goes: some contributors might
not be too flattered by what I say, but my remarks are offered in a spirit of
constructive comment. Overall, I found many of the submissions a bit ho-hum,
and some were not technically very good.
Anthurium, by RK
Shallow but perfectly judged depth of field really makes the flower stand out
from the background. Excellent quality for web purposes, and I would be
interested to know how it stacks up printed at 10x8 or bigger. A good shot
technically.
Fat Drop in Strange Terrain by Ollen Mullis
I don't much like the colour rendition here, it seems to me to be intensified
to the point where it looks totally unreal. There seem to be artefacts from
the scanning process in the right foreground, too. I would have tried, if
possible, to position the water droplet against a dark background, to highlight
it more.
Perched by Ira Crummey
There are just too many distracting things in this shot: the use of the 28mm
lens seems to me to have been a mistake, as the main subject (the seagull) is
neither dominant nor at the main focus plane.
Goalkeeper by Alexey Tikhonov
I like this one, it reminds me of the best work done by European photographers
in the 50's and 60's, when Europe was emerging from the war-time darkness. The
shot seems a little murky, but it is dynamic.
Summer Storm by Gianfranco Irlanda
One occasion where a sloping horizon really works! Lots of dynamism in this,
and the ducked head of the riders tells a lot of the story. A little dark by
normal standards, but it does also help to convey the stormy atmosphere.
Untitled by Steve Knobbe
This so very nearly works. As a study in shapes it is good, but the essential
element of the picture is surely that it is a residue only of the original
bridge. The framing does not illustrate this in any way, and so it becomes
merely a technical study instead of being evocative.
Details by Karoly Kovacs
This is a stunningly sensual shot. The low-key treatment is perfect, and the
smooth surface of the skin in the background is beautifully lit and rendered.
I am not certain which part of the model's body is in the foreground, but it
truly portrays the femininity of the model. One of my favourites.
Power lines by William Johnson
I have tried many times to take good pictures of cloud formations just like
this, without real success. Bill got it just right, but I am still debating
the power lines!
Tyshaun: A Memorial by Bill Peifer
A sad commentary on some aspects of today's society, and not only in America.
Bill had the impossible task of trying to encapsulate all the elements in one
frame: in fact, I think this is photo-essay material. Perhaps a future theme,
maybe 3-5 shots telling a story?
The Finish Line by Lasse Karlsson
A good action shot, with framing dictated by the width of the subject
initially. However, I feel that this shot cries out for severe cropping, to
eliminate much of the redundant foreground, and concentrate the viewer's
attention on the runners. It could lose the bottom third without destroying
the dynamism of the converging lines. The elimination of colour in the
background is interesting. I am not sure that the focussing was accurate: to
me it appears that the lines on the track in the foreground are sharpest, with
nothing else being critically sharp.
Strange Universe by Harry Baughman
Very intriguing shot - I can't make up my mind whether it is manipulated or
not! Love the colours and the concept.
Amy by Paul Stenquist
A nearly perfect portrait, made to look like a candid shot, just a little heavy
in the area round the eyes on my monitor. The lighting really brings out a
warm and sunny feeling. Some might criticise the washed out highlights of the
near shoulder, but I think it adds to the atmosphere of the shot.
Bitton by Ian Fleming
I like this a lot, I'm quite fond of old stations and trains myself. The
quality of the scan seems very good, which suggests that Ian's first attempt at
b&w development worked well. I have only one criticism: the figure half in the
doorway adds nothing, in fact positively is distracting, and I think it would
have been better if they were completely visible.
Little Falls IR by Chris Niesmertelny
Beautiful, ethereal quality to this - I gotta try IR sometime! Just
resuscitated my ME with the dodgy meter, so maybe next month...
John Coyle
(sitting back and waiting for the reactions)
Brisbane, Australia
-
This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe,
go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to
visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
