These are my top-notch impressions of this weeks gallery as seen at http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery.html David Small (intermission) - I like the apocalyptically desolate feel of this image. If you had not provided an explanation of the reason for the chairs being there I would probably assume they were set up for the shot although some people might find it more mysterious. The different angles of the chairs gives them several different shapes although they I imagine they are identical. The foreground grass is just a tad distracting. Perhaps if your DOF extended from the chairs back to the horizon and threw the grass out of focus it would not distract me so. Being more color oriented I think this would look better in color with horizontal stripes of grass, water and sky. As it is, the layers that I would like to see don't really stand out. I like the way the camera angle works with the chairs though. Dan Mitchell (Outwell) - This is so painting-like it almost freaks me out. Beautiful balance of the tree exiting upper right with the canal curving to (from) bottom left, and the buildings on the left with the buildings on the right. The whole image floats back into the scene like the road on the left. The warm sun, velvety grass and the dramatic sky and the boats make this a beautiful, classic looking image. Jose Luis Vasconcellos (At Sao Francisco river, Brazil) - I really, really like this image and I really, really dislike having to scroll to see it all. I love the flow of the stripes, the folds of the fabric, the folds of the man's shirt, his posture and how they are all punctuated by the round spoon and can the man is holding. You have blended the surroundings and the man together so well. I also think the visible grain works very well. Excellent photo. Jim Snarski (The Red Umbrella) - Tough job getting all this detail into a 50k image. I like the vignetting in the sky. It adds a level of presence to the building. To me this image is like the mouth of a dragon with the scales on the roof, the teeth of the railing and the red umbrella victim it is about to devour and suck into the blackness of its mouth. Really neat and I would like to see a higher resolution version or a print. John Lee (Fireside Chat) - I really like how you have the light splitting the sculpture. There is nice detail in the shadows and the blown-out slash of sunlight works perfectly. Very nice. Elson T. Elizaga (Nurse of the Operating Room) - Nice font you chose for the giant copyright notice. Its simple, easy to read and not at all hidden or obscure. The white color also stands out well against the dark background. Jeff Spirer (A Place to Sleep) - Ah, reminds me of my navy days sleeping on a 2" strip of foam on a steel bed in a steel room and not too much cleaner than this. I really don't know what to make of this image. It could be someone's bedroom but then again it could be a basement sub-basement of some luxury office building. I just don't get a sense of context. Greg Fraser (Playground) - What pleases me about this is the single giant curve and how it relates to the straight lines around it. They are, in reality, supporting the curve but could be just the same attacking it with the help of the basketball net driving towards the curve's more vulnerable side. Or perhaps that 12 hour Xena marathon has had a greater affect on me than I thought. Bob Talbot (Euston Station) - First of all I love the mottled early/late lighting but what most impresses me is your use of that almost gaudy looking crosswalk. It sucks me in, pushes me across the street where I catch the edge of the road and travel into the cyclone of the monument where I travel in endless circles. Really creative use of the environment. I like it. jIMMY Harris (Another Couple) - Excellent joke jIMMY - graphic indeed! Did you use a flash on this? The wings seem to be reflecting light but I don't see any other signs of flash. Very difficult composition here. The leaf crossing the stem to the right of the lower butterfly looks like an angry fish about to attack. Roderick Chen (Bengal Cat) - This is like a high fashion cat shot. Beautiful pose, superb lighting. Even the pattern of the material in the background works perfectly. This is at least one of the best cat portraits I have ever seen. A-1. Andrew Terminator Davidhazy (after Edgerton) - From killing vegetables to de-nogginizing monarchs in effigy. Are you sure there are not other issues here Andy that you are not addressing? But seriously, do you have an FBI gun holder or was this just a lucky (and spectacular) shot? Have you had to upgrade the sound proofing in your lab since the media would have us believe gunfire has become an extra-curricular activity? Thanks to all contributors to this weeks gallery. Greg Fraser
