Vilma Zurc - Clouds
An interesting abstraction. It doesn't quite work for me. I think it's because the composition is a bit too static. I liked it better when I cropped it to a square with the diagonal cutting from corner to corner. That, however, might totally distort the photographer's intent, but then I'm not sure what the photographer's intent was.
Leslie Spurlock - The Coach
Nicely seen, with wonderful lighting and exposure. Good timing on the gesture. The long focal length does well to isolate the subject from the background, but I'm still distracted by the person immediately behind him. If this is from a negative you might consider burning down the other guy a tad when printing. There are also some white spots on the coach's arm and hand (and elsewhere on the picture) which could use spotting out.
Nitpick--if he's holding a ball with his left arm it would be nice to see some more of it.
Trevor Cunningham - The First Time I Heard Miles Davis
I admit to a little confusion with the title here: "I" implies to me a self-portrait, which I don't believe this is. Yeah, I know, poetic license and all that. Anyway...
An interesting look at old world meets new, I can only imagine what's going through his mind with a first exposure to a jazz great like Davis. There's a lot of information in the picture, but I don't feel overwhelmed by it--the composition works well. I enjoy the way the line of sheep/cows mimics the trees in the background. Good job.
I suspect I would like it better in a larger form. I'd like to see if those are sheep or cows in the background. Presentation is a little dark for my taste--it could use a little more punch. Scanned from a print?
Marilyn Dalrymple - Fall Shadows
My favorite of the week. There's an element of mystery here with what seem to be identifiable shapes, yet all is just beyond reality. I like the ambiguity. I could stare at it for hours finding new associations.
Not sure about the canvas texturing but I suppose that's about how it would look if it were printed to canvas and that would be a good thing for this picture.
Jim Snarski - My Work Is Done
A fading leaf on a tree. Nice back lighting. I disagree with the title. The leaf's job will now continue when it falls to the ground and provides nourishment for that which lives there. Eventually the leaf will break down and become part of the soil which will support another generation of leaves--and the cycle will continue. The job is never done.
Jim Davis - Cruising for Hens
M R Ducks. Technically maybe not the best photo, but pretty good considering the available light and high ISO. I'm still wondering when you're going to get around to investing in some real glass, like a 400mm f/2.8...
Morley Roberts - Reeds
Having seen similar photos (and having made one or two myself), this one just doesn't work for me. Usually made with still water reflecting peacefully, this one is different in that the water is more alive, but that's not enough to distinguish it. I wonder how the same scene would have looked with a long exposure allowing the water to blur. Maybe a different time of day with more dramatic lighting would help. Or a more dynamic composition...
Andrew Davidhazy - Splash
Nice sploosh, oh technical master. I grovel at the feet of your wizardry. I especially like the Mini sploosh inside the larger one. Also, thanks to those who did reviews last week, there was good food for thought there.
Cheers, Rich Mason
http://richmason.com
