Greetings,

Time for more insightful critique from someone with the artistic eye of a
gerbil. Please take it all with a huge grain of salt. Believe it or not, I
have no artistic education.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465694 ("Rook" Ferris Wheel)
I like the composition, and the contrast between the castle and ferris wheel
in the background; they seem to tie the visuals together nicely. I would
have liked a little more light on the tower, but it may not have been
possible. Overall, a nice shot.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465695 (High Bar)
Not a fan of this one. the silhouettes don't tell a real story, the
background is too obsure, and there's not enough detail in the people to say
much.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465696 (Sunset on the Water)
Nice light, nice colors, perfect exposure, but a little too centered for me.
Again, not sure if any other composition was even possible, but it's a
little too much of a bull's eye for me.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465697 (Yawning Mutt)
(mine...)  It's buster, after a long day at the beach. He's exhausted. It
was a quick grab, and I wish I had more time to frame it better, but I still
think it's kind of funny. Taken with a 15mm Sigma fisheye.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465699 (Yellow Bug)
Bugs creep me out, and this is a nice detailed shot of, well, some bug.
Because of the angle, I can't figure out what kind of bug, or even what I'm
looking at. Easy for me to say...

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102494052 (The Safe)
Another of mine, and another literal translation of the mandate. This was a
safe that we collected from a deceased relatives home during the cleanout. I
had it at home, forgot about it, and then my son found it. Well, he would
not be denied. After many hours of pummelling it with hammer and chisel, he
was rewarded with two Kennedy fifty cent pieces, a pencil, and a bundle of
rubber bands. Yes, really. the coins are worth about a half a buck each.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465700 (2 Bugs)
Nicely done. Perfect exposure, sharp, nicely composed. The type of photo
that gives you a look at a world you never, and may not want to see. But
it's a nice catch, nonetheless.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465701 (Bucolic Path)
Nice enough scene, but the flat lighting and lack of a central compositional
item make the photo somewhat bland and uninteresting.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102486981 (Big Snapper)
I like the shot due to it's timing, not so much the technical quality or
composition. I also like the juxtaposition of the snapper and woman in the
background; pretty funny catch. What I do't like is the guy on the right
who's split in two; really distracting.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102486994 (Roots)
Another serene composition, but the colors seem a little cold to me. Nice
exposure and detail, though and a pretty pleasant shot.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102486997 (White Bird)
Nice catch of a bird, but a little underexposed, and lacking contrast. Maybe
a little PP in PS might have helped?

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465705 (Meadow/Mountains)
Nice color, nice exposure, nice transition from foreground to mountains to
sky. I might have cropped out a little of the foreground to get more detail
of the mountains, but that's just me.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465706 (Old Shed)
Another dead-centered composition,but the colors seem to tie together
nicely. Not a great composition, but the detail of the shot and the colors
save it from boredom. Not sure why, but I like it.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465707 (Instrument)
OK, I'm not sure what kind of instrument it is, so sue me. And I prefer
shots of musical instruments in excruciating detail since the craftsmanship
on them can be stunning, but using one as a figure study isn't bad, either.
Nice shot.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465708 (Moose)
I like Moose, even though I nearly hit one this summer while motorcycling in
Maine. Luckily, for me, I missed. What let's me down in this shot is
exposure; the moose is lost in darkness. Yes, my screen is calibrated. Maybe
a little "shadow/highlight" in PS could've helped?

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465708 (Water's Edge)
One of my favorites in the group. I like the colors and how they tie
together. I love the transition from water to light sand to dark sand, from
small rocks to larger rocks, and from light to dark. Nicely done.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465710 (Tree)
Another "nature transition" shot, this time from light to dark, and from
brown to gray. I like the detail and composition, but I really like the
previous shot better.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465711 (Fence Post)
Well, I think it's a fence post. Not a fan of this shot, either. Seems to be
out of focus, and I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be looking at.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465711 (Pets)
Nice catch of the cat and dog, but seems a little soft. Good lighting. I
don't like the way the arm of the chair cuts the dog in half, but what are
you going to do?

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465713 (Child in B&W)
Good composition, but the lighting, while nicely angled, it a little harsh
and contrasty for such a "soft" subject. Also, I'm not sure what the child
is doing since, due to the angle, I can't tell if he's laying down, leaning
in a chair, etc. But, I like the shot. Yes, I'm a sucker for kid shots.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465715  (Old Man)
I love this shot. One look, and you want to know his story, whatever it is,
or if there even is a story. Tough lighting, but good exposure nonetheless,
and a great expression on the man's face. Very well done.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465716 (Rose on the Bench)
Nice try, but the rose looks like a neon light, and I don't care for that.
No detail in the petals. Maybe I'm just missing the point of this shot?

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465717 (Frog)
Nice catch of the tree frog. Good eye contact, perfect exposure, nice
background. Focus is dead on the eyes, where it belongs, as well. I like
this one.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465718 (Horse Running)
Nice pic of the horse, but a little bland, and the horizon looks a bit off.
What I like is the timing of the shot; how it catches the horse's mane in
flight, the horse in mid-spte, the tail flying. The fence post under the
horse's head is a little distracting, but what are ya gonna do?

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465719 (Wet Flower)
Nice use of grain/noise to set the mood of the photo. Everything about it
say "somber," from the slightly toned B&W look to the dampness on the
petals. Very nicely done.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465720 (Carnival Rides)
OK, this is one of those shots that I'd really prefer in color. Carnival
rides are usually very colorful, and the combination of motion and color
might improve this shot. The other thing I don't get is the w--i--d--e
border. Give me more picture and less border...

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465721 (Window)
I like this effort more than the previous, but the damned huge border still
takes away from the shot. Due to the size of the border, the shot is small,
and hard to see. Maybe it's my total lack of artistic appreciation, but I'd
prever more pic and less border.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465721 (Ken and family?)
Ken? Is that you? If so, my compliments! Nice family, and very nice shot.
However, I'd feel remiss if I didn't find something to complain about, so
why crop just above the knees? I really prefer either a full length shot or
a crop at the waist. Cutting people off at the joints bugs me.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465723 (Smokestack)
A little bland for my taste. the stack and smoke stream are good, but don't
stand out enough from the cloudy background. The bird isn't prominent enough
to be a strong visual element.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465724 (Hallway Perspective)
Nice perspective shot. I like the arrangement of elements, the use of B&W
instead of color, and the motion-blur of the people; makes them less
distracting so they don't take away from the repeating elements on the wall
and ceiling. If it was mine, I'd have flipped it horizontally, but that's
just my western "left to right" mentality talking. Nice shot.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465725 (Reader)
Another shot I'd have flipped, but the composition works well with the
lines, the reader's eyes, and the light leading you to the paper. Even the
grain on the floor seems to lead you to the central compositional item, the
paper, not the reader. Another good one.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465726  (Decaying Wall)
Strange shot. Why? Well, for one thing, I seem to keep staring at it for no
reason, and the more I stare at it, the more it looks like a face. Could be
the cognac, but I doubt it. The exposed rebar frames the window, the curvy
lines at the bottom all add up to a nice composition. I just don't know why.
'Cause I'm stupid, I guess.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465727 (Buildings/Sky)
Gorgeous. Love the colors, repeating elements, relationship of shapes from
side to side (from a distance, it looks like a Escher-like work), and the
perspective. One of my favorites. Love the transition of color and light
from top to bottom, as well.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465728  (Fight?)
Not sure what I'm looking at, really. Two girls fighting? Playing? Wretling
over a carrot? Don't know. On-camera flash, dead on, not a great shot, but
it does make me very curious about what in hell is going on.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465731 (Street Scene)
Not a bad shot, but I tried this one in B&W and for me it worked a lot
better. The composition seems to work well for shades and textures, not so
much for colors.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465732 (Greens)
Another mood shot that really doesn't do it for me. But, I can certainly see
this hanging on someone's living wall since it's a uniform color, a decent
composition, and can fit into a decorating scheme. Unlike others, the
cropping doesn't bother me and it seems to work in this shot.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465732 (Suspension Bridge)
Nice bridge shot, but there's no reason to have the left side of the image.
Why not shoot this one vertically and make the bridge more prominent? I'm a
sucker for good bridge photos, but can't figure out why this was shot
landscape.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465734 (Bored Traveller)
Good attempt, but I'd have preferred more light on the subject. I know your
options are imited here, and this may be as good as it gets. And I can
certainly sympathize, as a frequent business traveller, with the bored
expression on her face. You can only listen to the iPod for so long, watch
the bad entertainment, and listen to your seat mate yabber on for so long.
Good shot.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465735 (Old Dodge V8)
A simple shot of a rusting old truck, but the colors, the medeival standard
blue/rust, the light on the grill, and angle of the shot make it a good take
for me. YMMV, of course. Plus, as someone who grew up working on B-Block
Dodges, it hits a soft spot. What can I tell ya...

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465736 (Misty Landscape)
Nice landscape shot! I might have cropped the forerground a little tighter,
but overall, it's a nice catch. Good light, nice timing of the fog/mist, and
the tele compression make it work for me.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465737 (At the Beach)
Another shot that loses it for me due to flat lighting. Seems a little
monochromatic to me. tough place to get good exposure due to the reflections
off the water and sand, but it's right on. Horizon seems a little tilted, as
well. I might have chosen a lower angle and longer tele to compress the
apparent distance between the people and the trawler.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465738 (Horses)
I like the colors, the composition, and the poses and expressions on the
animals. The attachment between the mother and colt/fillie is nice, as is
the look at the wobbly knees of the younger horse. I might have preferred a
little more background blur, but that's just me.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465742 (Sydney Harbor Bridge)
I look at this shot, and can't figure out why the shooter used vertical
orientation instead of landscape. The bridge seems cramped in the frame, and
there's too much water and sky. Aside from that, it's a nice shot, and
reminds me a great deal of the signature shots of the Brooklyn Bridge with
NYC in the background. Except those are usually shot horizontally.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465742 (Bug on Stick, Water Drop)
Nice catch, great background, perfect technicals. What kind of bug is this?

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465744 (Bug on Stem)
Even nicer than the previous, the lighter background provides a nice
backdrop, but does not overwhelm the subject. The reflection of the flowers
in the water drops is a very nice touch. Nice shot.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102494054  (Stones on the Water)
This is a shot with potential, but in desperate need of good lighting. The
lighting is flat, and as a result the shot is kind of cold. Late or early
day lighting would create shadows and contrasts, as well as warming up the
shot.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102494056 (Norma Jean)
Looks like classic butterfly glamour lighting. Good model, decent pose,
exposure spot on. Facial expresion is good, but my problem with the shot is
the cut off on the limbs. It's Marylin, not Venus, so keep the hands in the
shot, please.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102494057 (Street Musician)
Another shot, like the old man, that makes you want to know the guy's story.
Lighting is harsh, but I doubt anything could change that. The expression on
his face seems to be a "1,000 yard stare" which leads you to believe he's
having a hard time.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465745 (Sunset/Dock)
Nice tranquil scene, so tranquil there's not a hing of a breeze moving the
flag. Nice light, good exposure, good colors. For me, this shot just screams
"end of summer." Which is a total bummer...   :-)

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465746 (Chairs)
What odd coloring! Seems to be monochromatic, but there seems to be a hint
of color here and there, like the plant pots. Maybe my eyes are playing
tricks, maybe the shooter is playing tricks on me. Either way, the shot
works for me since I keep staring at it, but don't know why.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465747 (Daisys?)
Nice color and exposure, and somewhat reminiscent of fireworks. This is a
tough subject to shoot successfully since macro flower shots have been
beaten to death in the digital era. Not too bad, but seems a litle soft. And
the dead flower(s) seems to keep jumping out at me.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465690 (Old Gas Station)
Is this Bodie? Looks like it. Nice composition of the old car, ancient
gravity pumps, and the town in the background but it seems underexposed, and
I can't see the detail I want to see in the car and pumps. I'd like to see
thisone after a little PP to bring it up a little and with a little more
shadow detail.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465691 (Water/Stacks)
Nice location, but might have benefited from lower lighting and horizontal
composition. The stack at the left is cut in two, and the horizon seems a
little tilted. The sky, fading from dark to light works, but there's too
much of it and not enough water. A higher shooting angle might work, as
well.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102465692 (Water/Stacks-2)
This shot works well in vertical, but I would have cropped out the dark rock
on the left and shown a little less foreground. Lighting aside, it's a nice
composition.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102488004 (The Stands, From the Rear)
I love this shot! What a great perspective of the stands at a game, race, or
whatever. Lighting is nice, color is uniformly nice, and it looks like the
shooter used a tele to compress the perspective a bit which helps keep it
"flat." Good job.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102488007 (Water/Sky)
Nice shot, but the darkness on the left seems to a bit heavy. Try a much
longer shutter speed to lose the distracting detail in the water ad blur it
a bit. Yes, a bit of a cliche, but I think it would work here.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/102488009  (Macro Flowers)
Nice color and exposure, but a jumbled composition. Not sure where to look
since the focalpoint seems to drift inand out, leading you eye all over the
shot.