LaSalle Park 21.5 BPP Joe Teixeira Pictorial Bronze
J2 Nice balance to this image. The little bit of distant island on the right helps with that. It feels a bit underexposed but maybe that#039;s the treatment the maker preferred. A bit more contrast, with some brighter whites might be worth considering.
Timed hands 26 HM DP Ed Espin Pictorial Master
J1 Nicely done. The side lighting accentuates the sharpness and detail in the hands, which makes them very interesting. The timepieces help to tell a story. Some fill-lighting could have been used to soften the shadow of the thumb and the dark shadows on the background, making them less obvious and distracting. Suggest darkening the image 2/3 to 1 stop for more drama. Add a slight vignette on the brighter areas of the background.
Rescued 23 HM BPP Jon Dun Pictorial Bronze
J3 artistically created image, good in black and white. excellent detail on the face where it matters the most and well composed. the only problem is the upper left corner where the dogs body practically disappears into white and all detail is lost (right corner looks great and would have looked best if matched the left).
Angry Bird 20 Jon Dun Pictorial Bronze
J2 Wonderful closeup portrait, from an impact perspective. Try adding some sharpening to the feathers and see if it improves the image. J3 a good attempt to photograph the character of this bird; there are some technical problems with it that prevents a higher score: the edges of the bird show clearly background blur manipulation, no tied to blur as much. bright yellow background is a bit distracting on the left and unnaturally brown on the top right. only one eye seems somehow sharp, rest of image seems to be over manipulated in processing and lacks clarity or detail. a less close up crop might have been better quality.
Viva Las Vegas 23 SPP Mike Moffat Pictorial Silver
J1 This is an interesting image made from an unusual vantage point. Suggest cropping the right side to just right of the vertical, metal divider to concentrate attention on the city. The digital display on the instrument panel is of interest, but distracts from the view outside. Try cropping the bottom to just above the digital display panel. Adjust the white balance for more natural colours. Bring down the highlights as many of the whites are blown-out. J3 composition and image interest is good. technically there are some things that lower the score: sky is a bit over processed, there are what seems to be reflections on the window on the right that look like dark faint shadows and most importantly he landscape is a bit overexposed and not quite sharp. applying the OCCC scoring: impact(impressive):2.5,composition(impressive):2.5 technical(less than standard): 1.5. Add Half point for the uniqueness of it being taken from the cockpit of the plane.
Trees and clouds 21 Ed Espin Pictorial Master
J1 This is very nice, but most of image is a muddy midtone with no true blacks and almost no true whites. Monotone images work best when they have more contrast. Suggest reducing the black point and adding contrast and/or clarity and de-hazing so as to introduce some pure blacks. This will add punch and impact to the image, as well as bringing out interesting detail in the clouds. This image is worth working on. J2 The composition is good. The exposure leads one to believe it#039;s either an infrared shot or a very low contrast image. It could use more sharpness. There are a number of little things that should be cleaned up, including the black intrusion upper left, little bits along the top and on the right edge. Admittedly, these are minor blemishes but do affect the overall quality of the presentation and therefore the score.
Hibiscus in the Rain 23.5 Geoff Dunn Pictorial Master
J1 Very nice image of the hibiscus amp; the water droplets add interest. The lighting & exposure are very good. The image is very sharp, perhaps a little too sharp, which makes the flower look crunchy and rough. Back off on the sharpness and/or clarity a little so that the flower looks softer. The subject is a little tight in the frame, so leave a little more room around the perimeter. Since the flower is pointing to the left, leave a little more room on that side to visually balance the composition.
Magnificent Frigatebird Gliding 22.5 SPP Mike Moffat Pictorial Silver
J2 Very sharp image but appears oversharpened or overprocessed to the point where it doesn#039;t look natural, and the subject matter screams that it should look natural. J3 lovely image why so oversaturated in color? you got a nice sharp image here that is well composed it doesn't need all this processing. would have scored it higher if it looked more natural.
Fishing Village 20 Cherylene Stimers Pictorial Silver
J2 Confusing whether the viewer is to look at the houses and boats or the rocks on the right. Image is badly tilted which immediately gives the viewer a negative reaction to the image. Need more exposure on the kelp and rocks in the foreground. All of these suggestions will improve this image.
Southampton Sunset Silhouette 20 Cherylene Stimers Pictorial Silver
J2 Exposure is good and there#039;s just enough detail in the ship so it's not a complete silhouette. However, the tilt of the horizon is the first thing that needs to be fixed so it's not tilting down to the left. A little noise reduction would also improve the image.
The Mystery man 24.5 DP Bertin Francoeur Pictorial Master
J1 Good concept and nice processing for the skin tones. The fact that all the blacks blend with the background so that not even the figure#039;s outline is visible is troublesome. Some visual separation of the hand from the face would also have helped. Suggest a crop on the top and a slight crop on the left side.
Ginger 25.5 HM DP Victor Turczynski Pictorial Master
J1 Very cute picture of the cat, with good sharpness, colour and lighting. Brighten the eyes a little to make them come alive. Darken the highlights on 3 small areas of the face to bring in more fur detail. Darken the brightest part of the bag over top of the cat#039;s head, as well as the white carrying handle. Tone down the dark shadow made by the carrying handle on the cat's face. Brighten the legs and paws a little as they look dull and muddy.
Harvest Time 19.5 James Hamilton Pictorial Gold
J2 This image has the main subjects in focus in the centre. It#039;s a difficult scene to get enough in focus to isolate what you want the viewer to see. It might be better if it was cropped to eliminate the red apples in the upper right.
Introverted Tulips 24 HM GPP Janet McNally Pictorial Gold
J2 You have created a very moody image with an "Orton" effect look to it. The DOF is very good, with all of the leaves and flowers in focus. Set against the background, the overall feel of the image is lovely although you might want to increase the blacks a little bit more to see if you still get the same effect without too much contrast.
A Rare Bloomer 19 Terry Ross-Poulton Pictorial Master
J2 Details in the parts of the flowers closer to the camera a lovely. The DOF drops off too quickly, however, as none of the flowers are fully in focus. The eye is quickly drawn to the green leaf upper right and, if cloned out, would improve the overall presentation of this image.
You#039;re Next 21 Victor Turczynski Pictorial Master
J3 technically well done photo in terms of lighting and focus. the composition could have been a little better had the maker been able to capture the action a little differently, perhaps waiting so we are able to view both or either characters face front rather then their backs. the impact would have been higher.
Bees on Pink Cosmos 20.5 David Evans Pictorial Master
J1 The image is sharp and the colours are nice. However, it lacks impact because of the top, down vantage point. Next time, try a more dynamic viewpoint from the bees#039; eye level. Since this image is in the Pictorial category, repair all of the defects in the petals so that they are not distracting. This will help make the image more attractive overall.
Hollyhock Splendor 21 James Hamilton Pictorial Gold
J2 Difficult subject to get everything in focus but the maker has done a reasonably good job of it. Rich colours but not oversaturated. Just enough detail in the background to place it in a natural setting.
End of Day 17.5 James Hamilton Pictorial Gold
J3 this image has a lot of promise with this nice landscape and well done composition. however the maker should be careful with processing so that image quality doesn#039;t suffer. the blue is way too strong and there is lots of color discolouration on the water.
Determined 21.5 Victor Turczynski Pictorial Master
J1 The intensity on the cowboy#039;s face makes for high impact. Crop the right side to eliminate the vest with the number. This will better balance the visual elements in the scene and it won't be so apparent that the cowboy is looking out of the frame. Bring down the highlights on the hat and shirt and increase the shadows to bring in more detail in the darkest areas. Add a slight vignette around the perimeter.
Tiger Woods driving 22 SPP Peter McCusker Pictorial Silver
J1 Excellent composition and action shot, but please clean up or soften the very obvious film grain or noise in the background and darken the brightest, white highlights. J2 This looks like a dirty scan from an old slide or negative, with lots of dust marks. The age of the golfer in this photo is another giveaway as he#039;s much thinner and using very old technology with this club. The capture speed is good, as is the concentration and focus. A great memory shot, even if technically the dust doesn't take away from the emotional aspect of the image. J3 great image if only it wasn't so grainy would have score higher, perhaps cropped too much . great action and good exposure with a very nicely handled background
Frozen 18.5 Laura Nelson Pictorial Silver
J1 Good idea for a compelling image. Unfortunately, the flower and the branch each take up about half the frame and compete for attention. The more interesting subject, the flower, has been cut off. Show the entire flower, if available in the original capture, and crop out some of the branch. That will concentrate more attention on the flower alone and result in a more well-balanced composition.
Just having Fun 23.5 HM SPP Karen Blunt Pictorial Silver
J2 This is a good photojournalistic image that captures life in this village. Great exposure, sharpness and DOF. Good connection with the eye contact with the girl. Nice, low angle from which it was shot gives the viewer a sense of being in the scene.
Clearing the Field 22 SPP Karen Blunt Pictorial Silver
J1 This is a very nice, even compelling, image but crop out the man on the right side for a tighter, better-balanced composition with no distractions. This could very well result in a much higher score. J2 lots to enjoy about this image, particularly the exposure and the story. Having the right hand person so close to the edge is not ideal. This photo is a good documentary or photojournalist shot.
ABSTRACT #5 the shard 17.5 John Bunyon Pictorial Gold
J1 Unfortunately, it#039;s not clear what the main subject is and there are a lot of distractions throughout the composition. Make sure that the subject stands out from the other elements. Darken the blown-out highlights to try to bring back some lost details.
ABSTRACT #4 is it really a duck 17.5 John Bunyon Pictorial Gold
J1 The duck, real or imagined, does not command enough attention in this image. Perhaps moving in closer or cropping would help to focus more attention on it. The background is harsh and distracting as are the specular highlights throughout. J2 something should be in focus to be successful
Winter Fun 18 Laura Nelson Pictorial Silver
J1 The chair full of skiers is of interest, but there are a number of distractions in the image. Clone out the bits of trees at the bottom of the frame, as well as the skier who is directly behind the top of the chair lift. The chair is very central. Crop about half the space on the left side of the chair to move it visually to the left side of the frame. This will provide space for the chair to move into. Show the entire mechanism that connects the chair to the cable, if available. J2 This looks like a night shot but if it is, that should be reflected in the title. As such, one assumes it is just an extremely underexposed daytime image and therefore the below average score.
Peacock 22 Leonie Holmes FCAPA Pictorial Master
J2 The bird is sharp enough and properly exposed. The lighter areas around the body and the very soft background give the impression of a lot of post processing to soften the background. To make it more natural looking, take a bit more care to avoid those lighter lines around the body.
Macduff 19 Mary Gilmour Pictorial Master
J1 Good job moving in close to fill the frame with the dog#039;s face. The sharpness is good; however, much of the white fur is completely blown out. Next time, reduce the exposure to ensure nothing is over-exposed to the point where all detail is lost.
4 The Federal Columbia Coming Into Port 20 Rod Shantz Pictorial Bronze
J2 Good detail in most of the ship but the technique used needs a little better execution. There are a couple of spots along the top of the ship where the selective colouring didn#039;t work perfectly. It also looks like a cut and paste so the ship doesn't blend in to the rest of the photo. J3 its creatively done as a selective color photo however more care is needed to process the bottom of the coloured ship as it blends with the black and white water. perhaps not use such a strong blur on the water might have helped.
Last of the tulips Top P 27.5 TC DP Kathryn Martin Pictorial Master
J1 This is a very nice, creative image with an excellent composition. The detail visible in the subject is superb. The tulip is nicely nestled in the curve of the stem and the curve of the stem is supported visually by the curve of the leaf. The exposure and pastel colours are very attractive. The background colour is suitable and not distracting. The image has excellent impact.
At the Tate Modern 21.5 BPP Chris Sparks Pictorial Bronze
J1 The woman taking in the art tells a story. Good placement of the woman in the scene. The exposure, sharpness and colour are very good. Clone out 2 dark spots on the floor at the bottom, right and one at the bottom, left corner.
Breaking up 18 Jay Brownlee Pictorial Bronze
J1 Good attempt, but decide what the subject and the story are and concentrate on that. Crop in to show only the story and leave out all extraneous elements that don#039;t contribute to it. Don't cut people in half on the edges of the frame. Either leave them in, wait until they move out of the frame, or crop them out.
Gold marked thread waisted wasp 26 HM DP Kathryn Martin Nature Master
J3 unique picture with very good sharpness on the main subjects. bottom right corner has brown coloration that is a bit distracting and could be fixed in PS. bottom or flower to left is very blurred and a bit of a distraction. this is a difficult subject to get all in focus and it is fairly well handled overall.
Magnificent Frigatebird Gliding 22.5 SPP Harish Bhaskar Nature Silver
J1 Nice flight image of the Frigatebird. The wings and body make interesting diagonals in the frame. Good sharpness, the colours look natural and there is a nice catchlight in the eye. Leave a little more room at the bottom, if available. Darken the overly bright beak and darken the wing on the left side a little. The shadow cast by the wing cuts across the face, creating a distraction. Unfortunately, the clear blue sky does nothing to enhance the feeling of depth.
Canada Goose 21.5 BPP Jim Orcheson Nature Bronze
J1 Nice flight image of the goose. The exposure is very good, but reduce the brightness of the white band on the tail. There is a nice catch-light in the eye. Sharpness is very good on the body. The motion blur of the far wing is fine, but the near wing is quite blurry, possibly due to the depth of focus being too shallow. Next time, provide more depth of focus. Darken the bright, distracting triangle in the bottom, right corner to make it less obvious. Add a slight vignette on the perimeter.
Maianthemum Stellatum 23 HM BPP Jim Orcheson Nature Bronze
J3 take care to examine images very carefully for any distractions before submitting to competition . on the left there is a dark spot (possibly a lens dust spot) that could have easily been removed. lower left the cropped small amount of leaf showing is more distracting then necessary and this also could easily be removed. rest of image is nicely sharp and well composed.
3 Snowy Owl 19.5 Rod Shantz Nature Bronze
J1 Nice image and the subject is very sharp, but the whites are completely blown-out, which gives the image an unnatural appearance. Reduce the exposure in camera, or tone down the whites in post-processing, substantially, for a better score.
1 Eastern Kingbird 19 Rod Shantz Nature Bronze
J3 maker composed this image well to show the bird in its natural environment. lighting is harsh and maker needs to adjust the exposure or lower in postprocessing. the bird#039;s back has some odd color artifacts that is probably due to processing adjustments. there is not much catchlight on the eye which always makes a bird image more alive.
Bumble Bee on flower 24 DP Geoffrey Skirrow Nature Master
J3 good sharpness on the body, eyes and wings of the bee. with a little bit of focus stacking you could get the legs and flower sharp as well. suggest that either you show more of the flower or remove the left and right bright red pedals, cropped like this is more distracting than saying anything about the flower.
Carolina Wren 20.5 Mike Moffat Nature Silver
J2 Good detail in this bird. The image appears to be overprocessed, with a bit too much saturation, especially in the greens. It could use a little less sharpening and a bit more noise reduction.
Black Swallowtail Feeding 23.5 David Evans Nature Master
J1 Nice close-up of the butterfly feeding, exhibiting a strong nature story. The subject is very sharp, showing nice detail throughout. Suggest a slight darkening of the brightest part of the wings .The rear wings are slightly soft, but that#039;s ok. The background is nice and soft, with no distractions.
Hummingbird 24 TC BPP Jon Dun Nature Bronze
J1 The lighting on the hummingbird is very nice, the exposure is good and the colours look natural. There is plenty of feather detail, particularly on the tail. Sharpness is very good on most of the body, but the closer wing and some feathers on the body are out of focus. Next time provide more depth of focus to ensure the entire subject is sharp. The slight motion blur on the far wing is fine. Darken the brighter portion of the V shaped blur in the background to make it less distracting.
Prothonotary warbler 22 Andy Langs Nature Gold
J1 The bird is very sharp, the exposure is good and nice feather detail is visible. Reduce the saturation and/or vibrance of the bird as the colour looks over-saturated. Darken the foreground a little. The background water is nice, except for the greyish band, which is very distracting and reduces the impact. Suggest cropping the left side substantially, as well as a little off the top and right side. Brighten the eye sightly more. J2 The dark area to the left of the bird, followed by the brighter blue water to its left creates a visual blockage. Suggest cropping from the left in to the left edge of the darker reflection.
Ballet Pose 24.5 DP Leonie Holmes FCAPA Creative Master
J1 Excellent, creative concept. A pose showing the ballerina in a more distinct outline vs. leaning down so that her head is an indistinct black glob would have resulted in a higher score. J3 very nicely done image, good composition -giving it space on the right works well. white border is good but suggest making it thinner.
Abstract Toronto City Hall 22.5 Leonie Holmes FCAPA Creative Master
J1 The curved walls in the bottom part of the image are very compelling. The top part is very different and visually heavy and clashes with the flowing curves at the bottom. It also doesn#039;t make visual sense to have such a heavy top, perched on a thin centre for support. Try deleting the top portion of the structure, leaving only the bottom and the thinner part on top to see if that improves the presentation. Tone down the highlights on the window frames at the bottom.
Hosta 22 Mary Gilmour Creative Master
J2 This is an unusual collage of elements. The creativity is obvious in that you#039;ve combined various elements but there's no apparent relationship between them. The flower is mostly out of focus.
Red Tulips 23 Mary Gilmour Creative Master
J3 beautiful colors and flowers nicely placed in composition. the image is a bit "top heavy" on the right meaning theres too much going on the red area, perhaps if that area was kept cleanly red texture rather than all the blurred shadows on the back of the flower it would be simpler to look at and still creative enough.
Sunflower 22 Mary Gilmour Creative Master
J3 the bright orange and yellows against the black makes a striking image, swirls and flower arrangement are a creative touch . the orange rays on top of the round orange circles make rest of image unbalanced as they don#039;t really show up much anywhere else. might be best to not have them there at all.
5 Books Travel 21.5 BPP Rod Shantz Creative Bronze
J1 Good concept for a creative image. Suggest including the ends of the book, as well as a little more at the bottom, if available. Next time, provide more depth of focus to ensure that the front edge of the book is in sharp focus. The bubbles and images of the various topics is a good idea, but they are too stark and dominant. Try softening these scenes, as well as their edges to make them appear more ephemeral. Bring down the highlights on the pages.
A Hint of Glass 19 Bertin Francoeur Creative Master
J1 Showing something mysterious in an image is a good idea. The problem here is that not enough is visible to keep the viewer#039;s interest. Suggest re-processing to show more of the subject, or try again with different lighting. Perhaps next time add some back-lighting to outline the subject, without totally revealing it. J2 lovely low key image but would score much better in pictorial instead of creative.
