FTA_094_Jamie.jpg

FTN_094_Glen.jpg

SSN_094_WINTER OF LIFE.jpg

Achieved. To me this story is about the passage of time. It is a strong story but I find the execution a bit confusing and not very cohesive. Full marks for creativity.

SSN_094_WINTER IMPRESSION.jpg

Merit. Your movement has added interest to a familiar scene. I like the way there is a leading curve of white up what I think we referred to as the third ridge to the top (I've climbed it often enough but it was a long time ago). The light on the willows on the right is also very appealing. I feel that the light on the right rather detracts and suggest it be cropped (you still keep some of the willows) and from the bottom to take off half of the water which doesn't have much character. A slight darkening of the sky, perhaps using a vignette could also strengthen it, but interesting, and well done.

OPN_094_PHOTO OR PAINTING.jpg

Merit. Appropriate vertical camera movement for this subject has been very successful. I think it is an image that has even more potential. A slight detraction for me is the burnt out area on the right-hand trunk which tends to dominate. To counter this I suggest the image be flipped horizontally, the offending trunk be cropped off, a vignette be introduced to retain the eye at the top and to darken the base, and then the whole thing darkened a little and saturation increased. There are some lovely colours hiding in there. Simple, if you have the means to do it. If the suggestions are followed the focal point has become the thin white curve then on the right third. Good work and great potential.

SSN_094_IN HIS OWN WORLD.jpg

Honours. A lovely title, he has an appealing, dreamy expression. I like the authors artistic input into this. My suggestions would be to crop a bit off the right side to bring him more onto the thirds and a little off the base to remove some of the distraction of the white shirt and tone the shirt down a bit. Nicely done

SSN_094_HORSE LOGGING.jpg

MERIT I do like this as it is different and shows a guy doing some hard work. The tall trees with the man gives every thing scale. I do find the fore ground bright and distracting so look at toning this done and we could focus on the horse and man more

SSN_094_Depth of field.jpg

MERIT. A well-executed high key image. Lovely colour tones and also a good use of DOF to give this image a creative high key feel. The receding lines of the mountain ridges adds an interesting background overall a well created image.

OPN_094_HORSE LOGGING.jpg

NOT MARKED - no set subject entered Not eligible for judging, as no image entered into the Set Subject competition. (up to you if you include the following comments Shame it's a nice image) Very well exposed and you’ve caught the separation of the horse and driver from the tree trunks well.

SSN_094_Arrowtown Cemetery.jpg

MERIT -- This gives us the lonely feeling often associated with cemeteries. I would like to have seen you shoot from a lower point of view to add some drama. This is the so called ‘tourist’ point of view. Return and try lying on the ground…not in the frost!! Cemeteries are a great place to create your own magic. M

SSN_094_COBY

MERIT A very natural expression captured in a high-key way which I find to be very complementary. The eyes are sharp and the expression provides the viewer with additional information relative to Coby’s current apparently happy situation. I suggest that you might like to consider lightening the pupil of the child’s right eye by a fraction. I know that what I’m seeing is natural and yet the left eye is dominantly bright and there seems to be conflict between the two. Having said that, what parent is going to be unhappy with this image.

SLEEPING ANGEL

MERIT - While the photographer has made, I believe, a decision to keep the eyes out of focus I wonder if she/he would consider bringing them into focus? The viewer’s eye often goes directly to the eyes, even if they are closed. I find the lack of neck in the image to be distracting so that the head feels too isolated. Does the photographer consider that the cheek back to the ear is over exposed or blown out? I do enjoy the shadows around the nose and in the corner of the top eye socket. A nice idea for an image with a lot of potential. This image is 1080 pixels wide by 1620 pixels high. It should be no higher than 1080 pixels.

MAGNOLIA

HONOURS - Such a lovely soft image. Strong composition which draws the eye in and around. In my opinion the lack of critical focus is an advantage and adds to the ethereal nature of the image. I enjoy the pastel colour palette which helps to draw my attention to the centre of the flower. I do find the yellow at lower left to be distracting and I wonder of the photographer would consider changing the colour to the greyish-green of the top left. A beautiful creative shot.

WOLF IN THE LEAVES by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE - HONOURS I can't see the wolf, but I can see two fishes swimming side by side in a black see. I love the intricate pattern and the lines that looks like vertebral column of the fishes Nice work!

THREE ELEMENTS by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE - MERIT Nice happy mood created by colour and light. All the horizontal lines with different thickness create a sense of motion. I feel this need something to elevate this image to a next level. Perhaps a stronger connection between these three elements, a path that will lead an eye through the image

THE VEIL OF THE CATLINS by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE - ACCEPTANCE Here is another region that is close to you to visit with so much nature to see. The falls are well placed in the frame with good soft lighting. I suggest you use a tripod and set the camera on a slow time to show the detail of the falls to give this image impact and a stronger interest.

LOWER SHOTOVER BRIDGE IN AUTUMN by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE - MERIT The river leads the eye towards the bridge which is nicely reflected in the water. Nice Autumn colours in the trees. The reflection of the sky in the water is bright and draws the eye back down to the bottom corner.

THE GLOWING BUMP by Marketa Strachova

GRADE - HONOURS You’ve chosen to burn out the highlights and present the image as a vintage toned monochrome – and it works! There is an authority to the way the elements are placed and choices made as to what detail to keep or suppress that tells me this photographer is not really a novice.

MOVING TREES by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE - HONOURS The vertical lines of the trees created by the blur of movement and the subtle changes in colour are magic. The inclusion of the ground is great as it provides a strong base to the image. Love it!

REFLECTION by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE - MERIT Yes; this is an image which contains a strong reflection. I should love to have been standing nearby to experience what the photographer saw and to enjoy the peace which is so evident in this image. The overall impact is about a landscape. From that perspective it is a most pleasing scene. The reflection however, is only a small part of the scene and is absorbed into the landscape rather than being emphasised in it’s own right. I like the foreground interest. Both the rock and the red weed create interest. Unfortunately the distant bank across the lake is not sharp and when projected I found that to be a little disappointing. Again I must say that you too have an eye for landscapes. It’s a pity that the reflections were so well absorbed.

NUGGET POINT by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE - ACCEPTANCE My first reaction was, "what a great view point". I felt like I was standing there observing this magnificent land formation. The composition has been effectively handled. By using the finger of headland to point the viewer towards the circular arrangement of rocks. There is a lot of information to take in. Unfortunately, the image is very soft. This may be due to slight camera shake or incorrect shutter/aperture settings. I hope you will take the opportunity to revisit this location and try again. It will be well worth the effort in my opinion.

HAPPY EXPECTANCY by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE - HONOURS I really enjoy the pure honesty of this image. It is conveyed to me by the joy on the woman’s face and what I read as the pride and apprehension on the face of her partner. I find the pale vignette works in this case to concentrate my eye on that lovely belly and their faces. One suggestion only – to move her arm down a fraction.

ANGEL TO BE by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE - HONOURS I really enjoyed the sentiment of this image. I like the fact that the mother-to-be is mid step as – to me – that enhances the story of her journey that may not have been so well conveyed had she been statically posed. I also enjoy the brightness of the back ground which I feels give an ethereal feel to the outcome.

OPN_094_REMARKABLE SUNSET by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE - ACCEPTANCE ou have captured very well, the high peaks and the wave movement in the foreground. However I feel your landscape loses its way over to the right. As a result, your composition becomes rather heavy on the left. I suggest you crop from the right hand edge to just before the first small peak. Hope you can see the difference.

CURIOUS by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE - ACCEPTANCE The exposure has been very well handled and the bird has been caught in a great position, just found the branches behind a bit too distracting, I would suggest darkening them down a little.it could help lift the Image

ON THE LI RIVER by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE - MERIT A well thought out and well composed Image,Just found the lighting a little muddy, perhaps you could try lifting some of the highlights on the buildings along the waters edge.keep up the good work.

QUO VADIS by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE - ACCEPTANCE A good idea here. Not sure if you have used too shallow depth of field as certain people are sharp. I suspect that you may have a lens problem given the way the sharp parts are shown here. Slight adjustments to Exposure etc. will help I feel. (exp +50,% contrast -0-5%, highlights -70-75%, shadows +5-10%, whites +10-15%, blacks -15-20%)

SURREAL ORCHIDS by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE - MERIT Wow there are some people attempting things outside the square here. Because this image is in black and white you are looking for textures and shapes. Personally, I would crop the left side to remove the black part as this draws the eye. Same on the right side. I feel that an increase in Exposure and contrast would give this image more impact. I suggest you have another play and see what you can achieve. (Exp +90-100%, Contrast +55-60%)

PEEK OVER THE PEAKS by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE - ACCEPTANCE A simple image showing a succession of at least 5 5 planes of silhouetted peaks. My eye wanders amongst the peaks, but there is no strong centre of interest.

BEFORE THE STORM by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE - MERIT A simple uncluttered image. I would prefer the boat to not be absolutely dead centre, so that it has more space to move into on the right. I suggest cropping out the small boat on the L/H side and nearly as much on the bottom. This concentrates interest on the larger boat and sky. Excellent exposure.

SUNSET TIME IN THE PHILIPPINES by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE - ACCEPTANCE A nice moody shot with some lovely warm colours. The horizon is well positioned off the centre and the moored boat adds interest to this image. The foreground is a little too dark with the silhouettes there creating a bit of a distraction rather than adding to the mood.

CHRISTMAS HAM by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE - MERIT A really good attempt at a macro has been made here. The colours and texture of the ham are very well depicted to the extent that I can almost smell it. I think the area of focus is a little too small in relation to the rest of the image. An area of focus on the meat itself is needed instead of the present focus on the very dark area. Well tried.

SICHUAN OPERA BACKSTAGE by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE - ACCEPTED I'm intrigued as to whether the lady is taking a selfie or whether she is using her phone as a mirror and checking how she looks. I like the way you have left the lights in the frame as I feel it adds to the overall story you telling about getting ready backstage. The lighting in these situations are challenging, and I wonder if a wee tweak to the white balance may have lifted the yellow colour cast. The subject is well positioned within the frame but I question where the actual focus is. It appears to me that the bottles in the bottom left are sharper than the person.

WHITE POPPY by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE - MERIT I really like that you have thought about your composition and off centered the subject within the square frame. The poppy is nicely in focus while being isolated from the background which to me indicates that you have a good understanding of depth of field. The overall image is well exposed. In my opinion, the lighting is beautiful with the folds of the petals showing up nicely. Well done

SUNRISE OVER RICE TERRACES by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE - MERIT Love it. A lovely sense of recession from the brighter foreground through to the misty hills beyond. I suggest that consideration be given to a crop from the top to just exclude the bright area above the cloud, and a darkening of that bright roof halfway up the right quarter line. Excellent work.

CHINESE TEMPLE SILHOUETTE by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE - ACCEPTED Interesting silhouettes, and I think the introduction of the moon is excellent. However, it does tend to be a little lost and insignificant which is a pity. I suggest a crop from the right to half way to the bottom silhouette, and then a larger brighter moon be introduced on the new right third.

SELFIE IN A CHINESE ANCIENT TOWN by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE : MERIT The bright colours of the dress contrast nicely with the muted tones of the buildings and stream. I suggest that you straighten the verticals a little as the wall appears to be falling backwards. This can quickly be done by using the cropping tool in post production. The shallow depth of field focuses attention on the model.

I´D LIKE TO TRY THE BLACK STUFF BUT... by MARKETA STARCHOVA

GRADE : ACCEPTANCE This is a well seen image and clearly this poor woman has had a hard day at the office! Ask yourself, “what makes this image?” I think your answer will be all about the woman and the fact that she is sleeping whilst she should be serving customers. That being said, I recommend the author to be bold and crop as much as two thirds off the left hand side right up to the black stuff mentioned in the title. This does two things; 1. It losses the very distracting, bright red pants from the background; 2. It brings the story into sharp focus with little or no distracting elements. Do try it and see the difference it will make.

WORKING HARD by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE : NON ACCEPTANCE It does look like hard work but the actual action is frozen and there is nothing else to give us the feeling of movement. The green plants give a setting and provide a non intrusive background however the person is the real interest and changing to a portrait format would eliminate some of the background that is not necessary. Because there is not a feeling of any action we decided that it is a non - acceptance in this category although the image itself is pleasing and would have scored more highly in Open.

PEACFULL VILLAGE LANDSCAPE IN CHINA by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE : ACCEPTANCE You have caught some lovely light on this interesting landscape. The distraction is the power wires which are so often a challenge in this part of the world. Have a look at making the dominant mountain peak a more important feature of the image by cropping under the wires and about 1/3 in from the right side. This will still tell the same story but with fewer distractions.

I'M SO EXCITED by MARKETA STACHOVA

GRADE : ACCEPTED Well seen but the young girl is a bit lost in the mass of bricks. Would be better as a cropped in landscape view. Accepted just.

CZECH COUNTRYSIDE by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE : NOT ACCEPTED The cloud shapes and texture make for an interesting sky which dominates the image. A bit more countryside in the foreground would have created more balance.

THE REMARKABLES ON FIRE by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE : MERIT

AUTUMN COLOURS by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE : ACCEPTANCE

PURAKAUNUI FALLS by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE: HONOURS Lovely mood you have captured. I have a feeling of total relaxation, beauty and one with nature. I like the tree coming in from the left which is moss covered and through that the falling water. Well done!

STREET ART IN DUNEDIN by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE: MERIT Always so interesting to see what people can create on the street, it gives life to an area. However, always remember that you are photographing someone else’s art, so you need to add something/change it somehow so that it’s not a “tourist” type image. I can see that you’ve tried to include the chap moving through the tunnel and this would have worked well if he was closer and more visible. Perhaps a tripod and slow shutter to get movement is another option. Don’t let this discourage you, you can use this art as a background to your creativity and design.

SUNSET ROAD LAKE OHAU by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE - MERIT Rich colours and a perfect photo of the area. Some lovely evening light. And sharp throughout. My comments would be that the bank on the right dominates the foreground. Perhaps darken it. Also look at whether a crop on the right helps draw you down the road which is the leading line in this photograph. This is a wonderful area to be spending time with your camera. Try different compositions including more of the water on the left of the picture.

KAPA HAKA by MARKETA STRACHOVA

GRADE - MERIT You have captured the action very well. Any burnt out areas can be reduced by putting the highlights down a little. Lifting the shadows brings details to the faces in the back row. The only comment is that the people on each end are cut off. Difficult to avoid if it was a large group and you couldn’t get further back.

FOX GLACIER COWS BY MARKETA GRADE; MERIT

A Pleasant rural NZ scene. Just found the lighting a bit flat lower light could have added that extra element. This could work well as a calendar shot.

TREE OF LIFE OR DEATH BY MAREKETA

Nice simple Image, Black and white treatment keeps it simple, if I could suggest anything it would be to remove the little bushes on the right so all the focus remains on the tree and that wonderful little road that leads the eye through the Image. I also enjoyed your choice of border, very reminiscent of Jacky Ranken’s work.