FLUFFY BUDS OF SPRING by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - HONOURS This image reminds me of new life beginning and lovely long warm days about to arrive. Fits the set subject. The subject fits comfortable in the image with a strong diagonal leading line of buds, a backdrop of dark blue sky and the added white vignette keeps my eye on the subject. The author has used a wide aperture to achieve a beautiful out of focus background. The image is pin sharp. The lighting on the subject is excellent and shows all the hairs around the buds. I have no recommendations for improvement in this image. Well done to the author.

LIFE ON MEKONG DELTA by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - MERIT I think this image could be a good photojournalism image with the subject photographed in his environment. Good black and white image that is pin sharp throughout. The subject has been placed just off center. The author has captured good reflections in the water with some foreground interest . I think the image would have been stronger with a vignette to keep my eye in the frame and the author could have captured more of the image on the right hand side as I am left wondering what else is there and less on the left hand side.

COACHES EXEMPT ! by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - HONOURS Well, this image just made me laugh! Why?? As a boy I also know that in cold water there is a certain pint about mid-way up your body that does not like cold water. Look closely at this image – I sympathise. There is a great story here. The two on the beach are clearly have something to do with why the boys are in the water, but what is it that must have happened for the boys to feel so compelled to get into that cold water? There are 15 boys in the water ☺. Tough rugby coaching? Title gives something away. Composition is very simple and effective – there are two stories here and they are well related. The first is the story with the people on the beach and the second is the boys in the water. Strong engagement between people on the beach gives me a sense that this exercised is planned. The posture of each boy in the water tells 15 different stories. Then there is the landscape. Simple, effective story telling. Very well seen.

MR INQUISITIVE by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - MERIT This is a great study of this little critter. Great use of macro to bring us right into the detail of the eyes and first segment. The edge of the leaf on the RHS provides a lovely lead in form the right and you have done well to ensure the feeler does not interfere with the line. Lovely soft and textured background works very nicely and you lighting and exposure all work beautifully for this image. Nice work

ENDLESS CHANGE by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - MERIT I really like the drawing like effect here. It is quite difficult to find a strong composition in a see of lines and shape. It takes a lot of imagination to transform simple lines into something special. For that reason I would present this image 90 Counterclockwise, as I can see a flying bird. Nice work!

MINUS FIVE by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - MERIT Nice juxtaposition of nature and manmade structure. I would made the main lines on the angle as they suggest movement and grow.

THE NEVIS by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - HONOURS How I would love to be down your way to see a scene like this. The lighting is brilliant. I love the whole scene. The gold and white tones of the clouds and tussock grass blend in together so well. Well seen and well captured.

TARRAS TREASURE by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - MERIT This is another area you have of interest to go to. The moody sky sets off this image and the placement of the old building on the right on an angle is good. You have gone here in the evening to get this wonderful light giving the ground a reddish glow. A good effort

GRIEVING CHIEF by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - MERIT A collection of hands that all have their own story to tell. There are old weathered hands, a broken hand and younger hands. They have all come together for a purpose. The photographer has made a good decision to present the image as a monochrome image, because it gives weight the the mood of the image

ALICIA by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - HONOURS A portrait full of mystery, what is the girl looking at? Why is she holding the scarf to he mouth. It has successfully used a panoramic format and the close crop works very well. The viewer is drawn to the eyes which are sharp and the use-of monochrome has removed any distraction and enhanced the texture of image.

FORK LIGHTNING by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - MERIT Good quality and strong design. I do feel you’ve left too much space at each side which is weakening the impact.

THE PORTLAND by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - MERIT Excellent framing, detail and sharpness, but I find myself looking for something that will inject a bit of life. The angle of the craft suggests action, but there is none. Lacking action, a boost to contrast and sharpening (or Clarity if you’re using Lightroom) and a bit more space around the craft would show it as a traditional “portrait” of a classic craft.

THISTLE by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - MERIT The warm tones in this image give it instant impact and the spiky appearance of the thistle is contrasted beautifully by the soft out of focus background. Perfectly composed to give a balanced composition.

WOODLAND IMPRESSION by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - ACCEPTANCE Nice use of movement to render the woods into an impressionistic image, however the patches of white draw do tend to the eye away from the lovely tones in the trees and grasses. You could crop the white out altogether and make this a panorama but you would lose the heght of the trees in doing so. Good technique.

DEVIANT REFLECTION by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - HONOURS This is quite a creative image which I was drawn towards and needed to revisit on a number of occasions. Not because of any fault, but rather that I needed time to enjoy the art work and give it the attention it deserved. I feel it is a pity that the author did not retain the same style of reflection all the way to the bottom of the image. Nevertheless, I feel the need to accept the creative licence which goes with the territory. The central colours are bold and they are further enhanced by the monochrome style towards the top and bottom of the image. Well done.

THE GIRL IN THE MIRROR by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - HONOURS Brilliant! There is so much to admire within this image it is difficult to know where to start. The composition works well because the rule of thirds has been applied. The monochrome background has the effect of pushing the subject matter towards the viewer. The frame, within a frame, within a frame, provides a certain depth' as do the smaller trees at the rear of the woodland scene. I feel that the photographer set out with a purpose and intent which was subsequently brought together effectively in post-production. The delicate hint of colour left on some of the tree bark adds more interest to the woodland. I very much enjoyed the image and techniques used to create it. Well done.

CRAFTED COBWEB by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - MERIT This subject intrigues me and that is something I think is great; to challenge the viewer to look closer and enjoy the symmetry and shape without having to know the detail of what this web is made out of. I think the diagonals work seamlessly with the curves (as in nature). The vignette holds my eye in. I find the post production result (assumptions here) a little bit discordant on the lower left. It makes my mind wonder about what has been done in PP rather than allowing it to totally immerse in this story of shape and form and suggestion.

THREE FORKS by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - HONOURS Cleverly done, with form, shape and shadow creating an abstract story that intrigues my eye. Have you tried this in B&W? I think it would have been an ideal image for this month’s set subject if you had.

TESS by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - MERIT This is an interesting alternative for capturing the attractive young woman. The Toning has added a dimension to the image that may have been lost if you had used the colour version of the image. The way the model is looking at the camera (Not you!) gives it a sense of intensity that makes me look harder at her. A satisfying interpretation.

JUNK YARD TREASURES by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - MERIT These two ladies look like the think they have caught a prise winning fish! I like the position of the two women, not both central but concentrating on the fish in the bowl. It is a pity that the ladies eyes are covered by the sun glasses as this diminishes the interest in the picture. Nevertheless a well created image.

FORGOTTEN by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - HONOURS The low angle really makes this image. Your eye is forced along the floorboards to the far end then up to the top of the image. I like that you did not straighten the upright perspective as it would have made it too clinical. Lovely detail in the image.

TESSA by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - HONOURS This image has a wonderful feel to it. It is dreamy and wistful. Just to be picky you could blur out the stripy collar so that it does not take your eye away from the face.

LAYERED by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - HONOURS The simplicity of the composition, makes this image very easy on the eye, and the mono magenta-like tones are relaxing to look at. Contextual information is absent, which makes this well suited for the set subject. The success of this image is due to all the layers being uneven, and all having different tones of the same colour. Well put together, with a border that compliments the picture.

VEILED THOUGHTS by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - MERIT For the viewer this conjures up all sorts of thoughts – my first one being that this lady is rugging up against the cold! I like the very gentle catch-light in the eye and her facial expression, which says that her thoughts seem to be miles away. I’m not sure that the crumpled scarf at the bottom, is all that flattering to the image overall. However, it is a strong portrait which is finished off nicely by the border around it.

SPARKING UP by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - ACCEPTANCE I like the way you have interacted with both the foreground and background to create a well- balanced composition. Just a pity that your exposure was not cropped a bit, or that enhancement software was not used to lower the highlight and mid tones to create more drama and impact.

LOST IN THOUGHT by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - HONOURS A soft high key study which is in keeping with the title. However this is an image which offers other kinds of interpretation upon repeated visits. Some of the questions we might ask are, who is she, where is she, to what are her eyes directed, and what is the relevance or symbolism of, the hair over her mouth, the foreground out of focus barriers, and the rough window frame? To what extent might she be captive in either a physical or psychological sense. The monochromatic/sepia rendition also provides a somewhat timeless aspect. This is an image of substance.

PUTRID PUMPKIN by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - ACCEPTANCE Yes I agree, I can almost smell it! The sharpness is questionable in this… I really like the composition and idea but I want it to be pin sharp. The seeds at the back should be sharp, watch your depth of field and use a tripod for these shots. 

SKETCHY TREES by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - HONOURS The colour palette is very pleasing in this. Does the hand help it? It certainly make sit interesting, I think quite creative and Queenstown started the ‘hand’ craze with Jackie Ranken’s series ☺ I would have liked the pen to be angled slightly but that is a minor point.

CROMWELL PIER by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - ACCEPTANCE There is a lot of detail and textures in this image. However a lot of the leading lines in this image lead to a central point within the frame, However it really needs a strong focal point to lift it. Perhaps a , or some figures on the pier about one third the way along may have helped, or a boat approaching. At the moment it is a setting, but a somewhat static image. Once again a pebble thrown, may have added interesting ripples and a definite focal point.

STAR STRUCK by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - ACCEPTANCE Whilst the inclusion of the figure has given added interest and wonderment to the image, and the inclusion of the blue-jeans add a complementary colour to the warmth of the sky, too much light on this area has taken control of the image. The blueness needs toning down, so that undue attention is not drawn to this area, and removal of the highlight between the persons feet is desirable. . Darker clothing, or a much higher placement of the additional light may have helped . The trees on the sky-line are a good foile for the figure, and the undulation of the horizon is good.

DOLOMEDES MINOR (NURSERYWEB SPIDER) by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - HONOURS Good contrasting colours between the spider and the foliage. Excellent diagonal composition and the spider is pin sharp in all the right spots, ie the eyes. Well done

DAYDREAMING by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - ACCEPTANCE The model is rather too large within the frame and completely back on, I found the stripes of the dress and the bra starp details distracting, Excellent lighting with good colour tones.

EARNSLAW WHARF by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - ACCEPTANCE Because you have only included part of the Earnslaw it really needs to be cropped out. I would crop the left off to just to the right of the white mast beside the building. Also, I would straighten it so the buildings don’t look to be leaning. The reflection in the water works well. A slight increase in exposure of around a third of a stop will help I feel. If you had cropped as suggested I would have scored this a merit.

STACKING STONES by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - ACCEPTANCE This is a nicely framed image. When shooting images of kids try to get down at their level for more impact. (exp +around half a stop (50%), contrast +10-15%, Whites 25-30%, Blacks -15-20%)

STARS by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - MERIT The patterns in this image are within each “star” as there is no pattern with the multiple stars. The whole image could be a little darker to give it more punch and remove any suggestion of overblown highlights in some of the white strands. The front stars are very sharp.

FAMILY CIRCLE by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - ACCEPTANCE A good idea which has not quite succeeded. The placement of the faces would make a better composition if the man’s head was moved to the right to make more of a triangle or circle. It is also too cluttered with white hands and chopped off arms at odd angles. The girl’s arms would be less distracting if she had worn long sleeved top instead of short sleeves. Exposure and contrast is good.

CRUSHED by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - ACCEPTANCE For this image to have the impact that its story deserves, the people’s faces need to be seen. I think the use of monochrome is the right choice in this case. The sky is cold and gloomy, adding to the overall mood

LAST OF THE CHERRIES by TONI CADLWELL

GRADE - HONOURS Using an unusual idea, you have cleverly composed this still life and it’s great that it is in sharp focus throughout. The positioning of all the components on the diagonal gives this image a wonderful dynamic balance. I feel that there is perhaps too much paper and writing so I would try taking our the lower quarter of the image. Lovely complimenting tones and textures.

NEW BEST BUDDY by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - HONOURS To me you have captured a lovely moment of kindness and gentleness between the young girl and the chick without it appearing that you are intruding on the private moment. Well done. The post production treatment gives a timeless appearance which means that this could easily have been taken 10yrs ago or just yesterday. I like the way the arms of the girl and her eyes lead my eyes towards the bird. Great wee shot, well done.

DEAD BLOSSOM by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE - ACCEPTED Lovely macro with good sharp focus on the ends of the stamens where the blossom would have been. I like the way the subject is isolated from the well chosen background. Your depth of field is quite narrow, but to me that doesn't matter because the interesting part of the image is sharp.