From: caroleigh@c...
Date: Fri Jan 21, 2005 5:58 am
Subject: Critique: CJ Middendorf - 1 ice photo
CJ, despite your crankiness and frustration and thinking you've not come
up with something good, I think this is terrific! There's a sort of National
Geographic "now we look into the volcano" feel to this photo.
There's a darkness, a somberness to the photo, alleviated by the lighter
look of the "stream" running through it. Your foreground ice
is in focus, which is important. The lighter blue part is out of focus,
but that makes it look like a long exposure of running water. I like the
diagonal line . . . Also notice how the photo is broken into three elements:
top, middle, bottom. Rule of thirds. I'm not sure the little golden glints
on the ice help and I'm trying to visualize them gone. I don't know about
that . . .
You should be pleased. I know your kitchen's a mess. But you did good
here.
Carol Leigh
From: caroleigh@c...
Date: Mon Jan 24, 2005 12:38 pm
Subject: Critique: CJ Middendorf - 2 ice photos
Out for a Swim - How very, very interesting. I like the
circular form. I like the synchonized "swim" of the yellow and
orange elements. The focus is good. I think, too, that centering your
main subject worked very well (in TOTAL violation of the "rule of
thirds"). With a circular subject such as this, centering seems to
be the only way to go. So, way to go! Very good shot. I'm wondering if
the highlights in the bubbles there in the left part of the orange section
are too distracting. My eye went there first and only THEN moved around
the frame. You may wish to clone them out, since they detract from the
impact of the entire photograph. Kudos.
Scuba Diving the Arctic - Oh, yes. Akin to John's "Horsehead
Nebula" in its mystery. I like the deep, saturated colors. I like
how there seems to be three discrete elements in this photograph (and
I can just see Carol Davis rushing to the dictionary, looking up "discrete!").
You've got the blackish-blue section there in the lower right, then the
soft "waves" and then the smaller ripples of the ocean. Very
eerie. Very weird. Very good. I hope Rich was taking notes . . .
Carol Leigh
