The picture was taken with a Macro lens stopped down to F10 and external wireless flash compensated up by one stop. Both the camera and the flash are hand-held. Cropped, levels, curves and hue/saturation to complete.
Statistics
Place: 45 out of 343 Avg (all users): 6.1270 Avg (commenters): 7.6667 Avg (participants): 5.9007 Avg (non-participants): 6.4946 Views since voting: 1917 Views during voting: 423 Votes: 244 Comments: 17 Favorites: 5 (view)
COMPOSITION The first thing that strikes me about your composition is the portrait presentation of a subject that is largely horizontal. It's not a bad presentation, but different and gives an unusual feel to the image. The more I look at it, the more there's a feel of peeking through a keyhole or something. Intriguing. Macros of eyes have been attempted many, many times in challenges over the last year or two and most are ordinary and forgettable. Yours grabs attention quickly, mainly because of the technical presentation.
TECHNIQUE The primary technique-related topic is obviously your choice of overexposing to obtain the blown-highlights/high-key presentation. I confess that I like the effect quite a lot. The white of the eye is completely detail-less, as is the negative space above and below, which serves to frame the eye, eyebrow and lash combination. The colors are vivid and well saturated, and the black of the iris is striking. I think your shot is a wonderful response to the "high contrast" challenge. Focus is tack-sharp where it needs to be.
OVERALL IMPACT I think the impact is quite high, and your score reflects that you struck a chord with the voters too. This shot is a nice blend of reality and an artist's interpretation. It's got some wow and pop. I enjoyed studying it for this critique.
Let me fess up as one of those who gave the image a 4. It was better than a 1,2, or a 3. However I did not care for those images that I saw as overexposed in either the camera or in the processing in an effort to arrive at "high contrast." So most images where I felt that was done got a lower score from me. I appreciated much more those who were able to accomplish that without having to go that route.
Clearly based on the scores you got that position was not in the mainstream. I suspect that others felt the same way. Some of those may be the ones who gave the lower scores.
All this really shows in the diversity of opinions of the voters. If you can come up with an image which is close to what most voters like you will do well. But you will always have some who do not see it that way.
On the related issue of leaving comments on low scoring images - I tend to comment on those images where the fancy strikes me. I'm on a dial-up connection (unless I can find time to vote from the job site before I start for the day) so first priority is voting on all the images, and then revising those votes. Only then do I consider adding more comments. So in the end most images do not get a comment.
This image actually scored very well (commenting to your disappointment with the score) when you consider that it has major "high key" elements mixed in with the "high contrast" components. It's like it's two different pictures; a HC eye-and-eyelashes show superimposed on a HK eyebrows-and-face shot. It's a striking image, which is why it placed so well IMO, but it's visually shizophrenic, which might explain the relatively large number of 4 votes.
This image actually scored very well (commenting to your disappointment with the score) when you consider that it has major "high key" elements mixed in with the "high contrast" components. It's like it's two different pictures; a HC eye-and-eyelashes show superimposed on a HK eyebrows-and-face shot. It's a striking image, which is why it placed so well IMO, but it's visually shizophrenic, which might explain the relatively large number of 4 votes.
I think the contrast may have come through better with a levels adjustment instead of the "over exposure" effect. Cool reflection in the eye that shows an attention to detail.
WOW. Amazing eyes! That is one intense blue! Great shot, good contrast and focus. The lower part is just washed-out enough, any more would be overkill.
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