Having some fun with my son and his toys... invisible thread is hard to tie! edits...brightness, saturation, a little burn, crop and resize and save for web.
Statistics
Place: 62 out of 114 Avg (all users): 5.2101 Avg (commenters): 5.8125 Avg (participants): 4.9744 Avg (non-participants): 5.3128 Views since voting: 1107 Views during voting: 581 Votes: 257 Comments: 19 Favorites: 0
ok, its not faked, but I completely see what you mean.. He is actually standing on our back porch (the toy is hanging from the edge of it.) Here is one of the outtakes that might give some more insight into how I did it. and to tell the truth, I was hoping someone would have requested a DQ, would boost my ego for people to think I could do more than I actually know how to do, hehehe!
~SiSi
Hello, and greetings from the Critique Club. The critique you are about to recieve is tailored for DPC challenges alone, and is not intended to be seen as an artistic critique per se.
Initial Thoughts
Looks a little fake.. like the whole background was done digitally somehow.
Composition / Content
I'm not sure about the composition. The boy seems just a bit too far towards the side of the photo, making it feel cramped, and giving us far too much space to lose that bomber in. The bomber itself is good, and looks like it belongs in the sky and really does look like it's just flying by.. but the boy looks very.. unreal. As if he was pasted in, or like the background was created behind him. Part of this is the lighting. He's all shaded and shadowed, but the background has harsh daylight lighting. You give the impression that he's just standing outside in the open, but your lighting tells a different story. He might have just been standing in some shade, but I think that's what, for me, makes it look too fake.
Background
It honestly, to me, looks like it was digitally replaced. Had I voted, I probably would have requested a DQ on this for major elements. Now, I don't know if it has been replaced or not.. but that's how it *looks*. Both because of the lighting issues, and the fact that the perspective also seems to be a little off. Also.. what did you tie that stealth toy *to*? I'm just curious about that :) (Actually, now I look at it, were you standing under a tree? that would account for the shade.. and an overhanging limb to support the toy..)
Camera Work / Technical
Besides the lighting that throws me off, there's a distinct lack of focus and sharpness here. The coloring is also just a little flat and dull.
Digital Processing
Your edits seem ok, but are lacking the polish needed to really stand this image out more than it does. Sharpening is one area that could be improved, and a little more color work on the boy's skin tone as well.. it having quite a red cast.
Fits the Challenge
This is an area that is really dependant on the voters' personal preference. I personally don't think it's a very *strong* connection by itself. It seems really static and we're left wondering just what the conspiracy is.. as your title also suggests. I'm sure some people really get it, but others probably didn't at all.
My Opinion of the Photo
Too many elements just turn me off of this photograph as a DPC contender. It looks faked (even if it wasn't), and doesn't have the polish that it might have had. It's a fun photo, but just lacking what it needs to finish strong in a challenge. Good luck in future challenges.
DIdn't mean to fool anyone, Quickshutter had the right idea... It was a toy hanging behind my son! Anyway, this one was fun and thanks for all the comments!
~~S
I like the capture of the Bomber in the background, the only real distraction is the facial expression, which doesnt quite feel like it fits the picture.
Nice idea but either the focus is slightly off or this needs some sharpening, the boy is slightly blurred and as he is the main focal point of the shot I can´t help but deduct points for that. Also I am not really fond of the backround, the house is way to prominent and just draws attention from the boy and the plane... 5 from me as I like your thinking with this one, just not really fond of the outcome.
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