In response to your request, here is your in depth critique from The Critique Club.
I've read your comments, I think the problem was that if a person were to look at the image, the first thing that jumps to mind is baby, or child. This would have been lovely for a baby or child challenge, but for a mother challenge, I think it might be a bit of a stretch.
As for the photo itself, the focus seems just a bit too soft for my taste. Would love to see some detail in her eyelashes and hair. The eyes are lovely, nice bright blue. The really draw the attention and make her face the main attraction, however, then they seem to be in soft focus, so it's almost as if it's a let down. I like that the background is blurred, but see her left (our right) cheek? It's blurred almost INTO the background. Otherwise, I like the DOF.
The background is soft, nice colors, and nothing distracting there. It adds interest because it's not just a plain background, but it's not too much that it distracts from the baby.
I like the position of the baby within the photo, very nice composition.
The red tips of the fingers on the bottle seem a bit odd to me, and being right there in the front, it's somewhat of a distraction, but nothing major.
Overall, I think the image is lovely, and only suffered for challenge relevance. Congrats.
~Heather~
so this was maybe a case of a misleading name. i meant for the gaze to EVOKE a maternal instinct in the viewer, but i guess it wasn't so clever of me. i nearly named it 'are you my mommy?', i wonder if it would have fared any better or if the problem is just with the photo.
cheers.
Great expression. I'm not sure I like the yellowish background. Looks too much like old milk. That sharp, blue eye is great though. I'm not saying this is DNMC at all, but it's a small stretch. Probably knocks a point off.
Back for comments. A very nice portrait but unfortunately I think voters will be looking for mother/child relationships as the main element in this challenge. Would have scored much higher if mum was in frame as well.
Not sure I understand why a bottle speaks of "maternal instinct". I think a baby suckling a breast would be a better match to the title. Attractive child and fine use of DOF nonetheless. Perhaps the object on the right side of the frame could be omitted to better effect.
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