St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

bfare has graciously volunteered their WPC 1329 - Contre-jour RESULTS entry for critique and analysis to find out what they could have done to make it better. Be nice, but be honest as this will help everyone with their craft. Thank you bfare and thank you everyone!

"Contre-jour literally means ‘against the day’, but is properly translated from French as ‘against the light’. With the sun or any other bright object directly behind a subject the contrast is increased, making the subject a silhouette against the light source. The resulting images can be drained of colour, but they make up for it with loads of atmosphere."

from WPC 1329 - Contre-jour RESULTS http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/photo_contest_ratings.jsp?pcnum=69

Mendocino Sunset - 1.97 (9)

Skellum0

Personally I love it

headhunter Loc: Plymouth, Massachusetts

i agree!

Skellum0

I can smell the ocean and taste the wine

DaisyB Loc: South Central PA

I like the photo, nice image

wowbmw Loc: Grant, Colorado

Well exposed! I think a little cropping bottom left to get a better diagonal line and some off the right side might make the image even more striking than it is. Personally, I would be very happy with this image if it were mine. The competition was very tough this time around.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Since I am one of the nine who voted for this image, I see no faults! Very creative, stunning image. And one that actually followed the theme of the contest :)

Brenda IS Scottish Loc: GOLDEN Colorado

to be nitpicky, it would have been nice had the camera been a bit higher and the sun was coming through the top of the glass of wine (imho) and I would have cropped a bit more like the pp stated. But overall it is an awesome photo

charryl Loc: New Mexico, USA

First let me say that I did not vote in this contest. That having been said there were many fine pictures entered and the voting told the story. Nevertheless, the entrant asked for a critique on how to make this picture better. I personally don't think much can be done to make this picture better.....it is nice but it is not a winning photograph. We all love beautiful sunsets but frankly they often become trite pictures unless the photographer is able to make the image something more. Putting a glass of wine (or wine glass) in front of the setting sun at the distance that this shot doesn't meet the challenge. Perhaps getting much closer and viewing the sunset through the glass would have done it...Or getting a mirror image of the sunset reflected off the glass. The photographer was headed in the right direction but needed more. Keep experimenting. You are on a good track.

headhunter Loc: Plymouth, Massachusetts

I would like to say that the above was a really great comment. Ummm - I'm going to say "Thank You" from where I sit, because the comment on this (quite unusual) picture gave me some great ideas for my own work going forward. And YES when you imagine the sunset as the reflection off of the wine glass..or looking through the wine glass to make the shot, it takes on a whole different feeling. More inclusive.. Very interesting and helpful comment. Appreciated!

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

I would agree with all of the above...
When I first looked at this, it seemed to me that the horizon needed leveling-- so I checked-- and it does tilt ever so slightly to the right. This may seem picky, however here's my point: in any competition/contest it's important to have all of the "obvious" technical elements correct.
IMHO, there are several composition "errors" that could (should?) be corrected: The almost even split between the sky and the horizon makes this image less dynamic. I would also like to see more cropping on the right and some from the bottom so that the leading line (formed by the railing) draws the eye to the wine glass. Perhaps another element to try: the sun higher on the horizon so that it is directly behind the bowl-- not the stem.

And here is something I'd like to see: The base of the glass "sitting on the horizon". Now I'm aware that this creates an intersection of the top of the post which may be a detraction. Just thinking out loud on this last comment.

My last comment--not directly about this image-- but about the others that you like in this contest-- and perhaps those that received more votes. I hope you did look at them and critique them as well with this question: What appealed to the voters for these winning images? Sometimes we focus too much on our own work and not enough on other participants. I find it as valuable to look at other images before I do self-criticism. This is a point made by Bryan Peterson in a field trip-seminar I took with him in the 1980s.

charryl Loc: New Mexico, USA

Thanks, headhunter.

jimmya Loc: Phoenix

What fun idea... very nice indeed!

headhunter Loc: Plymouth, Massachusetts

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headhunter Loc: Plymouth, Massachusetts

Tjis is in response to trying new ideas on this lovely image. Light on the waves/cropped seems to accent the wine glass in the sunsetting sun glow/ ( I think anyway)