It is always nice to see functional buildings, which are not just built for purpose, but also with their own aesthetic qualities. The pale yellow brickwork and stone show off their intricacies in an understated way, and are set off by a much louder blue sky.
Architectural purists usually like to show buildings with true verticals and horizontals, but I think selecting this detail and taking it from a low angle, with all the accompanying foreshortening and sloping sides adds dynamism and makes for a far more interesting image in this case.
Dec. 25, 2024
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This is a lovely floral picture, with a delicate subject, and attractive colours.
When first studying it at first, I wondered if it would be better with the front petals sharper - either at the expense of sharpness in the background or make the whole thing sharp, however I talked myself out of it. By having the foreground slightly blurred, my eyes are drawn to the perfectly sharp and detailed stamen of the flower, and then beyond to the sharp stem and leaves in the background, which is a nice progression through the image. Also the bud at bottom left, being slightly blurred, does not distract, but still adds balance to the composition. -
Two versions, and both beautiful for different reasons, but of course the children, especially Joseph, is the one you will treasure.
When my son was in a nativity play, he wasn’t directly involved with the Holy Family, but played an important role in the scene with the shepherds. He was a sheep. -
This really does look like fireworks, and, if you are a Monty Python fan, then you may understand why the Holy Hand-grenade springs to mind!
It is also interesting that it resembles fireworks, but not as we see them with our eyes, but as we see them in photos, with the stems providing the light trails of the rockets.
This creatively seen and nicely exposed. -
Although the series depicts the Christmas sprit well, it is the crop with the lady and the cigar which I love!
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This captures Christmas lights very well and benefits from being dark.
Others have already mentioned the strange effect of the disappearing reindeer - talk about hiding in plain sight! -
All three of these are iconic images of the US countryside, but I especially like the first one and not least because I like trains, in fact I am in one as I write this. The orange against the less colourful background emphasises power, and the absence of other man-made features in an open landscape adds to it, by suggesting its importance in the area. It’s a really good, strong image.
The second gives a sense of remoteness. I am guessing the red brick tower is a silo and the roof part of a farm building, giving clues to the way of life. However it feels too cropped to me, and is the least successful of the three.
The church is lovely and very iconic once more. The lighting is a bit shadowy and dark and I think it would have been nicer had the windows been lit. Maybe some warm lights in the windows could be added in PP. -
Thank you Pete.