And the winner is...
Alexh Great contrast, great composition, great use of the rule of thirds, nice use of vignetting and above all else, it fits the theme perfectly. The location appears desolate and your treatment only adds to that sense. The eye is drawn to the bottom left hand corner of the picture, where what appears to be a small child dresses in a white robe. But, one cant quite make out what the object actually is. Errie doesnt begin to describe this picture.
Melizard I like the way you capture the light without letting it overwhelm the picture. The fence and other objects in the foreground create a great sense of separation between the viewer and the light. The fog or haze contributes to this sense, leaving me with an overwhelming feeling of isolation. Nice work.
Oberhammer The first few times I looked at this photo I didnt notice the Scream character on the back wall of the building. It is subtle enough to be overlooked. The vignette effect adds a nice touch and the blurred foreground pushes the eyes toward the wooden structure (a bridge?). Its almost devoid of color, yet vivid at the same time. I certainly would not be crossing this bridge if I came upon it in the woods.
Damiantmc The expression on the cats face encapsulates the contempt I think almost every cat has for mankind nice job there. However; the rest of the body seems a bit awkward in its positioning. It also looks a little blown out on the right side of the cat. Perhaps if the cat were in a less vulnerable position, the photo would have more tension and work within the theme better.
macAllen Cant help but think of the movie Big when I see this. That being said, it is a great portrait of a rather mysterious person in what appears to be deep contemplation. It is unfortunately that there is some glare right near the nose of Zoltar. It truly is uncanny how lifelike this looks. Great subject and capture.
SonicChronicler - The old hooded figure in the woods picture nicely done. The gnarly trees and twigs that surround the figure make a great backdrop. The graininess and slightly out of focus treatment add to the eeriness. It certainly makes for great lead in to Halloween.
Keleko Nicely done! I can picture myself walking up to this house as a kid during trick or treat. Chances are, there was someone or something waiting on the porch to scare the crap out of me. In any event, nice depth of focus between the pumpkin in the foreground and the one behind it. The added grain and vignette make it more menacing, but I cant help but smile every time I look at the first pumpkin.
Deep Diver The treatment certainly makes it more eerie. but the subject is a bit lacking for me. I spent a long time trying to see the forest through the trees, but it didnt happen. The treatment fit the theme, but the subject was lacking.
Chappers The forming storm clouds create a tension that works well here. I get the sense Im deep in the forest without much of a chance to get out before the storm breaks and the sun sets. Well done.
MACUSER360 What can be more eerie than the Eerie Acres Cemetery? Perhaps a cemetery with a blurry, mysterious figure in the background. Nice treatment of the photo to try and make the sign appear more authentic. It may have been more effective if the figure in the background was more subtle or obscured by the trees or maybe reflected in the window of the building at the rear of the photo.
JAWJr Great find! I agree it is very uncanny. With regard to the photo, Im struggling a bit. I cant put my finger on anything technically wrong, but Im also not drawn to the photo much beyond its unusual subject. I think the perspective you chose was appropriate, its evenly lit, and there is nice contrast. Maybe the subject is so different from the others that it is influencing my judgment.
Thanks to all who entered. Its never easy to open yourself up to review by others, especially with something as personal as photography. The impressions above are those of someone who is far from a professional. I tried to relay the feelings I had while viewing the photo and, when noticed, provided some the technical details I believe influenced those feeling. It was a great group of photos, but someone must be declared the winner:
Third Place Oberhammer
Second Place Keleko
First Place AlexH
Good luck with next weeks contest!
