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tiswas
Member
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# Posted: 11 Oct 09 10:44 - Edited by: tiswas
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IF YOU WANT TO TAKE PART IN THE WORKSHOP PLEASE READ CAREFULLY THE RULES BELOW:
1. Join the workgroup in this link The of members list will be open all the time (to get in and to get out).
2. Each member of the workgroup agrees in being a critic for other members (not necessarily all them) and being criticized by the rest of members (not necessarily all them).
3. The main idea is to make a critic of a whole work from a photographer and not only of a picture. It’s aviced to browse to the whole collection of the photographer under critics (but it’s not obligatory, specially considering that there are some very large portafolios).
4. Nevertheless, a sample around 20 pictures selected by the photographer will be posted in the appropriate forum thread in order to highlight which pictures the photographer considers as the best examples of his/her photographic work. The critics will take specially these pictures into account, but all the collection can be browsed and used for the critic’s work.
5. All opinions must be accepted by all members, like it or not. The only limits for the critics is to be sincere, to be polite and to be constructive. This is supposed to be a workshop to learn... if you want flattery just have a look at the normal comments in your pictures.
6. All aspects of photography would be under critics: quality, quantity, originality, subject, composition, light, colour, white balance, edition, etc... But this doesn't mean that you must criticize all these things. Concerning the critics, you will find a very good summary in Miguel's blog here: ".Elements of Analysis
7. This work group doesn't intend to be an "exclusive club for experienced photographers". All members are welcome, with all photographic levels... (If you don't know about white balance, depth of field, ISO, etc... just tell us "I like your collection or I don't like it at all and try to explain why with your own words...)
8. The strategy "you scratch my back and I scratch yours" is not accepted in such a work group... Let's be serious...
Now some ideas about the way to carry this out:
1st. Join the group in the forum linked before.
2nd. You will be in a queue and you will have to wait to your turn to post your own gallery in a new forum topic. There will be 2 members showing their collections at the same time for one week.
3rd. When it's your turn post a forum topic with the title: "CRITICS WORKSHOP: Member’s nickname gallery". In this topic you will cut and paste these rules and those written above and post around 20 pictures selected from your own collection. It would be nice also if you could write few words about your photographic work: what are you interested in, what do you want to transmit with your pictures, for how long you are a photographer... and whatever you think it’s important to consider for a critic.
About myself..... getting on in years and still enjoy a challenge....that's what digital photography does for me. I would say I am very much an amateur and still learning and would like to learn more hence this critique which I think is a great idea.
What I have tried to do is show a number of shots that have had few comments passed on them and also some of my more favourable shots ...but I will let you all be the Judges of that.
I mainly use my Canon but have occasionally used a compact for speed and still found it good quality which adds to what others have said about compacts.
 1.1
 1.2
 1.3
 1.4
 1.5
 1.6
 1.7
 1.8
 1.9
 2.0
 2.1
 2.2
 2.3
 2.4
 2.5
 2.6
 2.7
 2.8
 2.9
 3.0
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Jan Hemels
Moderator
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# Posted: 11 Oct 09 22:35
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Dear Bill,
Knowing your work from your youthful years when you posted as BillyBoy I have admired you pics from the Enlish countryside that I love so very much. Your pics were very traditional in the spirit of the Dickensian era.
After some time however you started using those raveling frames that I did not like very much because they were detrimental to the wonderful images and at some moment I also told you so.
For reasons I am very well aware of you left Woophy for some months and all your pics disappeared with you.
I was very glad you decicded to return because - for some reasons - there are ver few contributors to Woophy in England 
When reviewing my work you went very far in praising me even classifying yourself as a humble human being as if came from heaven 
Like you I am also just an amateur with a good eye for opportunities and pictures and less for the technical aspects of photography.
If I am too critical please accept my apologies, remember it is just one personal view of someone who tries to help you improving your pics like we all should do on a daily basis but which for one or another reason has not been practised on Woophy the two years that I am a member.
 1.1.
I know Kachanabury very well and you offer us a good classic view, as a picture however it is rather dull and the sky seems to be coloured, a solution that seldom leads to acceptable results. Normally that colour would come back reflected in the river but it does not, too bad.
 1.2.
A very nice - not very original - view of what must have been a great beach moment.
It is cropped very narrow and maybe it would have been more lively if you had shown something of the person wearing these glasses .
 1.3.
a nice scene of fishermen repairing their nets . You honestly inform us of the use of HDR and even a filter. Most members like to hide such information, why? I do not know!
I have not seen the original but I think I would prefer the original colours. The colours and lines have been softened up which gives the image something that is not in line with the character of the scene.
 1.4.
One of your best traditional thatched cottages scenes, I like this one very much because it reminds me of nice holidays I spent in Suffolk, Devon and above all The Cotswolds
 1.5.
A wonderful scene on whic I have noting to add to what our friend Mike Hilditch commented: A master at work with composition . You have created a great composition using mainly the reflaction of the scene becoming the main motive - very well spotted - and as usual with your work the colour and tonal range is your halmark artestry.
 1.6.
I like street musicians scenes and this one in particular (because of the NL sticker on the case ) . They seem to do an enthousisastic job and the background makes it an interesting shot.
 1.7
A beautiful composition of a Cotswold village, too bad Bill that technically speaking it has too many shortcomings from the door on the left up to the sky. .
 1.8.
A splendid village view coloured in authentic Cotswold style, a pleasure for the eye, the car an usual problem for photographers and you could have wiped it out of course
 1.9.
Here your editing really added something, I like it!
 2.0.
A joyful image of Thailand, well composed and what a wonderful smile!
 2.1.
I was surprised to read the location of this floating market, I recall this scene from Damnoen Saduak - or am i wrong? I like the faces of the ladies showing no expression at all, it is only a pity you let the tourists shorts come in on the upper left
 2.2.
A shot from the bridge not the original one or better two because there were two bridges one in wood en one of iron and both have been destroyed by allied bommbers. An interesting shot to get an idea of the height and the efforts to build it in war time. Again a pity we do not see the river and on the right handside the picture has some problems.
 2.3.
A cool relaxing scene on the race course, one small problem: the horizon......
 2.4.
the beautiful Royal waiting house in Hua Hin, a nice picture but a little tilted
 2.5.
An interesting scene of a woman of the lower class, only she is incomplete, it is a little tilted, a little overexposed and has quite a bit of noise
 2.6.
a wonderful tropical canalview bathing in abundant green
 2.7.
a nice bridge view and reflection but not a wow scene
 2.8.
A tipical Cotswold row of beautiful houses, the composition could be better f.i. by lining up the the left edge
 2.9.
In essence a beautiful composition but I think you overstretched the sharpness and lighting to be seen in the edges and the sky.
 2.10
also potentially a nice scene but the composition is not so good and there is overexposure on the left side.
Overall Bill, in my honest opinion you have to pay more attention to the composition before taking a photo. The technical problems I talked about can only partly be solved during the shooting. In those cases when that is not possible you can always reduce overexposure and other minor problems by using a free software program.
When this is not successful you have to refer to serious editing like the use of HDR like you already applied in one of your selected pictures.
Another advice is: keep your frames as sober as possible, a frame cannot improve the quality of the picture but it can destroy the image
I hope I have not been too hard on you and that we can still be friends to morrow
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la rafale
Member
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# Posted: 13 Oct 09 14:12
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hello, Tiswas,
just my general idea of this new port-folio: it is not as good as billyboy's one, less cheerful, too. even the cottages have lost this pretty aspect , this fairy tale effect they had .... and your selection is the image of this lost,imo.
As if, when you left, you lose a bit of your "joie de vivre" !
nevertheless, i keep hope, reading your words like your "buying a Canon doesn't make you a photographer, it makes you a Canon owner" or looking at your  for its perspective and its caption or your  
best regards,
brigitte
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Cloudbuster
Member
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# Posted: 13 Oct 09 16:33
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Tiswas, Hi
Before commenting your photos, I'd like to say this. I'm a fan of "true photos". Photos/images that is possible to see without too much editing and you may take this in consideration about my comments.
I have cheated on one of my photos just to create a lovely photo, only to discover some folks wanting to move to Norway. :s Well. It COULD have been for real, but the sky did not show the right colors.... blah-blah-blah..... Now it is your turn to be commented! 
1.1 - It has something with it, but the color of the sky (And the missing reflection on the water) destroys the photo for me. It may be the contrast in the photo that is appealing.
1.2 - Done with mirrors. Most photographs has done this one or several times, but not many people has created a story in these mirrors. maybe something to think about for more than us?
1.3 - Nice describing scene, but the post processing is not my cup of tea.
1.4 - A beautiful building that makes me want to go to England. Well I am! Next year!
Technically it is not very sharp at all, and especially when the eye moves a bit from the center of the photo. A compact camera?
1-5 - A nice scene of something that may be a very nice part of Norwich. Nothing special, but a decent documentation on a very nice part of the world. ( What Woophy is all about )
1.6 - Nice street scene. Nothing bad, nothing fantastic and it does not have to be anything else.
1.7 - it looks like a beautiful small village, but what happened during the post process? There is a dark area on the right side of the photo and the left side is burned out. The best way to shoot this photo would probably be to underexpose a bit before shooting the photo. Keep all the details in the sky and the buildings, then selecting everything but the sky and adjust the light a bit. When everything is in balance, adjust the whole image as one. It could do wonder for this photo. The pov and compo is imo excellent!
1.8 - Again, you shoot a photo from a beautiful part of England! This photo is near faultless imo, but feel free to chase away the two people and the car in front of the building
The compo and pov is excellent.
1.9 - I think it would be nice if we could see the background and the area, the horse and man is moving into, As it is now, they are moving into something very blurry because of the effect added to the photo.
2.0 - Beautiful photo of a very busy, but very happy girl! So far the best of the ten I've watched
2.1 - I'd love to see more of what the people are doing. As it is now, it is mostly a little messy.
2.2 - It is difficult to shoot a decent photo of a train passing over a small bridge when you're in the train!
2.3 - I actually like this. I doubt we'll ever see a guy and his horse even near a café in my country. The horizon is a bit tilted, and could very well be corrected, but other than that I like the scene
2.4 - Watch out for tilted photos! Another thing is to make sure there is some space in front of the building. It makes you feel more welcome.
2.5 - You have a lot of good comments on this photo, but it looks like I'm a grumpy guy, because I do not share their thoughts. It is a very noisy photo even if it looks like a very bright and sunny day. Adding her feet would also make it better.
2.6 - To me, this is nothing special. A glimpse of a river without any special focus.
2.7 - Same as above. These motives needs the extra touch like an interesting angle, rain, fog etc to be truly interesting.
2.8 - i'd love to see more of the street and more of the buildings. It is easy to see these houses has been there for some time. They are all out of line, but in different ways.
2.9 - Very noisy! Why all this noise?
3.0 - This does not appeal to me, but I see it is something more or less personal with another member.
One thing easily you could do to improve the viewing experience is to remove the white faded frame. It looks like it is added to most of your photos. It tricks my eyes into believing the photo is much brighter than it really is.
The shot of a smiling asian woman is really good and deserves even more attenion!
Regards
Vidar
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Abílio Silveira
Member
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# Posted: 13 Oct 09 18:15
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Hello, Bill (some of my friends used to call me Billy the Kid when I played rugby, because I was so short compared to them...)
You probabbly know that I am not a good flatterer. And I will try to express my thoughts about your portfolio with that principle in mind.
I think you do well obbeying to the Woophy spirit of showing the world, but I have the feeling that you edit your pictures in a way that, although they might be appealing in a first view (very colourful and bright in the small version), the troubles appear in the large size: oversaturated, too much brightness and too sharp and noisy, particularly the skies. I compare your edition to a beautiful girl who uses too much make-up, thus looking more attractive at a certain distance, but not appealing when we look closer.
Your is an exception, because it has some science-fiction mood and the noise and contrast convey to the atmosphere you created.
I also like your , for the resons I explain in my comment.
And I also like your English vision here A picture with a simple and clean edition that is more impressive to my eyes than those you oversaturate.
My favourite picture is A picture with no special edition, well composed and with a good sense of humour.
I'm not sure of what your intentions about photography are. You have a great success and all your pictures are appreciated by a lot of people. That means that you can carry on with the same kind of pictures if you just want to have wonderful comments.
In my oppinion, pictures like 880551 and 839934 are the proof that you have a good eye and your pictures can be very interesting, specially with a flat edition.
It's up to you to decide But don't take me very seriously. I'm in a black and white mood, after all.
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geert geenen
Member
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# Posted: 13 Oct 09 21:59
Reply
Hello Bill,
The one in your collection I like the most, is your London Eye-photo, already mentioned by others. It looks like a still from an SF-movie.
From the selection you have made for this workshops, my favourite is 1.3: the man and woman, repairing nets. A good photo-document, and I like the colour work. In some way or another it works and it adds an extra dimension to your shot. 2.1 (spring roll selling women) is a nice photo-document too.
1.6 is a funny streetshot. Well seen: the band, the puppets and texts in the shop window ánd the reflections in the window.
What I appreciate very much is the interesting information you very often add to your photo’s: the story of Dr. Doolittle etc. (1.7) and Henry Ford and the Arlington houses (2. for instance.
And of course I like that Chisledon cottage (1.4). A good Woophy-photo.
The fruit selling lady (2.0) is well taken; good, natural colours too.
1.2 and 1.5 are nice, technically good, but not very surprising (but not every photo can be (or has to be) surprising, isn’t it?).
So far the photo’s from your selection that I like in some way or another. The rest, in my eyes, is not good. That means: I don’t like them. For several reasons.
In 1.1 (the River Kwai bridge) I don’t like the over-sharpening and the added colours. The blue in 1.7 (Doolittle’s village) is ugly. 1.8 is technically not bad, but it’s a bit boring. 1.9: a man on a horse; not exciting; and I don’t like the post-work.
2.2 and 2.3 are boring, and 2.4 would have been much better with some people on it, or from a different angle or with more context, perhaps in black and white.
2.5 (the feetless woman) is really ugly, especially when enlarged. What have you done?
2.6 and 2.7 are completely uninteresting and unattractive in my eyes.
2.8: technically good. But (apart from the added words) a bit dull.
2.9: ‘Sorry for the bad PP work’, you write. Indeed.
3.0: and the horse is missing a part of it’s head too. Bad and boring photo.
Conclusion:
Your selection/collection has some very nice photo’s. And you surely have an eye for interesting spots, details, stories… I’d like to see more photo-documents such as 1.3 and 2.1 for instance.
But a lot of your photo’s are technically bad. Badly taken. Post-work can’t hide that. And several photo’s are also unattractive because they lack a good subject.
A good subject, good light, a good (and better: surprising) angle and composition… These three things are the most important in my eyes. They are the beginning of a good photo.
And I'm sure we will see some good Tiswas-photo's here on Woophy in the future.
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geert geenen
Member
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# Posted: 13 Oct 09 22:00
Reply
this computer is changing 2.8 in a Bluesbrother-smiley...
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zoidberg
Moderator
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# Posted: 14 Oct 09 22:42
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Hi Tiswas,
I just saw your complete portfolio before writing my opinion so I didn't visited it too much. After seeing it I can say that I liked it, but just this…
I think in general your pictures are too much edited. It doesn't mean I don't like extreme editions, it's a way to show the work that can gives a different meaning to the picture and convert it in more personal. But your kind of edition seems don't search this. For example, I think you use some sharpness tool (please, correct me if I'm wrong) in a exaggerate way that converts some of your pictures in a not real image to my eyes, and not adding them some other meaning or personal touch. And it's a pity, so in my humble opinion some of them could be a better picture with a lower edit:
But some other editions you made are much better and reinterprets the image in a more artistic way:
 (this one doesn't want to seem real, it wants to seem a painting, I like it very much)
I also like very much some other pictures of your portfolio not selected on this threat, as
From your selection, I also like these others
But on the other way, the pictures selected here that I don't like are:
(I think it could be better showing the buildings and its reflection, not only the reflection)
(I don't like the light, the crop and the buildings at the end, even if its a funny scene)
(the light again, and the compo I think it's not nice)
I don't like the crop, and I also think that the light and colors aren't fine)
Anyway I'm just a beginner so don't take my opinion too seriously and remember that (FREE translate of a spanish saying) all depends on the glasses color of the beholder
Cheers!
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Ruden Fretsbo
Member
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# Posted: 17 Oct 09 11:03
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Hi Tiswas!
Last weeks I'm overwhelmed by work... This was unexpected for me and unfortunately I don't have even 10 minutes a day for woophy. I think that your collection deserves more than a 10 minutes comment, so I will try to find some time next days... Just be patient with me!
Hugs!
Ruden
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Martin de Rijk
Member
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# Posted: 18 Oct 09 16:03
Reply
Hello Bill,
Here on Woophy, a large group of members seem to like very oversaturated pictures with lots of extra contrast. Seeing the reactions and ratings you could get the impression this is the thing to do to make a picture more interesting or beautiful. In my opinion this destroys often a otherwise good picture there's nothing wrong with real natural colors. Use the postproduction as less as possible.
My main point of critics at your portfolio are those shots.
Please compare 1.1, 1.4 and 1.5 with the fine natural colors of 1.8. I must admit that at a first look I liked 1.7 with it's blue tones but after a few more looks the postproduction is irritating me, I want to see the real thing here
The pictures I like the most are the street / market scene's from Thailand, but you must consider that these places are often very hectic with lot's of things in the background, A closer view or a crop could be effective (2.1).
I'm looking forward to see your new photo's here on Woophy.
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TGB
Member
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# Posted: 19 Oct 09 13:25
Reply
Hi Bill,
Love the subjects.
Love the composition.
Love your point of view.
Not crazy about the oversaturation/HDR effect.
Nice framing, though.
REgards,
TGB
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Dieuwertje
Member
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# Posted: 19 Oct 09 15:49
Reply
Hello tiswas, I am a fan of your pretty country style photo's so I don't like it when you overexposure some of them with HDR, my opinion is it doesn't suit such friendly houses and landscapes.
Most of the Thailand pict are nice but some are missing a good light/dark contrast 2.4 and 2.0.
I don't understand why you 1.3 and 2.5 edited that way, I think the lady would be nice whit the original pict.
The musican group 1.6 is nice and humorfull
All other shot's are fine too.
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Zeeg
Member
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# Posted: 23 Oct 09 14:18
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Hi Tiswas,
I must say that I just discovered your portfolio and it's also the good point of this Workshop.
What I noticed immediately is that very particular style of edition on some pictures. It works well sometimes, but in other cases I think it's too much and may even become boring. It also gives some photos dull and lacking life. (Eg, 1.1, 1.5, 2.9), or IMO too artificial as 1.3.
On the contrary, I love 1.7 where this type of editing and the beautiful light gives a reminiscence of the past.
On 1.4, I would have appreciate more vivid colors.
The scene 1.6 is living with a pleasant touch of humor.
2.0: Pleasant portrait with a spontaneous attitude, but too much DOF giving a confused picture.
Take care also of high lights in 2.5 ( a strong grain again, too much accentuation ?)
I like the 3.0 with this dialogue, but framing to reconsider (pity the horses head is cut off).
Other photos seems to me too confused or rather ordinary. (eg 2.2, 2.6, 2.7)
I conclude with my favorite, . A nice atmosphere due in large part to the editon work, which is very appropriate here.
Well, all this is only my modest and very subjective opinion…
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Ruden Fretsbo
Member
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# Posted: 8 Nov 09 20:54
Reply
Hi Tiwas,
I didn't know your portfolio before, and I'm happy that the workshop made it possible. I would divide it in three different groups: very edited pictures, slight edited pictures and snapshots.
Very edited pictures:
Indeed you have a very particular way of editing pictures. The edition is most of times deliberately obvious, and this creates a very special atmosphere that changes a lot the original image. I like to do it also, from time to time, and I know it's very risky, because when you go deliberately "far away" with the edition two things can happen : people can like very much the result or people can dislike completely the image... normally there's no "middle point" (I hope you understand what I mean...)
That is what I felt when I browsed your gallery: there are some pictures that are brilliantly editet and some others that for me are spoiled because of the edition. For instance:
Picture 1.3 is a very nice image with a nice edition. The soft focus and the warm tones make it special, like an old picture somehow...
Picture 1.7: One of my favorites in your portfolio. Excellent light and the edition makes it look like a fairy tale, which suits very much to the subject shown.
Picture 1.1: Sorry but I think that you spoiled it... specially because of the coloured sky... such colour is only possible after a nuclear attack! The picture is nice but another kind of edition would suit better in my opinion.
Picture 1.9: Very well composed and very nice pastel tones. But Why did you blured it so much? Probably to enhance the figure of the horse and the man... but I think they're enough visible, there is nothing disturbing in this that you blured...
Picture 2.9: Have a look at the large view and you'll notice it looks like pixelated... Maybe it's oversharpened due to a strong edition?
Pictures 1.5, 2.6 and 2.7: It's not my kind of picture... they tell me nothing...
Slight edited pictures
In this group I would add 1.4, 1.8, 2.2, 2.4. I think you edited them very well, specially 1.4 which is my favourite from this group... Only that this is a kind of photography that I don't like very much (houses, buildings, etc...) so I can not help you very much in this...
Snapshots
I think here I found the best pics from you. Some of your snapshots are really good, I like very much street photography!
Picture 2.1: The best in this group! It's such a good picture. Looks slightly underexposed, but this doesn't matter so much in this one.
Picture 2.0: Great expression on her face and very well composed. Well balanced also! Very good.
Picture 2.5: Could be an excellent picture but has the same proble that pic 2.9. The large view looks grainy... noisy...
Picture 2.3: Well catched and showing an interesting scene!
Picture 1.6: Excellent scene! Need only some more contrast in the middle tones (in my opinion)
Picture 3.0: Not good... (( I don't know what you see in it...
And finally, I think you really forgot this picture in your gallery:
Just a perfect image... (maybe too edited for my taste) a work of art!
That's all... So summarizing, my advice would be to take care about the edition work. I think sometimes you really go to far away specially with colour saturation, sharpness and changing the colour tones of the image. But the gallery is interesting, nice to see and with some pearls that are really worth to see!
I hope you'll find it helpful and that you understand my poor english! Hugs!
Ruden Fretsbo
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chevylady
Member
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# Posted: 17 Jan 10 17:51
Reply
The picture of the riding horse is absolute my fav. The old housen great catch and wonderfull but i think dangerouse position of the train riding over the bridge well done
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Dieneke Boonstra
Member
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# Posted: 2 Feb 10 10:51
Reply
Hi Tiswas,
Overall I liked your English cottages pictures the most, aspecially this one: 
Also the scenes in Thailand I like but sometimes I think they're to cropped and edited.I prefer more natural images and more space around the subject.Also you have to watch the angle from where you shoot, for a better result and look out for tilted horizons.
I'll hope to see more pictures from you of the beautiful countryside of England!!!
Best Regards Dieneke
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chevylady
Member
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# Posted: 17 Feb 10 19:52
Reply
Hi Tiswas,
Wel i am HDR fan so i wont have any problems with it like i said before a photo is personal like a piece of art some may say i would not make it but can still say well done .
1.The Bride i love the style and composition
2. Nice sunglasses not my style but stil a good picture
3. Nice journalistic style op ficture
4. I love the house wn the sky well done
5. nice picture but doesn't speak to me that much
6. Very nice i like the expression of what i think is the singer great
7. Great shot i love it these old houses
8.Nice shot well done true the lumbs of the tree great light
9. My fav in here for me it has the wow factor
10. Great portrait what did you say to make her smile lol
11. This is the real hard world great shot
12. Hoping you didn't hang outside that train well done
13. Not inviting me i dont see a racetrack
14. Very colorfull nice shot (I prefer the old houses)
15. Yes this is also 1 of my favorite in here perfect
16. Nice picture but not telling me things
17. This i like the reflection is great the area is perfect
18. Nic composition nice colors
19 what a lovely view great
20. Good picture and sitting so relaxed nice
great portofolio well done
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