Critique contest photos

[jrossh21]

My wife and I entered the www.crestock.com photography contest and I would like to get your critiques on them. If the admins see this as inappropriate, then please delete this thread.

Here is my photo:
https://www.crestock.com/blog/photog...y.aspx?id=2150

Here's my wife's:
https://www.crestock.com/blog/photog...y.aspx?id=1448

Let me know what you think, good, bad ... ugly

[mdwsta4]

well, one says 'image deactivated'

what's the theme of the contest? is that the side of your baby's face and a closed eye? i would have liked to have seen more of the head.
cute hand and great lighting, but it's just a hand and doesn't tell me anything.

[jrossh21]

Yea, they are cutting photos from the contest because there were too many. 1700 entries and they are cutting it down to around 500. Apparently someone thought mine wasn't good enough, so it got cut. I'm a little upset because I thought it was a pretty decent photo. Below is my photo.

The theme of this round is "The meaning of Life". Originally taking these pictures of my son, we were taking pictures of his little attributes; ex. hand, foot, ear, etc. This photo stood out to me when reflecting on the theme. I'm not sure if you have kids, but that photo speaks volumes to me. Granted I may be a little bias b/c it's my baby, but I think I'd feel mostly the same way if it wasn't my photo or my baby.

[mdwsta4]

i might have liked to have seen your hand or the mother's hand (or even all 3) below the child's. kind of going from old to new, parents to child, or something like that.
just seeing a baby's hand doesn't speak 'meaning of life' (at least not to me).

[enc]

following the topic: meaning of live is to give beginning to new life. anyhow i like both photos, though yours IMHO doesn't tie with "meaning of life". maybe because i'm not into religion at all.

[jrossh21]

The meaning of life is a broad topic and can mean different things to different people. Some people that don't have kids will look at the baby photo and not "see" the meaning of life. Others that aren't religious will look at the Jesus photo and they too will not "see" the meaning of life. For me personally ... the Jesus photo completely defines the meaning of life because if it weren't for Him ... I wouldn't even be here to have my photos critiqued - He IS life.

Thank you for the compliments enc.

[Teewinot]

Originally Posted by jrossh21

The meaning of life is a broad topic and can mean different things to different people. Some people that don't have kids will look at the baby photo and not "see" the meaning of life. Others that aren't religious will look at the Jesus photo and they too will not "see" the meaning of life. For me personally ... the Jesus photo completely defines the meaning of life because if it weren't for Him ... I wouldn't even be here to have my photos critiqued - He IS life.

Well said.

[jiminyClickit]

jrossh21,

Photographically, Jesus needs to have a bit of room to the left, as photo appears to be too tight on that side. A photo stands (or fails) on its own merits, subject matter aside.

[jrossh21]

I completely agree, with both things you said. That's how tight I took the photo. I didn't realize how tight it was until I got it home and viewed it on my computer.