Weekly #434 - The Eyes Have It Competition

Hi again all - thank you for taking the time and effort to submit your image for a comp. The size of the field is impressive this week – what a hoot to see over 26 submissions. Just like the old days!
As always, the thoughts in the c&c are my own and thus entirely subjective. They apply solely to this image at this particular time.
There are two sets of things I will be looking for: the first is whether the image meets the brief; and the second is (as last time), a combination of content, lighting and composition.
Now recall I did mention that having the eyes in sharp focus was the point of this competition. I also stated that this was not the only point. There was also the small matter of using depth of field (DoF) to create a pleasing image (if any). Composition and all the usual photographic considerations were also to play their part.
So with these criteria in mind, let’s start…

1. Here’s looking at you kid – Perspicador. I have a sense I know pretty much what happened here: You got the duck in focus, and it just kept on swimming towards you! So the focus is now on the duck’s back and feathers, and the head and eyes are no longer in focus. Ask me how I know… Might be time to go back, find the duck, and issue a dinner invitation :twisted
2. Are you looking at me – timcx500e. Pin sharp just where it counts. Colour, composition and lighting don’t leave much room for improvement here. The use of DoF has given the image a lovely soft background which shows the subject off the good effect. I’d have probably cropped off some of the lighter colour at the bottom of the frame (even consider square).
3. Magical Eyes – Pedro Costa. The eyes of your subject are sharp here, but there is a lot of competition for the viewer’s attention too. Consider cropping out unnecessary distractions like the can on left, the male and chairs at rear etc. Also, had you got closer to your subject, your camera would have thrown much of the background well out of focus (as well as eliminated more of it from the field of view).
4. Cats eyes – paulb531. Lovely sharp focus on the face, capturing not only the eyes but the areas of micro-contrast in the fur of the face. Again, a tighter crop would have emphasised the face a little more. A boost to the mid-tones may have enhanced the visual appeal slightly more.
5. An eye in the sand – MarqueeMoon. Well, it’s an eye-like shape, but not an eye! I’d have liked to see some EXIF data too, and failing that, a description by you about some of those details.
6. Frog – JAK. Frogs don’t always make it easy with an eye either side do they? Especially when close-up, and depth of field can often be measured in millimetres (you know – those new-fangled metric thingies?). No given your choice of f-stop, you had a chance to widen the DoF a bit – this was at f2.8, so no wonder the other eye is slightly oof! I do like the green surround – very apt.
7. Reflections in a Bisons eye – bigsturgeon. The eye (while in focus for this image), is overpowered by its surrounds (which are not). SO the choice would be to either let the eye dominate the entire image, or have the surround add something more to it. The reflections are there, certainly, but so small in the overall scheme of things that they don’t ‘drive’ the image, as it were.
8. Four eyes – arrondee. Colour and composition are certainly evident here, but lighting? I think the red eye tells the story – the subject gives me the impression that he’s been ‘nuked’. There is a guide available on this site that deals with effective and complementary use of flash. Mattmatic had one, but I see there’s a newer one also available.
9. Hoverfly – coker. This has been well composed, with a good and effective DoF chosen and applied. The detail in your shot is very good. Clearly s/he’s just been to a pollin’ booth? 
10. Eye of a lynx – aGinger. And it’s on me – I feel as if I am in the firing line here. Very engaging. Focus is spot on. The bright back-ground would benefit from toning down, especially as much of the cat’s face is in shadow. The crop is also a little tight on top.
11. Glittering eyes – davidtrout. Again, the eyes engage the viewer in this image. This is a great choice of composition to complement a Fringe Festival – diagonals, the crop including some of your subject’s hair, and even lighting. I expect you may have experienced a dilemma about how to deal with the metal rod or tube at right? Was it part of the costume?
12. New Forest train ride – Nomadic-Ninja. Nice young lad – while the closest eye is certainly sharp, the far side of the face and eye are getting a little soft. The red backpack is somewhat distracting, and there is a greenish cast to the lower part of the face, probably reflected off something below your frame. Nothing wrong with cropping to show only a part of the face – you may have wanted to get a tighter crop to deal with some of the distractions.
13. Willow – Shaman. These can be incredibly difficult to do well – dark fur is difficult to handle. You’ve certainly pulled off the focus on the eyes – well done. And they are lovely eyes indeed. A square crop may be worth a try, and a little more space on the left? I trust Willow is still alive and well, and will enjoy your company for many a year.
14. I love my llama – TiffRaw. Well – that makes one of you! Great engagement between your two subjects, nice and sharp, and the llama (it’s about as ugly as a camel!!!) clearly is playing to the camera. I may have considered pulling the llama’s face out of the shadows a little – some local exposure correction in your ‘post’? The perspective used – skywards – works well – beats the standard side-on routine.
15. Dominatrix – darwaysh. Great portrait. Effective BW post, lighting suits the subject, interaction with the camera and thus the viewer really suits your brief (and mine). The promotion under your image we could probably do without.
16. Chloe – LancashireLad. Can’t beat a Labrador! Lovely dog, lovely face, and other than the nose predictably, sharp in the all right places. This is another shot where the strongly lit and coloured background competes for the viewer’s attention. It can be toned down in post, should you choose. As with Willow above, I trust Chloe is still alive and well (and I do note the image was taken three years ago), and will enjoy your company for many a year.
17. Model – overholm. Soft light, soft treatment to the model’s face, very effective. My personal preference would have been for both eyes to be in focus. Without EXIF data, not much more I can say about that. Lastly, she would probably be grateful were you to deal (discreetly) with skin blemishes (forehead) and chalky teeth. All part of the photographer’s chores! 
18. Wheeel Hell…ooo! My eyes… look into my eyes… – drofmit. Ahh the marvel of compound eyes. This is deceiving and beguiling all at once. The eyes ARE sharp – it’s just not sharp as we know it… Excellent DoF and bokeh, colours all match (great for camouflage). Good use of your 100mm macro. And nothing wrong with the K7 either.
19. Eyes – tyronet2000. I’m still rolling mine, having seen these… They’re in focus, but not much image appeal for me I’m afraid. A different background may have helped there?
20. Pheasant – johnriley. Another image demonstrating excellent use of DoF, beautiful bokeh, and pin sharp focus exactly where it needs to be. Colour, lighting and composition tick the boxes too.
21. Deep in conversation – pipinmels. This fellow nearly blends into the background, he’s so well adorned. The eyes are real drawcards in this image, notwithstanding the riot of colour throughout. The only quibble I have is with the shoulder of the person your subject is talking to. A narrow gap, to be sure.
22. Innocent Eyes of a Toddler – JudithAnn. Focus is first class. Another excellent BW conversion, with composition and lighting up to your usual excellent standards JA. The one thing I ain’t sold on is the colour popping of the eyes – to me they are disconcerting. (Sorry!:blush
23. Muncaster Lizard – andymat. An interesting colour palette, for lizard and tree-stump alike. The focus is spot-on for the lizard, although I’d have taken off some more of the foreground. It is about the lizard, after all.
24. Leave me alone – noelcmn. Another well executed avian image, with a lovely catch-light in the eye. I’d have probably pulled the shadow side up a little with local post. A square crop would also have worked with this image.
25. Red and Black – michaelblue. The eyes do have it here – you have managed to capture not just the mask in all its exquisite detail, but arrange the shot such that there was sufficient light to illuminate the wearers’ (plural) eyes. The dark / black background adds much mood and character to your subjects. Good camera the K10D – still.
26. Tired eyes – ken2390. The eyes of your great-granddaughter are likely fairly well in focus, but the light is such that it’s a little difficult to say. There’s a lot of background light which tends to distract, while the people have a distinct reddish tinge. Likely what has happened is that the camera’s sensor has become confused because it was presented with two different types of light. Incandescent light (globes indoors for example), mixed with daylight or fluorescent tubes is a fiendish trick for digital colour photography.

So, on to the awards:

Commended
Hoverfly – coker
Wheeel Hell…ooo! My eyes… look into my eyes… – drofmit

Highly Commended
Red and Black – michaelblue
Pheasant – johnriley

Honours
Are you looking at me – timcx500e

Picture of the Week
Dominatrix – darwaysh

That’s the week that was!
Prejudices, errors and omissions are all owned by me in their entirety.

On to darwaysh…

Congratulations to the Winner and other placings. Thanks to i-berg for the interesting subject the judging and the comments. A little separation between the comments would have made them easier to read for those of us with crap vision.

Thanks I-Berg, a really healthy competition with lots of fine entries and first class judging. Congratulations to darwaysh on winning with your first competition entry. And well done to the other award winners.
The metal bar in my picture was a problem. It was part of an umbrella which she was holding but her painted finger nails were in desperate need of some TLC and they seriously detracted from the picture so a crop was in order.
David

Stan,

Apologies to you and others who may also have found this difficult due to lack of spacing.

The report card will read, "Needs to try harder, display empathy and concentrate more".

And I happen to know where there's a spare set that may be better...

David, yep - it was clear there was a good reason! You get what you get...

Congratulations to the winner and other honours.
Thank you for the commended...
yes, nothing wrong at all with the K7...
nor my old istD....
neither of which will leave the fold whilst they are still working...

I am actually thinking of re-awakening the MX and K2 for some B&W...
having found a source of film locally...
and the chemicals... colour included [but not for me]!
It will be nice to return to the element of surprise and the basic operation....
both things that a digital camera lacks!

A liitle bit about those eyes and their smooth cover...
The eyes on the mantis are weirdly out of focus... yet in...
we all see insect pictures showing the facets...
so not to see them, except from head on....
is unsettling and out of the norm.
That black spot actually creates a sort of iris effect...
with the result that she seems to look AT you....
no matter where you are standing.

I've done a picture post on Aigronne Valley Wildlife if anyone wants to take a gander...
all the pictures open in a fresh window if you click on them.

That's a lovely series Tim - the last image is a beauty too.

All well deserved places in this tough challenge, congrats to all. Thanks I-berg for a very fine challenge, drawing out a wonderful range of images and interpretations. Great stuff.

Thanks for the Honours award and congratulations to the winner and other places , lots of super images superbly judged.
Regards, Tim.

Thanks for the highly commended, nice to see a good number of entries too
I had a feeling Darwaysh would win with that cracking shot.
Congratulations to all other 'Places'

Congratulations to darwaysh - it was always going to win. An outstanding shot. Well done to the other placings in what was a healthy set of contenders. A big thanks to I-Berg for the competition and comprehensive feedback.

Regards

Paul

Congratulations to the winner and runners up. Yes, and thanks to i-Berg too for taking the time to give such constructive comments on each photo.