If we take one and two together, I think they exhibit something of the same problem. Both arte split nearly 50/50 and both are slightly underexposed.

The latter point is probably due to the sky influincing the meter reading too much. Then, bringing up the shadow areas makes for a slightly forced look.

The former point results in two images in the first shot, and to some extent in the second. The sky plus a small amount of ground makes one image. The building with no sky makes another. I don't feel the two are much connected.

The solution could possibly be a full set of exposures to make a full HDR image, which would I think have more bite and drama to it. Take it too far though and it will look OTT. I would also decide on what the subject is and ensure that the natural focal point of the image is obvious to us and that you give us no choice but to look at it. This can be achieved using compositional guides well known in art, but also using light.

Hope you don't think I'm being negative, but landscape photography is not easy and this is all well worth working at. Alan has gone some way to tightening one image up, although the exposure still leaves the overall shot a little dullish.

The only practical improvement I would actually like, apart from the continuing technical advances, is a bertter card door. The spacing just has to be right - it's fine on the Q but a bit tight for space on the K-5.

A reminder that this second Monthly Competition ends tomorrow at midnight.

Apart from the first one, all excellent.

The first one is a puzzle and looks wrong. This seems to be because the zone of sharp focus ends abruptly at the feet of the couple, as though drawn with a ruler. Everything in front is sharp as a tack, everything beyond is uniformly blurred. Very odd....

The two second delay will also lock up the mirror before the exposure - great for shake free images using a tripod.

I use the W90 and the biggest problem with these cameras is camera shake. They are small and light and not easy to holod still. However, when I get it right they are capable of very good results.

Perfect for carrying all the time, rain or shine, and for arduous use where no other camera would be used.

What I do like is the vigorous sense of composition. This gives me a sense that the photographer has acted knowing what he is doing and making his statement with positive intent. I would expect nothing less from Smeggypants, who is sure of his own moral ground. This comes across in the pictures.

What I don't like is what I see as over-processing that I feel goes beyond where it should be held back with just a slight touch of restraint. Too sharp, too harsh, too saturated.....for me.

Interestingly, I don't see that much evidence that a wide aperture approach has been used. I haven't tried to check the EXIF data, just used my eyes, but the effect and strength in these I think comes from the composition, not from an aperture setting.

George, just try and upload a picture and you'll see the new system. It's brilliant and very welcome.

Well Gentlemen, perhaps a PM is the best place to continue your discussion, but in any case it's getting a bit off topic in this discussion.

I would not discourage anybody from posting pictures, but equally I do think that sometimes the superlatives dished out are a bit over-enthusiastic.

Usually I don't comment at all unless I see something that I really am impressed by and feel unable to contain my enthusiasm. And I do have a real enthusiasm for images. When I judge competitions I thoroughly enjoy the process of seeing and evaluating all those images and I'm well aware that the creators have invested in them a bit of themselves. Therefore, they have a real value, good or bad.

Sometimes I will be encouraging with a poor image because I can see someone has struggled to improve, so I try to find that spark and identify the strengths. However, this is not mindless positivism, and when I see poor images being praised highly I find that a shame. It's a shame because it might hinder a photographers progress as they remain unaware of the faults within their images.

I think the comments being made on my model shoot photos of Melissa and Melissa are fantastic becsaue some people are saying exactly what they think without any holding back. Excellent, but not everyone can take that, especially beginners.

But this thread is about the technical quality of uploads, so perhaps we can move the other discussion elsewhere?

I think it would be fair to say that we don't want to jump upon anyone new who just happens to not fit whatever profile we think they should have.

It's fair enough to think something is odd, but then just proceed accordingly. Flinging accusations is not the way forward.

We are all new at some point.