Round 6 Theme: Starry Night
Winner: Gangly and Team Ty
Critiques
Eldaena:
Katarh Mest – You did it again! You’re really drawing in the viewer with this pose. The wind in your hair is also a nice touch. It looks like you want to take the viewer on a magical starry journey with you! Lighting isn’t too harsh which is also really good for these night time shots. Another breathtaking week for you. =)
Caimura Rathe – How pretty! I like how everything in the background seems to be helping to focus the viewers’ attention up to the stars with you. Lighting isn’t too harsh which is good for a night shot, but I do wish your stars were a tad brighter. I love seeing the dandelion fluffs, though. Everything else is amazing, great job!
Lior Xanthos – Your star’s background is probably one of my favorites. The lightning on your face is really good too. It’s just lighting from the moon light, right? It always looks better than the artificial lighting sources. I don’t think the pose is necessarily poor here, but the camera’s angle isn’t complimentary. It makes your character look huskier and your arm looks kind of short too. Keep at it, this was still a really good shot!
Sangriah Valere – Noooo…the one time the depth of field doesn’t work with the shot! I kind of feel like this shot should be about you and your co-star should be the stars. Another issue is the lighting is far too bright for a night shot. It’s definitely not natural lighting. If you wanted it to be lighting from like a lamp post, maybe you could have incorporated the lamp post giving you the lighting into your shot.
Kimberlynne Highwind – I like the idea behind your shot, but your lighting is a bit dark and I feel like you aren’t really working with the camera or angles much either. You character seems kind of sad and distant, but I don’t think we should feel you are distant from the camera as well. I would probably recommend for a shot like this for the moon to be out to give you better natural lighting. Mess with your angles and not having yourself centered especially when working with other focus points like the grave. Good luck!
Masha:
Kimberlynne Highwind of Malboro
I’m sorry, but my first thought was “Another one?” This is a very iconic setting but in this competition alone I have seen so many shots at this location… One has to ask, when can one say “this is not moving anymore” (#toosoon?). Then night sky is nice, but especially the left side feels a bit empty with the lack of stars, the few clouds and the dark mountain range.
Lior Xanthos of Gilgamesh
A great night sky and a simple but sufficient setting. The lighting is nicely done to not have you blend away into the back, but you still put yourself down a little. Always consider how much of yourself you are blocking with glamour and pose. The glam fits you well (though I contend that glasses look weird on the squinty eyed male Au Ra) but the fluffy arm as well as your pose block most of you and cut off your face.
Sangriah Valere of Excalibur
I have heard said from Kai that the new /gpose toolset was not supposed to be used yet but I think we all agree that was mostly because of the colour correction and new lenses, not the focus slider. So when we would like to see a night sky picture, the sky should not be out of focus. That and you and your partner being a bit over-lit here makes this a rather unbalanced picture regarding the brief to me. The idea was nice; execution needs some refinement.
Caimura Rathe of Balmung
A little light on the stars compared to others but to me the Moon steals the show for me here. Although it’s faint it’s lit beautifully, a great moment to catch on camera. I also really like the framing you did in the foreground, and although I am a bit on the fence about a frontal shot instead of back or portrait to watch the sky more, it’s well done. I DO find the white lipstick a bit distracting though…
Katarh Mest of Lamia
This is something different from many entries this round and I like different! For the caption that you have I find the glamour a bit too battle oriented but I love the pose and the thought behind it! The location is interesting, though you could have probably found a spot that shows a bit more sky. A slightly more upward angled camera would have even done the trick perhaps.
Marik:
Bastien Felicieux of Balmung:
What a very pretty shot indeed. I really love what Idyllshire has become so far, and utilizing it for your background works. My concerns for this shot though are mostly the lighting, and your angle. Your lighting is very bright against you and a dark background; it seems highly unnatural and not sure where a natural source would be coming from to hit you like that. For the angle, it’s such a strange angle I’m not sure what it is exactly, but it just makes you look more elongated in the face then what you really are, just isn’t too flattering. Regardless of all that still a top notch shot and you shine like the stars! Good job this week!
Gangly Zilla of Cactuar:
Wow… just wow! This is an amazing shot, and probably one of my favorites this week! I am in love with this shot so much! Seriously, I feel like I’m watching a fairytale scene unfolding among my eyes at this very moment! Your background and you just flow so well together, and that pose? AMAZING! I would have liked just a bit more lighting on yourself, but it still works really well and is just simply divine. Really you just captivated me in the most amazing fairy tale I’ve seen in a while and I wish I could see how it ends, just again beautiful work this week!
Iris Dawnshade of Hyperion:
Such a beautiful night to do some studying among the stars! I really really do love your shot and your concept! Just such a fun shot! Lighting and pose are extremely on point and I love your expression so much! Background is great as well as your glamour, just everything is on point and I really just enjoy your concept too! What a fun and shiny shot this week, love it!
Jester Ehrenfeld of Balmung:
Ahh just lounging about on the beach as the stars pass you by…! Really playful concept, so cute! A few things though that could use some improvement though would be your lighting, angle, and I’m not entirely sold on your extra. You’re just really dark against an already dark background, would have loved to see you pop more. The angle is a bit weird to the point that, with your extra my eyes almost want to focus on her first, your head is more in the foreground so that helps. Just not entirely sure she was needed. Overall though a really playful shot and love the concept! Enjoy your relaxing on the beach!
Mackayla Lane of Balmung:
So romantic and so beautiful! I feel like I’m falling right into Eorzea, I just love it! Such an amazing shot this week; everything is so technically well done. I love your glamour, the lighting, your pose, angle, and background… just everything! So on point with the theme, just love it! Your dark tones just pop so well against your bright glamour and that pops so well against your dark background, it’s all just so beautifully executed! Definitely another of my faves this week, keep up the amazing work!
Nadede Lasalle of Hyperion:
Awww, such a sweet shot. So adorable and cute! I really love your background; it’s just full to the brim with stars! You and your glamour are totally on point, of what I can see. It just doesn’t seem too flattering to cut half of yourself off though, just a smidge more zoomed out would have just been perfect. Everything else though is rather on point and I am just mesmerized by the beauty of this shot. Amazing work this week! Keep it up girl!
Shayera Tano of Faerie:
Such a well-executed and gorgeous shot! I really adore your background sooo much! I love how there is barely any land on the border while the rest is just the sky full of stars! Your glamour is amazing and works so well! I love your pose and lighting, just done so beautifully! Your expression is also really nice. You just seem so happy and amazed by the night time sky in Eorzea, I can’t help but be amazing myself as I look on this shot, great work this week!
Flare:
Bastien Felicieux: This is actually a really nice shot. Not a bunch of stars, but it was set up nicely and is just overall a nice night shot. I think the lighting is a bit bright which takes away from the sky a bit but I enjoyed your picture a lot.
Gangly Zilla: This is a gorgeous picture! The sky is full of stars and your dress is flowing just right to really sale the fact that you are dancing with the stars.
Iris Dawnshade: Just enough stars in the background to get the job done with also focusing on you studying the stars. Great use of the background and the lighting is nicely done as well.
Jester Ehremfeld: This is a really soft and nice picture. It’s the picture before the actually professional photo. The lighting is also great, not bright nor too dark.
Mackayla Lane: I’ve seen a lot of pictures using this same background, but you captured something very magical. Your outfit blends very well with the stars and night sky and your solemn pose brings it all together.
Nadede Lasalle: Cute picture that is a bit safe compared to the others but stands out on its own due to the natural lighting and the fact that half the background is the actually stars. Great work over all.
Shayera Tano: Someone is enjoying themselves! Beautiful background and great use of the whm victory pose. The outfit balances the dark background and the lighting is nice as well.