Round 2 Theme: Waterfalls
Winner: Nadede Lasalle
Critiques
Flare:
Stephen Fairbrook: I actually like how the waterfall is your main focal point, but there is much more scenery around you for us all to enjoy. Nice work with the tones and hues.
Nadede: This is my favorite background among all the pictures. It’s nice and vibrant with a nice dark tone to it. Your outfit blends well with it, same goes for the action animation.
Rivienne Cotrlaint: Nothing like taking a refreshing dip on a hot day. This would be the perfect Eorzean summer picture. I would have also loved to have seen your eyes. The hair covers much of the face with that angle.
WoW Wie: A great vibrant and colorful background, the lighting isn’t much here but it’s all thats needed to be honest. One thing I would have changed was maybe found a more ‘dance’ oriented pose if that’s what you were looking for.
Kusuh Valentione: This actually looks like your training/meditating in front of the waterfall, making you the focal point, instead of just posing with a waterfall in the background.
Noesis Phobos: What a view! This is gorgeous and you make it look like you do it every day. The angle is just right.
Doki Kodoki: Another vibrant background with a soothing pose. Nice use of the amazon pants as well.
Gangly:
Doki Kodoki
Beautiful! The darker background creates a nice contrast that really helps you pop out with the light on your back. And that screen effect! It works perfectly to brighten you up, but also reminds me of sun rays trickling down. Your dance creates an elegant and soothing mood to the shot, and it feels as if you are one with nature, finding peace and quiet as you dance with the fireflies. I don’t want to be that person, but your waterfall is rather small and hidden, but I do get the impression that there is a much larger waterfall to your right because of the taller rocks and water. Nonetheless, the composition of this shot is fantastic!
Nadede Lasalle
I’m getting some Stormblood hype with the martial arts under the waterfall! The screen effect adds some soft light in the top corner, as well as brightens the plants in the back. Your pose and outfit work very well together, and because of the screen tilt, I feel like you’re about to kick some water at the screen! I know the lighting around the plants is weird, and as a result, I think the light hitting your body looks a bit unnatural because of how dark the right side of your body is. I’m not sure if moving over to the right would help lessen the lighting on your back, but I also think you could have zoomed in just a bit closer! I do love the moonlight hitting your face and the top of your shoulder and arm; really gives it that midnight training feel!
Kusuh Valentione
I love the waterfall to your back! You and the waterfall are the only things the viewer can focus on! The white of the waterfall is a great contrast to your darker skin. Your pose works quite nicely to give the sense that you’re meditating, and the screen effect gives the shot an almost dream-like quality, as if the viewer is about to pulled into your thoughts as you meditate. I think taking the shot straight on instead of from the side could intensify that effect. Because you are facing left, I feel the shot is slightly cut off; I want to see what is on the other side. I am also not sure if the pants you chose are the best choice. It is mainly the belt that is throwing me off; it has a pirate feel to it. I do like how you chose to go shirtless because the wet effect on your skin defines your muscles and allows me to imagine the splashing of the waterfall even if there aren’t any visible effects!
Rivienne Cotrlaint
Hahaha, I love the story of this shot! The distance in which this shot was taken is just right; you are close enough to be the main focus, and because we can see the surface of the water but not your legs, it creates the illusion that you’re waist-deep in the water! Having your back turned to the camera and face slightly turned to the side gives your character a very sexy feel along with the black bikini. I’m not sure the screen effect works as intended in this shot. Because it is bright out, the screen effect gives the shot a foggy look. I’m curious as to what the shot would look like at night, where the effect would be more prominent. I am absolutely in love with your expression however; it brings the whole piece together!
Noesis Phobos
I am in love with this perspective! The angle in which the shot was taken manages to not only keep you in focus, but shows the grand depth of the waterfalls and how high up you are in comparison to the bottom of the water. Your outfit and pose display an adventurous mood, while your smirk reveals your unmoving confidence as you “live on the edge”. The lighting is just right, and I can tell that the Brilliant 2 effect added a bit more around your face and the middle of the shot, but it’s so faint it almost looks as if it’s not there. Of course, the focus is not supposed to be the effects, but I feel a more visible and “hard” effect such as reflection blur could really give the viewer a sense of added intensity to the already daring feel of the shot!
Stephen Fairbrook
The western feel of this shot is so unique! The desert may be unforgiving, but it also contains some beautiful secrets! I love your outfit in combination with the background and filter; the cowboy-like outfit sets the theme of the shot as a whole, and the location, filter, and effect serve to enhance that. The colored pencil filter added interesting value into your outfit, making it more prominent in the shot, and the light hitting the rocks creates a nice contrast to waterfall in the back. Because of how bright the foreground is, your face becomes a bit overlit as a result. I think taking advantage of your hat and looking down so the front tips just over your eyes could create a bit more shadow on your face and give you a cool cowboy look!
Wow Wie
What a lovely nighttime shot! You are practically surrounded by waterfalls, and the moonlight hitting you is fantastic! The screen effect adds some nice glow around you, and your outfit and dance give off a carefree and relaxed mood. I think the camera could have been tilted down just a bit, because it looks like you are looking off at something else. I also think the pose you chose during the dance makes it look as if you’re a little slanted because I can’t see the rest of your legs, and the majority of your body is slightly off-center. If you were over to the right just a bit, I could make sense of your looking off in the distance, as well as giving the shot a sense of motion as you dance!
Katarh:
Nadede – Now THIS is a perfect use of camera tilt! It provides a different view of the background without distortion, but more importantly allows your character to appear upright in the frame. Brilliant 2 (popular choice this round) softens the background and makes it feel ethereal, but doesn’t overpower the character. It gives almost an oil painting quality to the lighting in the upper left corner. Good usage of the rule of thirds, and great composition all around.
Stephen – This feels like something out of a vintage magazine. I love the concept of a cowboy returning from the desert. Noise 2 was a nice choice for this composition, although I wish you’d managed to capture even more of the distortion and lines to make it really feel like a tale out of the wild west.
Doki – Tiny waterfalls for a tiny Lala. I like the pose and costume along with this setting – like you’re completing an ancient ritual in the moonlight. The fireflies are a cute touch as well. Brilliant 2 adds some splashes of color to break up the monochrome, but otherwise doesn’t distract from the composition.
Noesis – Lovely choice for a waterfall at the Tilted Ewer. This is a really cool perspective shot and I love the effect from the forcefield directly behind the character. I’m having some trouble seeing the Brilliant 2 effect here, though, and the sharp bare edge of the cliff is a bit distracting in the lower half of the image. Sometimes the choice between showing all the character and cutting it off to avoid polygon issues from the game engine is a really tough decision. Your outfit is perfect for the location, as if you’re an explorer or a merchant setting off on a trip.
Kush – This is one of the simplest backgrounds this week – and with the reflection blur, it works perfectly! It draws the eyes straight onto the character, who is running through his exercises. I like that he’s looking away from the camera, but the shot might be a bit stronger if he wasn’t dead center. Also really nice outfit selection. Those biceps! (swoon)
Rivienne – Back shots are always a risk but you pulled this off nicely – the impression I get is a coy warning to not come any closer! Brilliant 2 adds some splashes of color, but I think this relatively plain background could have used just a bit more dressing up. Good choice of outfit to be a bathing beauty – I think the matching ring bands are a nifty complement to the bathing suit.
Wow Wie – Dancing in the moonlight below the stars, with colored lights all around! Great choice of waterfall and outfit – it really sets the scene. I think this shot would be a bit stronger if your character was more wholly in the picture, and off center. Don’t be afraid to play with those camera zooms! I really like the faintly upturned gaze, as if she’s spotted something off in the distance, far from the view of camera.