Hans,

Thank you for posting the photo in Critique Forum.  

We are not able to answer question 1 - the Curation process is sometimes mysterious.  There is some information in the FAQ section about how it works.  The Head Curators are not able to write to each member with an explanation. 

Question 2.  The colours may appear differently on your monitor than they do on the website because of the Colour Profile.  The website converts photos to the sRGB colour profile when they are uploaded.  This is the standard profile for most websites.  Your photo has a ProPhoto RGB profile which shows a greater range of colours than sRGB does.  It's fine to edit in ProPhoto,  but the profile should be changed to sRGB before uploading so you can judge what the image will look like on 1X.  To do that in Photoshop, go to 'Edit>Convert Profile' (not 'Assign Profile'), and choose sRGB as Destination Space.   

'Assign Profile' is used when an image has no Colour Profile, which is not the case here.  From the dramatic change in colour between the 1X image and the one in Photoshop, I wonder if the algorithm has used 'Assign Profile' rather than 'Convert to Profile' for the change to sRGB.    

For these samples a screen shot was taken and 'Convert to Profile' used for the top image and 'Assign Profile' for the bottom.   

. . . .  Steven, senior critic

Hi Hans,

This one is genuinely stumping me a bit because when I click on the image shown here, I’m also seeing a completely different version than what opens in the full view. The full image, which is probably the version you intended, feels much more refined with beautiful tones and strong technical execution. It is confusing that there is a mismatch, and I wonder if that might have affected the curation decision.

From a critique standpoint, I only see one small area that could be strengthened. I brought the image into Photoshop and lightly brushed a curve adjustment into the area left of the house and those nearby trees. That subtle lift helps balance the exposure across the frame. I also tried a slight crop to bring the mountain peak into a rule of thirds intersection. That small shift gives the composition a stronger visual anchor while preserving the sense of stillness you captured so well.

You have created a beautiful image. The warm trees, the soft reflections, and the calm atmosphere are all working together. It is absolutely something to be proud of.

Maybe one of the other critics can offer insight on why the display version does not match what you uploaded. I do hope you consider resubmitting once it shows properly. It deserves a fair look.

I'll note when I tried to upload the image I worked on, it also appeared muted.  I've brought this to the attention of the Senior Critic team and I will let you know what I find out.

All the best,

Tammy Swarek - Senior Critic

We live and learn. While Steven has pointed out how to avoid it, it doesn't explain why different areas of 1x display what I assume to be the same picture, in different ways. You would expect any picture upload to the Gallery or to the Critique Forum to look the same.

The version with the more yellow trees is a stronger image. It isn't an original subject. We do see rather a lot of these. Taking scenes like this always have more appeal if taken in the golden hours. The colours become more dramatic and varied. I am not saying this is why it was not selected. As Steven has pointed out, nobody knows. However, this is my take on it.

Hey all

Thanks a lot for your replies !

I'm uploading my photo's in Adobe RGB now and it solves the problem.

Thanks Tammy for the tips.

I like it when other photographers give critiques and tips on my pictures.

And that was what i was asking for, i was not complaining about not being published :)
The info i get from the curators is fine but it would be nice if it was a bit more in depth ...

Greetings from Belgium

Hans