Published by Yvette Depaepe in collaboration with Alfred Forns, Head of the Senior Critics

1x has a unique feature the founders are very proud of: the photo critique.
Members can submit pictures to a team of knowledgeable senior critics. Their feedback is useful, interesting and enriching even for the best of us.

Critique on the photo ”Now is not the time” submitted by Charlaine Gerber 

This is a fine art composite that I created with the photo of the person in the dress and the background of the square where people are having dinner. I loved the mood of the night lights and added the woman as a focus point. I added the rain texture so that it looks like the onlooker is looking through the window of a restaurant at the street scene. Please help me improve the work as it wasn't published in 1x. Thank you kindly for your time...
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Calin Hanchevici 
I have been coming back to this image. I like a lot the atmosphere and what your idea. There are few things I would consider, mind you that I am not a photoshop expert, so I won't be able to tell you how to achieve that.

The lady is too clear IMHO, and that pops-up. You can see on the left that the light does not fall right. Maybe you can brush a bit the dark area along the left leg? Second, there are no water droplets on her, that feels a bit odd.

It is like the whole window is foggy except a tiny area and she is exactly in front of it. Third, the light post on the right could throw bring more details. The upper right corner is a bit flat. I hope this helps. 

Charlaine Gerber
Thank you soo much for taking the time for such an in depth critique, I really appreciate it and you have brought quite a few things to my attention, I see now there is no water over the main figure, didn't notice before, so this is why this critique is so insightful, thank you once again...
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Mike Dumont 
I love this image and certainly would have voted to publish. Calin's comments, while valid, are very minor points. For my taste I wouldn't change a thing. Keep up the good work.  

Charlaine Gerber
Thank you for your positive answer. I really appreciate it.
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Senior Mike Kreiten 
Another very nice work you show us here, I enjoyed "where the lights don't move..." very much and you know I had a look at your entire portfolio. This is a recuring theme, the umbrellas, the night scenery, the drops on a window.

Calin is right about the sharpness, but I assume you decided so intentionally, to have your lady stand out. I would shade down her right side, because the light in your scene is coming from the left mainly.

The thing with water textures is that they usually distort as well. Probably because you did not know how to simulate that characteristic, you left the drops out "above" your subject, where viewers would expect the effect.

Actually, this can be done, I'll send you something in private if you want. I hope It could make your life a bit easier when doing these kind of compositions.
In any case, a beautiful work. We cannot explain why this wasn't published, because the process of curation is barely described or public.

I can recommend to read the interviews the curators gave. Go to "Crew" in "More" and you wil find them. At least they speak openly about what they're looking for.

In simple words, your best - the best you(!) can do. In your 45 publications (a huge amount, btw.) there are terrific works, if not all of them. Maybe curation considers your other work simply even better, so this turns into "very good, but only second best" on your scale of possibilities. It should not hinder you to keep it in your portfolio. I'm not the only one who has a look at all work an artist does when I find a "pearl". And you have many pearls attracting an audience.
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COMING SOON...
In collaboration with the Curators Team, we will publish an article explaining the curation process from the beginning to the final decision, the overall positive aspects of it despite sometimes work is not approved and what impact it really should have for those who wish to improve their photography, to find out reasons... etc.
Cheers, Yvette