===== From tek@evilsuperbrain.com: This is very good for someone who's only been using pov for a short time. I'll try and list everything I think could be improved: The white room and geometric chess pieces are a stylistic decision, so I think there's nothing wrong with them (though like you say I'm sure others will disagree). The bullet shape and material looks a bit strange, did you look at reference photos for it? The holes in the chess pieces are too perfect, it's a bullet not a drill! I'd expect the pieces to break more, perhaps shatter entirely. The pieces that have been hit haven't moved an inch, they must be very heavy. The trail behind the bullet looks wrong, again reference photos would help. And finally, the lighting is nice but looks a bit too simple for an interior, I'd suggest using radiosity (or making it more obvious). On the whole it's a great image and an interesting concept. I hope to see more images from you in future :) ===== From rgow@lanset.com: Good job on the focal blur ===== From ewan@chmai2.loxinfo.co.th: Very good for one months usage of Pov-Ray. Keep it up. ===== From maarten_hofman@hotmail.com: A nicely frozen moment. Maybe the point of the bullet should've been slightly damaged, but that's merely a detail. ===== From the_dark_allies@hotmail.com: For a person only using pov for a month, this is very good work! I like the scattering of bits, but the smoke trail does more harm than good to the image. Also, it's been a year since I last fired a gun, but I don't think you will find many bullets that look like this. ===== From sammyf@wanadoo.fr: I don't mind the blank background at all actually :) It's more the relative blandness of trail of the bullet and the bullet itself that detract from an otherwise cool picture though. ===== From N6re@mminternet.com: The pieces would not remain standing having been hit by that bullet but probably would split rather than cut clean....technical.. Focus very nice and background blur... Don't want to play chess with that guy!!!! ===== From bsieker@techfak.uni-bielefeld.de: Very nice overall image. Some minor points: I doubt a bullet would make such neat holes. The trail of the bullet is much too narrow and is not expanding, it also seems to be smoke-filled. There is too little debris flying from the pieces considering the size of the holes. ===== From bpjackson@woh.rr.com: It is another 'bullet in mid-air' picture, but something about a chess game being shot interested me. The white background did fit the rest of the image, and a busy background would only serve to underscore the feel of the picture. ===== From david.madore@ens.fr: Concept is nice. The idea of displaying a chess game is interesting and original. However, the bullet looks fake, and, worse than that, the bullet's trajectory through the pieces (perfectly cylindrical, with no attempt made to hide that fact) seems completely artificial. ===== From clem@dhol.org: Strange idea. Nice shattering. Odd but interesting chess set design. Much better use of focal blur than most. Most people seem to use it like a sledgehammer to eliminate most of the image. Bad idea, in my book. You are right. In this case, the empty background is the correct choice. ===== From p_chan@shaw.ca: The debris is done fairly well, but the bullet holes seem too smooth to me. The point the trail meets the bullent seems a little awkward, perhaps because it seems I can see the shape of the first sphere. Moving this sphere so it starts halfway inside the bullet might help. ===== From batronyx@alliancecable.net: There sure are a lot of bullets this round. Nice beginings you have here. ===== From slone@hiwaay.net: I like the chess pieces, both their shape and interesting metallic stone texture. The smoke trail is great for your first image but it really needs to be media (or stacked planes) so it doesn_t have sharp edges. Excellent job on the random bits. ===== From noe.falzon@tiscali.fr: Excellent to think about the moves before to make the scene. I really like the idea to make the bullet hit a symbolic piece. And the textures are beautiful.