Is it impossible to get valuable critique on such a forum?

Carlos, you're the Victim of a jealous 0.5 Star Attack.

Your Dog Photo is just Fantastic!  Perfect composition, great crop, amazing BW conversion.  Frankly, I'm rather jealous and would be proud of have a photo as good.  I'm enter & voted in many contest (check my profile), your DOG photo is easily one of the best I'd seen here in DPR.

I believe you were cheated out of #1.  The #1 "Ha Ha" is not just mediocre, it pretty BAD.  I rated "ha ha" as no more than a 2 STAR.  Its scoring also suggested some cheating was involved.  From a statistical behavior, his scoring lack a single consistent bell shape curve.  Not only is his score all over the placed, but the mysterious sudden 3x 5 STARS rating push his photo to #1 over yours. (very sad).

I'd examed the scoring of your photo and it is CONSISTENTLY HIGH with 4.0 ~ 5.0 rating.  The single prominent Bell Shape Curve is consistent with the statistical behavior science of voting.  Your the actual winner without cheating.  That is my opinion.  Check out the contest here

• http://www.dpreview.com/challenges/Entry.aspx?ID=471346&View=Results&Rows=4