We Could Sail Away ...
by jomari

Comment:
I'm going through the entries, stopping at those images I feel have had the benefit of an unconventional eye and dwelling a little longer to try to see and appreciate what you saw. This is one of those images.

Positives: This is wonderful story telling, and on top of that an image within an image - linked by the narrative of your title. Both work together - the shadow picture and the boat study and to marvellous effect too. The slight overexposure keeps in light too - imbuing the image with a sense of wonder... Go darker and monochrome and the story changes and becomes more ominous. I'm glad you made this choice.

Critical stuff: Nothing at all.

Overall: More story than I might have thought possible in a single picture. Masterfully constructed.

last summer
by bspurgeon

Comment:
I'm going through the entries, stopping at those images I feel have had the benefit of an unconventional eye and dwelling a little longer to try to see and appreciate what you saw. This is one of those images.

Positives: There's something about this image that communicates loss, like the attempt of a grieving mind trying to recapture a precious moment. Everything about the image feels tenuous and fragile - think too hard and the image will go, perhaps forever. The technical and artistic choices you've made to conjure this image are remarkable.

Critical stuff: Nothing at all

Overall: Viewing this image is like having my eyes bypassed - the memory of another being planted directly into my mind.

Haleakala
by Breeee123

Comment:
I'm going through the entries, stopping at those images I feel have had the benefit of an unconventional eye and dwelling a little longer to try to see and appreciate what you saw. This is one of those images.

Positives: Goodness me. There are landscapes and landscapes! And this, this is a landscape!! Seriously though, the scene, the light, your capture of it, the sense of scale, the curve of the horizon, the clouds below the mountains - utterly magnificent. That swirl of the terrain suggestive of the coriolis effect works so well with that horizon, like we're at the top of our spinning planet looking down on it all.

Critical stuff: Nothing at all.

Overall: Not a normal pick for this comment series but it stands out as a landscape just as much as some of the more story based images I normally pick out.

I imagine you'll take the Blue. It'll be well deserved.

Great Dames
by tanguera

Comment:
I'm going through the entries, stopping at those images I feel have had the benefit of an unconventional eye and dwelling a little longer to try to see and appreciate what you saw. This is one of those images.

Positives: Lovely portrait - I love the balance between the subjects and your lighting is to die for. The clarity of the Great Dane is just amazing and I really like the edge of your model's hat - it fills a little space top left in the frame adds a great deal of balance. Her expression and direction of gaze gives a great juxtaposition with the stare of the dog.

Critical stuff: I hope the clipping of the paws doesn't hurt you too much.

Overall: Lovely, lovely shot.

Tired
by aznym

Comment:
I'm going through the entries, stopping at those images I feel have had the benefit of an unconventional eye and dwelling a little longer to try to see and appreciate what you saw. This is one of those images.

Positives: I love the honesty of this shot and what you done with it, how it's shot, how it's processed complements it perfectly. You don't try to dominate the scene with your technique - even with the Lensbaby, the effect accentuates your subject - your show everything and waste nothing. The light and toning is perfect too.

Critical stuff: Nothing at all.

Overall: Just masterful - don't often see something so well judged.

The Man From Isca And The Silver Circus
by rooum

Comment:
I'm going through the entries, stopping at those images I feel have had the benefit of an unconventional eye and dwelling a little longer to try to see and appreciate what you saw. This is one of those images.

Positives: The blur is wonderful and prominent but it is the painting-like colours that grabs me here. Those colours and the light imbue the image with an Old Master / hanging in a public gallery feel. That suggestion carries over into the scene it self with my brain telling me the building behind is a gallery. The amount of detail you have preserved in many of the figures is just perfect, as is the degree of blur elsewhere.

Critical stuff: Nothing.

Overall: Wonderfully made. The overall effect hits a number of sweet spots.

I'm afraid of waking to realize that I hate my life.
by wyverndragon

Comment:
I'm going through the entries, stopping at those images I feel have had the benefit of an unconventional eye and dwelling a little longer to try to see and appreciate what you saw. This is one of those images.

Positives: I like unusual portraits and although I'm not sure I like this one (see below), I really admire the work here. Bold as you like subject and composition, I love the POV and how it goes up, up and over the top - almost backwards it seems; without seeming to be distorted. Confounding and slitly amazing. I really like the jaundiced coloration too and of course the story.

Critical stuff: A smoking motif is something I would normally despise, but nonetheless you carry it here.

Overall: Unusual and effective. Very nice indeed.

Rainbow
by dx_power

Comment:
I'm going through the entries, stopping at those images I feel have had the benefit of an unconventional eye and dwelling a little longer to try to see and appreciate what you saw. This is one of those images.

Positives: This images has compelling elements on a number levels. At the centre, a great shadow capture, then outwards an engaging portrait, then outwards we go and we see the wider environment context of the house and then finally comes the rainbow. I like that radial nature of your composition. Most of all though, I like the light.

Critical stuff: I think this could be tweaked clockwise just a touch, though perhaps you wanted to avoid the resampling.

Overall: A great moment to catch - both meterologically and on a human level. Highly interesting.

by RKT

Comment:
Echos of alien. Great stuff.

Local Call (Color)
by Germaine

Comment:
Those highlights should be a disaster but somehow you've pulled it off.