Freedom
by gyaban

Comment:
You finally got your 8! And surely not your last. Way to go!

Balloon - outtake
by GinaRothfels

Comment:
You definitely chose the right one. By far!

The Shy Sister
by njsabs

Comment:
So happy that this ended up right where it deserves to be! Congratulations :-)

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree
by Abra

Comment:
He doesn't look very merry though ;-)
Gorgeous bokeh and lighting here. I would have blurred the leaves on the left a little more though. 7

Fog Rising
by MargaretNet

Comment:
Absolutely magical. If I look closely, I can just barely see the elves and gnomes peeking out from the trees in the back ;-) 8

Red-billed Hornbill
by prperold

Comment:
Woah, that is a cool looking bird! I would have cropped the image so that the bird is in the left bottom corner. Even though that breaks the rules of thirds, the bird is shaped to fit there perfectly, and I think it would have made a more interesting composition. Still a really nice bird photo in its own right. 7

The Shy Sister
by njsabs

Comment:
njsabs? I am guessing by the background and general editing style.
Either way, I am totally floored by this picture. By far the best portrait I have seen in this challenge so far, and one of the best I have seen in a long time. Those eyes are just so soulful and tell such a story. What a gorgeous little girl. A 10 and a fav

Evil Eye
by tmhalling

Comment:
Love the editing done on this. It is very effective. It definitely makes me feel like I am being closely watched and that I am being evaluated on whether I would make a good meal or not. 8

Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me
by skewsme

Comment:
This is a really awesome picture. Good eye. I would love to see a comparison between this picture, and one where the wires above are edited out. They do not bother me here, but I am curious whether the removal would make the picture stronger or weaker. Obviously not legal in the editing for this challenge though.
Anyways, awesome work. I do hope this gets its just admiration from the masses. 8

Broken Dreams
by bcrants

Comment:
Great portrait, her eyes really tell a story. I feel like the portrait world is overrun with pretty but lifeless eyes. This one is a great exception to that rule. 8