Protected platform
by primabarbara

Comment:
Nicely done. :-)

Life In A Fish Bowl
by GolferDDS

Comment:
Very nicely conceived and executed. Having tried something similar with a willing subject and failing repeatedly, I know exactly how hard this is to get right! Pretty sure this is a lock for the top spot, and my personal favorite in the challenge.

I'm not so sure I would have included the fish. I get the rationale, but I would have probably opted more for a terrarium vs. aquarium effect, since (for me) the fish interrupt the illusion a bit due to the obvious absence of water in the glass.

The author
by Neat

Comment:
Congrats on the red! A well-deserved placement here.

make a face
by PennyStreet

Comment:
A personal favorite for me this challenge. Looks like a kid who will definitely make people smile many times over in life. :-)

Passion
by DCrest01

Comment:
I figured this one might take the blue, actually. The rich colors, evocative minimalist subject placement, and thematic pairing with the saying are pitch-perfect. Literally my only quibble with it--and it's a minor editorial quibble that did not impact my vote--is with the font choice and missing space in "everyday" (i.e., "every day"). Congrats on the HM!

Confidence
by nam

Comment:
This was one of my top two picks. The personality of the subject radiates perfectly for this moment. Congrats on the yellow!

A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything.
by glad2badad

Comment:
A well-deserved win, Barry. The eye for the humor and the pairing with the proverb are both quite inspired.

Appreciate The Little Things In Life
by GolferDDS

Comment:
I was pretty sure this beauty was another of yours. You have quite the knack for capturing these elusive hummingbirds. I attempted to photograph one a couple weeks ago--and bigger, I think, than the one here--and I was having more luck with a restless bumblebee. Congrats on the blue!

The magic of dawn
by Neat

Comment:
Such an ethereal capture. The framing with the trees is inspired.

The Carwash at the End of the Universe
by Bear_Music

Comment:
Love the grungy processing. Besides being fun to look at as an abstract on its own, this would probably make a very interesting composite overlay for another piece of artwork at a future date, too.