Drought, Dry, Flames
by dmadden

Comment:
You can see these people's exhiliration at the drama of the water drop over a fire. It's nicely caught and portrayed. It's a heroic moment, reason to cheer. Look a bit deeper and see that the city is at odds with nature, being dry scrubland. Someone knock that guy off the soapbox, will ya. I like how the people are backed by the great expanse of the city; it's shown to be personal. Nice composition.
One of three personal favorites of the challenge.

Forcast: showers in the mountains
by Ammie

Comment:
There are degrees of immensity, and here the mountains are pressed down by the clouds, like a delicate flower. They're mostly dark, acceding to another's power. How the scene is beautifully lit allows us to come in as the curtain is being raised, so sit back, watch, feel and learn. Here are the moments of anticipation. The whole play is extraordinary, the swollen orange clouds, the heaviness of atmosphere, the immanence. Thanks for the front row seat.
One of three personal favorites of the challenge.

Mantis
by timfythetoo

Comment:
There's something magical about this. Also moving, so unfetter your mind and just see. Wonderful grainy and blurred blues, and a natural frame, not at all pushy. If she or he is inside, please open the window.
Personal second favorite of the challenge.

dream traps
by oldbimmercoupe

Comment:
A flag of trees. I can salute that. The venetian blind effect is neat and compelling. It curiously enhances the beauty of the trees. The yellow bleaching on the right is also finely wrought. Personally, I'm not sure of the combination, but hey, that's way beside the point. It's a very strong image, and I like being so shook up.
Personal favorite of the challenge.

balloon
by posthumous

Comment:
A stirring melange of moods, of magic in the everyday. Subtly widening layers and then the red balloon, the point of the exclamation point. If you prefer beauty to be everywhere suffused, here you go.

Lamp in Window
by ladpupmoe

Comment:
A dream, a soulful dream. An awesome presentation.

light leaks
by skewsme

Comment:
Rollover cut me short, but here goes. Wonderfully creative and complex, strartlingly powerful. Electrified trees, yes. And I'm going to assume that no trees were hurt in the making of this image. The light leaks are very welcome. Lovely palette. It's kind of like seeing life without the baubles and biases. What a journey! Thanks for showing us.
Personal third favorite of the challenge.

Tai Long Wan Surfer
by Tiberius

Comment:
Exciting in its spareness, yet nicely gifted with a terrific silhouette. It's basically water and rock, and rolling surf. Simple and beautiful. So easy to linger over for a while.
Personal second favorite of the challenge.

Room 205
by Yo_Spiff

Comment:
Beautiful shapes, colors, textures, composition, flow and happenstance. Well, happenstance aside from it's obviously being an inner wall of a building cleanly sliced apart. Going further, it's crowded with stories, mystery and imagination mingling freely. Can easily be a wonderful abstract, if some of the reality is sublimated. Many fine photos in this challenge, and this one stands out for me.
Personal favorite of the challenge.

Best of . . . Friends
by ErinKirsten

Comment:
Second sentence of my comment missed the point. Please accept my apopogy.