Six Strings
by roadrunner

Comment:
Nice treatment of a stringed instrument. I like the tension caused by the fact that the two opposite corners of the photo are in focus, but somehow, without a sweet spot somehwere nearer the middle of the photo to rest ones eyes, it's like a chord progression that does not resolve in a way we are used to.

Shadows on the viewdeck
by burtct

Comment:
The checkered pattern is very nice. I also like the hazy light. It seems to me that the mountain somehow upstages the subject. And because it is a little our of focus, it kind of trashes the shot. There are two cropping treatments that would fix this problem ( not sure if they result in a better photo ) a) cut off everything above the top of the railing b) cut off everything to the right of the first corner post.

Toothpick Shutter
by pottersclay75

Comment:
Very clever.

Fungi
by amjlt

Comment:
Might be a little more fun if more were in focus.

Ichthyosis Research Candidate
by JeB

Comment:
Love the texture of the skin, but I do wish we could see the elephant's eye a little better...

Protected?
by aznym

Comment:
I love the optical illusion created by the metal frame - an elephant in a box. It's quite wonderful.

Restrooms? First Hut on the Left....
by jenesis

Comment:
It's a great expression. Unfortunately the subject is dark and the lighting fails to illuminate most of his face and body. Nor, I think is the photo well served by the large amount of negative space on the right.

Beware the Dragon
by idnic

Comment:
What a handsome fellow. Great lighting, crisp focus.

Please...
by TooCool

Comment:
In dealing with DPChallenge I have come to expect good photos to be a little oversharpened. So when I see this excellent photo I wonder whether its more natural look is due to accident or choice. I expect that if it were just a little sharper it would score better here - whether or not it would actually make it better. Sharpness aside, I really like the gaze of this primate. I love the way the steel fence works with the dark skin, hair and eyes. And I am grateful for the fact that the green of the background is not very saturated - whether by accident or on purpose. I find the cropping just a little week. I think there is far too much space above the eyes. And I think the vertical element on the right and the horizontal one on the bottom could be cropped out to some advantage. Despite all the postprocessing tweeks that could have been done to improve the photo, this is very strong shot.

Grungy Terrarium
by Joey Lawrence

Comment:
I like the grunge aspect of this photo. It is a refreshing change from the feel of the rest of the photos in the competition. Good Luck.