Conquered
by Artyste

Comment:
Stunning quality here - detail focus, treatment, processing are exemplary. It's hard to get excited about shots of kids though, however well done.

...and someday, when you're bigger, we'll...
by Sammie

Comment:
Nicely competent work - no, in fact better than that. It's just this kind of subject that doesn't appeal to me. Very good work though.

How did I get here?
by MacDonald

Comment:
Hang on, hang on. His hair is cut, and beard trimmed. He has tread on his shoes, and a leather jacket. His hands, as far as we can see, seem clean, and his socks kind of white. I get more of a sense of choice from this than a sense of despair, as suggested by your title.

It's a decent street portrait, though a presumably static subject would have given you more chance to compose a little more effectively perhaps? A bit more face, a bit less litter bin?

Watching Life Pass By
by Ken

Comment:
The gloomy darkness of the image serves admirably to emphasise this guy's isolation - a sadness echoed by the sock fallen around the prosthesis. I would perhaps have tried to find a touch more local contrast, though as I said, the gloomy grey has an impact all its own.

Omelette Prep
by L1

Comment:
Especially given the blat-round-the-head border, I think perhaps a little more contrast would serve here - though without losing control of the already blown highlights. Has a kind of neatness to it that seems to gloss over a sense of character, perhaps; but then, equally perhaps, he's just a gloss slightly characterless kind of guy?

Morning Peace
by vtruan

Comment:
Such a strange delicate image, much appreciated. I wonder if you tried a black and white conversion, to emphasise still more the progression from light to shade? Good work.

The Street Performer
by Rikki

Comment:
Strong image. I have a preference for a less straight-forward kind of candid work, usually wanting more than just a show of character; which is not to knock this, as it is certainly one of the better entries.

Smooth Dawg
by jaxed

Comment:
Like this enormously; reminds me of someone's work, but can't dredge that up out of my memory right now. The strange line of the shade is excellent, the sense of an affluent easy life is strong, the very high contrast effective for the idea of sidewalk heat.

...
by phoenix46

Comment:
Pretty cool stuff, though your chosen framing presents problems I think. Both her gaze and her outstretched arm push the dynamic out of frame, making for a non self-contained photograph, which is a shame. Processing and detail are exemplary.

Cherub Unaware
by SandyP

Comment:
Unaware? Inwhat sense exactly? One can almost see the photographers light-coloured shirt reflected in her pupils. Odd titling indeed. Decent enough shot, but I think some more care might have gone into processing - the skin tones are just a little flat to my eye.