Mean Street Smarts
by Herblacklist12

Comment:
Bumping to 10. Excellent challenge interpretation. Street smarts is the first thing this image makes me think of. The blur and blown highlights somehow add to the non-conventional feel. That's what the street is about, right? Like the off-centered composition as well. My choice for blue ribbon.

Lessons Learned on The Street
by Ivory

Comment:
10 from me. Such simple composition and yet such a perfect challenge interpretation. My choice for red ribbon.

An Ingenious Gentleman Of Our Days
by nutzito

Comment:
Very good portrait, seems to capture the essence of the individual. I don't normally like a point of view from below the face, but here it seems to work well.

In My Hood - Ode to 50 Cent
by elizadeb

Comment:
Very good challenge rendition, facial expression and contrast with the t-shirt. There's something about it that I don't really like... I think it's the background with it's dominating mid-tone gray.

Walking to work.. And loving every second of it!
by Graeme44

Comment:
Wouldn't normally care for the blown sky, or the cut-legs composition, but matches the challenge perfectly so a high score from me. Suggestion for blown overcast sky: convert to black & white. The colored stripes steal too much attention from the face anyway.

Busted
by Tom

Comment:
The street is here, not sure where the smarts are :) Good candid.

Big Bowl
by Hoser

Comment:
Hmmmm - excellent! Magnificent sky - that really makes the photo! Very often people forget when shooting landscapes that one of the crucial elements is... the sky.

I agree with previous comment that horizon should not be in the middle - I've made that mistake myself many times. Now the problem is - where do you move it, up or down? You don't want to cut out the canyon, but you don't want to crop that great sky either! Tough choice, I guess maybe on the spot, through the lens, it's easier to make this decision.

Yes, colors are muted and hazy, but I don't think there is anything you could have done differently photographically - this is properly exposed. Any more and you would have blown out the sky. So either shoot at a different time of day (not easy, it's not like this view is from your backyard, I know) or maybe a GND filter?

Now, this problem can be somewhat solved in Photoshop. I will give it a quick go later and see if the beautiful tones and textures in the rock can be brought back to life.

Great shot.

Matei

Edit: oh, and the close-up rock in the bottom left contributes more to the balance and "impact" of the image than it would seem at first glance.

Message edited by author 2007-11-15 11:35:19.

Lake Ella Church
by bennettjamie

Comment:
I actually like the composition here quite a bit... I think the church the upper left is balanced by the strong reds in the tree in the bottom right. Unfortunately, the church spire gets lost a bit in the sky, which is about the same intensity.

Again - tough scene to expose properly. Trees are a bit underexposed (no other way to get the sky in right). Plus the lighting on the trees is a bit "flat" which is a pity given the nice colors. I would suggest bringing the trees back with Levels adjustement in Photoshop. I also enhanced the contrast on the church a little bit, not entirely sure that worked well though:



Message edited by author 2007-11-15 10:11:42.

Whole World in His Hands
by michael_p

Comment:
Hey - best score without a bug / bird / flower! That's first place in my book ;)

Birthday-6-720.jpg
by idnic

Comment:
I like this one most of the bunch. The negative space on the left seems to work very well with the pose and expression, so does the metalic chair and the light touch on it. You can really feel the emotion in this image.