The bokehs are the clue..
by jazul02

Comment:
I'm of the opinion that a photo should say everything in and of itself, and any insufficiency in this regard should be seen as a detraction.
The lighting feels a little flat, and the arrows have the perverse effect of pulling me away from the model due to their brightness and placement instead of directing me towards her.

Pencil points in focus.
by Bill666

Comment:
I don't personally feel as though this embodies the challenge well. There are many items competing for my attention, nothing holding it sufficiently.

Paradise Locked
by Covert_Oddity

Comment:
I certainly like the idea of this. The strength of what is really the most insignificant part of the landscape, commanding the rest and the viewer too... nice usage.

Shot Tower Museum
by supanova

Comment:
I'm pretty sure this locale has been used a good deal before. In any case, I liked it then, and I like it now. Radiating lines, plus the windows and shadows... all of them lead us up. The yellow sign adds a bit of a counterpoint, bringing us to the bottom, but always to return upwards, drawn.

Path to Zen
by dswann

Comment:
The blossoms command my attention too much, seemingly contrary to your title.

aurora arborescens
by tnun

Comment:
Very different take on things. I like this... sorta otherwordly, but nice.

A Bright Spot in the Storm
by sjhuls

Comment:
I like this shot, it's really got a pleasant mix of elements. But, I'm left feeling like the focal point is subverted by the composition. The overwhelmingly bright mountains and sky pull the viewer there instinctively, and the lines of the field pull us away from your subject as well. To me, very few things bring us toward the person, with their relative darkness (their white is subdued, the colors are darker and, though nicely saturated, are not particularly bright or eye catching to me).

Chris_001
by matt_d_uk

Comment:
If you wanted to keep the black jacket, a rim light from behind is a must. He gets swallowed, and not necessarily in a good way. You noted the lights, I would prefer to have them in front of him, so have him facing camera left so that the lights move us towards his face. The light feels very on axis for this, which isn't always bad but feels very matter-of-fact (meaning... it wasn't designed light). The location is interesting, but you might have slowed your shutter a little to let it become a little more a part of the scene. I second Louis and his suggestion of a portrait orientation for this. You said he posed himself, but always be careful of what people do with their chins. By pulling his chin in, he's scrunched up his neck in a weird way, whereas you'd normally want to use the shadow under the jawline to create shape. Changing your shooting position relative to the model is always something to consider- eye level shots tend to feel very static and unnaturally normal, if you follow, because they're exactly what we always see walking around (the world from eye level).

Distant Memories of Fall
by MargaretNet

Comment:
I really like this. You've downplayed the urban very effectively, while still keeping a nice depiction of nature and in a much more interesting way than many other entries. Well done.

urban murder
by Moncrieff

Comment:
All I could think of....
Rubber