"Birds"
by TJinGuy

Comment:
I'm going through the entries, stopping at those images I feel have had the benefit of an unconventional eye and dwelling a little longer to try to see and appreciate what you saw. This is one of those images.

Positives: This has the quality of watercolour on parchment (I think that is interesting). Looking at the quality of the rendition, it is easy to overlook the subject matter which is, of course, compelling. I particularly like the way the small birds seem to bleed into the background. I also like your composition / framing which I think is bang-on.

Critical stuff: Nothing really.

Overall: Very nice picture.

swept
by skewsme

Comment:
I'm going through the entries, stopping at those images I feel have had the benefit of an unconventional eye and dwelling a little longer to try to see and appreciate what you saw. This is one of those images.

Positives: Very nice graphic shot - super contrast that constrains detail to the furtherance of drama. I like how the white flecks look like scratches - almost reminiscent of those wax-scratch drawing packs distant relative might buy you as a kid.

Critical stuff: Nothing really.

Overall: Very effective image.

Near the river
by Historicus

Comment:
I'm going through the entries, stopping at those images I feel have had the benefit of an unconventional eye and dwelling a little longer to try to see and appreciate what you saw. This is one of those images.

Positives: Amazing effect generated by your POV here, the repeating pattern and the ambiguity as to where the water/air interface is at any point makes the shot. I like your stark(ish) processing, it serves to preserve detail throughout the depth of the image.

Critical stuff: Not much at all.

Overall: An interesting shot - thanks for offering it up.

The Aviator
by Yo_Spiff

Comment:
I'm going through the entries, stopping at those images I feel have had the benefit of an unconventional eye and dwelling a little longer to try to see and appreciate what you saw. This is one of those images.

Positives: Superb and unusual portrait, the context (dials etc) works so well to set the scene. The technicals are fantastic too, the focus, sharpness and toning are brilliant. Super catchlights in the eyes too.

Critical stuff: Not much - I can see why inclusion of the Stars and Stripes was seductive but I do think this side of the image is less strong than the other and the flag has a tendency to pull the eye away from more interesting parts of the image.

Overall: Super portrait, expertly made.

Engulfed
by ti_evom

Comment:
I'm going through the entries, stopping at those images I feel have had the benefit of an unconventional eye and dwelling a little longer to try to see and appreciate what you saw. This is one of those images.

Positives: Wonderful POV - this low perspective makes the shot for me. The selective focus is interesting and creates something that goes beyond 'capturing a dramatic wave scene' and makes your photographic choices clear to the viewer. I like that. The birds are the final crowning touch, offering a touch of life to this stark scene.

Overall: A great take on this scene.

Off Season
by xianart

Comment:
I'm going through the entries, stopping at those images I feel have had the benefit of an unconventional eye and dwelling a little longer to try to see and appreciate what you saw. This is one of those images.

Positives: What a wonderful scene to capture, the obvious juxtaposition of beach and snow is accentuated by the pretty bright yellow working with the dull dark tones of the sky. I like your choice of aspect ratio too.

Critical stuff: Not much at all.

Overall: A fine scene, well captured.

puppy love
by daisydavid

Comment:
I'm going through the entries, stopping at those images I feel have had the benefit of an unconventional eye and dwelling a little longer to try to see and appreciate what you saw. This is one of those images.

Positives: A lovely shot - full of life; those people who feel that photography is about sharpness should have this offered up as reference material. The muted colours and noise/grain certainly adds rather than detracts from the effectiveness of the image. On top of all that the topic matter is simply charming.

Critical stuff: nothing really.

Overall: Excellent shot that is more than the sum of its parts.

phantoms of the rock
by 2mccs

Comment:
I'm going through the entries, stopping at those images I feel have had the benefit of an unconventional eye and dwelling a little longer to try to see and appreciate what you saw. This is one of those images.

Positives: Lots of things to push my buttons here, the coloration, the blur, the grain - all lovely. The strata provides the perfect backdrop to the scene and indeed the moving figures are seemingly at one with the geology behind them.

Critical stuff: Not much, perhaps I would like to have seen even more blur of the ground below their feet as the strong texture tends to pull the eye away from the stronger parts of the image.

Overall: A really good looking shot.

Hello from Yosemite
by wyverndragon

Comment:
I'm going through the entries, stopping at those images I feel have had the benefit of an unconventional eye and dwelling a little longer to try to see and appreciate what you saw. This is one of those images.

Positives: This one made me smile - the juxtaposition with the context is superb. Surrounded by some of the finest potential for landscape photography in the world, you consign the splendour to 'mere' background and offer us a snowman instead! I love that. The photography is still very well executed though, the choice of low POV, the placement of the sun in relation to your subject, the perfect dynamic range, allowing us to glimpse the surroundings while losing nothing of the foreground subject and the overall quirky feeling of the moment.

Critical stuff: Nothing.

Overall: I really like the whimsy in this image - it communicates a sense of joy for life that can sometimes be hard to capture in an image.

Crossing at Gay
by timfythetoo

Comment:
I'm going through the entries, stopping at those images I feel have had the benefit of an unconventional eye and dwelling a little longer to try to see and appreciate what you saw. This is one of those images.

Positives: Tons of stuff to like here; the slice of life offered up, the through-the-windscreen POV that involves the photographer in the shot, the wonderful coloration (I'm really enjoying the red and green accents) and the overall richness of capturing the day / moment.

Critical stuff: The slight 'crunchiness' of the trees at the left of the image draws my slightly from other more interesting parts of the frame.

Overall: A highly immersive shot that I have enjoyed immensely.