Cat O' Nine Beans
by GeneralE

Comment:
This finished ranked quite a bit higher than I expected, and with a pretty positive response from the commenters -- about the opposite of what I expected. Thanks to all of you who took more than a moment to look and comment!

Crazy Maize ("Indian Corn")
by Elemmennope

Comment:
I also took a shot of some maize, but decided to enter something else. From the look of your finish I should have entered the corn!

When I was a kid I took some and planted it and grew quite a bit -- this kind gets 6-8 feet high; most of the ears would come out multicolored, but a few would be a beautiful solid red or purple. One or two ears is enough to sow a sizable plot.

RAMBUTAN
by Rando D300

Comment:
Very nice -- these are quite a different color than the ones I've seen previously. Congratulations for a fine finish!

Dirty Windshield
by GeneralE

Comment:
Here is a link to the resized original. This gallery at pBase shows the steps used.

Photoreception
by JPR

Comment:
I find it fascinating that no one has commented on your two-toned border.

Are you going to explain the set-up for this? (Even if it's the "hard" way -- I guess you can keep the secret shortcut to yourself for a while.)

Taking a Break
by saintaugust

Comment:
I wasn't sure if it was intended to be "disturbing," but took it as a positive factor if it was ... this was one of my highest-scoring photos.

Maybe you were composing with your subconscious ... something to do with your username perhaps ...

"An interview with Simplicianus, the future successor of St. Ambrose, who told Augustine the story of the conversion of the celebrated neo-Platonic rhetorician, Victorinus (Confessions, VIII, i, ii), prepared the way for the grand stroke of grace which, at the age of thirty-three, smote him to the ground in the garden at Milan (September, 386)."

Coolant
by Manic

Comment:
Congratulations! Thanks for demonstrating that negative/inverted images can score well when it's used appropriately. Hope you're not violating the Patriot Act.

Belt, Cam, Gear, Hose, Lever, Pulley, Spring ...
by GeneralE

Comment:

Originally posted by ursula: Hey, congratulations! I like this!

Thanks -- definitely my best score in a long time!

From the comments it seems I actually addressed the challenge topic in a straightforward way for a change.

Here's a link to a version (at pBase) in the original color; does anyone think it would have done better? I thought it was too dingy and grimy to score well, no matter how closely it met the topic.

Hall of Steel
by BobsterLobster

Comment:
Congratulations! ... luckily I had enough time before the deadline to get to vote on this. I think the lighting and DOF worked out fine -- any noise is no issue to me.

Message edited by author 2004-10-04 00:04:58.

The Courthouse
by Marjo

Comment:
Well-balanced shot, good lighting too -- I like the use of half the dome of the ceiling to repeat the shape of the windows.