Tear Out My Heart
by KarenNfld

Comment:
Brilliant color. Clean and sharp. Only guess is a ripped fiber of sorts, cotton ball perhaps, in water, maybe some oil, and backlit blue.

Vexatious
by aliqui

Comment:
Razor. Nice idea. Great tones and layers. Focal depth works well as you roll back into the folds of haze.

Washed away footprints
by maroberts

Comment:
Hi, you asked for advice, so I'm going to act like I can give some. First off, I don't know why people think the footprint is raised. Must be some sort of optical illusion.

Technically it is perfect and there's nothing to improve upon regarding focus, depth of field, sharpness, exposure, etc. The only thing I would maybe alter is the composition, slightly. I would have the footprint located about where you do, on a third crossing, but leading into the scene instead of out of it. I would also try to get the shoreline to the top third, not slicing the scene roughly in half as it is. And maybe a lower perspective to get more of the sea (and maybe some horizon, if interesting) to get a slight feeling of where these footprints get washed to.

But these aren't criticisms, just what I would have done with it, and only shared because you asked. Obviously this is as tough as the competition gets, and your high score proves just how good a photo this is. Nice work.

Surfs Up
by JulietNN

Comment:
Congrats on the great score and top finish. First the best of the month and now the year from the same shoot. Nice work. I disagree about it not being eye candy, though. It most certainly is. I'd love to know what shutter speed you used to get this shot. Not that I find myself around surfers often, but when I am I want to be ready.

Puzzle Macro
by rocket

Comment:
Matchstick heads, hanging to look like alien pods of the invading Pumous-Eggplantians. Nice detail.

pointy pointy pointy -- pointy pointy point (extra credit if you know where the title originated :)
by vawendy

Comment:
Toothpicks. Nice composition to show off range of tones. Nice detail.

journey
by LevT

Comment:
Yeah, incredible image here. I was away and haven't had a chance to look at anything yet but this is on another level. Wonderful story and excellently processed. Composition lends to the tale, the squared off lines are pleasing and the rush of foliage simply soothing. Priceless expressions. Again, incredible image.

Windwracked Dune, Winter's End
by Bear_Music

Comment:
Incredible image. Moody, lugubrious, foreboding, chilled desolation. Wonderful tones.

The Twighlight's Last Gleaming
by Spizzer

Comment:
Beautiful photo and wonderful processing. Feels like a humid, lush, summer night. Wonderful.

Alone in the mountains
by Brin

Comment:
Stunning shot. The texture in the snow is captivating. Awesome photo.