Bee Pollinating
by mm1jo12

Comment:
Immediately I thought with my DPC indoctrinated cap on and said poor composition, cropped legs, can't see the flower, very high key, bees yellow and black should be shown off... I stopped myself of course and on closer inspection liked the risks you took, the rules you broke. NG have published B&W, especially in the film days. Would they have published this? I really can't say. My gut tells me it needs film grain. My heart tells me it's too crisp and clean and non conformist. I can't make up my mind.

Anhinga (or Snake Bird or Water Turkey)
by signal2noise

Comment:
Good framing and nice detail on the extended wings. The bird also appears to be engaging me. Pity that large parts of it are obscured by the branches. Not an image killer but it's something I look for when shooting birds...get them as unobstructed as possible, if I can, otherwise I don't shoot and wait for a better chance or go home. I think it's OE by at least a stop and this washed out the overall colour and contrast. For this reason, without some PP which NG frown upon, I doubt it would be published, sorry!

Ivory Coast GIrl
by wei1108

Comment:
There is something about using B&W on dark skin that just makes a portrait more powerful. NG seldom use B&W, in fact I've paged through a number of their mags dating back a decade and have yet to spot one. Can't for the life of me picture one in my head. Those saucer sized eyes give me the feeling she has been abused, or displaced. Empty. It's a great study but is not telling me enough just by looking at it without the benefit of an article. 50/50 if it would be published or not.

Seattle's Underground Past
by levyj413

Comment:
Odd location, and it could be used in a story about the cities underground, quite a flavour of the month in television atm. I just feel that an urban explorer replete with mining helmet, a rope and a torch ala Indiana Jones needs to be in this image. i.e. The human subject of the article should be in this image to complete it, make it more engaging.

The Catch of the Day
by vawendy

Comment:
Fantastic eye, technique, patience, pan, exposure and all the 100's of other things that need to come together to MAKE a shot like this.

Waterfall in moonlight
by RUEDISCHMUTZ

Comment:
Sublime

Amulet
by mariuca

Comment:
Nice take on the challenge. NG have for years done articles on 'jewellery' from the Incas to the Egyptians. I hope you are not getting hammered because it's not a bird, a lion or a snake! At first I thought the cloth BG was too bright, should have been darker but then I realised this "could" have been shot under a glass box and some fill in or natural light at an exhibition so it is perfectly acceptable as is. DPC has 'taught' me in the last 3 years to process the hell out of everything in order not to get hammered and get a ribbon. However, as a rule I don't do this unless the challenge requires it. NG only allows Dodge and Burn, HDR, Pano and crop on their images so I believe this would easily be published. 9

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
by Magnumphotography

Comment:
Lovely shot, great focus but slightly faster shutter speed would have made it a 10, perfect sky, good title. Wildlife story. I feel it has been cropped quite a bit. Worthy of NG? Due to the technical difficulty and presentation, I think so. Also a possible vawendy?

The Old Horseman
by Judi

Comment:
This is good, really good. It oozes quality, of the photographer, a story concept, and set-up, lighting, exposure, the look. One thing. I don't like the square light streaming through the door frame behind his head, but sometimes such things are unavoidable and we can't always carry a studio with us. Would it have been published, I think so. A possible Yo_Spiff image at the stock yard but I'm guessing not as he mostly does B&W and big Mo's?

Horizontal drilling: Fuel for the new century
by Yo_Spiff

Comment:
Great work. The sky gradation is just gorgeous, it leads my eye down into the main subject, oddly the blue above down to the polluted brown below...maybe you didn't read it like this at the time but coming back to the image it just struck me. The human element inside the cage of wiring, reaching higher, his head seemingly connected by a wire like a puppet, is a lovely story telling silhouette, trying to get out of the pollution whilst reaching for new heights...romantic no doubt. NG has done work about oil/gas and the impact on us, so your image is relevant and really well photographed. I'm not familiar with horizontal drilling but I'm sure to go find out more now thanks to you. Bumped +1 to 10. I'll take a flier and say this is Texas and its a Yo_Spiff?