every single day, you are with me
by jmritz

Comment:
Without the title I may not have appreciated the tenderness. Goes to show how open one always should be. The tilt works well for me, a nod to the casual and everyday. I like how the tones shade from dark in the lower right through to bright in the upper left, a modest crescendo. A very satisfying image.

cold as ice
by PennyStreet

Comment:
Lovely movement and composition. This woman seems serene and unconcerned with the cold. I like how well the featureless whites tie the image together while also helping to make the cold tangible for the viewer. The up-tilting overhang is a nice touch in the framing. Fine photograph.

words untouched
by jagar

Comment:
Interesting how his head seems to float free of his body. He looks to be a swami, if I may be so bold as to assert. His face tells of a life lived with strength and determination. I like the subtle tones and how he fills the frame. Makes me realize how little I know of the world.

Icelandic blue-eyed boy
by helgi

Comment:
Fine portrait of this lad in a wondering moment. There are no curtains here, just a crystalline honesty. I like the depth of focus here and, of course, the beautiful circular bokeh. The composition is very pleasing.

Intense Look
by the_rkp

Comment:
Fine intense portrait. He looks coiled and ready. Was he ok with being photographed? His turban (not sure of the proper name) seems out of character, pretty and jaunty. As a matter of fact he kind or looks like Sean Connery. The people in the background seem to be casually clothed -- are they tourists? I'm posing all these annoying questions because I'm confused, but in the end that doesn't take away my fascination with his challenging, direct, powerful gaze.

Intense
by Neat

Comment:
A delightful high-key image. The portrait of the dog is stellar, full of personality and beautifully posed. The composition is also really fine, his/her head turned in towards the center, echoed by the arm of the bench. I like how the paws and body dimple the fabric, conveying the sensation of weight. The background is nicely neutral without being boringly formless.
Personal third favorite of the challenge.

Light doesn't get any more natural than this...
by Bear_Music

Comment:
A terrific portrait beautifully set off by exciting and moody processing. There is tension between the overall grit and the milder portrait, genial and kind-eyed. There's even a halo effect going on. The time of day and the weather are active participants in the image. You've nailed a keen, provocative style.
Personal second favorite of the challenge.

portrait of a passing man
by Tiberius

Comment:
This slightly blurred, grainy portrait is quite moving. Emotions both bubble over and simmer within. I don' know what his actual emotions are, but most prominent to my eye, due to visage and mien, is that of deep concern. The disposition of tones is wonderful. That he's about to exit the frame conveys a sense of urgency and diffidence. The beautifully picked out sliding lock above his left hand further suggests an atmosphere of being closed off. It's kabuki. The upper right corner is somewhat distracting, but so it goes.
Personal favorite of the challenge.

i keep thinking
by jmritz

Comment:
I like the left half of this image, the textures, tones and the smiling shoe.
Squinting helps.

Absblawhi
by Neat

Comment:
Precise graphic image that seems to float in space despite the hefty mass of the geometrical solids. Wonderfully, the central block can shift back and forth, facing right and left, as you shift your perception. Looks like a simple abstract, but it's quite enterprising in its cunning and composition.