solo
by boysetsfire

Comment:
What a neat shot. Love the color gradutation in the sky and the speck of the moon.

Blush and Bashful
by L1

Comment:
This is a wonderful capture Laurie. The lighting is perfect and you captured the lush pink hues wonderfull. My favorite flower/plant pic of the whole challenge.

Feeling Blue
by steinar

Comment:
I'll say again, to both you and Halldór, amazing work!
Very much hoped to see this ribbon but congrats on the top25 placing :)

Monochrome
by elsapo

Comment:
wtg! Big contratulations to you Justin :) This image has the perfect tone to it, cant imagine seeing it any other way.
This and the Feeling Blue photo where my top2 favorites.

Once upon a time...
by Jaded_Housewife

Comment:
Congratulations Crystal :)
This was one of my favorites from the challenge. wtg!

On The Half Shell - wout cloning
by Techo

Comment:
Thanks Jen :)

Reason why I mostly prefer Basic Challenges, for one it's good practice for me to get the pic right from the start and not much of brainer when choosing how to edit it but those little specks/sensor dust can drive one nuts hehe. When shooting for a challenge even when it's for Advanced, I try to keep in a Basic state of mind.

I sometimes even forget I can clone out a speck something out while editing a photo for Advanced. I'll just try keeping to cloning only specks for Advanced and think twice if I do anything more. About the canvas, I didn't realize it was bought up in the forums before, the blackground was already black so I wanted more negative space, it is now in my mind a major element, I won't ever add a sliver. Some for folks where not DQed for that some where. I guess it depends to what extent it was applied.

When shooting the pic I wanted to get as close as possible to fill in the frame with as much as detail as possible and naturally still get enough negative space. The big problem was, the shot I chose to edit wasn't level, by rotating it I had to cut some of what little was left out. It wasn't rotated by much but it made a difference. If I chose a frame taken a few shots earlier, it was wider had the same lighting, etc. but the white balance was off, the colors where cooler, that I could've fixed easily via Color Balance, and there would've been no need to extend the black canvas. So another lesson learnt, thinking it was advanced I thought it was ok take that one and just tweak it.

Sorry for the long read. And thanks again to everyone for their comments and support :)

Oh and...

I don't know what the SC team think of me keep telling or rather suggesting folks to double check with them if they have any doubts with their editing steps. Becuase the help and ask for validation tickets submitted could sore. But I think they're a fine group and like to help. They dont like to DQ pics so I guess at the end verifying it with them before submitting a photo could save them the hard task of deciding to DQ or not?

Message edited by author 2006-07-31 13:31:15.

On The Half Shell - wout cloning
by Techo

Comment:
Hi :)

Well when I touched up the reflection I too didn't think it was a major element area wise, but me extending the black canvas didn't help my case either. I think the relection would make or break the image so it was seen as a major element by some. I've never cloned that much of a challenge image before. Got to tread lightly, and think twice. After getting a recent validation notice (My 2nd in an Advanced Challenge, this one was my first), which passed, on a my recent photo in a challenge still in voting phase. I do now have a better understanding of what is and is not acceptable cloning and touchup wise. Filters are not a big part of my photo editing so I have no problems or concerns there, and I'm not big on Burning/Dodging either.

Message edited by author 2006-07-31 12:59:46.

Superman's Rock Garden
by ShaneBlake

Comment:
Very nice collection of crystals. Did you you grow them yourself? Nice shot too, with good lighting and interesting composition. Though I can't say there's enough emphasis on gold here, or that is stands out much.

Touch of King Midas
by TUBORG

Comment:
Wonderful execution! Everything is just perfect here. Right down to the soft fairy tale look. Hope this does well. Good luck :)

The Trek
by Cutter

Comment:
Most amazing shot. Great job! My favorite landscape photo from the challenge. Looks very much like an HDR or combined photo of different layers of contrast/brightness settings. I reckon this should place in the top10. Good luck!