The Prairie Sunset
by LERtastic

Comment:
One thing I find is that you either want detail to your subject (the tower) or you want complete sillouette. If you drag the photo into PS, you see the tone is about a 29 on a range of 0 to 255 (0=black, 255=white). Use levels and increase the low number to about 30. This will give the tower a true black (almost) and you can see it looks better.

Next, for heat, the blue in the sky hurts. It doesn't mean it isn't nice for an ordinary picture, but in the context of "heat" it cools things down. Take your picture again in PS and adjust the color balance to +100/0/-100 (a bit extreme, but to prove a point). This will turn all that nice blue to a orangy brown. Now it looks like we need a glass of water. Before I actually thought of a cold winter prairie sunset.

Head Cheerleader, Lincoln High 1958
by kiwiness

Comment:
You tried to fit a square peg into a round hole. Simply does not convey the idea of success well enough. Is she gabbing with her friend that she made the team? Is she successful because she's head cheerleader and most popular in school? What gives? Your one line makes me think this was a photo of opportunity and you relied on the title to try to get it to fit. Apparently, it didn't...

You know the technicals as well as me. It appears the Klieg lights were set more for theater than for photography.

A child's crowning achievement
by Kelli

Comment:
I'll speak to the technical first. Focus is excellent. The image is nice and sharp. There are lighting issues. The top is too white while the bottom has shadow with color casts. The composition is static and centered. That isn't completely bad because a stock photo of a medal would probably naturally be centered.

A big limiting factor is the subject holds a lot more interest for you than the casual viewer. The title, I think, saves it, but not everybody reads the title. It's cute to thing how such a cheap trinket would mean so much to a child, but that is only conveyed with the title, not the picture.

Clarity
by bcoble

Comment:
Love the puffy clouds. Love them! I think I may have pushed the rock down and to the right a bit. But that's just the way my eye sees it.

Finally I can reach it
by MamaGould

Comment:
Great shot. I think this may be the one that teaches you DPC doesn't like big borders. (I learned that lesson a while back as well.) Could have been Top 5 othrwise.

Jalapeno Heat
by Qart

Comment:
Congrats Qart. You are doing some great stuff! Great shot!

Fall From the Sky
by steinar

Comment:
Steinar, this one blew me away! I didn't know if it was a backdrop or real. It was that well done. 105 10s! Awesome blue. 8+ scores are something to cherish. Go Mag 7!

Want some orange?
by Brin

Comment:
Ha, I thought for sure this was Alanfreed cuz of his icon... ;)

Growing Up
by arnit

Comment:
The avacado seems to do it. See my SP notes for a bit of a tribute. Nice shot...

The Kindergarten Teacher
by scarbrd

Comment:
Absolutely, unequivocally, 100% robbed. Not to take anything away from the winners, but this shot was so awesome. Adding to favorites.