M i l l e n n i u m
by hihosilver

Comment:
Voted earlier coming back to leave comments. This is a wonderfully simple and elegant capture of nature. This shows unspoiled beauty with just the rolling shapes of the mountains peering out of the sea of clouds. The cool shades of blue and purples create a calming mood the perfectly fits the serenity of the scene.

Alone
by haze

Comment:
Voted earlier coming back to leave comments. This is my leaning tree, I come here when I need time and space to think...to feel...to think of which direction I need to take. It's trunk has always got my back. I come here and it's rough bark is strong and gives me support when I need a comfort zone. My leaning tree rests nearby the waters. An ideal place for the waters reflect the skies moods as I too reflect upon things and feelings. The gentle sound of the water lapping is a gentle soothing sound that helps to calm jangled nerves. This is my secret place, my leaning tree. This is what story unfolds when I look upon your composition. The colors and silhouettes as well as the presence of the two main subject paints a mood and feel for the photo.

Old Truck in the Field
by thatsanicepicture

Comment:
Voted earlier coming back to leave comments now. Love the composition of elements here. You have this old decaying car surrounded by this field of lush green. It shows an interesting juxtaposition rot & decay surrounded with life renewing. The setting sun is also very symbolic of the time setting on this ol and falling apart car. It's day is done. When I look upon this composition I cannot help but think of the lyrics to King Crimson's song Dig Me...it is about a rusting and abandoned ol' car. Great job in presenting all the elements in this symbolic composition of this car's 'life'.

In the air
by offiof

Comment:
Voted earlier coming back to leave commentary. Holy moly what a great action shot of this fish leaping up into the waters!!!! I get the idea that this is some form of salmon or other type of fish that swims upstream against the current. That is why I say it is leaping up into the waters above. Great capture of the water splashes and the detail in the fin, tail and scales is wonderful. Love the action going on in this shot. One doesn't always have control of the elements but it would certainly catapult this great shot into the exceptionally good category if you lucked out and caught the head and eye showing. It is still a wonderful shot though, great job!

Blue Flax
by chickadeezl

Comment:
Voted earlier coming back to leave comments. Love the bokeh backdrop that allows the flax in the foreground to really shine and pop visually off of the page. Lighting is wonderful for I really like how it illuminates and adds a really nice sheen on the petals. The almost glow with the soft blue/violet hues. Now to my critique...ah crud! She has to spoil the commentary with a critique right;-) I think the composition would be much more stronger and appealing to the eye if you cropped out the top third of the photo such that it is close to the highest flower in the foreground. The blue flax that is blurred in the backdrop bokeh really does not offer much to the composition and sometimes distracts attention away from your main focus flowers in the foreground. That beautiful shade of springtime green bokeh backdrop would be far more complementary to your foreground flowers.

pelican . blues
by nivlek

Comment:
Voted earlier coming back to leave comments. A very interesting presentation of a sunset shot but instead of warm colors it utilizes cool blues. The choice to use cool colors invokes the idea of a calm serene and cool breezy day by the shore. Tones and contrasts are good with maybe jussst a tad more of a boost to the contrast to make it pop visually even more. Love the inclusion and spotting the pelican in the shot for it adds visual interest. The last little critique I have for this shot is that the head of the pelican disappears a bit into that sand bar. A slight change in angle either by shooting it a little higher up or lower would have moved the head such that the water would be the backdrop and thus the whole bird would be fully visible and contrast with it's surroundings. Great photo nonetheless!

Backstage Pass
by Carlo21

Comment:
Voted earlier coming back to leave comments not. Wow, what great detail and DOF on this shot of the guitar!!! I love how you composed it such that the neck acts like a leading line that runs off to the vanishing point to the horizon. Very much like a pathway for the eye to travel upon. But that same pathway needs a little something to add extra zing to this photo.....Hmmmm. Hey! You know what would be really cool?!?! If you could get this same wonderful set-up and have it on a stage such that the neck of the guitar leads off to the seats in a theatre with what appears to be stage spotlights shining on the guitar in both upper corners of the composition. Lights, music, PLAY! It would have a look and feel of getting ready to put on a music show with just the guitar and the backdrop setting (pardon the pun) the stage for projecting that idea to the audience. If you have any way of accomplishing this I highly recommend doing it. It might mean going out of your comfort zone and asking someone you know connected to the theater to use it or asking a complete stranger for use of their facilities with the promise to credit the place in the commentary as a form of advertisement. The worst they could say is no. But if they say yes, and all elements come together this great above average shot could be catapulted to the exceptional category of 9 or 10 just by applying some star power (and yes that is a guitar hero reference;-) )

W I L D
by halopes

Comment:
Voted earlier coming back to leave comments. The angry sky rolls across the wide expanse of blue while the waves thunder and crash upon the craggy shore. This is the impression I get as I watch the forces of nature at work in your shot. Very beautiful and scenic shot of this beach - while beautiful I feel the calm before a storm for I see rain bands far off in the distance to the left of the composition. There is one other human element that chooses to brave Mother Nature's display (aside from us the viewer) and that is the lone oil tanker that I see far off into the distance. Of course that could be an island in which case I am very wrong:-) Love the capture of a moment in time as the water crashes upon the rocks and we see the explosive spray in fine detail. Colors and detail are wonderful. Great job on this seascape capture.

Nuns on Ice
by Coley

Comment:
Voted earlier coming back to leave comments now. The B&W treatment is absolutely wonderful! The thing that stands out most to me is their expressions and how they are all bundled up. They are absolutely freezing in that cold chilly wintery wind! I can feel the cold just by looking at these three. The 'nun' on the far right is none too happy and actually looks as if her teeth are going to chatter in the next second. I can't decide between two different interpretations of what her expression says. The first impression is that she is freezing and her teeth ARE chattering. The other expression is of impatience...'hurry up and take the bleeding shot!' perhaps?:-) The possible story of why these three nuns are out in the cold has me wondering why ARE they there. Perhaps they are doing penance....Perhaps the cold is symbolic of the fact that they are doubting their religion and have been left 'cold' with no answers but only more questions...the story possibilities are endless.

My Only Regret
by bucket

Comment:
Voted earlier coming back to leave comments. The B&W tones and contrasts are eye-poppingly dynamic!! Absolutely stunning! The widescreen border just complements the look and feel of a cinema scene that this photo invokes. I feel that this is a still from a movie where we are watching the main protagonist take a seat at the bar/bistro. He sits alone for there is no one to celebrate with him. His birthday - 50. He realizes, he is old. Old and alone. He reflects upon the one special lady he let slip away decades ago. And he regrets...regrets that he has no one close to his heart to be there with him on this day. This is the scene I see being played out. This is what story the photo speaks to me. Very mood driven and has a powerful story to tell...and not just what I think as that there are sure to be others who see a story here that might differ from mine or share in some same elements. Wonderful work here - bumping up to 9.