Just Before Sunrise
by artvet

Comment:
Voted earlier coming back to leave comments. Wow, this is a breathtaking shot of this beautiful place. And I am sure it was even better to experience it and actually be there:-) This is a very scenic shot worthy of a calendar shot or a print hanging on the wall. Gorgeous colors throughout this composition. Love the early morning sky, the snow-capped mountains and the still lake with the lovely reflections.

Have you seen a mouse go by here?
by bs-photos

Comment:
Voted earlier coming back to leave comments. The expression, the pose, and the title really made me chuckle. Of course it would have been better had it been a real mouse BUT that would have been an exercise is frustration:-) The thing that really makes this photo is the cat's expression. He/she really looks lost & confused as he/she stares deeply into our eyes asking 'where *IS* that mouse I was chasing'. Color tones and details are good, but lighting (I know, picky picky right?:-) )could have been a bit better to illuminate the far right portion of the cat and the toy mouse so that we see it more (especially the eye).

Chapel of Love
by SDW

Comment:
Voted earlier coming back to leave comments. Wow, you did a spectacular job in the processing. The contrast in the hues of the wood of this chapel really pop visually and carry the weight of this church weathering decades of time, wind and rain. The thing that really contrast most with the time weathered wood is that bold red door. To me it carries off the idea that although this chapel may be old there is plenty of vibrancy and life left here. The red also jumps out at me as a symbolic color of love - and since this is a place where two souls are joined in marriage, it is a perfect color for a door that will open to a new path were two are joined as one in a partnership. The colors throughout this photo are bold and vibrant which also catches and holds the eye. The architecture of the church with arches and shape also holds the eye's attention.

Colors of Night
by Ken

Comment:
Voted earlier coming back to leave comments now. What is so stand-out beautiful about this photo is the lovely sunset colors. There is the softswept violet blues of the reflecting ocean water. There is the gold, orange and lighter violet hues of the sky. The lighthouse with the sunstar light shining as a beacon in this scene draws the eye in and further holds our attention as we watch the beacon and hear the sound of the surf.

Solitude Interrupted
by Nusbaum

Comment:
Voted earlier coming back to leave comments. I remember this shot from whose portfolio I know not:-) This is such a *GREAT* 'candid' style shot that really captures a mood and feel. We really do get the sense we have stumbled across this woman and disturbed her solitude. We feel that we are intruders upon her secret space that she comes to to escape the crazy hectic world outside. I see her as connecting back with nature as seen in the fact she has gotten dirty and had emersed in the water; caring not that she is wet. In the composition, she has heard us and looks to see who has disturbed her, but we have jumped back into the shadows or trees to hide. The tones in this composition is just fabulous and the sepia gives it a feel of an old photograph of a time that has passed into memory.

Chaise Pet.
by Dan_Cottle

Comment:
Voted earlier coming back to leave comments. Black and White tones are wonderful and very dynamic in this shot! This is a great pet portrait shot and I love how you arranged them from tallest to the smallest ....well maybe not the smallest for the one dog at the end is laying down relaxing:-) But you do have a slope of size which interestingly mimics the shape of this chaise sofa. And how the heck did you get all four animals, especially the cat, to cooperate with you and actually sit for the shot?!?!?! That must have been an excercise in patience that was rewarded with this 'family' style photo:-) Last thing I wish to comment on is that you have some great catchlights in the eyes of the doggies.

LOVE IS IN THE AIR
by vikas

Comment:
Voted earlier coming back to leave comments now. The first thing that reaches out and grabs me is the bold and vibrant colors of red and yellow. I also love how you composed the shot such that it division between the colors runs right down the diagonal for that adds tremendous visual interest. The couple in the photo is caught in a casual moment of sharing a joke or just enjoying each others company. We can certainly see that by the happy, smiling expressions and the holding of hands. The biggest critique (yeah, I know, I know, why the heck is she ruining a glowing review with a critique!!!!) is that the focus on the couples is a bit soft and that it could be alot sharper. Perhaps it is on the larger original file but the resizing down with one stop and no sharpening has made it softer...

Waiting For My Train
by MarcusArmani

Comment:
Voted earlier coming back to leave comments now. This wouldn't happen to be anywhere near platform 9 3/4 would it?:-) I instantly thought Harry Potter and the Owl Delivery system; but really this little feathered friend does not want to be waiting on the tracks when Hogwarts Express comes roaring by:-) This little critter is so cute! I can't help but see that he would just *sit* there and hoot at the train as it toots it horn back to warn him of the danger of being on the tracks. I read his expression and stance is such that he is very persistent about catching his train - only someone flapping there arms and running toward him would possibly convince him to move. The focus and details on the owl are wonderful. There are of course some technicals such as deep shadows and DOF that I guess could be improved but I don't see how considering that sometimes you just have seconds to make the capture or lose it forever. Regardless of the technical details, this capture sure told me a story and gave me a smile which is a big plus if you can connect like that with your audience.

Late Shopping
by Omni

Comment:
Voted earlier coming back to leave comments now. There is some image grain but coupled with the setting of a quaint European street & the B&W this captures an old world feel of a moment in time that has passed. The lights and the single woman outside the shop with her shopping bag standing near the brick paved street create a strong air/mood of a comfortable night for taking a stroll, do a little window shopping, and perhaps buying items needed for a late night dinner. Now I do have a critique (I know, why does she have to be so darn picky right;-) ). The tones appear a bit flat (at least on my monitor they do ...and not everyone's monitor is the same which causes headaches even for me). I think a boost in the black and white tones by playing around with levels or brightness/contrast can really make them more dynamic such that they visually pop more.

Winding
by nico_blue

Comment:
Voted earlier coming back to vote now. Wow, this looks more like the curl of a nautalus shell then a stone stairway! Angle, how you composed the shot, and lighting help greatly with creating this illusion. The eye really follows the curve/curl down. There is lots of interesting textures carved into the stone or the 'pores' in the stone and well as the curved shapes to hold the eye's attention.