Lord of the rings
by Windtale

Comment:
Wow! What a stunning and mesmerizing view that opens up before this red-robed wizard! This soooo reminds me of the swell of music and the majesty of the mountain views in the Lighting of the Beacons scene in the LOTR's movies. ARH!!! Look what you made me do now:-) I stepped away to put my LOTR Return of the King soundtrack in the stereo...something that I have not done since I helped a friend with writing some material for his book (yes, fantasy based:-) ) O.K. back to the picture now that I have music to accompany it:-) Love the mist that blankets the mountains. The lone figure standing upon the rocky outcrop to survey the 'misty' mountains conjures a truly fantasical view of a magical realm. Thank you for sharing this gem and filling my morning with some wonderful music to fit the scene:-)

eddie
by yanko

Comment:
The tonal range of the light and shadow in this photo is stunningly dynamic! Love how you composed the shot to be a vertical 'widescreen cinema' look for it makes me feel like I have opened a door and walked in to see Eddie and his world. The pose of his body, the donation cup and the wheelchair he is confined to makes me feel the bleak and stark reality he faces day to day with his life on the street. Eddie bears the monotony of sitting there waiting and just waiting for the kindness of a stranger to either drop in some money, a smile or just some interesting conversation with another human being. This is a very poignant and thought provoking piece - thank you for sharing this gem that has a human interest story to be told.

Between Heaven and Earth
by Dudski

Comment:
I stand here looking on at majesty of the snow-capped mountains as they push their way through the clouds. The spires of rock that catapult to the sky from the snow peaks to the grey/black stone to the 'zen temple' like tower of red rocks seen near offers a stunning view and majesty of the earth's natural treasures. This must have been stunning to see and just sit there to watch and contemplate. A very awe inspiring shot. The colors and the details in this composition is just wonderful to see. Thanks for sharing this beautiful photo.

Horseshoe Bend
by TommyMoe21

Comment:
Wow! This is an absolutely stunning photo of one of the many lovely views to be found at the Grand Canyon. It is beautiful there is it not;-) I love the colors! The red of the canyon rock is vibrant and bold. The shape and color of the river as it bends in a horseshoe curve around the center rock spire adds tremendous visual impact as our eye is captivated by this breathtaking view. Is this a spring or near the 'rainy' season for you have the additional lovely view and splash of color of the green that rims around the edge of the river? Great colors, lighting, detail and well-composed shot - thank you for sharing this.

Early Trio
by Motek

Comment:
Wow! Love those bold yellow and black colors of the balloons as they rise over the stark desert landscape! The balloons add color and added interest to the scenic desert landscape. Love the rugged terrain and the interesting mountainscape of the desert. And there rising just above the ridges are these beautiful balloons as they begin there flight. This must have been absolutly stunning to watch! The colors are great, the details stunning, and composition wonderfully captured!

You want to play?
by danielcheong1974

Comment:
What a wonderful, stunning shot. Love the timing of the capture that has this young chimp playfully hamming it up for the camera. Even though these two primates do not speak it is their expressions and actions that speak to us. This is the banter I see between them. He looks like he is trying very much to get the attention of the adult chimpanzee. The young one's hand is stretched out ready to grab the chin of the adult and say "Hey! Pay attention to me!" The adult however has the typical adult expression (and I can identify with this:-) ) of "Hang on! Just a minute there is something that I need to look into". Great lighting, great detail, great colors, and great mood capture - 9

Catch a Dream
by jasonlprice

Comment:
I have to say...I positively love the emotion & symbolism captured in this photo! The young boy, wheelchair bound, is determined to 'catch' all that life has to offer. He does NOT let his condition limit him in life. He shows us a positive attitude and a fishing rod he is ready to push the boundaries to reach for and capture the stars. The warm hues of the orange and gold sky complements the warm mood and positive message that this photo captures. I also love the choice of having the young child in silhouette with no individual identifying features for it gives us, the viewers, the understanding that this can be anybody...anyone can reach for and catch their dreams if they only try. Wonderfully captured and wonderfully done.

Cloud number nine
by hanneke

Comment:
I absolutely LOVE the emotion captured here! This has such a happy, good vibe to it! This gentleman displays a zest for life as he is over the moon happy with joy in his leap in the air and clicking his heels. Great action and emotion captured in this composition. Love how we see some sand being kicked up from his shoes. The B&W processing is great with a superb balance of tones. The silhouette of the man is perfect. This is a wonderfully emotive shot - thank you for sharing it. It made me smile.

Aerial Dance
by gingerninja

Comment:
The colors are absolutely stunning and the scene captured is captivating. The swarm of birds doing their aerial dance must have been really something to see at that moment of time! Shame that the image size restrictions are such that we cannot get lost in more detail by looking at (forgive the pun) the bigger picture. To me, I get drawn in not just from the colors but also from the two swarms of birds roll in and out across the sky just like the motion of the waves lapping at the shoreline. Wonderful photo and beautifully captured!

Inspire
by alecnorman

Comment:
Truly a lovely photograph of this beautiful girl. The B&W tonal ranges are absolutely superb! The lighting is also excellent. And there is just *something* about this young girl that captures and holds my attention. It is akin to that certain something that I see in Vermeer's painting of the Girl With The Peal Earring. Perhaps it is that I see she she is holding up the scarf to the light and perhaps daydreaming as she watches the light play on the folds and 'beads' of the scarf. She has this *look* that makes one stop to wonder what she is doing and what is she thinking. My very first favorite from this challenge...and that is saying something for I am VERY picky. Thank you for sharing this lovely portrait.