All that remains
by Simonjw

Comment:
At the end of the day all that remains is the reminents of man's creation. I think that this composition really does well to capture the mood of the passage of time and that what man creates does not stand up to the test of time. Because, eventually, the tides of time come and wash away what once was. Once there was a dock here - life teemed here with men making their way to this dock to fish and/or perhaps just contemplate. But it is no more - only the foundation - the bones remain and eventually they too will be swept away. Wonderfully composed picture.

Future
by dleach

Comment:
Love the vibrant hues of green and the variety of foliage in the shot - really makes an impact in the composition because I think spring and renewel which plays well with the title of the piece. I like how you used the columns to naturally frame the futuristic glass building seen in the background. It is that framing that really complements the main focus the futuristic glass building surrounded by nature.

Contemplation
by Jas

Comment:
Great composition. Alone on the barren rock surrounded by the vast and open sea sits a man curled up in contemplation. Yes, I get the sense that he is very alone with his thoughts because in the composition he is small to his surroundings. While that composition choice plays as a strength to creating the mood it also is a weakness. I think that you could have cropped another 20% of the image and captured the same mood. And, the advantage would be that it would have called greater attention to the figure sitting on the rocks - he is a little too lost in his surroundings. The colors are a tad too surreal - the purple & blue hues in the sky and the sea appear to vivid, too unnatural in that they almost take on a supernatural effect.

Appalachian Porch Flower
by susi

Comment:
This is a lovely portrait. Love the tones and colors on this from the rustic browns of the old wood to the soft pastel pink of the girl's dress that brings the punch of color into the scene. I like the dichotomy of the old and new you present in this composition. The old and rustic (and falling apart) surroundings of the chair, porch, window, and iron gate juxtapositioned next to the little girl holding flowers which symbologically represents life anew. She is Spring to the rustic house's Autumn. My only critique on this portrait is that the girl's expression. She is looking directly at the photographer/viewer and projects the feel that she is not quite happy with her picture being taken. A much more candid or relaxed shot when she is not looking directly at the camera would have been better.

Dreamer
by DefyTime

Comment:
I love the feel and mood that this composition projects. The colors and composition of the fish in the aquarium are wonderful. Viewed alongside the silent observer in the right hand corner it comes across as a scene in which he/she gazes upon the watery world and is lost in contemplation. My only critique is that the lighting illuminating the individual could be better. The upper half of the body and the head are too dark and the color tones tend to blend in to much with the color of the aquarium water. It would improve the composition if the shape of the person was much more distinct.

Storm Front: Serenity III
by hotpasta

Comment:
The square format really helps tighten the composition. Good choice in going with B&W because there is alot of elements in the photo that would get quite bogged down and overly busy if it had been in color. With the B&W the viewer gets to drink in the shapes and textures present in the photo. Love how the masts of the ships 'mirror' that of the city skyline. The sparkles on the water give a little magical feel to it. The boats in the shipyard offer a promise of escape from the hectic bustle of the city to open waters that are calm and enchanting. And how wonderful that that the mood of serene calm is best represented by the name of the boat that is perfectly illuminated: Serenity.

The magic feather
by TUBORG

Comment:
Excellent composition, lighting is good and the subjects are wonderful to look upon. As a gaze upon this photo I feel like I am observing a Greek goddess teaching her young son how to control the magic that flows through their viens. The levitating feather is just one lesson his mother seeks to teach him as he attains greater powers as he approachs apotheosis. The photo is wonderfully presented, creative, and very unique in this challenge. I do believe I will see this in the top 10. Wonderful work.

The Summoning
by robinssong

Comment:
A truly spooky and supernatural capture. You did an excellent job with bringing all the elements together to create an ominous and creepy mood. The ghostly smoke rising from the grimacing skull, the barren silhouettes of the trees in the background and the rising full moon all come together to present an image that is spine-chilling especially should one encounter this scene in a wooded area. I also have to say that this would be a perfect picture capturing the spirit (pardon the pun) of Halloween. Great job 9.

Bewitched
by elsapo

Comment:
The title and the eyes peeking out from the foliage are very definately bewitching. The lighting and contrast are excellent. The face is perfectly illuminated and it is the subject's eyes that hypnotizes the viewer. The woman can be seen in one or two ways. The first is that she is a magical being, a dryad or sprite, casting a powerful hold spell upon us as she peers out from her forested home. The second is that those eyes sometimes project a feeling to the viewer that we are the hunted - as if she is a wild animal (say a tiger) sizing up her prey. Composition of this photo is excellent. Well done.

The mysterious Mr. Pepper
by h2

Comment:
Ack!! My what an interesting eye you have - both the pepper and the photographer who imagined this concept:-) Definatly an unusual and interesting take on the mystery portion of the challenge - gotta give you points for creativity. Certainly mysterious and downright erie. One certainly does not expect to see an eye staring back at them from the stalk of a green pepper. A slightly above average shot - lighting and concept are great. There are some improvements that could be made to some of the compositional elements to make it more appealing. First the background color is too much of a screaming neon tone that IMHO takes focus and attention away from the main subject because most are shielding their eyes from the brightness of the hue. Next the condition of the green pepper looks like it has faired better days. A fresher, healther green pepper with a more robust green hue would add to improving the visual appeal of the composition.