Transitions
by Wenders11

Comment:
This is pretty, but lacks zing. Try increasing the contrast a crazy amount and see what you think. Play around - see whether you can make the background texture pop out while bumping up the saturation in the leaves.

Princess Jainey
by Wenders11

Comment:
This is a good example of where DPC diverges from the real world. I'm sure you and her parents LOVE this shot, and I'd bet everyone you'll show it to outside of DPC will say "what an adorable picture!" And your commenters loved it, too. But to score well on DPC, you have to come up with things that blow away fellow photographers who have seen a zillion shots of cute kids. One thing you might try is lightening up her eyes. Compare the original of my best portrait with the final to see what I mean. I did that using a "soft light" layer - you can read idnic's excellent tutorial to learn how to do it. I generally use opacity changes to lessen the effect vs. her blurring method, so play around and decide how you prefer to do it.

Dreamer
by Wenders11

Comment:
I thought I'd commented on this, but I guess not. You have pefectly captured so many themes that resonate with me: kids, dreams, flying, a warm summer day lying outside ... I also happen to love pure silhouettes. And you nailed the composition. So I have nothing to say but congrats and you now have a new fave. :)

andover.jpg
by Caeclyd

Comment:
"Test Pilots School," indeed! The angle of the plane contrasted with the angle of the hillside adds a huge amount of energy and tension to this shot. Well done!

herc.jpg
by Caeclyd

Comment:
Looks like it was shot from another plane! Amazingly sharp.

peepin the desert.jpg
by Uber93eK

Comment:
Very cool shot! Thanks for sharing this view most of us will never see. And welcome to DPC. :)

between Lies
by lovethelight

Comment:
This is simply stunning. Such a strong commentary and demonstration of how the finished image might bear little resemblance to the untouched person. Congrats!

Out of the dark, Into the Light
by Jaded_Housewife

Comment:
WOW. I somehow missed this. It's stunning.

In My Daughter's Eyes
by alfresco

Comment:
WOW, this is gorgeous, JP! Straight to my faves.

Home Alone (with a twist)
by Dirt_Diver

Comment:
This just rocks! Congrats on the top 20. :)