Dog Ears
by KvdB

Comment:
If the dog were actually doing something other than laying there (like doing math problems for instance) then I could buy the fact that he was getting 'book smart's from his studies. But without something like that, this shot falls short of the challenge and the humor doesn't quite have the impact it could.

Cramming
by gfied

Comment:
Why the narrow crop? I like the concept (and expected to see more like this). Maybe if there were a guy either in bed or on the way to the bed in the frame the 'cramming' concept would have more impact. Overall nice shot.

Elements
by smichener

Comment:
Cell phone shot? You caught a unique perspective, but the image quality is so poor it's impossible to get past.

Mental Osmosis
by got2bgutsy

Comment:
Nice idea, but the photo itself really needs work. Pulling the subject away from the wall (and probably figuring out some other way to keep that stack of books on her head) would get rid of the shadows. Also the focus here is off. Smaller aperture, get everything from the cover of the book she is reading back to her face in focus.

nocturnal study
by gmarblestone

Comment:
Don't care for the composition, but the lighting is very nice and it was a good choice doing this in black and white.

Physics (Ode to Gary Larson)
by ZeppKash

Comment:
Maybe the original comic had the guy bent over like that. Not sure it's working for you here. Think if the other pant leg were as pulled up you'd have captured the smart nerd thing better. Shot really needs a contrast increase.

Hard at work
by yansermc

Comment:
Two things could improve this. First, correct the whitebalance so the hideous yellow cast of the indoor lighting would go away. Second, how about shooting this from an angle that doesn't leave me with the impression that the photographer simply walked up behind this girl and took a snapshot? Seeing her face would be nice, or really any other angle that gave me a more intimate view of the person studying. I feel like someone passing through the hallway and glancing into a dorm room.

Technical Mind
by hsvhoon

Comment:
I think this barely meets the challenge. Including the glasses at least gives some nod to someone actually increasing their 'book smarts' by having been looking at the material at some point, but that's about it. The shot itself is nicely composed but the lighting is very drab.

Buried in a Good Book
by jacqui_513

Comment:
Conceptually I can buy this as it at least shows someone adding to their knowledge or 'book smarts' by reading a book. Technically this picture needs to be thrown a life preserver. First you can barely make out that there is a book in this shot. The white is so bright as to be almost overexposed and the object itself gets so little space in the frame as to be incidental to the photo. I like the expression on the face, those super arched eyebrows are a keeper, but the focus here is very poor. I can't see anything in focus at all. Lighting is rough across the board with some nasty highlights around the eyes near the nose. Glasses were a good choice (if a choice) and are of a nice book-wormish quality.

dante's staircase
by cutout

Comment:
Nice in an abstract sort of way, but this doesn't show book smarts in the sense of someone displaying skills/knoweldge acquired through reading.