Billings Farm (Woodstock)
by melismatica

Comment:
I can understand why you are drawn to this shot as your fave for 2006. It has an ethereal, other-worldly feel that is captivating. Roads to some unknown destination, when captured thoughtfully, always make the viewer want to follow. A couple of minor points - I think the horizon, slightly tilted to right, probably cost you some points. I also think the water on the pavement could be toned down just a touch - but that is an artistic call, and just something I might try. Again, fabulous photo. Love it.

In the studio
by sickdog

Comment:
Chris,
This is extra cool. I agree you should put the story in the comments section. I like the angle, graininess, and obvious candid expressions. So much more interesting than a staid portrait.

Suniferous
by posthumous

Comment:
What a great job of capturing light and smoke together, filtering through trees. Gives a feeling of depth, and a lot of movement in those lines. Might like to see it in a simple frame to help it pop.

It's all in the eye
by Brookied

Comment:
Darren,
Congrats on that killer score! My new goal is to hit 6.5, and you beat me to the punch. Good on ya mate, as I believe your countryman say? Please forgive me if I erroneously borrowed that expression. The sentiment remains the same: super score on an intriguing photo. One of the few instances of someone pulling off selective desat without a lot of backlash. And BTW - look at that average from the commenters! You've got a fan club! :-)

"One cannot look upon nature without being reminded of something peculiar and beautiful"
by quiet_observation

Comment:
Even as I voted, I was reminded of Melethia's abstract pigeons, but thought it surely was a coincidence manufactured by my pointy little brain. But no - it was intentional, after all! Frankly the two photos would look excellent hanging in tandem in a little gallery somewhere. Deb's reminds me of whirling bits of Swedish glass, and yours reminds me of flying pieces of bronze and gold. It's the contrast in seeming weight and heft that make these two photos so interesting to me on a side-by-side basis. Anyway, love them both.

Froggy
by Kelli

Comment:
I was quite taken with this shot - I love the sense of the frog curled up in all that green - it gives me a cozy feeling for some reason. I think this is a very good photo indeed, just a very tough challenge. You should be proud of a great capture like this!

You eatin' MY corn?
by snaffles

Comment:
Very expressive, great capture. I agree with skewsme that lightening them up a notch would help them "pop" via more details. The eye always tends to be drawn to the brightest thing in the frame, and in this case it is the snow behind the deer. You have all the right elements here, just a difficult lighting situation, in which either fill-flash on site or corrections in PS might render a result you liked even more.

Crow Tree Hill
by jaysonmc

Comment:
Jayson,
I like the patterns in the clouds a lot, as I think they are a nice foil to the pure black silhouettes of the birds. The composition is also interesting. I think this could be enhanced with a frame to pull it all together. Think this one is underrated - the more I look at it the more it grows on me.

Hard Weather Compromise
by raish

Comment:
Raish,
I found this to be an interesting shot. I've never seen such a large congregation of ducks in one spot! It almost has the feeling of an abstract. The motion in the beaks works well.

Deer Here
by xianart

Comment:
Hmmm, I thought this was a very interesting entry and scored it accordingly. I especially liked the OOB entries in this challenge, and thought you did particularly well with the cool processing. I also kind of think the track has an anthropomorphic look to it - almost like a face grinning back at you.