Flare Interrupted
by dmadden

Comment by ubique:
This is in my top three.

I short-listed 26 entries that interested me enough to want to look at them again (I gave them all a brief "Highly commended - 7" comment, if you want to identify them). Quite a few were arguably better photographs than this one technically, but this picture made my top-three cut because it is unapologetically different and authentic. It doesn't look like any other picture, and it doesn't even want to try to do so, and for me that's far more commendable than just doing something common uncommonly well!

Shooting into the light is difficult and unpredictable, and nearly always seems to produce various unexpected little graphic rewards: photographic birthmarks that some observers insist on seeing as blemishes (and so they'd clone them out or otherwise screw the thing up, or even more likely they'd avoid the contre-jour experience altogether). This picture is all the more lovely, and the more interesting, for its 'flaws'. It succeeds not in spite of, but because of, the limitations imposed by the way it was shot.

I know I'm laboring the point, but I reckon it's worth it. There are many superficially impressive pictures in this challenge, but the world is no worse off should they never have existed. They add nothing that we don't already have a tiresome surplus of. Your picture does add something we didn't have before, or at least that we didn't have enough of. Thank you. And please accept an Order of the Thumb.

Flare Interrupted
by dmadden

Comment by HarveyG:
! Top Shot. Great mood. Lovely light.

Flare Interrupted
by dmadden

Comment by sidpixel:
Very bold use of the sun and flare, I like the models pose and shallow DOF and the rim lighting, however, that flare spot over her left bosom is too strong a focal point it keeps taking my eye away from her lovely expressive face, personally I would clone it out.

Flare Interrupted
by dmadden

Comment by ciaeagle:
I'd like it better without the flare on the chest. Composition and use of the sun is great.

Flare Interrupted
by dmadden

Comment by lukask:
very nice fashion shot!

Autumn
by dmadden

Comment by Chandi:
Always wanted to capture something like this, but was never successful. Wonderful depiction of fall. The nice contrasting green of the background helps.

Autumn
by dmadden

Comment by galatia_n:
Nice catch beautiful color.

Autumn
by dmadden

Comment by m_a_r_c:
this looks uncannily just like my submission for the Foliage challenge (closing today, Sunday). I didn't see this picture before, honest. I like the way the tree is recognisable as such. My version (entitled: "Fall") has motion blur instead of out of focus.

Autumn
by dmadden

Comment by lobrin:
wow..

Autumn
by dmadden

Comment by jomari:
Nice capture. Autumn is called Autumn where I live, too, but if you'd called it Fall, it would have had a double meaning.