A Cold, Lonely Goodbye
by bassbone

Comment by roz:
congratulations peter on an awesome photograph and an excellent place in the challenge ..

A Cold, Lonely Goodbye
by bassbone

Comment by Perfect-Calamity:
I love the high contrast to this image. One of my favorites in the challenge.

Haleakala-Crater.jpg
by bassbone

Comment by Melethia:
The foreground and background almost look like two entirely different worlds - very cool!

Tree Rings
by bassbone

Comment by Artifacts:
Positives:
Color, general sharpness and content are good. It is a study of circles for this challenge and works well for that purpose.

Technicals:
Texture is well achieved and necessary for this image. Though the sharpeness is generally good it might be slightly oversharpened. There is just a hint of 'jaggies ' in some of the lines and an annoyong white halo over the bottom log at top the of the central opening. Ironically, yours is better focused than my entry in this challenge. :)

In photography there is a lot of discussion about the need for a central focal point in every image. Most suggest there should be. Your image really doesn't have one despite the central oppening and that might hurt it in some people's view.

The challenge:
Meets the challenge in a very direct and unmistakable way. It may be a bit stereotypical for some voters and they might vote you down for it.

Some voters might just plain think this image is boring.

Suggestions:
I'd recommend working the sharpness a bit more. Not a lot, but a bit. Any hint at digital effects should be reduced to nothing in every submission.

In the area of a central focal point you might consider a re-shoot where you find a particualarly interesting log end and try composing it at one of the rule of thirds intersection points.

A Cold, Lonely Goodbye
by bassbone

Comment by shutterpuppy:
A great "classic" image. - 9

A Cold, Lonely Goodbye
by bassbone

Comment by Melethia:
Very emotive - good use of grain, twice.

A Cold, Lonely Goodbye
by bassbone

Comment by buzzy:
Maybe a small complaint, bit I think it's a pity about the extra sets of footprints in the sand. It'd be that much better if there was only the one set, like the guy had walked somewhere secluded to watch the ship disappearing. 8.

A Cold, Lonely Goodbye
by bassbone

Comment by Spizzer:
Cool composition.

A Cold, Lonely Goodbye
by bassbone

Comment by zeuszen:
Considering how unconventionally high the horizon, with the bold silhouetted figure also placed in the upper half of the image, the rocks interfere with a phenomenal potential of a simple and powerful composition, which would be perfectly balanced without it.

The ferry, while compositionally redundant, makes for a fine metaphor as appears in the same pure white as the sand grounding the man, whose foot prints lead to anyone looking. The same can be said about the horizon intersecting with the subject's head: it actually aids the metaphor.

A wonderful image, really, full of sweet ache and tension, spanning several miles and then some: an easy favourite.

Tree Rings
by bassbone

Comment by Bud:
Interest patterns - maybe something to help give it a bit of perspective.