Above the Rest
by Hipychik

Comment by poser:
Terry good job I like how you saw this and made it work.

...and the winner is...
by Hipychik

Comment by Kelli:
ROFL! I didn't know this was yours. BTW, I was your 9. So who won?

...and the winner is...
by Hipychik

Comment by Lyrical126:
Seems like kind of an odd subject choice, but I really like your post processing.

Above the Rest
by Hipychik

Comment by bmartuch:
Nice job on this Terry. Good job on ROT.

Above the Rest
by Hipychik

Comment by skewsme:
purty!

...and the winner is...
by Hipychik

Comment by Paul:
OK, I'm going through the Free Study submissions, purposefully finding those images I think are shot with a less conventional eye - this is one of those images! Thanks for offering something that isn't just DPC friendly eye-candy (though of course there's nothing wrong with eye-candy):

Positives: What a slice of life this is! The Topaz (or Topaz-like) effect gives it an other-worldly look which invites a particular interpretation...... as a viewer, with my own perspective, this looks like satire to me - don't get me wrong, I do think this is a non-contrived scene but I feel you are asking us take a particular stance. I'm going to go out on a limb here and hope that the girl in the green dress isn't a loved one but I can't help noticing that the girl in black is cutting a cake and the lady in green is first in line! I really love the way the girls in the centre are crowding together and perhaps I've watched to many Lindsey Lohan movies but they seem to be in their own clique - making me wonder about all of their relationships with each other. Perhaps I have read too much into this image but as the viewer I have felt invited into this scene to draw my own conclusions. That's something quite significant you've done there - pull me in, make me feel as if I'm there.... I feel involved, part of it.

Critical stuff: This image makes me worry a little - perhaps it is a sincere rendition of a scene of importance to you and what I've said above is a little inappropriate in that context for I have certainly entertained stereotypes in my interpretation. However, that in itself offers a social commentary - not of the photo but of me, the viewer, and my socio-culturally moulded view of the world; if that's the case then I do apologise - but nonetheless I thank you for the image.

Overall: A very interesting image which is very, very involving.

...and the winner is...
by Hipychik

Comment by bmartuch:
Now there's some Topaz! Cool shot.

The House, The House, The House Is On Fire
by Hipychik

Comment by MelonMusketeer:
The weeds do make it look like it is on fire in the thumb. That's a cool looking old house. I am happy that you got the shot before the ladder was removed. It does "make the shot".

Above the Rest
by Hipychik

Comment by ErichN:
If the photo were cropped more on the left to bring the high sunflower exactly on the third line, you would have scored a 9 - as is 7.

Above the Rest
by Hipychik

Comment by Jaded_Housewife:
So beautiful. I love that one flower standing taller than the rest. Wonderful!