bliss
by Pikkel

Comment:
Simple and effective, an elegant candid portrait perfectly framed. There are two ways to view the rather soft focus in that while a sharper image would have been very effective, this softer approach is also a good choice and does not detract from the image in an artistic sense. A very good look at a candid moment which should place well in the competition.

Godfather, retired
by LevT

Comment:
An excellant character portrait sligtly affected by over done white on the hat brim. However, it created an interesting feature with the light highlights on the shade portion of the face. A terrific artistic success and a qualified technical success, this image should place high in the competition as a candid portrayal of what appears to be a colorful character. A terrific conversion to black and white compliments the composition. Well done.

Solving the puzzle of life.
by EgillP

Comment:
Sometimes it's best not to say anything at all when confronted with the perfect image perfectly executed. This is an amazing candid look at an every day act in an everyday setting. Wonderful. Well done. If it were up to this viewer, it would be a ribbon winner for sure.

To Serve and Protect
by bassbone

Comment:
The grizzled veteran cop is always a suitable subject for candid photography and this borders on being the perfect piece of photo journalism. The sense of concentration and "seen it all" visage is a homage to police officers who toil every day to protect and serve from the mundane traffic duty to preventing serious crime, this is an outstanding effort on the part of the author to portray an uncommon sympathetic view of law enforcement officers. One minor issue might be a little better crop on the left, but it certainly is very effective as it is. An excellant conversion only compliments the overall capture. Well done.

Get your priorities right !
by Panks

Comment:
The soft focus and monotone treatment is a plus for this image from an artistic standpoint. The models are positioned perfectly and their reactions unforced and completely natural - it's almost a commercial quality advertising image. The slight crop on the left cutting short the natural curve of the model's elbow is a negative and is immediately noticable. Even with this minor issue, this image is a technical and artistic success. Not quite a top ten image, it certainly could be considered a top twenty and if luck holds, a top fifteen. Well done.

Leaning To Love
by swaroskji

Comment:
A private moment that somehow feels completely natural and unforced. While a little too distant with a completely uninteresting foreground and background, this is technically competant and falls just short of being an artistic success. While it may have been impossible, a little closer in, or a different DOF to decrease the background detail would have been a huge plus. As this may have been impossible to achieve, this image suffices to convery the author's intent. Well done.

A Moment of Calm
by TallPaul

Comment:
Another image that on first pass failed to over whelmingly impress, but on comment review, the image is simple outstanding. A pure, simple and elegant candid moment perfectly framed and captured. A complete technical and artistic success, one cannot sufficiently express the pleasure of viewing this excellant composition. While the competition for top honors is probably going to be stiff, this should place well within the top five and is a sure blue ribbon contender. Rerated from a 9 to a 10. Well done.

Speed Cornering
by friartuck

Comment:
Originally scored a nine for a perceived technical flaw, this flaw is not present on comment review and thus is rerated to a ten. The incredible detail enhances the over all impact and the subject's concentration on something outside the frame of the image increases the interest in the subject and how he is reacting to external influences. This is a excellant effort on the part of the author and is a demonstration of how to properly capture a purely candid moment in the life of a child. By rights it should place withint the top five and should be a ribbon contender. Well done.

candid moment
by chuster

Comment:
The natural appearance of this image, even with it's minor technical issues makes it a beautiful candid moment betwee mother and child. The natural, unforced appearance of the two subjects demonstrates the nature of a candid image. An added plus is the reflection in the door which compliments the posture and pose of the subjects in every way. The image could have done with a crop on the right to enhance the reflective effect and in this viewer's opinion, placed it well within the top five if not a ribbon contender. As it is, it should place within the top ten - well done.

joy
by ytshuva

Comment:
Simple and elegant, there is a very slight issue with the highlight at the tip of the nose being over done which detracts from the image technically. This image may have been more effective is there was some less vague background which would balance the offset subject. Overall a good effort and one worthy of a top fifteen finish and possibly a top ten. A solid entry into the challenge.