living 2 lives
by ZSANNA

Comment:
This is a really interesting effect. I can make out two (possibly 3, if that's one in the bottom right) faces, which appear to belong to the same woman, but can't determine anything other than that. As a semi-abstract image, this is good. The title implies that you may have intended a somewhat deeper meaning; if this is the case, an exposure which was a little clearer in presenting recognizable features may have helped to better convey your intent.

one day . . .
by buzzmom

Comment:
One day what? "One day my mottled balls will win a blue ribbon"? The frosted border seems a bit too pronounced, and (yes, I'm nit-picking) you appear to be unable to decide whether you'd like to win a pair of blue streamers or a gold medal. Personally, I'd recommend shooting for the one that can be traded for "L" glass.

I Dreamed DPC:ers Were Flower Lovers
by Mona

Comment:
I really like the DOF and the well-defined arc formed by the cluster of flowers. The rather fuzzy, over-sharpened look of the petals drops my enjoyment of this image down a few notches though.

I can't sleep
by scoulh

Comment:
Although this picture is rich with mood, it would be well on it's way to nightmarish if there was a more well-defined victim whose terror-stricken face was clearly visible.

Nightmare: Savage Ducks
by tasha4paws

Comment:
The hand and sleeve seem to be the recipient of the duck's wrath, but it looks like it was pasted in from another image as an afterthought. The high saturation of the grass and the ducks implies that they are the intended subjects, but the drab, flat looking (glowing) hand which lies at the focal point seems anticlimactic.

When I close my eyes I am a WARRIOR.....
by PollyBean

Comment:
Although the muted colors of the background lend this picture a restful feeling, I think that the silhouette would have been stronger against the more war-like backdrop which you'd get by dramatically increasing the saturation and setting the sky on fire.

Dream or Nightmare
by JPR

Comment:
The ambiguous title complements the equally ambiguous photograph. The light suggests that this was taken outdoors within a few hours of midday. The shadows would have been much better if it were overcast or earlier / later, but if this was some kind of a performance by a third-party, then you may have had no alternatives. The shadowy figures in the background are particularly intriguing, but the rather high-key figures in the foreground eclipse them. Both figures are obviously doing something quite intentionally, but since I'm not given any clear indication of what's going on I'm left with a prevailing sense of confusion rather than having the image elicit any strong emotion. Although this is a more literal representation of the bizarre character of most dreams, my waking mind would be more at ease with your image if the composition offered me some clear fixation point (e.g. the thing in the guy's hand) on which I might base my interpretation of this picture.

After College
by JordanZ

Comment:
Since this is the "Dreams" challenge, the person sleeping seems kind of unnecessary. The props suggest what the content of your dreams may be, but I think that even in isolation any of them might have been used to create a much stronger, more visceral feeling for what law enforcement entails than the caricature that the unembellished accessories give me. Letting your audience's imaginations fill in the juicy details is a good thing, but expecting them to also write the screenplay for you is expecting a bit too much.

At the balcony of heaven
by marvin

Comment:
I feel like the person, building, and balcony in the bottom right corner were included as an excuse for the photoshopped clouds which dominate the rest of the image. The strong line at the top of the building enhances the appearance that these are two separate compositions, both of which have a clear, but only mildly interesting focal point. I think that the composition would be improved if there was a greater attempt to tie the two segments of the image together (e.g. having the figure on the balcony looking expectantly toward the converging cloud formation, and possibly burning the clouds at the center of the spiral to make the focal point enigmatic rather than anti-climactic).

On a purely technical note, there isn't enough light on the front of the figure on the balcony to clearly make out any features. This may have been a creative decision to refrain from anchoring the figure's identity to a particular person, but it feels more like you neglected to bounce enough light onto the person's front side. A fill flash or a reflector could have helped with this. The pronounced difference in contrast between the bottom corner and the cloud formation seems like an overdone attempt to direct the viewer's attention.

This is a very creative vision, but I feel that with some straightforward changes it could easily be a ribbon winner.

Lost Not Found
by Man_Called_Horse

Comment:
Very nicely done. I like the way that the leaves are illuminated. The only thing I'd rather not see is the moon, but that's partially because it always looks fake when portrayed realistically in a photograph where it's not the focal point (prima donna heavenly bodies). You did a nice job of placing just enough light around the man's silhouette to clearly identify him as a person and not just an oddly shaped bit of foliage. If he were holding a torch rather than a flashlight it would give the image a very different feel, which I personally would find a bit more interesting.