Could you walk a mile in his shoes?
by Niten

Comment:
I want to vote this photo highly because I like the idea of portraying a childhood that many of us were spared from, but which is very real to some children. Growing up, my brother had Cystic Fibrosis (a chronic lung diease), so many many childhood memories revolve around medication, broken bones, trips to the hospital (which contrary to popular belief were not always depressing and sapped of all things childish).

When I re-examined this photo on it's photographic merit rather than it's subject matter, I found that many things did not appeal to me. I list them here simply for constructive puposes: 1) I think the background (quilt and bed) are too busy. 2) I think that the braces/casts/shoes should either be organized differently (I'm not sure how, but in a way that makes them look less on display) or you should pick a few of them and work with just those. The red/blue braces, the leather braces, and the leg casts are particularly interesting to me.

A different suggestion - not the intention that you were going for, but still interesting - is to focus solely on one of the casts. While that doesn't make the statement it seems you wanted to, I'm sure we can all reach back in our memories to the cast on that broken bone that made us the center of attention for a week or more while everyone else clamored to sign it.

Just thoughts, and too many of them at this point. :-) 5, just-married

No use crying....
by johnson

Comment:
An orange tablecloth and a glint of reflection in the milk would have made this dynamite. The white tablecloth is too flat to make the milk stand out. 6-7, haven't yet decided.

Special Delivery
by milehighstar

Comment:
I wonder if you were going for the fetus's childhood or the "What's in Mommy's belly?" aspect. I kind of like this photo in that whatever you did makes it not LOOK like a photograph. Curious for a how to. I like the orange lighting, although I expect many will not. 5, just-married

childhood fascination of little things
by notashamd

Comment:
While this is quite a nice macro of a fly, it just doesn't meet the challenge for me. Sorry. 3

Need a hand?
by Kavey

Comment:
I like the concept. I definitely remember my dad's hand as an early childhood memory. Mostly for me, it's his legs and hand extended, from behind, waiting for me to catch up and holding his hand out so I'd know it. It seems you wanted the sky detail; the pose seems more menacing to me than helpful. But then, perhaps that's why kids get scared and shrink into mommy's shoulder when someone else reaches out for them.

This photo seems way too light. Perhaps it had to be that way not to get harsh shadows in what looks to be close-to-noon sunlight. Still, you lose the shape in the sky. 5, just-married

Not Again...
by alanfreed

Comment:
Very nicely executed. I like the sharp focus on the birdy. I like the shadow. The remnant of past incidences is nice too. The colors are rich. Overall well done.
8-9, will decide better later. just-married

Dad! Where are you?
by taylorbehne

Comment:
Interesting idea. Complete with eyelashes and all. I know what you were goinf for -- from the eyes of the child, but I think the photo would have said that without the actual eye, which detracted for me. 5, just-married

Missed Opportunity
by DougPaz

Comment:
Touching. I usually don't like the ones that I feel are emotionally manipulative - not on their own merit but specifically to meet the challenge. This one, however, I though was poignant. It's something a parent really would do. The timing is perfect too. This child would be 10 if still alive. The father could easily be mourning the chance he didn't get to teach his son to play ball. Although, actually the grave is far too pocked to be ten years old it seems. The child would likely be 110 years old, but that doesn't affect the score for me. 7-8, I haven't decided for sure, just-married

Rubber Ducky, You're the One!
by karmat

Comment:
This was well composed I thought. A hair more lighting and a sharper focus might have made this very nice indeed. 6, just-married

shed door
by grahamgorman

Comment:
Were you peeking into my childhood? Definitely had some grand times in the forbidden shed and in the pear tree right above it where we ate unripe pears until sick to our stomachs and were inevitably found out by our body's betrayal of our secret rendezvous. Funny how parents seem to know everything.

I LOVE the reflection of the grass and sky on the door. The texture on the door adds interest. I only wish the focus on the lock was less soft. There's a tutorial on unsharpen mask that I learned a lot from that might help in this case, unless the softness was intentional. 8 for now, will review again. just-married