The Last Stance
by Cam

Comment:
Toooo funny... I think this is very well done. Annoyingly (because I don't want to nitpick) my eye keeps getting pulled to the dark beans at the bottom left corner and that darkness kind of weighs down in the corner of my eye even when I focus elsewhere. Still an 8 though!

The Getaway
by Cooz

Comment:
Intriguing, especially with her face hidden in the shadow ... yet that works as it makes it more anonymous and therefore more universal. I like the diagonal and the unusual lighting. 8

Walking my own way
by eirasi

Comment:
Wonderful image that represents a range of related concepts so simply and minimally. I find it a touch dark towards the left side of the frame and the crop at the top a touch tight (if that's to exclude unwanted objects perhaps cropping tighter still might strangely make it feel less tightly cropped?) but overall I think it's lovely. 8

Hang on!
by MikeO

Comment:
Wonderful image, lovely lines, lovely light and shade shapes, great detail, nice limited colour palette and the abseiler (?) makes a great focal point. 9

A Male Ruby Throat Hummingbird
by GolferDDS

Comment:
Beautifully captured though the all black background feels kind of strange - don't they feed only in the day? Still, a beautiful shot and that effortless flight does convey independence to me. 8

Breaking the Binds
by Prime_Time

Comment:
Stunning, absolutely stunning.
Whilst one could argue that this photo is all about oppression I choose to interpret it as someone breaking free of that oppression and gaining their independence.
The way the lower expanse of sky merges blackly into the lower area of the silhouette is very clever. So too is the echo between the red of the sun, backed by black and the red of the sky. A very clever use of colour processing.
Wonderful composition - the off-centred arms and sun couldn't be better positioned within the frame and to each other.
TOP SHOT!
10!

Protected?
by aznym

Comment:
Wow! What a stunning image. Beautifully toned, superbly framed, wonderful range of tones and textures. Despite that anthropomorphic smile this is a sad image for me as it emphasises the drab confined life of a zoo elephant compared to a wild one...

Breaking Free
by L1

Comment:
I gave this a 7. I like the black and white nature and the extreme shallow DOF. Just because I'm fortunate enough not to have been through this I can still understand how aspects of the psychological rollercoaster of relationship breakdown can feel like regaining an independence of sorts. I think it's a brave and personal picture and a very valid interpretation.

Too young for independence!
by suemack

Comment:
Surely if it's too young for independence it's conveying the exact opposite of independence, no?

Retired
by tfaust

Comment:
B/W Mentor Group.

I think textures and shapes such as these are ideal for black and white which really highlights form so well. The lighting is fairly even in the lower two thirds of the image but the top third suffers (in my opinion) from overly harsh light. I imagine this is outdoors so it's just the position of the sunlight.