Faceless Beauty Queen
by sallyjo1

Comment:
Almost every technical aspect of this shot seems a bit off: The focus on the tablecloth is sharper than the focus on the subject's hands; so, too is the lighting. The color pallet is bizarre and there is much too much detail in the backdrop, though it is nice that the mirror and the tablecloth share a similar purple that complements pink. The curlers being an essential part of the composition are not well lit and are just about chopped off at the top. The hands, which might be quite expressive are not properly lit. And the darkness of the mirror really does suck whatever life there might have been in the photo, right out of it. The result is a photo of curlers, backdrop, and a sort of metaphorical black hole.

All that said, if one were trying to make a political statement about the process of making a beauty queen and the result of the process, it would be hard to choose a better example than this one.

akuri7
by librodo

Comment:
There is an apocryphal story about an American Indian chief who would not allow his photo to be taken because he was afraid it might capture his soul, leaving him soulless. There are a great many photos at this site that beautifully capture the exterior form faithfully. There are a few photographers who regularly stun us with beautiful captures of people's bodies and faces. But none, I think, comes quite so close to capturing the soul. This is a good example.

... and he was called Moth-boy by the kids at school for the rest of the year
by Shaman

Comment:
For what it's worth, I thought this was one of the most memorable shots of the competition. I also thought that it was as well executed most that outscored it.. I think the lightting is fantastic, and I like the use of color. The expression is priceless, even though you cannot see this child's eyes. I might have cropped closer, but I tend to crop too closely. Anyway, very nice shot.

Enchanted Window
by Photonurd

Comment:
Very nicely observed.

Quite Perplexing
by Coley

Comment:
I love the whimsy. I also enjoy the narrative nature of the photo - something that is frequently lacking in eye-candy photos. Very nice.

Duckie Plays the Mandoline
by Bear_Music

Comment:
Polyethylene foie gras anyone? Very funny!

Egg and Spoon
by Fromac

Comment:
Having placed third in an official egg-in-spoon race ( in a very small sports tournament involving perhaps four people ) I question whether these are unrelated enough to meet the challenge. Still, I like the combination..

A Farewell to Arms
by RKT

Comment:
Let's give this photo a hand. Very cute.

Tonka - Bigger, Badder, Dirtier
by fotomann_forever

Comment:
Boys and mud are unrelated? Boys and trucks? I like the dirty truck. I like the warm lighting and the wamth of the moment captured in the shining smil. The composition leaves me cold, I'm afraid.

sha tte r ed time
by saintaugust

Comment:
Or, "time out of a bottle" or "still ticking." There is something about the the ordered corner, the upright watch and the upright, static goblet that bothers me. On one hand it is the cognitive dissonance, on the other it is the sheer, gratuitous stasis. I am not smart enough to make a connection between these elements, yet there is nothing to tell me that the whole thing is meant to be bizarre. I am left wondering "What would the picture have been like if the photographer had, instead, tried to depict pouring time out of a broken glass?" And so on. Apologies if you find none of this helpful.