misty morning
by ErinM

Comment:
Love the curving path that draws the eye towards the woods and the rolling fog seen in the backdrop. Not a fan of the blowout sky which calls attention away from the strong points of the photo. Cropping about 2/8 of the photo from the top will still give you some sky but eliminate much of the blownout portions so as not to distract. I see that you used an aperture setting of F4. I wonder if using a tripod, an f8 setting, ISO 100, and longer exposure time (1/2 sec or longer) would capture more of the fog and greater detail of the trees. This is a great location (especially when fog rolls in) to try bracketing (taking different exposure setting and aperture settings to see what works best)

Joy in the Morning
by Jutilda

Comment:
Wow! Love the overlay for it adds a visual texture one can feel: a bit rough and worn. The reddish brown tones are warm colors so it adds a warm 'chestnut roasting by the fire' feel. I like the play of light and shadows in this one too for it adds visual interest and holds the eye's attention.

Evening Mist
by GregoryB

Comment:
Gotta love how mist scatters light and creates a 'magical' feel to the scenery. The glow around the trees is errie, surreal, and magical. It is like the trees are emulating a magical field around them (even though I think it looks as if it is the clouds high above them that have the light illuminating the edges).

Some Assembly Required
by MelonMusketeer

Comment:
No instructions! You gentlemen take on the big jobs on a build team don't you:-) Have you earlier pictures that show it being started. You could make this a series of shots showing the beginning (in boxes and the build team in front doing a Mythbusters pose:-) ) to the final result of someone in the cockpit giving thumbs up ready to take flight.

Light
by MaryO

Comment:
The sepia tones bring a nice 'worn' feel to this composition. The low lighting with the darker tones and shadows around the edges bring a moody and edgy feel to this photo. The 'ripples' of light on the back wall takes on some aspects of smoke - adding to the moody and edgy feel.

Moonrise, Painted Hills, Oregon
by DrAchoo

Comment:
Black and White tones are wonderfully dynamic. The composition is spot on BEAUTIFUL with the lines of the bare tree to the details seen in the mountains to the moon peering through the rippling clouds above! This shows off the majestic and startling beauty of this landscape. Well done - the photo has a Ansel Adams type feel too it - a "Moonrise" revisited:-)

A Sign Meaning Silence
by Mephisto

Comment:
Love the dark moody blues and autumn colors outside the window in this compositon. The tones of the blues of the wall, the silhouette of the interior of the building & person, and the autumn setting seen outside speaks of a quiet sadness. It is the cool blue tones and the symbolic meaning of Fall/Autumn that really help to color this composition with the mood of sadness/of passing/passage of time. The person standing there in the church is in silhouette with no identifing features such that the viewer can easily place themselves into the photo as one quietly contemplating or silently reflecting upon the passage of time (as seen outdoors with it being autumn and autumn signaling a change in life cycle/seasons). Love the lighting, composition, and colors. I have no critique on how to improve the image. A 10 and favorite from me.

the migration of lovebirds
by yanko

Comment:
Lighting is superb in this photo. Now what I am about to crow about is the mood and the composition you have captured here. I love how this picture tells a story! Here we have the typical dinner date that is usually the start point to get to know each other and a possible romance. But the relationship is anything but in this photo. The gentleman is striking a "The Thinker" pose as he looks at the lady trying his hardest to try to figure her out. His hand rests on the table but she has removed hers out of reach so that he cannot 'reach' out and touch her/hold hands. Not only is she out of his reach and removed but her 'mind' is 'flying' elsewhere. A truly WONDERFUL touch is that painting that has the birds positioned right above here head. It signals that she is not mentally present and that she has 'flown the coup'. She is already looking elsewhere for her Mr. Right is not sitting at the table and there are no 'sparks' whatsoever. I really hope to see this in the top 5. Your storytelling composition, attention to details, model expressions, and lighting are a bang up 10!

Trashing the Dress
by Ristyz

Comment:
Saw this in the 'most fav'ed thread'. Wow, beautiful capture. Love how you captured the flow of the waves and the splashes which show a moment frozen in time. The duotones also compliment the scene with calling attention to the contrasts (shading of light & dark) and also heightening our awareness on the textures/shapes (the horse's coat and folds of the dress & curves of the waves)

Ben Nevis ( the NZ one.. )
by dougi555

Comment:
This is just jaw drop to the floor and stay there for hours gorgeous! Love the colors, the lighting and the sheer beauty of this place that you captured so wonderfully! Don't know if I am going to have much time to comment on entries but I just HAD too on this one. Beautifully captured and beautifully done! I can easily see this in the top 5. Beautiful!!! ....hmmm if you have other photos that are of this caliber showcasing the beauty of other locations in New Zealand it would make a wonderful calendar.