Large Sunspot
by cloudsme

Comment:
While a very interesting image, it just doesn't say "sky" to me. Something in the sky is not the same as the sky.

My World
by timfythetoo

Comment:
I don't see the sky here as a key element. Instead it just seems to be negative space. Perhaps if there were more variation in the sky (clouds in different places) it would be a different story. Overall I do like this shot - I saw a thread a while back linking to examples of this, and I have to say yours ranks right up there with what I've seen.

edit: I was thinking about it a bit more... I think the main problem is not the negative space thing. A "key element" does not have to be a subject - I felt that way when I first wrote the comment but I have changed my mind on that. I do still think though that this image does not say "sky" to me. That is really probably a combination of two things: one, I am not used to seeing a sky presented in this way (surrounding the earth like that) and two, there are no clouds really, nothing to say sky except the colors of blue and white presented in what looks to be a vague "gradient" fashion. The first thing I cannot penalize you for, but the second I can. I think if you had chosen to shoot on a day where the clouds were throughout the sky instead of just low to the ground it would have helped a lot.

The main thing is, I am bumping your score a bit because of my revised thinking, but at the same time it is not the score I would give to this same image in a free study.

Spokes
by Strikeslip

Comment:
Nice image, and one that certainly struck my eye on a first glance over the entries, but I would have prefered it without the whiteness around each of the buildings.

Fog Delay
by insteps

Comment:
Well... I am trying to be open minded here, but this does not really say "sky" to me. I like the concept... just there's nothing to tell me this isn't just water. Maybe if it were blue instead of black and white - the sky would still blend into the water but at least there would be more for my mind to say "oh that is sky".

In my mind, I totally get what you're going for, and I love the concept and the creativity here - but at the same time, my eye does not see anything like sky (as I said, I really think blue would have helped). Because of the dual way I'm looking at this, I am not going to give you a low, DNMC score, but I think I will not score it as high as I would have in, say, a free study.

Sky High Fish Eye Lens
by justamistere

Comment:
I think this is a super concept, just maybe could have been better executed. I'd prefer the fish in focus as well as the eye. Although with the fish not in focus, it does help bring more emphasis to the eye/skyline. Maybe you could have made the eye larger in the frame with a different crop?

crowded
by aplomb76

Comment:
I see what you are going for, and I like this image as a whole, but when I look at it I don't see sky. I wish maybe there were some details in the background to tell me what I was looking at (although then of course the image would probably look too busy).

Evening Sky
by Omni

Comment:
Great colors.

Blood and gore
by Bolti

Comment:
One of my absolute favorites in this challenge. Make the crop a bit looser and you'd have a perfect horror movie poster. 10!

A Dirty Canvas
by kausikmpi

Comment:
One of my absolute favorites in the challenge.

Tulips for sale
by Pretoria

Comment:
Adjusting levels or curves or color balance to remove the reddish tone from the shot overall might have helped some I think.