Black Pearl in Hiding
by codfish709

Comment:
Nice set up, good idea, like the bokeh very much, but maybe a bit too much at the top. Square crop might have worked better. The pearl looks too artificial in shape and placement (kinda like a marble) and lacks some detail. 6

The Heart of a Rose
by digifotojo

Comment:
nice subject for the challenge, but would have liked a rose where the interior wasn't so much obscured with a few of the petals. 6

Lone Ranger
by dihuk

Comment:
Beautiful photo, love the shallow DOF, nicely sharp, and nice soft background ... but too much of a shoehorn for me. 6 here, 7 in a free study, 8 in a shallow DOF challenge.

Find the exit, find the camera.
by Jade

Comment:
Kind of an interesting composition, a little jangly with all those stairs, sorta meets the challenge and sorta doesn't, all in all sort of a good photo -- doesn't wow me, doesn't make me cringe either, but nothing there to bring me back for another look. 6

Away from it all
by aliqui

Comment:
Nice scene, tightly composed, and perfect exposure for the silky fall and to preserve detail below the surface. Like the processing and the treatment. Gave you a 6. In another challenge it would have been a 7 or higher. Here, however, its just not a tight enough tie to the topic to score there. I understand the concept of a pretty place being a hidden treasure, but just don't think that's strong enough to put shots like this in the top ranks. (fwiw I looked really hard at the spot of gold under the surface to see if maybe that was your treasure, but all I got was a blur that looks like maybe a fallen leaf).

The Carriage in the Loft...
by NikonJeb

Comment:
Nice lighting, reasonable subject for the challenge, and a neat peek inside a barn. Individually nice elements, but the total is a bit lacking in impact for me so it scores no higher than a ... 6

Hot Shop Dome
by franktheyank

Comment:
Love the photo and the HDR processing, the sky is great, the composition is spot on, and the subject is interesting. But the bad news from me is its just too much of a shoehorn for me to score it higher than a 6.

Under the Sea
by ChadH

Comment:
Nice subject, focus seems a little soft. 6

In with the wash
by ahjenny

Comment:
Can't say I like the composition all that much, butnice exposure control and a good fit to the challenge bump this to a 6

September night in Iran
by AndreKoster

Comment:
nice colors and a nice subject for the challenge. the blown highlights at the base of the dome and the overall graininess drop this a bit for me. 6