No top...teapot
by wetland

Comment:
Interesting mixture of sharp and soft lines. Works well, nice effect.

A simple rope...
by Jason

Comment:
Playing hangman? That rope's doesn't look thick enough for the real thing.

Simply a Vase
by Shelley

Comment:
The kind of thing I was looking for in Simplicity. I'd like seeing this in a larger format. The lighting's just a bit dark for me, but the colors are very rich. Composition's nice and the border is simple and works well.

Autumn Shapes
by KING

Comment:
Very nice Danny. DOF is perfect, and the tones are really pleasing.

Chasing the big Money!
by Harz_Joerg

Comment:
Congratulations Joerge, and nice job. Looks like you haven't lost the touch! Good to see you back.

$20.00 to the first person to correctly guess what these are. One guess per comment.
by GolferDDS

Comment:
Markers?

Look Out!
by vonautsch

Comment:
Looks like a zombie about to attack a car. ;-) Sorry, I just don't see any "surprise" here - the person isn't reacting, there's no sense of movement in the car - nothing that gives me a sense of surprise.

Soar II
by shareinnc

Comment:
Not sure how this relates to surprise. Is it that the birds are flying because they were surprised? If so, what surprised them? Seeing that would complete the scene. As it is, it's just some flying birds. I personally don't much like the noisy quality, especially in the bottom portion of the shot. The color of the sky is nice. The hectic action of the birds might be effective for certain purposes, but I don't find it too appealing of itself.

Happy Birthday!
by WILDBLUE

Comment:
My first thought was that it was the dog's birthday, and he was surprised. Which didn't work for me. Now, I'm thinking maybe he's the birthday surprise for somebody? Even at that, it's not a terribly engaging shot. Nothing very cute, no eye contact with the pup, no context (beside the ribbon) to tell me how the surprise worked. The black background seems to leave the dog issolated - almost gives it a sense of melancholy that contradicts the title. Technically speaking, its an OK shot, no obvious flaws, though maybe the face is just a tad hot against the black background.

Little boy and his monkeys in the streets of New Delhi
by Hardfire

Comment:
I don't really understand how this relates to the challenge. The photo itself is a little poignant, maybe more so with some context, but it seems mostly a snapshot.