A Pleasent Surprise
by Ambo

Comment:
This shot took me a second to understand. My initial reaction was, "Why didn't they remove that distracting clutter in the background?". Then I realized the clutter was a pregnancy test and that this is a cutesy staged shot. While the children may have been unplanned, and therefore serendipidous events at one point in the photographer's life, this kind of staginess doesn't evoke a feeling a serendipity for the casual viewer. Unplanned pregancies, particularly within a marriage as the twin goblets suggest, are stretching the definition of serendipity since they are the result of a very singular activity.

Stranger in the house
by photom

Comment:
This is a nice abstract composition but it doesn't meet the criteria for serendipity. It isn't surprising to find a stray button amongst safety pins.

Sudden Little Friend
by rkoynova

Comment:
This is a great shot! Look at that tail bristle. I can practically hear this squirrel chattering at the photographer. I like the strong diagonal composition. It really works to add tension to a shot which could have easily been just a cutesy animal snap. There is lots of fine detail in the texture of the concrete and the squirrels fur. I would say it also meets the criteria because it is not every day one gets this close to wildlife, even city critters like squirrels. Kudos!

just the right place at just the right time
by fstopopen

Comment:
It's a neat shot but I'm not sure it qualifies as serendipity. From what I can see, it is a shot of waves breaking across rocks. Since this a regular occurance which can be counted on to happen at a certain time (in the case of breaking waves, it can be counted on to happen every couple of minutes) this kind of shot is easily planned for and doesn't really make for a serendipitous moment. In other words, it isn't too much of a stretch to imagine the photographer being there at just the right moment and just the right time. If this shot was missed another opportunity would have presented itself in seconds.

The Elements of Subject & Hope
by Brad

Comment:
I like this composition although I don't find the street sign with the word "Hope" really makes a strong enough statement that it couldn't have been left out in lieu of tighter framing of the mail boxes which are what really make this a compelling image. I imagine the serendipity is in the alignment of "Hope" and the mail boxes. Hoping for some good news? I guess it works on that level but I'm not sure I would have gotten there without the hint from the title.

Bottoms up, Mates!
by rmlutgen

Comment:
This picture fails to meet the criteria of the challenge. Discarded booze bottles and fishing tackle are not uncommon sights in a pond, unfortunately. As an image outside the theme of serendipity it so-so. Once again, it doesn't make much of a surprising statement--i.e., it says nothing new about pollution. It lacks detail in the darker values and the contrast between the red and the muddier colors could be much stronger.

From A Homeless Perspective
by tyt2000

Comment:
This is an interesting shot although not as emotionally compelling as the title would suggest. It could have used more detail in the mid-range values and perhaps more careful framing. I don't see how a discarded loveseat expresses the theme of serendipity or anything about homelessness for that matter.

"Surprise from a Penny Jar"
by tfarrell23

Comment:
This is a nice abstract compositon. I have no complaints about it on a technical or aesthetic level. However, it doesn't really meet the criteria for serendipity. I'm not surprised to see the 1909 penny in this photo because it is a carefully composed shot that was obviously planned. The finding of the penny may have been a serendipitous event for the owner but that feeling doesn't carry over into this photo.

Secret garden
by bmarquez

Comment:
This is a nice shot with potential to be excellent. I would like to be able to see what it is the boy is doing in order to really connect with him (since we can't see his face, his actions are all we have to draw us in). The subject and his surroundings are nicely framed and there is a good amount of detail and in the foliage and bark. The boy's shirt has some nice texture and the color harmonizes well with the otherwise monochromatic scheme. This is where I come back to wishing you had waited to get a shot showing more of the action. There is just enough red showing on that fishing net that I wish you had arranged it so a little more showed to add more striking contrast. I don't really see how it meets the criteria for serendipity, however.

could it be serendipity?:)
by GOLNAZZZ

Comment:
This is a weird shot of a fish in a bowl. Based on just looking at it, I don't see how it meets the criteria of the challenge. It's a kind of pretty abstraction but not compelling enough to really work for me.