Are you home, dear?
by jjbeguin

Comment:
This looks over-sharpened. Adding a human element to this photo would give it a big kick. As it is, it just looks like a well-done architectural photograph. Placing a person, a glass slipper, etc. on the stairs would add an emotional dimension to the image, which I think would improve the picture considerably.

Fairytale comes to life
by marvin

Comment:
This is a great, stock-like image, but it seems like an unduly concrete interpretation of the challenge topic.

Always wanted to be a Jedi
by unneva

Comment:
You have a beautiful model; why did you make her look plastic with the aggressive NeatImage-ing? I think that doing so really hurt an otherwise great photo. A stronger catchlight would have made this a stronger portrait. I'd be interested in seeing more texture detail in her clothing; I'm not sure how much of this lack of texture is due to the lighting configuration and how much was just killed by NI.

Fantasy Within
by bcoble

Comment:
The uneven horizon is distracting. I can't tell what the poorly-lit house has to do with the topic.

Still Water
by messerschmitt

Comment:
The relationship to the challenge is difficult to discern. The picture seems to be of nothing in particular, and is out of focus.

Restrained
by livitup

Comment:
This looks a little too staged and self-conscious to work. The bright lighting contrasts with the somewhat dark thematic elements, and the composition doesn't use that contrast to it's advantage. The well-manicured nails and the fact that the model's hand is holding the restraint rather than being held by it seems to work against the intended theme as well. This ironic contrast between the various thematic elements could be made to work in your favor, but somehow it seems too accidental to work here.

The Bludgeoning Dreams of Walking on Water
by sprite777

Comment:
Don't you mean "Burgeoning" rather than "Bludgeoning"? Your title might make sense if the picture contained water violently smashing against rocks, but this looks rather calm and pensive.

The contrast is nice, and the color cast adds a nice feeling of atmosphere. If you'd have dodged & burned the sky and waves a little more this could have been even moodier. I'd prefer to see the horizon a little farther from the center of the frame. The land jutting into the left edge of the frame does a good job of grounding the shot and giving it a sense of scale. The harsh vignetting on the top corners are a little distracting; if the effect was more subtle I think that it would improve the the image.

I want to be an ENGINEER!!!!!!
by vtruan

Comment:
This looks like a snapshot (albeit a good one) that was forced into the challenge topic

the alien encounter
by zapgrafx

Comment:
Having the smoke go over the bottom of the border is a nice touch.

New found power
by nlghttrain

Comment:
Good concept. The illusion would have been better if the flames lined up better with the fingertips. All of the jewelry on the model is distracting.