in her eyes
by AlexHugel

Comment:
This is a very nice portrait. I like the use of sepia. There is lots of detail in the her skin and the highlights in her eyes. However, as subject matter it doesn't meet the criteria for the challenge.

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.

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.

The sun smiled down at me today
by train

Comment:
This was definitely a lucky, or serendipidous, shot. The subjects are a bit too far away and unfocused to make the statement as strong as it could be. If you could have managed to come in a lot closer and still get the balloon in the shot it would have made a much stronger image. It works as a well-done, funny snapshot for a scrapbook but the technical problems overwhelm the moment. It definitely meets the criteria of the challenge as for as subject matter.