Modernization
by Maverick

Comment:
There is definately a pencil here. I'm not sure I understand, but I think it has something to do with how something used to be done, and how it's done now. In my opinion, it's not very visually appealing, however, my son loved the "big truck". Setting all that aside...The lighting is good, and the angle on the dirt is good. I wish we could see more of the bull dozer. Good luck with the challenge.

Forest Fire
by Kimbly

Comment:
All too common this year. I like how the flame is comming off the side of the pencil. Gives it a different look that way. focus and angle are good and the background being green gives it more of a "forest" feel. Nice job and good luck in the challenge.

Light and Shadow
by joshuazhang

Comment:
This is a really neat idea and I realize you were also trying to get the "light" into the photo too, but the washed out part on the book is a bit too light for my taste. This definately works with black and white. Aelith did a very similar angle of a book in the transparency challenge (only with glasses instead of a pencil). She got both compliments and criticism on having the book upside down. Personally, I like it because she made the good point, that if the book were right side up, our focus would have been drawn to the words, instead of the subject. The soft focus works well in the background like that. Good job and good luck in the challenge.

Writing Instrument (6 letters)
by sulamk

Comment:
Reminds me of my grandpa. he was always doing puzzles. Great idea and great angle. The lighting is good and there is nothing distracting. It looks like you might have tried a tad bit too hard on getting the pencils in the photo. This is just an opinion, but a few less pencils would have worked just as nicely, and wouldn't have made the top right corner look so busy. An added not, I just noticed that the line across the top of the puzzle book, where the Date is, looks like it is the shape of a pencil too. Cute. Nice job and good luck in the challenge.

scarecil
by ypurbo

Comment:
Very clever. Added effect with the almost creepy fence like shadow. lighting is great and I love how he kind of looks like he's hovering there. Positioning in the photo is very nice ad I love the background. Wouldn't change a thing. Great job and good luck in the challenge.

OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder)
by bens0nn

Comment:
This is funny. It's interesting how the pencil is sharp, and the foreground and background have a soft focus. Pretty neat. My camera doesn't allow for me to adjust my own focus, so when I see focus tricks, it never ceases to amaze me. Neat idea for the photo. Lots of creativity this week. the lighting is great and I like the angle. Don't think I'd hang it on my wall, but that's not your fault, I just don't have a "thing" for pencils. So setting that aside, overall good photo. Good luck in the challenge.

Pencil
by 4david

Comment:
cute. I think this is the pencil to a palm pilot. correct me if i'm wrong. i've never really seen one up close. angle and lighting are great. frame placement is ok. I wish the black pointer thing was a little farther away so maybe it was a little clearer. I can't really make it out, and never seeing one before, even harder for me to understand really what i"m looking at. however, focus and other technical aspects are fine. good luck with the challenge.

School's Out!
by GlasMenagerie

Comment:
School's out. I'm going to the beach. and I don't need this pencil. It would make a nice flag pole on top of my castle. I like it. I also like the 3 vertical objects in this. The shovel, pencil and arm. Love the natural light and your framing is great. Godd job and good luck in the challenge.

Blacksheep
by whobee

Comment:
I understand how this was done, but I have to wonder if you did the washed out background on purpose. I was thinking that it may have been done on purpose to emphasize how the red one stands out so much from the others making it the "black sheep". You have a different twist on it by sharpening it with a knife rather than a pencil sharpener, puts some originality in the photo. great job and good luck in the challenge.

refraction
by brent matsuo

Comment:
This is a very nice photo. I like how you also have the pencils around the outside of the glass as well. The lighting was great to emphasize the effect. The focus is great and the angle is nice. I would have maybe tried to get the glass a bit more straight up and down. It kind of looks like it's tilting a bit. If you tried and couldn't, no big deal, just tell me to shut up. lol. Great job and good luck with the challenge.