IMG_7652
by nikii_paigee

Comment:
Green apple against red background provides an opportunity for a strong image. However, because our eyes automatically give extra attention to high contrast areas, the bright white background contrasting with red leaves diminishes our appreciation of the main subject. Similar issue with the fingertips. A bit of repositioning might help avoid these issues.

photobomb
by tanguera

Comment:
What a marvelous combination of lighting, expression, humor and color. Good image to pull out for students who need to learn that simple backgrounds can still be interesting, and that color relationships can be introduced without hitting the viewer over the head with them. Predicting a high score.

Winter coats
by Enlightened

Comment:
Impressive use of light, color, and compositional excellence. Bumping up to eight now that I've seen all the entries and had time to look again.

The City Sleeps
by Elaine

Comment:
Left brain wants to dislike this, but right brain takes over and likes it anyway. That makes literate commentary challenging, but the image does a good job of communicating subtleties of urban essence visually instead of with words.

Black Drongo
by artistChan

Comment:
Dark bird on bright yellow highly textured field evokes some feelings generated by the Van Gough painting Wheatfield with Crows. Unfortunately, a photograph might have to wait a long time to reach similar pricing. Enjoyable image that should do well.

3 (4)
by donnydonald88

Comment:
Composition does have some separation into foreground, mid-ground, and background, but it is difficult to land on a particular subject of interest. The palms and vegetation could be interesting if showing more detail (maybe move closer and apply some sharpening in post processing). Mostly it seems a shame to enter such a small version in the first challenge to allow 1200 pixel sides. That will probably decrease the overall score.

MeToo
by jagar

Comment:
Thanks for the laugh. Black and white keeps us focused on the essential elements of the image. Excellent idea to have such a uniquely dressed person selected to have the cartoon balloon "statement."

200 Candles
by wbanning

Comment:
Evokes sense of calm and contemplation. Unusual light captured without excessive digital noise. Deserves to do well.

C'est moi - C2K
by damjanev

Comment:
Bold idea to submit such a stark portrait, but one of my top five in the challenge. Staring expression works well with the hard side light. Wide black area on the right somehow balances the face and smaller black area on the left. Sharp, interesting, and somewhat unusual.

Aspens at Aspen Colorado
by drake217

Comment:
Absolute WOW. Love the very soft, subtly directional light on the trunks. Wonderful enhancement of tiny bits of red down low and close that harmonize with darker shadowed blues further away. Bits of snow/ice establish credible white points while the darkest trunk spots reach to the full other end of the luminosity scale. Aspens can frustrate us with endless potentially wonderful images that turn out to be very difficult to capture in a way that matches artistic intent. You demonstrate technical mastery with an image that evokes a sense of peaceful enjoyment of a quiet bit of natural beauty.