I was very excited to see the entries in this weeks contest, and they did not disappoint! Well done everyone! I now face the near-impossible task of picking a winner among such excellent shots. I just take photos as a hobby, so please excuse my lack of technical knowledge when it comes to my comments, and my tendency to ramble...
Indydenny: I really like this shot, with the combination of rocks and a beautiful landscape how could I not? I find the stacking of rocks particularly intriguing, since many cultures stack rocks like this for spiritual/superstitious reasons, so it makes it feel as though this location has an added significance. My minor critique is that the flower in front appears to be slightly out of focus (although it could just be my eyes).
Deep diver: I LOVE labradorite! This photo put a big smile on my face since it lets me nerd out for a second. You managed to capture the blue iridescence of the Schiller effect wonderfully! I've tried it myself, but have never captured it as beautifully as you. I also like the fact that this photo almost looks like ice or something more abstract. Well done!
Alexander.Of.Oz: Beautiful shot. I looked at this photo for a long time, it is something that I would absolutely frame and put on my wall. You have managed to capture an almost-eerie atmosphere (in my opinion). I struggle to "tell a story" with my photos, something that you seem to be able to do effortlessly. I love the soft textures of the sky and sea contrasting with the roughness of the rock. Great job!
someoldguy: This photo beautifully matches the theme. Who doesn't love a good volcanic neck? I love the colors. I wish that the foreground rock didn't have a big shadow on it, which is slightly distracting, but it works anyways. I wish I was there!
firedept: Usually I don't care for panos, but this one is nicely stitched together with no weird distortion. The colors are nice, and I like how it goes from snowy on the mountain to beautiful and sunny in the valley. I do find my eyes drawn more to the left of the photo than the right. The only thing missing is a good foreground element, which is usually the case for panos.
charpi: I love how each "element" has it's own part of this photo, grass in front, rocks in the center, sky behind. Beautiful colors, and it nicely emphasizes the layering in the rocks so it perfectly fits this weeks theme. I also like how there are different shades of green in the grass, and different reds in the hills. It could just be my monitor, but it looks as though the blacks/shadows are very dark, which detracts slightly from the overall appeal of the photo. Excellent shot overall.
imac wannabe: I like the way the sandstone has been carved by the waves. The caption makes me want to go there and explore, although I don't see any fossils in this photo. I'm not 100% sold on the post-processing technique that you used, I'd be interested in seeing the original to compare. The small bit of shadow on the far right of the frame is distracting too, but I guess I can be easily distracted.
rebby: I love simple photos like this. The cracks in the rock are very interesting to look at, and they almost look regular from far away. I think this photo would be improved if it was shot during "golden hour" instead of midday, since the shadows are a bit harsh. I would also like to see a bit of a foreground element and a bit less sky, if the camera had pointed slightly downward it might have improved the composition.
robo456: A waterfall on a beach.. wow! I want to be there. The sand looks so soft, especially next to those rocks! The blue water is very inviting. I wish you had gotten slightly more of the bottom part of the photo in the frame.
HomeingPigeon: This looks like a really neat historical photo, with some story behind it. I love that you did it in black and white. Perhaps it's my lack of creativity, but I'm not sure that it really captures this weeks theme. Regardless, I love it!
gaswerks: I'm not exactly sure what it is about this photo that I like so much. I like the colors, and how my eye is drawn from the left to the right. I also like that it's a photo of mountains taken from ground level, so they feel massive. Good job.
needfx: Spectacular photo. You captured a great shot in very low light that perfectly matches the eerie feeling of being underground. The red color adds to this feeling. Love the leading lines, love everything. Very well done.
LongSticks: This photo made me giggle... because I'm very immature haha. Interesting the way the light hits the rock. I wonder what it would have looked like if all of the rocks were illuminated? Or if there was a longer exposure to give the water a more interesting effect? The shapes and colors of the rocks are very neat, I could spend a lot of time exploring them!
jkramerbob: Beautiful classic photo, excellent composition. Peaceful and close to nature. The layering in the background rocks as well as the foreground rock placement fit the theme perfectly. My only very minor comment would be that blue skies can be boring, a cloud or a sunrise/sunset would have taken this shot to a whole new level. It's gorgeous on it's own though.
Apple fanboy: I'm a sucker for waterfalls. The soft-looking water plus the soft-looking moss plus the muted colors of the rocks actually make the rocks look soft. The branches on the left side of the frame add a bit of clutter to an otherwise beautiful picture.
fireman32: I'm impressed by the long exposure shot midday. Beautiful colors, beautiful location. It looks like you stood in the middle of a river to get this shot. I wish the rocks had more interesting form/texture/color to better fit the theme, the water and the leaves are hogging all of the attention.
MasterHowl: Bonus points for being a geology student! (I am a geologist as well, if you hadn't guessed!). This photo captures the essence of geology very well, huge tectonic forces folding rocks back onto themselves. Great job capturing scale and lighting. I'd love to see your other photos!
JDDavis: This photo is perfect in every way. Excellent lighting, colors, and textures of the sublimates and the water. There is something interesting to look at in every part of the photo, at all scales. It even looks like it is glowing from below! Great photo for this weeks theme. This is absolutely something I would have framed and put on my wall at home.
WINNERS:
3rd: Alexander.Of.Oz
2nd: Needfx
1st: JDDavis
Congrats to everyone for such wonderful photos, and thank you for sharing! It is now up to JDDavis to start the next competition!
