jumping together
by slonko

Comment:
What fun! I love the expression on the fellow on the left. The stop motion is wonderfully crisp and the implied motion by their weightless hair really sells the photo for me. Well done, and quite an original take for this challenge. 8

Stand By Me
by librodo

Comment:
Love the colors, the exposure is beautiful, the composition and pose is really evocative. However, the skin textures look weird and plastic and removes me from the verisimilitude of the scene.

Cinderella
by messerschmitt

Comment:
A really nicely composed shot. The sepia obviously helps with the feeling of nostalgia and capturing the idea of a moment in youth.

untitled
by jmoore

Comment:
Greetings from the Critique Club

This is a wonderfully evocative image - it gets a visceral reaction from most people because of the sense of empathy about the spines. I like the subdued lighting and use of negative space. I might like just a bit more sharpness to the spines.

The pose is interesting, I'm just curious if you tried other angles going up or down the back utilizing forced perspective.

As for the challenge topic, it didn't feel particularly surreal to me, but maybe that's because I've seen folks who implant strange stuff in their body. It just seemed on the fringe. But the commentary it makes on the body has an absurdist feel to it by taking something to an extreme.

I'd love to see more comments by you about the creation of your submission.

Congrats on your top ten finish.

Killer Best Friends
by love

Comment:
I like the documentary feel to this, the wonderful way you've captured the eyes. It could be just a tad sharper. 7

Tough Times Bring Friends Closer
by DannyM

Comment:
I love the idea of this shot - I like the pose and the casualness of it. Obviously it's a statement about supporting those around us through thick and thin, and what a wonderful concept. The colors are odd and the skin makes them look like mannequins though. Also, a little more continuous background (without that white line) would help to focus all of our attention on their eyes. I hope you'll post the unprocessed version of it after the challenge.

Playtime Pals
by eslaydog

Comment:
Nicely framed, a really good naturalistic capture of these two kids. I like the soft lighting and the unusual angle. I wonder if not cropping his head off might help ... but a wonderful shot. Good luck. 8

He Leads, I Follow
by beamsclan

Comment:
Wonderful vibrant colors. Great pose, I love the lines and the framing. I wish the boy was just a little sharper. 8

Cuban Companions
by melongrind

Comment:
An excellent capture. I love the boy's exuberance and the girls hand's shoved in her pockets. You've captured the skin tones very well, which can be hard with dark skin and the lighting you're working with. 9

Reaching
by ebertdj

Comment:
I liked this shot - I didn't realize when I was voting that this was an icicle and not pouring water. I agree that a little off-centered composition might have helped it a bit. Nice work.