Sentinel of the Hills
by cutlassdude70

Comment:
I think this photo is gorgeous. I can't speak for the rest of the voters (49th? wow...), but you got one of the only two 10s I placed in the competition. Colors are fantastic, depth is great, detail is tack sharp. I see now that you gave all of the light to the aperture... wise choice.

As far as the "thirds" thing is concerned, I think this image defines it. It's simple yet beautiful, elegant yet powerful. There's no question where we want to look, but you've kept detail in every part of the frame. Perhaps most impressive is that in an era of overmanipulation and postprocessing, you let the picture speak for itself. Great job.

Midnight Rider
by arnit

Comment:
I love this photograph; it was my favorite in the competition. The expanse of the clouds is amazing, the determination of the rider is certain. You have a 10 from me.

Cassie's Garden
by Coley

Comment:
This is a really cool shot, and I appreciate that you took the time not only to find a great location but to set up a subject as well. It looks great in black and white, and the details like the girl's white dress and black boots further work to enhance that choice. I also like the fact that her face is obscured; it adds a sense of mystery and also helps the tree remain a focal point. I think a little extra dodging and burning may help to add even more punch and definition to the image, but that is just personal choice. Overall, I think this is a strong image.

Sycamore Gap
by Angelis

Comment:
As far as "a single tree" is concerned, I don't think you can get more spot on than this. :-) I love the way the valley draws the eye in toward the tree, and the texture and color of the image is nice as well. It does feel underexposed, however, and I think that ends up hurting the photo overall. My guess is that a compromise had to be made to preserve the lovely colors of the sunset in the sky, and the foreground ended up looking dull as a result. The nice thing is that it's obvious that there is still plenty of detail in the shadows, and those could easily and selectively be brought up in post with a little dodging work. This photo would look great with some enhancement of the highlights and perhaps even a little extra saturation in the sky. That being said, it's a wonderful shot and I think it will do well in the competition. Good job!

Desperation
by Structor

Comment:
This is a really cool shot. I appreciate that you took the time not only to find a wonderful location, but to set up a subject as well. The composition is great and the subject is clear. The post work on the color is also nice, but the vinetting is a little obvious and overwhelming. While I do like the effect and agree that it's appropriate for the image, it's a bit apparent where it starts and stops and feels like a layer just hovering over the photo rather than an active part of the photo itself. You may want to look into different ways of achieving that look, or perhaps just lower the intensity somewhat. That being said, the picture is very nice overall and I think you'll do well in the competition.

Old Twisted Pine
by hahn23

Comment:
This is a really cool shot. The colors, composition, and subject are all very strong. The only thing that pulls me out is the apparent wide angle; perhaps it's just an illusion with the way the trunk has developed, but it looks almost distorted toward the lens at the base and that feels a little strange to me. Since it's obvious that you have a great grasp of the space of the elements in the photograph, it would be nice to see you up the creative level just a little - either in content or post work. The photo itself is great, but doesn't do too much to separate it from other great photos of knarly trees. That being said, it was in my upper group of ratings, and I think you will do well.

Juxtaposed
by jad

Comment:
This really isn't a bad photo, but I'm afraid that it doesn't meet the requirements of the challenge. Yes, there's a single tree, but I think you'd be hard pressed to show this picture to random strangers on the street and get a response that the tree is the main subject of the image. As far as the image itself is concerned, the composition is very nice, and the image is sharp, so good points for that. I'm not crazy about the sepia tone, but that could just be personal preference. Maybe try starting out with the original colors and then lower the saturation for the channels you don't want to emphasize as much. That way we don't lose the rich colors of the ocean or the sky, but you still have control over the feel of the image. All in all, I think this photo is fine - but I think you will lose points for the ship taking center stage.

Between the Peaks
by jfwolpert

Comment:
I really like the composition of this photo. While some might find the immense amount of sky to be somewhat overpowering, I think it gives a good perspective and sense of space. The colors are great and I appreciate the simplicity. I do feel that the dodging around the tree detracts from your photo, however; it's a very obvious spot dab from a brush and lends the photo to have a manipulated feel. That's dangerous, because then you lose a notch of authenticity, and in a wonderful photo like this I think you want it to feel as natural as possible. I like the choice to highlight the tree, but you don't want it to be obvious what you've done. Perhaps use a slightly larger brush that falls off more slowly, or lower the opacity to a degree. All that being said, I liked this shot a lot and it was in my group of higher rated photographs.

Eddiditfirst
by p2jvr

Comment:
This is a really great shot, and one of the few pictures of "a simple tree out in nature" that I do enjoy. Of course, this challenge is flooded with them, so that makes it all the more difficult for photos like this to stand out. That being said, your composition, awareness of color, and only very subtle apparent post modification help it to remain loking pure and striking. The sky is great as well - you definitely picked the right time to snap the shutter. My only real critique would be to try to up the creativity level for next time - it's obvious you have an eye for a shot, so stretch yourself a little for future challenges. I do think there's a fine line between setting up a photo that spells out the challenge theme creatively and just being downright goofy, but as long as you approach it with care you'll be fine. This is one of my favorites in the competition.

First Sprinkle
by SherwinJames

Comment:
Really nice shot - the composition, color, and sharpness are all spot on, and I like the simplicity of the subject. I see too many photographs try to cram too much into the frame, and although this is clearly shot in a controlled environment, the elements used are completely appropriate. The mist adds a great layer to the picture that really makes it so powerful - without it, it would just be a picture of a well lit tree (and there certainly are plenty of those). There is something about studio shots (call them contrived, perhaps) that makes me feel a little bit removed from the subject - there's just something about a candid, natural photo that lends itself to greatness - but I have no doubts you will do spectacularly in this competition. All of the pieces are in the right place, and I really can't find much to criticize.