Phoenix_0016_BW
by cbeller

Comment:
Good shot :)

Did you try a more dramatic crop?
Crop

I hope you don't mind my editing your picture to show you what I mean, please let me know if you want me to remove it and I will of course do so :)

What do you think of that crop? I think it has more impact.

36B
by miss parker

Comment:
I had a feeling you would do well, very good shot and fit the challenge well too.

from above
by Seanachai

Comment:
congratulations on winning, excellent shot.

Catch
by sn4psh07

Comment:
Thank you very much for everyone who commented during and after the challenge -- your comments are very much appreciated.

In case anyone is interested, I used curves to increase the contrast. Then I used the hue and saturation dialogue to increase the saturation by about 15. Then I black and whited using the Channel mixer, based mainly upon the blue Channel. Then I sharpened the picture to my usual Web spec for which the settings are go along -- 300, 0.3, 0.

Thank you again for the comments, and the voting to get me a ribbon.

Come back Daddy...
by perkygoth

Comment:
Good idea. I really like the composition of this picture the way that the triangle that the kid forms leads straight into the ball. That leaves the rest of the frame which again is a triangle. The lines of these shapes also create a dynamic which is reinforced by the off centre composition -- very effective.

My biggest gripe with this picture is the artefacts that you can see on the boys skin, if you look closely you will see quite a few of them. I am not sure if these are JPEG artefacts or if you Neatimaged the picture, I would have thought however that they are probably JPEG artefacts.

I would probably also prefer to have seen the car a little bit closer, but then again so what it's still a good picture.

Fight or Flight?
by librodo

Comment:
Good off centre composition with plenty of emotion in the shot, and very good powerful eye contact. Also a good location with the background reinforcing the picture. To be ultra picky, although you probably couldn't control it, the highlights in the eyes appear a little bit busy. That however is only a very minor distraction from an otherwise brilliant photo.

Chasing the Action
by PaulMdx

Comment:
Nice shot, I really like that Fellows Halo.

I really feel that you could have benefited from more depth of field, but then that is the opinion of a cranky photographer :-)

Gotta light?
by kiwiness

Comment:
Heh, a holiday hasn't blunted you has it?
Great shot as usual :-)

Fantasia
by Gordon

Comment:
Is that score for real? Congrats way the best score I seen and a zinger of a shot to get it with.

Aerial Assault
by moodville

Comment:
Border over feet -- boo!