Really beautiful, love these pastel tones and irading light- I wish I could be in the scene too -- travelling ;-)

OMG! This looks like one of those NatGEO photos! You're so lucky to have some red in the photo as it really draws my eye in....

Awsome

ha! this is totally fun!

:)))

I love this. A unique and playful contribution. I'm somewhat surprised it hasn't been featured, but that may be because when it pops up against other images during rating, it may be a bit small (particularly for those with large screens) for most to spend the time to appreciate it.

Is there a personal significance to the pattern/picture on your stomach? It reminds me of a half-open window (or is it a half-closed window :-)

Thanks for sharing this with the world :-)

thank you,
as far as significance goes, that really lies in the gesture and the metaphor of "being hit in the gut". it was a particularly difficult period in the studio and (in spite of the planning it took to put a camera on a tripod) it was a totally spontaneous act.

i am sure (because i believe in synchronicity as a governing force in my work) that there is a reason why it was that painting, at that moment, that led to that act. but i paint from a very personal place so while i might feel ultimately that one image over another is more successful as a finished piece, while i am in the process of making them, they all hold equal weight in terms of "saying something" about me.

actually (and this might seem strange) at the time i felt not only that i needed to make that gesture, but that the painting needed it as well, needed some sort of "shock" or "trauma" to move forward and i am a very "physical" painter.

it's part of an on going series called "random thoughts" which will eventually be shown in a grid of 100.

There is too much separation between the sail boat and the background which is overemphasized by the color shift (b&w to blue & white). The background is so intriguing that the boat intrudes too much, doesn't add to the ethereal effect. The boat might get much smaller with the background expanding almost as if trying to swallow it. Then the sharpness of the boat might stand against the encircling clouds and fog and looming cityscape. The color separation might even work with that.

This is a really great picture. The different bands of interest throughout the picture are wonderful going from water, to fog to ghostly city and then storm clouds. I believe the boat just anchors (no pun intended) the entire shot together. The only slight thing I might do differently with this is crop out the top grey area.

I'm impressed by this one. I agree with the idea of cropping some of the top of the shot, but other than that this is really wonderful.

I agree with the 1st comment in a way. The picture is that good I don;t thjink it need all the elements. It's still a fantastic picture and my comments are just an opion

Thanks, everyone, for the comments! For those of you who thought there was too much going on in this image, you might like this one (which I took on the same day from my kayak):

www.outofthedeepblue.com/blog/?p=52

Really great. nice submission for this theme and very well thought out in terms of composition. I love it!

love the lightbulb... creative way to use a macro lens. You should become a photographer.

so simple and well executed. really like it.

i think this is a very powerful photo. At first I thought they were two monks sitting in front of a modern water feature. I like this photo.

Well composed, with just enough ambiguity to be very thought provoking. A nice capture of serenity with the soft light background and black, seemingly contemplative figures balanced in the frame. Good stuff.

i love the way you composed this shot. the frame and 3rds rule was hit spot on. beautiful.

This is what my old instructor would call a 'sense of place'. Just enough information to let you put yourself there without distraction.

In a way, a little too much lamp but trimming that would have cut the open window which is truly essential to the composition.

The short focal length is used exceptionally well here.

stunning in its simplicity

Sorry for sounding ignorant. Sometimes the words get misplaced. not 'short focal length' but 'depth of field'. Yeah I know it's tough getting old. It's still a good photo.

Thank you....I think I got you right before :)

btw....focal length here was 85mm :)

I really like this shot, the double shadow is great as is the rim lighting

Thanks Dave. I appreciate it.

Well done! Terrific light, and I always admire the capture of steam from the cup.

Superb graphic composition, very unusual - and the shadow/light games are awesome - well done !!

This is well done. Very spooky!

Very nice. I love the light streaming through the upper left window.

Very nice lines. I almost thought this was a zebra for a second!