I'm a sucker for this effect. I think it makes you pay attention. I like the DOF nd the lone tree still in frame. It's a nice collection of lines... the coast line, the horizon line, the tree line. I like it.

This is great. I almost wish that tree wasn't there in the background, though perhaps without it the shot would lose some context. I love the blurry hills in the background.

@doilyboy: Thanks!

@SeekingFocus: Thank you. Yes, I had mixed feelings about the tree, but it has meaning for me. I think it adds a little something to the shot. Thanks for the feedback!

Nice exposure, it's only to much in the middle for me.

Thanks for the feedback Michael!

This imag seems to have a bit of an orange cast to it. Maybe cooling down the temp would help? I would also like to see her full body in the shot because I currently feel like I'm missing something.

I should crop this photograph some more tide. And put some more contrast in it.

It feels like the camera is tilted up too high... I would crop down from the top and try and get her feet in the frame. Also, the pink umbrella would be a lot more eye-catching if the rest of the scene wasn't so washed orange.

nice! i like the color and composition, also the visible texture! very interesting work!

Very interesting photo-- I love the sun-beam like lines.

Where is this building located?

Perth, Western Australia.

I knew it.. I live in the Nedlands

Surreal! OK, this is the end of the world as we know it. Great image. Love the light on the rock. My only nit pick would be to dodge in a bit more light on the goats. But it's a nit pick.

Thanks for the comment. And i agree for the light on the goats... :O)

Neat critters! Don't know how that fits the theme, but then best of 2006 is open for inturpertation.

Well, it's just one of my favorites of 2006. :O)

How do you get your hair to stand up so straight like that?

Thank you ladies and gentlemen (and others), I'm glad you find this funny. This is something I made for WS and I didn't have the chance to post. Maybe someday, i'll post a "serious" selfie...

philippe,

I've been rating this up like hell. Hopefully it can get featured. That would be quite nice.

LOL...I find this one very amusing, and yes you do look rather worried. Is something troubling you? Well don't let it get you down, things will get better.

Jason, thanks a lot! ;O)

Laurie, :O))), I'm not worried, I'm anxious, and I don't know if I can do anything about it ;O)

And it's my wife, Christine, who gave me this face when she drew on my hand. I'm going to demand an explanation straight away :O))

Original, disturbing, excellent.

... is it a self-portrait?

phillipe, thank you.

this photo is not me, but a friend who happens to belong to a benevolent order of drag queens here in NYC. It was taken as promo shot for him.

Super portrait!

Well, even if it's not you, it's still a great portrait. :O)

I like the shot, although I feel the rust is too red -- it doesn't look natural.

Like jcorbride said, it would great to see a B&W

I like the rusty texture to this shot, think it works really well.. Nice composition.

nice compositiong..i like the color of rust a lot!

Theres nothing i hate about this photo, Cheers!

The saturated colors in this are great, but as others have noted there is a lot going on; it might make a more powerful image to highlight one detail and concentrate on its form and composition.

What about 1 point more of exposure...?
(Just wondering).

Wow...this is so perfect it's hard to tell at first that it's a reflection. Nicely done.

Danza_Invisible,

Thanks for wondering. =) I asked myself the same question, but in the end I liked the darker, kind of dreamier version better.

Laurie,

Thanks for your kind remarks!

Nice image, I really like the bright colors that are almost completely obscured by the reflection of the trees; I am curious though (like the first comment) what it would look like with just a smidge more shadow detail in the trees...

Interesting shot. Ana says I look worried, but you don't look too good either... Don't worry, things always get better... ;o)

I really think this would be a grillion times more powerful, if a bit more of your head were visible. The box of kleenex is good, but totally blocking your despair. it's blurry back there (intended, I'm thinking) which would be better, if your head were just resting on the table? I love the focus on your hand, and love the other hand, draped and forlorn.

Funny thing about this one is I cropped this from the original, which I liked, but decided to use this one. In the original there was a bottle of Nyquil cold medicine in the shot, I had a horrible cold when I took it, but I wanted to portray despair for this topic as opposed to suffering through illness, so I cropped the Nyquil bottle out. I'm thinking maybe I should have left it?