Thanks! Appreciate your help guys. Take care. =)

Great shot! I love the clarity in the sunglasses. It might have a bit more impact if the earpiece wasn't cutting across the bottom of the lens, but that is just a nit-picky detail. Well done!!

I love the clouds above the rim of the glasses even more than those emphasized by the lenses. As for the house, I experimented with rolling my screen down to block it out altogether (simulating a crop just below the glasses) and I think the photo becomes even better. Just as it is, though, it's a fine image with good clarity and fantastic clouds.

I love this shot ..it is cleverly done.. love the light and the contrast .. beautiful!!!

The only 'critique' I have is to say...very clever! Congrats on the feature.

Cain and Abel

Greed, selfishness, haves and have-nots; these being the downfalls of human kind.. Is their a possibility that we will ever come together? Or will we continue to bear witness to the cries from our brothers and sister's blood...

interesting point of view and i like the dark mood. nicely done!

I also like the mood, awesome shot.

this is a really strong and powerful shot.
and the background supports the "story" very powerfully.

Hey guys, thanks for all your comments. I knew this image would present a difference in opinions. Although I feel that without the photoshoping it would not give it it's unique personality. With this image I wanted to present something new to the table. A mix between photography and illustration, while staying within the guidelines of the topic which is Blue. I know using Photoshop with photography sometimes presents arguments between if it is still true photography if it is photoshoped. But personally i feel that even if a photo is photoshoped it is still a true photo. I view Photoshop as a tool that helps enhance photography. Before we used the darkroom to give our photos a unique feel or bring something different to the table. Now, I feel Photoshop is our new darkroom for photography. It gives us a chance to bring something new to the table and something unique to our audience. Thanks once again for all your comments. Take Care all.

I love lots of photoshop but i woud like to see the eye more. i can only see half of the blue in it and it looks like a reflection to me. i would like to see the blue in the eye stand out more.

i love close-up shots so would be thrilled to see the original. did you have to crop for this?

I agree that Photoshop is useful and a very appropriate tool for enhancing images. However, the effect in this photo goes a bit too far. I would have liked to see more clarity in the image... but it does have great composition.

There some nice things and some bad things...
Great work on colors and contrasts on the foreground...
But cheap photoshop effect on the background...

This isn't my pet, but on one of my daily walks in the city I found a stray cat lying in front of an apartment .
Some people who lived near there informed me that he was a "crazy" cat that would slash me if I got near him. I took my chances and it seems that he didn't mind me at all =)

Glad you didn't get slashed. He does look a little crazy in the eyes doesn't he? I like the angle of this shot.

I agree with the last comment.
Removing or toning down the shadow would draw your eye to the letter.
Wonderful creativity showing here!

this photo brought tears to my eyes. it just reminds me that my sister is leaving soon to go to Iraq for a third time. this is a great take.

I hope you will excuse in advance my odd question: is he a bronze statue?

Thank you all for your comments.

Toni, I personally would like to wish your sister all the best and a safe travel back home to your family when she is finished in Iraq.
I send out my prayers for her while she is in Iraq and safe travels.

Fabrizio, yes it is a bronze statue ;)

Very nice subject and detail. While it may have had more impact without the shadow, I also think that as it is it works well because it gives some contrast to the letter. Great find!

awesome find! lovely shot!

There's something I don't really get in this picture.
What am I supposed to see ? There's this wall that takes half of the image, and a guy looking at something, but I don't really know what he's looking at. And there's the train, too.
I can't really focus on anything here, but maybe it's just me ;)

It is urban but there is no single focal point.

This seems more like a vacation photo than that of a urban feel to it.
I like the photo, it has great dof and coloring but the lack of focal point is distracting to me.

This photo is entitled "The Gleaming Street" to try and show that even though this world has so many downfalls, beauty still remains...

If you have enjoyed this photo and believe that it should be voted for the JPG Magazine contest, please vote for it located here:http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/188328
Thanks all and have a great 4th of July!
cheers!

Nice tonality. I think the pole on the left may be a bit distracting.

yes, I agree, pole could have been easily avoided. How about fast shutter speed to prevent blur effect of vehicles.

Thanks for your critiques guys! I would also like to point out that both shininpig and Sher are both correct as to what I was trying to accomplish. Although let me stress that there is no (wrong)way to view this photo. =) It's all about how (you) see it and view it.
My view is as follows:
Having the magazine in a "family neighborhood" setting was to try and suggest a family's love and protection. Having the magazine in the street below the house was to give a suggestion of distance between the two. Hoping to help show the distance of the father or lover from the home. The Magazine lying in the (street) was to give a sense of loneliness and give the suggestion of the father or lover driving away to the airport with the house empty and left behind. "Half-full" is how I like to describe it. As a whole, this photo was an attempt to accentuate the the headline of the story, "Goodbye Again..."
Once again thanks for all of your comments. It's great to read other people's views on the photo.
Take care all!

I can't add anything more to this critiques, but I want to tell what you what I think about the picture.
I think that this picture is the best concept of the topic title by now.
I like everything here, nothing is casual, everything has it work.

The thought that came to my mind was that the parting has already occurred as the "duo" is not the couple, but the magazine cover of the couple. Only the magazine is left behind in the neighborhood. The people are already separated by war by the time the photo is made. Having the magazine lying in the street creates a somber tone to events already in motion. Very well done IMHO.

Thanks Jeff, really appreciate your comment.

Powerful photograph. I love it. Great composition and dof.