This would be a more attractive image author without the distracting backend of the car poking into the lower right of the frame

According to the goal: "It is OK to have people in the photo, but they must not be the main subject."

Very nice Author, well done!

very nice, perfect treatment for the dress and hat, nice job!

Oh, recent too...

Author... This is a "Self" portrait? A self portrait is a picture of YOURSELF, not a picture you took yourself...

Looks good, it's very well done

Pretty cool, I like it

Nicely done, it really helps the shot a lot and barely can bee seen. well done Author

Nice to meet ya!

A bit dark and hard to see Author: the rim lighting is nice, but in my opinion you might have tried a bit of fill lighting on the face to brighten up the label and remove the heavy shadows.

How many exposures were combined to make this shot Author?

Author... it's been uploaded sideways... please rotate and resubmit, makes it easier to judge and look at..

Water drops?!? Can't be... LOL

well done, nice still life shot

Good light and set up, nicely done

Great lighting, nicely done, good shot

Very nice color and composition, well done author

Wonderful work, love it!

Much better, thank you

EXCELLENT DOF and comp, well done Author...

could also be hidden by the fact it's a very young person, highlights are partially blown eliminating the the deeper texture seen in some shots, I really don't think there was too much post in this one, also using the green filter when converting to B&W (perfectly legal) can do the same thing..

Strange look to this image, lots of artifacts in the hi-rez, Author, what treatment was done to this shot in post processing?

There is no list for round 2 until round 1 has ended... how else would we know? the contests close on sunday, you will know then...

Nice shot, I actually still use one of these in my kitchen to pulverize fresh herbs I find in the forest!

Bravo Author....well done, the smoke stands out incredibly well... not easy to do...hat's off!

Very cool shot, different, like it

Very well Author, nice set-up and execution...nicely done...

Nicely done Author and VERY clever...I had to look twice to see the reflections, wonderful image...would love to see an SBS of the set-up

not really messed up beyond recognition...appears reused, or recycled...I'm going to have to say its a light-bulb, and not really on-theme, sorry author, nice try and great shot, just not for this contest...

Well done author, from the specular high-lights I can see you did actually use 3 different colored lights...nice way to kick off the contest...

Shulda known...very nice, well done author

FINALLY!!!! An entry that follows the guidelines to the letter...Thank you Author for taking the time to READ the guidelines and post a proper SBS...wonderful and good luck!

Its a commin'....

LOL...Nicely done Author...

Nicely done and on theme!!! Thanks for being brave enough to join the fun...well done Author.

This is an HDR author? How many shots were combined in this image?

Well Author, nothing is "Held" in the mouth...soooo....I don't see a reason this does not meet the contest goals...Nice 'outside-the-box' thinking.

LOL...Too funny...Nice

Much better, thank you Author.

Author, please read the contest guidelines..."the whole face cannot be visible"

Nicely done, good subject and great exposure, it really highlights the subject with out undue distracting elements.

I think the overexposure here works nicely, especially in B&W...it adds to the contrast and tonal qualities. Well done Author.

in that case, shooting digital makes it easy...shoot several shots...adjusting your f/stop along the way...start at like f/4 and shoot several exposures with increasing f/stops...f/4; f/5.6; f/8; f/11 and then choose the image that best represents the DOF that you had been looking for...it helps

would have been a much better shot of any of the subjects would have been in focus...the point of focus appears to be the womans hairline...the eyes are paramount in a portrait. In one such as this, it's preferable to use a smaller f/stop like f/11-16 to get both the subjects faces in focus and to avoid the narrow DOF...just a hint.

Also, just my opinion, but...other than 'period' pieces (old fashioned types) it's just best to stay away from sepia toning, it's more preferable just to go B&W or stay color. In my experience, they just look better/sell better/do better...

The image is on-topic, and the pose is good, just needs some fine-tuning to be 'great'...GL Author

I don't wanna appear picky, but, although it has a fire BG...the Object itself does not appear 'on fire' as I read the goal?

LOL...they don't 'prey' on other animals...they do this to keep watch on other predators... for the good of the community, they have watchmen stationed about the area who, when seeing danger, give a yelp or whistle to alert the others of impending danger, at which time the rest dive for cover...

LOL...no problem...it happens

Author...thats not a groundhog....its a prairie dog.

About the best entry in this contest IMHO...great tonal quality, wonderful composition and well chosen (worn) pair of boots...well done Author.