Author, I applaud you for pleading your case without getting offended or overly defensive. We need more members like you! And I do agree that horror is very subjective and that sometimes the "innocuously normal" feeling of a photo can make it very eerie. With that said, I still feel that this contest is asking for something a little less...subtle. Just my opinion though, doesn't make it fact.

And you are right that manipulations are more of a photoshop thing. My comment about adding zombies was meant in jest. :P

Love the subject matter and the framing. I think if you bump up your lights in PS or Lightroom a little bit this could be an even better shot! All the best!

Thought this was showing some ground at first but after pulling it into lightroom I see its really a canopy of trees! Great work, author.

Although this is a nice shot, could you please tell me what is so "horrific" about it? This contest is about emulating a DVD cover for a horror movie; This doesn't really look very "horror" in my opinion. Maybe you could reshoot with some zombies in the foreground? :P

Great subject matter and nice capture! As a suggestion, if you bump up the contrast a bit (increase the shadows in particular) and rotate the image so that it is not slanted on an angle I think it will really help you in the long run. All the best!

I respectfully disagree, dem90. I love the sunburst. It adds extra depth and intrigue to the photo and separates it from the rest of the pack. Only wish we could see a high res. Still, great work author!

While this is technically "looking up," the angle isn't nearly as dramatic as what I think the contest intends. If you reshoot or upload another photo that shows a harsher/tighter angle I think it will help your entry in the long run. Still, great capture! All the best!

Excellent photo and I love the angle/subject matter. I'd up the contrast just a tad though (not too much) to make this really "pop." All the best!

Excellent clarity and the subject really stands out against that blue sky. Only thing I would do is to rotate it slightly so that the tower doesn't appear to be tilting/on an angle. Then this photo will REALLY kick booty. :P All the best!

Excellent angle but the photograph looks a bit washed out. There also appears to be a red/maroon cast on it. Upping the shadows and cooling the picture a bit would do wonders. Hope this helps! All the best!

While this is a really interesting shot I'm not really seeing the "upwards" view. It's there, yes, but not very prevalent. Maybe you could reshoot from a lower angle on Mr. Rex? All the best!

I'd say its technically on theme (the contest doesn't state how harsh of an angle the view has to be) but it could have been improved upon by lowering the camera a bit more. Still, good job!

The building IS still white, just a very very off-white. Its a wonderful shot but I think it would be improved upon if you boost the highlights a tiny bit and POSSIBLY take out some of the yellow (which should help bring back some of the white in the pillars). All the best!

Very beautiful picture, but it seems like the focus is on the fireworks instead of the fire. I'd crop it in a bit to focus on the fire itself. All the best!

Nice capture but it doesn't look like it was taken with a long shutter speed. Maybe you can reshoot with your friend?

Loving the German Expressionist style you've got going on. Great lighting (as always) and the subject is top notch (I especially love the dancer's name on the poster). Fantastico!

Can I be Jar Jar?

Looks like your image isn't QUITE 8.5 X 11...but its close Love the creativity (reminds me of YMCA for some reason). All the best!

I'm loving the composition on this and the bright, vibrant orange is very appropriate. The picture may be just a little TOO dark, though. I'd increase the lights a smidge and resubmit. Think this will lead to an overall better photo (which is already great as it is). All the best!

Reminds me of Johnny 5 from the Short Circuit movies! Great find, author. I would recrop it a bit though so that the top of the log isn't being cut off by the frame (or, if that isn't possible, crop it in more at the bottom so that they are both slightly cut off). All the best!

I didn't catch it myself until I read the explanation. Grats on seeing that, author! Nice shot (love the shadows). All the best!

Reminds me of the Kraken. :P Superb colors and a very interesting subject. Great work!

Excellent picture and great framing of the model (shes tilted at JUST the right angle). I'm curious how this would look in B/W; it may kick it up a notch. Even as it is though this is awesome. Great work!

Very nice depth of field in this. I'm also loving the yellow cast; it really sells the point that this is a serious, important object.

So sorry for your condition. I had no idea.

Grats!

Fantastic shot with excellent lighting (I love the shadow cast on the tiled wall behind your model). Great work!

If you've ever babysat an infant, erathion, you'd understand why... :P He's probably just hoping the baby doesn't wake up.

Great shot, author! I'm loving the deep red you used for your backdrop. Hard to pull that off without giving the whole picture a "romantic" feel but you managed to do it very nicely. All the best!

Excellent work, author. Lighting a shot like this can be very tricky and you did a great job (although Friiskiwi did give a great tip). The purpose of this contest is to show a teddy bear "anthropomorphized"...that is, given traits to make it appear as if it is alive. I think that your choice to go with a typical bedroom wall for your backdrop really hammers this fact in and was a wise decision. There would have been nothing WRONG with doing a low key black background...I just think this looks better. All the best!

P.S., I actually lol'd when scrolling through the hi res and I suddenly came across Eve.

Great angle and tasty subject matter! I'd boost your brights up a bit though so the image has a bit more contrast. All the best!

Would you believe...half a banana? :P
Excellent lighting and great use of a unique idea. In the future, though, I would think about placing the ice chunk directly on top of the mirror. This will prevent us from seeing the "seam" where the mirror touches the ice (right now it looks a little cockeyed).
Great work! All the best!

Awesome shot. Makes me hungry! What restaurant did you get this from? I don't recognize it.

Another Catholic chiming in here to say that the subject matter is indeed very powerful, but also of note is the amazing DOF you have. I'm noticing a LITTLE halo around your model's knuckles but I think its just the monitor I'm on (in class at the moment). Great work, author!

Absolutely fantastic work, author. Very clear and crisp image that definitely shows the bear in action. Great SBS as well (thank you for posting it). All the best!

Great shot, but is the bear actually doing something? The contest states that the bear must be shown doing something, "as long as it's not just the teddy bear just sitting there." If I were you I would reshoot and resubmit this one. Its a great photo and I'd hate for it to get removed. All the best!

Great lighting on this one and excellent use of props. While I like your low depth of field, I would have focused on the bear rather than the basket (the bear is the more important subject). Also, I'm not sure if this actually shows the bear "doing something" as opposed to simply being positioned in a basket. In any event, this is a nice shot and I'm very impressed with the progression you've made, author. All the best!

Great shot but I would crop it in a bit more at the bottom (can't tell what it is but SOMETHING is peaking up from the edge of your photo). Hope this helps! All the best!

I absolutely love this. Not only is it a well shot photograph, it perfectly illustrates how a single image can tell a great story. I'm only wondering if he'll have to fight a Spaniard once he gets up there. Great work, author.

This is an excellent shot, but the rules state "No humans in the photo."
You may want to swap it out with another entry before it gets pulled. I'd love to see this used in a future contest!

Great shooting, author! You really captured the moment.

Fantastic shot. DOF is a LITTLE too low, but not so much that it ruins the photo. Great work!

Very cute photo. You seem to have taken painstaking measures to ensure that your background fits the mood you are going for. Very good job!

Excellent Depth of Field and your angling of the can/framing in the shot is perfect. Your work is really improving, author. Only critique is I would have had the person on the left move her toes just a bit so they didn't poke into your shot. :P Still, great work. All the best!

Great lighting and the angle is very nice. Only problem I see is the reflection of your studio in the bear's glasses. In the future to avoid this you can either adjust your light or, if you're lazy like me, simply take the lenses out of the frames. I learned that trick from the photographer who took my senior photos many, many years ago.
Still, your scene is awesome and it really paints a nice story. Kind of reminds me of a Hallmark card. :P Hope that helps! All the best!

Excellent idea! Definitely creative. I'd bump up the shadows just a TINY bit though to give it a little more contrast (looks somewhat washed out). the framing and angle are perfect though! All the best!

Fantastic color and the subject is very intriguing. Great work!

This is definitely on the fence but I think it'll pass. I see the same object (foliage) surrounding the flower on three sides. To me, that should count. I would pull the crop out a bit though so that the top of the bud isn't being cut off. Still, this is a great photo! All the best!

You're right, the snow does seem a bit blown out now. Hmmm. This might be one of "those images" that can't really be helped without some advanced (and illegal) photoshopping. My recommendation would be to go back to the version without the blown out snow. It was darker, yes, but it was still a good shot. I was just trying to help the darkness issue. :P

It looks like the framing comes more from the chromatic lens flare than the suns actual rays (I'm assuming thats what you meant). Very creative idea! I'd play with the shadows a bit though so your photo doesn't look so washed out. Still, great thinking! All the best!

I really like what you're going for here author and the black and white helps this a lot (I don't think it would have looked nearly as good in color). I would play around with the crop a little bit though. This isn't bad at all! I just think that, by pulling it out or cropping it tighter, you may be able to get it looking even better. All the best!

You got me, author. Totally didn't know this was you until I voted on it. Great work as always!