Steve Throndson

Roger,

This photo was pretty much an accident. A picture of a Christmas tree was taken, but at the wrong shutter speed. The camera was moved during the exposure - in fact it was being returned to it's case while the shutter was still open.
I think the light blue area in the background was a window. That was re-shaped into a circle with Photoshop transform tools - to suggest that it's a planet or moon, just to make it more interesting.

Steve

Jezsik,
Thank you for the comment. It means a lot to me. I was wondering if anyone would 'get' the connection between the challenge theme, the photo's title, and the mirror imaged sky.

Great shot! What an expression! That really gives a sense of how rough this game is. There were a lot of excellent photos in the challenge - yours was one of my top favorites. Good work!

This is a great photo! The poor little guy on the left, sitting down, looks like he's in tears. Rough game! I think it should have won the challenge. My favorite for sure.

Since no one else will comment on my photograph, I must do it myself. Brilliant work! The conception of the Earth sitting on the back of a giant turtle is a nod to mythology (and comedy), and we're enclosed in a bubble that can't be seen unless you're in space. That bubble represents fragility, but no one seems to give that much thought. Live for the moment, for that's all that there is. I can see you put in hours of Photoshopping here, but it was worth it for this powerful statement. Excellent interpretation of the theme! Bravo! I note that the photo got 3 (three) point-five votes. That can only mean that three voters hated this picture intensely. They probably thought it was silly and cartoon-like, rather than a serious work attempting to communicate an idea.

I thought this would place higher - it's a great photo for the challenge theme. Very bleak, and the wild tilt helps, as if you're shooting on the run. Dark look at the future indeed. Good work!

This is a powerful photo. One of my favorites in the challenge.

Great photo for the challenge. Looks like a very dark future indeed. I'd love to know how you did the lightning - if you feel like sharing. PM me if you would. Thanks.

One of my favorites in the challenge. It's very bleak. The high contrast and dark sky help with that effect. Good work!

Congratulations on your first place finish. Your photo is great! It shows some imagination and creativity. Good work!

Which one is Nigel? The small one? We have small dogs with big attitude, so I know this type of encounter well. The big guy looks friendly and ready to play. Great photo for the challenge, and one of my picks to win.

I like your photo a lot. That expression is just priceless! Thank you for sharing this one.

Once in a lifetime photo - thanks for sharing. And congratulations on 2nd. There were some good images in the challenge.

This was my pick to win the challenge. That's a pretty amazing chandelier! The figures at the bottom help to give it some scale. Good work!

There were a lot of really good photos in this challenge. I thought this was one of the best. It's sharp and you've really caught the drama of the encounter. Good work!

Amazing shot! How often do you see something like that? One of my top favorites in the challenge.

I voted four stars for this one, and I don't usually go that high. Interesting photo. Simple, but mysterious too. It's open to interpretation for each viewer. Nice work!

I like your photo. There's some kind of mystery to it, and I can't see how it's done. Maybe it's the colours and the clarity. Anyway - good work! I thought it would finish higher.

One of my favorites in the challenge - in part because it's such an unusual sight. There's quite a contrast between the dullness of the foreground and the happy colours of the lights. Really interesting shot!

Very nice still life. It was one of my favorites in the challenge. Not sure if it was found that way or arranged - but the colours and composition feel very harmonious. Good work!