Greetings and best wishes for the holiday season. Two points to start:
First, a concern was raised last time that the same group of people keep winning each week. It may not be surprising, since the same relatively small group of people keep entering the contest each week. And some people may have a better sense of how to make images that resonate with other people. Given that most of us are not professionals, I probably speak for many that we are just glad to participate and receive comments or praise on our work.
Second, the images this week really ripped. It was tough to choose from among the many great entries, which conveys to me that choices can be somewhat arbitrary, not to diminish their excellence. I did my best to pick my favorite images and not focus on the names of the photographers. And my top choice is a newcomer to the forum!
Highly honorable mentions, in no order:
Arnie's glowing hosta:
Allen's water droplet:
Allen's tiny flowers:
Markus' sinuous:
Todd's small dry leaves:
Jola's macro fairy tale:
Margaret's sunflower seed pattern:
Robin's jagged leaf:
Flo's diaphanous daffodil:
Third place: Walter's pistil and stamens- technical perfection and esthetic beauty
Second place: Marisa's calla lily- depth, pastel colors, composition
(Let me interject that I feel perfectly comfortable choosing those photos for 2 and 3, even though they are from esteemed PBase photographers who have won multiple Show and Tell contests. I just like the pictures! On the other hand...)
First place goes to George Jr. "Bobbop", who uploaded his first forum entry in this week's contest. His picture really took me aback- I had a hard time figuring it out. I like the challenge of the view, trying to determine if the blurred region is background or foreground, and overall using the variegated leaves to make a composition and image that becomes more than the subject. Kudos to George Jr., and welcome to the forum!