But I have to pick a winner, so here goes:
Honorable mentions:
I love Brad's cropped portrait (and especially the story behind it). Very nice light, and definitely expressive. I find the focus a little soft, though. It is the sense of light and the tight cropping that makes it qualify as beautifully simple (I claim).
John's street scene from Portugal is stunning: beautifully sharp, and awesome tonal range, but, while it is peaceful, there is a little too much going on for it to be "beautifully simple" (but I like it so much, I gave it an HM anyways):
Bernd's image of the couple on the beach definitely qualifies as beautifully simple, and has also tells a story. I like the antique feel as well:
Nick's footprint is another one I enjoyed:
Third place:
There were a few foot-related entries, where the crop focused on feet. My favorite is M Hauss' Relax. The composition is excellent and there is a great sense of story:
Second place:
Walter's shot of the pier in the fog is spectacular: there is a simple geometric feel to it, and great light and tonal range. The composition draws the viewer into the image.
And the winner:
I found myself constantly coming back to Kirsten's high key portrait. I had not expected portraits to fit, but the high key treatment takes away many of the distracting details, leaving a nice sense of light and those incredible eyes.
Thanks to everyone for participating: I really enjoyed the opportunity to look carefully at all of your entries. I pass the torch to you, Kirsten!
Peter
