7/14/2006 8:02:56 AM

Realy Cool. Love the photo!

7/14/2006 11:45:45 AM

Great image !

7/14/2006 2:18:52 PM

It really is a great image. Brings back memories as I was just in Chicago with friends this past Sunday.

7/14/2006 2:48:44 PM

Great image , really nice photo!!!

7/14/2006 5:33:45 PM

Beautiful image!

7/14/2006 6:56:06 PM

Nice capture. That is really neat.

7/14/2006 7:10:25 PM

Thanks for all the nice comments. Odelia, This was shot Monday. I had about an hour of free time during a very short business trip and walked around Milennium Park. I wish I'd had more time to shoot. The whole downtown area is an all you can eat buffet for street shooting.

7/14/2006 9:50:47 PM

Congrats on your wonderful finalist. Good luck in the next round.

8/26/2006 7:22:42 PM

Congrats on your fantastic finalist!!!

8/27/2006 1:53:26 AM

Very fun!
Congrats!
~:O)

8/27/2006 9:57:27 PM

Congratulations on your 1st place winner.

8/28/2006 2:25:17 PM

Congratulations, Laurie. Wonderful winner.

8/28/2006 2:31:12 PM

Congratulations!!

8/28/2006 2:36:17 PM

Congratulations on First Place Laurie, wonderful image

8/28/2006 2:45:16 PM

Such an imaginative image, Laurie -- congrautlations on your first place win!

8/28/2006 2:59:37 PM

Outstanding work; congrats on your 1st Place Win! Jeff

8/28/2006 3:39:31 PM

Congratulations on your well-deserved First Place win!

8/28/2006 3:45:12 PM

Laurie, great colors, detail and lighting; congratulations on your First Place Win.

8/28/2006 6:11:14 PM

Cool and creative image!!! Congratulations on your First Place WIN!!!

8/28/2006 9:10:01 PM

Congratulations on this most imaginative First Place Winner, Laurie!!!

8/28/2006 10:23:12 PM

A huge CONGRATULATIONS (!!!!) Laurie, on this STUNNING First Place Winner! Totally superb!!

8/29/2006 9:47:26 AM

Congratulations on your well deserved winner Laurie

8/29/2006 10:20:27 AM

Congratulations Laurie! This is fabulous and surreal looking.

Erica

8/29/2006 11:25:40 AM

Much congratulations on this winning image. It is the best images I've seen at the Millenium Park. I have many similar images, but none that compares to this one. Was wondering...how did you capture this, as there are always so many people around?

Interested in hearing your comments!

Regards,
Mike B-

8/29/2006 12:39:40 PM

Thanks to all for the really nice comments. I'm honored to have had my photo selected considering all the terrific images submitted.

Mike, This was shot on a cloudy Monday evening in between rain showers. I suspect that's what kept the crowds down (and made for some really nice light without harsh contrast). Also, most folks were staying off to the sides to avoid getting their feet wet. I happened to be wearing a pair of Gortex hiking shoes so the shallow water from the fountain wasn't a deterrent. I just stood in the middle, between the two face signs and waited for something to happen. It didn't take long. This little girl was mesmerized by the fountain and made the shot easy. I kneeled down for the best reflection and composed just tight enough to eliminate the edges of the face wall (and dull gray peripheral scene). I really wanted the message to be the little girls reaction so I left just enough of the face in for the photo to make sense. Mostly I just got lucky when all the elements came together.

8/29/2006 1:02:23 PM

Again, VERY nice capture. I'm looking at the little girl, in particular the lighting, and it almost looks as if she might have been layered in from another image.

Definitely a winning photograph!!!

Regards,
Mike B-

8/29/2006 3:09:03 PM

Mike, I wish my PS skills were up to that. I don't have the patience or ability to paste a figure and their reflection into a scene. The bright overcast light not only lit the scene nicely but the water on the ground reflected the nice even light back on her. I wish my studio set up worked as effectively.

8/29/2006 7:11:01 PM

Congratulations on this eye-catching winner!

9/1/2006 8:05:19 AM

Congratulations Laurie

9/1/2006 10:27:59 AM

Laurie, Gorgeous image and congrats! Very cool pic!

9/1/2006 7:28:22 PM

Very, very creative, Laurie...Great work. Congratulations on yuor 1st P W!

9/2/2006 9:46:56 AM

Just perfect:)!!

9/3/2006 12:54:41 AM

Fantastic capture Laurie - Big Congrats on your FIRST PLACE WIN!!!

9/3/2006 1:28:57 PM

Hi Laurie,

Glad to be here. A fabulous image full of symoblism to me, the superwoman nurturing the dreams and ambitions of the girl, brilliantly isolated and portrayed in a compelling tonal range and with a perfect moment. Congratulations on a powerful and transcendant, Laurie.

Ben S

9/7/2006 1:00:35 PM

AWESOME! Congrats!

9/10/2006 11:00:40 AM

Nice capture. Was this in Chicago? I was just there.

9/19/2006 5:41:19 PM

So cool I love it
what great work and creativity
congrat...

9/26/2006 10:34:58 AM

CONGRATULATIONS LAURIE A VERY IMPRESSIVE and WELL CAPTURED IMAGE,I'M LOVING IT...

10/8/2006 2:40:16 PM