Polina

This is a fascinating photo I find myself staring at for quite a while. I find the composition, lighting, and mixture of crisp sharpness and soft textures very interesting. The sharpness on the left half of the image blending to the softer right half and her hips and legs is a wonderful and subtle use of the DOF.

The composition, orientation, pose and use of black and white really bring about a mystical effect. My eyes are drawn to from her face along to the hint of breast bones, her slender abdomen down to her soft hips. This orientation invites the eye to explore her beautiful body, and the subtle details; the tattoo, the textures and shadows formed by the lighting. However, if I spin this image around 180 degrees (I had to move from the iPad to the laptop...), my eye is drawn much more to her face, hair and the expressive pose of her hands.

Wonderfully done and one of those rare images that is easy to pass over quickly, but which really deserves longer look and exploration by the viewer. Well done.