Wonderful and fantastic image...bravissimo!V:DDD.Happy New years You toooo!!!!!!Hugsxx Whylma

I echo your sentiments about the contests, DM ... this is truly a spectacular image! Unfortunately, the double-standard is alive and well at 'rosity, and (stacked) favorites games are played to the hilt here ... as they are everywhere ...

This one it´s fantastic Darwin! Wonderful artwork! and well Happy new year my friend!

I always hesitant to sound like I'm whining when I lose, but I have to agree with you, Darwin. I'll never do it again. In fact, I've removed my gallery here out of frustration. I spent weeks working on the image I submitted. I created new morphs in Modo, new textures, created a sculpted city snowscape in Vue. I rendered half a dozen images and composited and post-worked in PS, and I got 1 damn vote (mine)!! I'm not trying to disparage anybody else's work, but some of the images that won could have been thrown together in an hour or two. I do realize one thing though. People here do NOT like realistic shadows and lighting. They want a scene that's as brightly lit from every direction as a tanning booth. I mention this because, like my image, you actually used shadows and darkness in your image, which I like. To me, all the light means nothing if you have nothing to contrast it with.

beautiful image! I have to agree, it does seem to be a stacked deck sometimes. But this work is well worth the effort, it is gorgeous! thanks for sharing.

WONDERFULL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ROBY ;o)

a beautiful picture. i gave up on all contests until they creat some sort of blind system as to who created what.

Thank you, everyone. I definitely put a lot of work into this, considering it is NOT my norm. Which is why I decided finally to go with the suggestion and ran with it. MANY hours of swearing at my computer for freezing, shutting off (In mid-render for some reason) and generally giving me a freakin' headache was worth the final result-I agree. Just not the outcome. I'll join in on the contests that are judged by those that either back it, or with no voting for the 'osity members...IF there are any. IF not; well, saves me the migraines, yes? HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! Thank you so very much for commenting.

This is a wonderful image! And certainly one worthy of ranking. I too learned this lesson the hard way, for the Wake the Dead contest. I will not be entering any future contests at this site. They are obviously fixed. And not because they didn't rank my image, but many others that were far more deserving then some of those that did rank. Bitter? not really, just won't waste more time in that direction (Here). Back to your image! The lighting and the mood are superb! A REAL winner! Peace.

I love this image...sorry to say I never look at the contests...but this is a fabulous image. I'm glad you shared it with us in your gallery :D

Thank you both-and I didn't rank in the Dinner with the Dead, either. Though, I am loathe to completely quit the contests. I'll stick to those that have the company backing judging, IF there are any! Peace and Happy New Year!

This is fabulous. I don't enter contests either, not that my images are good enough anyway. Thank you for sharing this. It is wonderful. Happy New Year!