Great shot

this picture expresses pure joy!

Love this photo, perfect for this category

As always, none less than perfect

The composition, subject matter and colors of the flowers suggest the Impressionistic period of painting.

Excellent subject matter, terrific shot.

Such a tender, sweet picture. Wonderful!

Simply beautiful!

Fantastic Photo. Beautiful.

Lovely picture! Sweet little girls, beautiful garden; I LOVE impressionist paintings and am so impressed with this photo!!!

Perhaps the title should be "Best Friends." Looks like an original oil painting.

A dear picture that makes me want to be there!

Not only is the subject most representative of the impressionist period, but the candidness of the girls hugging seems genuine of the joy they must feel at being in such a beautiful place.

Very sweetly done. Excellent photography.

Very much like an impressionist scene...If I didn't recognize our beloved Arboretum garden, I would surely think the photo taken was in southern France.

Great shot!

This photo is refreshing and makes me smile.

My eye is drawn all around this photograph. I particularly wonder what caught the attention of the two little girls embracing that made them stop long enough to look! The spectators in the background are definitely Monet-ish! Good job!

Clearly a serendipitous moment--what luck to capture it in the photograph, with so much color, and the background to frame it beautifully!

wonderful relationship between the innocence and sweetness of young girls and the beauty of nature

Beautiful

now that's impressionism!
truly lovely photo and true to the contest theme!

This impressionistic photo is very impressive!

Very nostalgic

What a precious picture! The colors are beautiful, and it really captured the beauty of life.
To me this should be in first place

This should be titled "All's Well With The World." I love looking at it.

A beautiful photo!!

Beautiful picture!

What a beautiful array of colors and a touching display capturing the love of family together adorning nature.

Really captures the Monet style. great picture

I am a big fan of Monet's work. It was one of my inspirations to be artistic.
I see the influence beyond the camera lens.
Very nicely done.

Nothing more beautiful than innocence

My breath has simply been taken away

top notch photography

magnificent & magnanimous

beautiful

Wow. Sure its not Monet? Love it.

Nancy Coneff is a hippie.

behind the lens is a man who loves life and knows beauty

What talent! Would love to have a matted, framed, version on my wall!

as suspected, the majority of the pictures submitted for this were done with a computer, not a camera. now if you could do something similar without software I'd be really impressed.

A very sweet moment in the lives of two little girls. I love Monet's style, and this certainly reminds me of his work.

Intriguing

this is a beautiful shot that catches the beauty of nature with the beauty of childhood.

I love the innocence and beauty of that innocence portrayed in such a lovely setting.

I see why the majority is impressed by the photo. However, I do believe that this is not really true photography. It can not be considered a true beautiful shot if it is completely edited in photoshop or whatever manipulating software used. If one were to see the original photo, I am sure one would respond with something like "ah how cute" rather than "what a beautiful impressionist photograph". It is photos like these that lessen the publics view of true photography. I am sorry but I am extremely against manipulation when it comes to art.

I love flower gardens!!I think the 2 girls a very cute,the colors are very outstanding,the whole picture is beautifuly done!!!

Awesome Photo,Good Job

Simply beautiful!

As to the comment by the "anonymous" art critic...There's no way a "pure" photograph can truly resemble a Monet. Some sort of manipulaton is certainly required to make any kind of due comparison. "True" art (via photography) without artificial manipulation (which could easily be defined as a camera lens) is arguably impossible when comparing a photo to an artist's painting--which requires much more inspiration and skill. The comparison is apples to oranges when it comes to art. I can respect the right of the critic to share such an opinion, and I can appreciate the candidness and sensitive manner in which the criticism was made, but think that it would be better received if made with the benefit of self identificaiton. To each his own.

or put another way...one man's manipulation may be another man's inspiration...

This comment is for the anonymous "photographer." I'm sorry that he or she is upset with my picture. He/she appears to be a professional, and wants a contest between photographs straight out of the camera. That is fine with me, but this contest isn't just about great photograpy. Although it is advertised as a photo contest, the rules make no mention of photographs. The rules refer only to images. They don't specify where the images are to come from. Presumably, a camera doesn't even need to be involved. I have interpreted the intent to be a contest between images that remind you of Monet's painting. Editing photographs is the easiest way to achieve this. I agree that my photograph is just a cute picture of some girls. There are several very good photographs entered that I think are better than mine. But I don't believe that beautiful photographs are the essential element of this contest.

This photo is a wonderful capture of the tenderness of the little girls blended into the beauty of the flowers.

I love the banter between the artistic temperaments that this photo has created. It's like the Salon of Paris. Not everyone liked what the Impressionists were up to when they started their visual experiments. I do think this photo gets close to the contest premise, but I am still waiting for someone to really hit the mark.

After spending the weekend with a little inquisitive and innocent three year old, this picture takes on a whole new meaning to me. I took a step back,remembering my "younger years", the beauty and joy that was in my life and still is. Thank you for submitting such a beautiful photo and the memories.

Still the best.

Terribly cute.

If impressionist is defined as the immediate impression of a scene then this photo delivers. The elements that reference Monet are pleasing. I'd like to see it without the computer effects. It would probably stand up just as well if not better on it's own.

Too little photography and too much software. No solid composition with no clear subject. The concern for the little one wandering toward the water on her own, far outweighs the tenderness of the other's embrace. Lends toward a problematic photograph.

This just looks a lot of photoshop!

Perfect!

Looks somewhat like it could be a garden scene
from Renoir's paintings, with the spectators in
the background, etc.

would love to have been there in that setting enjoying the beauty of the gardens & children.

Such a relaxing picture. It sure brings Monet to mind.

"What are the equivalents to a Monet garden view"..."Let your camera be your paintbrush." Nice photo, minus photoshop...the camera didn't actually paint this, but still a good impressionistic technique has been applied usning photoshop.

Awesome photo transformed into art.

Awesome photo transformed into art.

Robert, Congrats on your first place win! I'm glad one of us won!! You captured a true Monet moment of time. Dean Campbell

Nailed Monet, not very original though.

Best first prize on this site so far. This is a gorgeous picture. Harmonious in its spirit of those two little girls