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This photo was submitted by Becky Kagan of Pennsylvania.
Let me start by saying I love this shot. The combination of a nearly featureless silhouette against an amazing background is simply stunning.
What makes this image strong is its simplicity. The subject is clearly identifiable and the photographer’s intention is clear. There’s no question of “what’s this a photo of?”.
That said, I do wish I could tell what’s in the left hand of the diver. Since the shape of the object is unidentifiable (I’m guessing it’s a conch shell?) it might have been better to use an empty hand.
The only other suggestion I have is that the composition might be even stronger cropped to a square, or at least cropped in tighter on the sides. The dark areas don’t add much to the composition and might compete with the “darkness” of the diver.
On the whole, the strong subject, the incredible lighting and the simple composition make this a great image. Nice work!