To bring a bit of autumn from Germany to the forum as well...

*istD, Sigma 105 mm F2.8 EX DG Macro, 1/8 s, A11, ISO 200.

Splendid competition with so many happy notes! Doesn't it make you proud to be a member of this species, "man"?

Ehm, no

Dan,
now that you mention it... You are right, really looks a bit too rough. I doubt that there are any Sweet Chestnut in this forest.
Whatever it is, it just looks good...

Thanks John,

as stated above, I won't be able to host this one (well, not really as I will be on holiday ).

So please, go ahead and make alternative arrangements...

Prieni

It's the stump of a freshly cut beech tree shot from above (left is the bark, then you can see the active tubes and more to the right the core). The empty hull of a beech-nut lying on it (this is how I found it so I didn't arrange it) gave a nice little extra.

I did some more close up shots of the stump alone but they don't look as interesting.

I thought the cutting did leave quite a mark of man on this tree...

I don't know if I would have recognized straight away what it is would I not have taken the shot myself

Thanks gartmore for swift judgement AND awarding me the first place! And this against a very strong competition!

As luck has it, I won't be able to judge this weeks competition as I'm off for a fortnights holiday in Hong Kong (to acquire new material for future competitions). Yes, I know, I shouldn't have entered this one but I didn't expect to win. And I have to give at least one competition a miss anyway.

So, how do we play this one? Second place to take over?

Prieni

*istD, Sigma 105/2.8 EX DG Macro, 1/125 s, A11, ISO200, AF-540FGZ

Congratulations to Gartmore, a deserving winner! Thanks karma for a job well done.

*istD, Sigma 105 mm F2.8 DG Macro, 1/250s, A5.6, ISO200

Dirk,

thanks for your kind words!

The New Forest shot had a bit of post processing treatment to it, I copied the pic in a new layer, blurred it and used soft light mode. A bit of opacity adjustment and the "dreamy feeling" is ready.
The blue sky was a bit intensified (one could argue too much) by applying a black (top) to transparent gradient and using soft light mode again.

Prieni