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Victor Lima:
"I thought that all four pictures were very good. I chose Christoph's picture because of the subtlety of the danger he depicts in his photograph. Seeing the man in the wheelchair through the Mercedes Benz sign actually made me fear for him. There is a sense of desperation that is not present in the other pictures. I thought the other three pictures were sort of static, in the sense that something already happened, but Christoph's picture shows something about to happen."

Dale E. Miller:
"The Döpke print is a good 'practical sense' kind of image, the scene of bathroom is interesting with a lot of energy with colors, lighting and composition - in spite of the fact the subject is dead ! Brüggemann's dog is difficult to take as vicious, but the dog's left hind paw being off the ground makes it more energetic. Müller has used a well known symbol with positioning against a handicapped person to make a statement that you can play with many ways, i.e. against the auto maker, in sympathy for the victim, or just for the sport of running over people in wheel chairs ! (I really am just kidding.) My vote for winner goes to Döpke because of the colors and 'feel' of the whole thing."

Stephan Busch:
"Matthias' Bild ist der Schocker! Leicht und elegant zwirbelt sich die hochvoltige Leitung hinab, stiftet Verderben und gibt den Blick frei auf ein unschuldiges Stück Seife, das in Harmonie mit dem düster-blauen Rasierwerkzeug (US-Imperialisten-Wegwerfmodell) am Rande des Geschehens plaziert wurde."

Torsten Weggen:
Chooses Christoph, "weil ich Mercedes-Fahrer bin, und es liebe, Fahrradfahrer..."

Len Pearson:
"There are two I like. Matthias' photo of the woman in the tub shows the danger passed. The fear is gone, a thing of the past. Christoph's photo shows the danger present. You can feel anxiety, and I hate to say it, but I felt a little humor in it also. Christoph, in my opinion, is clearly the winner."

Markus Ackermann:
"Das Bild von Matthias ist was Komposition, technische Ausführung, aber auch Aussage und Motivation angeht, mit Abstand das Beste. Ralfs Hund landet knapp geschlagen auf dem zweiten Platz, die anderen beiden konnten mich schliesslich nicht ueberzeugen."

Archie Anz:
"This would be a fantastic picture to illustrate the dangers of using an electrical appliance while bathing. There are warnings posted on electrical appliances, but this photograph would really get the point across."

Daria Zakharova:
"I liked Matthias' picture most for colors and composition. I thought Christoph's idea was really great, but I didn't like the execution of this idea. There is not enough color in the picture. Ralf's picture is very cute. The dog looks dangerous indeed. However, to me the composition was not sophisticated enough."

Adam Tuttle:
"Fantastic juxtoposition of what we all fear! The vision of the woman is very disturbing I definitly feel danger from this. The long depth of field adds all the more feeling to an already 'heavy' photo. Good shot!"

Richard Bingham:
"I particularly liked [Matthias' picture] for its imaginative use of the wide angle lens. If I had to nominate a second place, then Christoph's was also excellent, but a bit more obscure in meaning."

Frank Heggen:
"To see a blood-thursty dog on the street reminds me of how dangerous the daily-life is becoming. The danger to me is not necessarily the dog, but the 'owner' of the dog. If you can't be safe on the street, where is it safe then? The photo is excellent."

Joan A. Hansen:
"I thought the photos were creative. Matthias and Ralf's photos had the best clarity. But Matthias' for shock content was the most creative."

Pekka Lahtinen:
"What did I first think when I looked at the pictures? Matthias: Can you really die that way? Electricity & bathtub is not such a threat, is it? A strange bathroom she had: blue brick walls? I'm fond of the way your picture "controls my eye", focuses my attention - and this one does it alright. Ralf: Fake fake fake ... (sorry :) The picture is alright. I just didn't feel the danger. Splash the dog on the display so that it looks like attacking THE VIEWER - and you win. Too bad you cannot accomplish that in this kind of competition. Christoph: Again, I like the way a picture focuses by attention - and the 'Mersu'(as we say in Finland) logo mounted on a vehicle (which you cannot see!) indeed is the instrument for that. Axel: Hmm, yess-s, the rails trip off bicycle riders! Fortunate Montreux (CH) and Thonon Les Bain (F) residents -- here in Finland we have no icons for such a threat, text only. The winner here is Matthias Döpke, since his picture works small on the left side of my screen -- should they have been hung on a wall, or shown full-screen, then Christoph Müller might have won my vote. (Besides, in a small picture, the triangle red warning text - hair dryer - girl's dead eyes works just right, and the blue brick walls work to frame that just right - not to forget the bright yellow whatever. Good stilleben, dead, at a danger.) "

Andrew Sellgren:
"Matthias: Outstanding management of your depth of field. I also like the color composition and the cacophony of the yellow soap. Ralf: From my own experience, I know how hard it is to get good animal shots, so don't take this remark too seriously: Your subject looks more curious than viscious. Christoph: It's a fascinating composition. You've framed the subject (victim?) quite well, placing his face beautifully. My one critique would be about how dangerous this looks. True, the subject looks anxious, but the background looks more like a parking lot than someplace that a car might be going fast. It would have seemed more dangerous if it had been taken on a road that looked like high speeds would be the norm. Axel: What is the warning supposed to indicate, anyway? 'Don't jump off bicycles'? They were all good shots."

Rachel Rinaldo:
"As an amateur photographer, I think Spontax is a terrific idea. I really like the way you think up your own contests, and then just go out and do it. Anyway, my personal favorite in the 'Danger' competition is Ralf Bruggemann's 'Mean Dog.' It's a terrific shot, I think, because of the original angle, and the almost surreal, painterly use of color. Keep up the good work."

Adriano Rampini:
"By the way: An accident like the one in Axel's picture happened to me once (but I only broke my arm and didn't die as you probably noticed!)"

Pascal Gauthier:
"I like the glitering geometric perfection, suggesting intensity and precision; the hopeless target looking back on its awaiting fate. Also, turning a commercial symbol into an artistic one is typical of pop art, which I am fond of. Matthias' 'I told you so' picture is the most gripping though."

Tim Marquardt:
"Tough, but I just happen to love bulldogs. The only threat that dog seems to offer however, is the danger of getting a big, sloppy kiss!"

Martin Cooley:
"I liked the way color was used in both Matthias and Ralf. There is a certain surreal feeling. I dont agree with Matthias's stated that we don't live in dangerous times, I think we do and his subject matter points it out clearly; the wettness of washing one's hair and the use of an electric hair dryer just dont mesh. I also don't agree with Ralf that a dog is all that dangerous. I chose Ralf because the dead body in the tub of Matthias' work made me uneasy."

Judi Schwartz:
"When a photographer sets up a photograph by creating the scenario using props such as the woman in the bathtub or the person in the wheelchair, it is always harder to be convincing without the feeling of the photograph being contrived. It is difficult to do this successfully I feel that Matthias came close; but, went too far and complicated. The image by Christoph was not so eye catching. I liked the idea; but, felt the results were not impactful. As to the bulldog photo - I think I have seen too many images along this line for it to be of interest to me. As to the photograph by Axel, I applaud his ability to take the ordinary (something that we see every day) and turn it into a statement that is clear and succinct. The image works on all levels of composition and technique."

Alexander Haines:
"Zwei Bilder kommen als beste in Betracht: Christophs und Matthias' Bilder. Matthias´ Bild ist photographisch gesehen besser. Jedoch trifft das Bild von Christoph GENAU das Thema ´Gefahr´: ein Rollstuhlfahrer, der vor einem Autoverrückten flüchtet. Matthias hat dagegen nur die Situation danach, als das Mädel schon tot ist, erfaßt. Aus diesem Grund finde ich, daß der erste Platz eindeutig Christoph zusteht. Anders wäre es gewesen, wenn Matthias genau den Zeitpunkt photo- grafisch erfaßt hätte, als der Fön die Wasseroberfläche penetrierte."

Franklin C. McKay:
"The dog you could boot in the head and knock out! The Mercedes picture doesnt have motion. Therefore, the car could be going 2km per hour and could stop quite easily. The picture of the road doesnt reallt represent danger to me. The odds of getting in a car accident are 1 in 1500. I'm sure there are more dangerous things than that. The hairdryer in the bathtub, well, as if? But, it seems to depict the most danger out of the four. I would have taken a picture of the 'REALLY' bad end of town where the gangs hang out. Or of Mr. Bean. Because he is dangerous to the mind :)"

Marco Cagetti:
"Although it shows the consequences of not paying attention to a danger rather than the danger itself, I liked Mathias picture for its macabre and horror image... and in such a common place as a bath... How about some extra burns?"

Ron Edwards:
"As was the case in the last contest, all four photos were very good and original. However, the bathtub danger is definitely the most DANGEROUS!"

Josh Auzins:
"Great composition transforms this picture from just a gimicky photo (high saturation, wide angle, naked girl) into a great all around effort. Bravo!"

Hugh Arndt:
"All of you have depicted the topic with your shots, however Ralf not only showed danger in his picture but it also showed danger in taking it."

Axel Behnke:
"Kribbelnde Wasserspiele: In bezug auf das gestellte Thema sicherlich ein Volltreffer. Dieses ist auch durchaus passend und dezent in Szene gesetzt (das Wichtigste ist optisch in den Vordergrund gestellt). Die schauspielerische Leistung der Hauptdarstellerin ist ebenso beachtlich (es war doch wohl gespielt??). Beachtenswert auch die durchgängige Bildschärfe bei den sicherlich nicht üppigen Lichtverhältnissen. Ein Bild, das von seiner Aussagekraft deutlicher und ungeschminkter sicherlich nicht sein könnte. Einer Veröffentlichung im Auftrage des VDE würde sicherlich nichts im Wege stehen (vielleicht wäre es denen aber auch schon wieder zu direkt und hart...). Habe zwischen diesem und dem letzten lange geschwankt, bin dann aber doch zu der Überzeugung gelangt, daß mir der alte Pitbull-Beißer am besten gefällt. Die fotodramaturgische Umsetzung des Themas scheint mir hier trefflich gelungen. Schon der Aufnahmewinkel und die damit gut in Szene gesetzte Bedrohung durch diese häßliche Kreatur ist gut gewählt (war das die letzte Aufnahe des Fotografen?). Das Bild hat Dynamik. Darüber hinaus sind die farblichen Kontraste und die Schärfentiefe sehr schön abgestimmt."

Britt May:
"So ist dieses allgegenwärtige Thema doch bei allen vieren herausragend lebensnah getroffen, jedoch fiel meine Wahl auf Matthias Bild, das in seiner Farbigkeit, durch den Blickwinkel der Aufnahme, vor allem aber durch die 'Komposition' unausweichbar in seinen Bann schlägt. Da kann so manch subtiles Magazin, dass sich rühmt, phototechnisch den legendären Zeitgeist zu treffen, ein Beispiel nehmen. Bravo!"

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