Now this looks photoshopped. So please, if you don't mind revealing your secrets, how did you do this?

Well I thank you for thinking that I'm that skilled in photoshop but I'm not. I can assure you there is no photoshopping done here. If the mods want to see the original Raw files I will show them but I will not reveal the secret. I'm sorry if that makes me look like a jerk but I take my craft and it's secrets very seriously. I can't tell from looking at type weather or not your accusing me of cheating but I hope that isn't the case I had to take over 30 shots to get one where the flame looked the way I wanted it and also disguised the secret!

I wasn't accusing you of cheating. I was just curious to how you did this for it looks photoshopped. If you don't want to reveal your secrets, fair enough. I'm not a mod and couldn't care less. I was just curious and was hoping you might share.

Ok cool, it's so hard to tell anymore on here, that's why I asked before freaking out

Yeah I know there's a lot of dooshbags (and I do spell douchebag, "dooshbag" intentionally" for I feel it's funnier this way) that have a tenancy to question someone's skills. You my friend, have the skills I wish I could acquire. It's funny because I want to give up every week after I find out how much I loose but yet, I still try. Even with such phenomenal entries as your own and artists who will more than likely beat me everytime.

amazing..just amazing! fmo, if you can make a real picture look fake (photography) or a fake picture look real (photoshoped), it means you are really good!

I felt the same way last week, jawshoewhah, and my buddy called me names and berated me until I stopped it. Even if you know you will lose, always try.

And FYI I really enjoy your work (both Jawshoewhah and the author).

Wise words Steve, your friend sounds smart! Josh if you only saw all of the terrible shots I've taken you'd probably feel a LOT better about your work! Hang in there, instead of trying to compete with everyone else compete with yourself, that's what I do.

Thanks for the advice.

As always this author excels ... yet again well done

to me it just looks like you dropped the card and after many many shots, it fell the right way this time. great job! The only thing though is that maybe you should change your shirt more often because your identity is given away alot by what you wear. well, your style and talent gives it away too

Thanks everyone, @ k5683 that is a good guess but no that would be far to frustrating to try it that way, and it would have taken way more than 30 shots! As far as the shirt goes I wasn't planning on having my arms in the shot, I just wanted black but it turned out that I liked it this way. I had thought about it but I figured that as you said everyone would know who it was anyway

well, you get a higher vote from me then

Congrats for your first place, Locksmagic!

Congrats on the first place.

Congrats on first and second Locksmagic, they're both awesome shots

Congrats for 1st place Adam ! Excellent entry

Great image -- but a magician cannot reveal how it was done (LOL)

Awesome shot ! I did not know you were a magician by the way

fabulous shot... very, very clever

photoshoped ??? Not real !!

@ planchonl, I sincerely hope you're joking. I assure you there is no photoshopping done to this other than converting to B&W and playing with the curves. This is an old stage illusion that has been used by many magicians, the entire point of it is to appear unreal.

This isn't photoshopped and I do believe I know who you are

Excellent entry! GL!

Yup! I was right. You my friend, are really phenomenal in so many entries you enter. You really don't need the luck

gorgeous!

it is easy to tell who this entry is from

Sorry !! It was only a question! It appears so unreal...

@ planchonl, hey no need to apologize I wasn't sure that's why I asked, it's hard to tell what people's tone is just by looking at type
(right k5683 )

Another amazing entry ...

i like your work ,good luck

And also for the second place!

Congrats for 2nd !

Impressive entry ! The most intriguing part is the background, how did you do this

strobe, gels, huge cookie

Amazing, well done

Fabulous!!

Absolutely beautiful composition... love it

This picture is wonderful --- but I don't see any illusion. The picture as a whole is definitely wonderful!

he is the bubble boy he controls bubbles

Congrats for your third place, Wiseman!

Congrats Wiseman, I really love this one

Congrats !

thank ya

LOVE IT

How did you photograph this?

i can see an excessive touch up on the spoon surface

nice

No selective editing touch ups were made on previous entry but it had alot of noise (shot with too high ISO) and had to run thru a denoiser program. Re-shot it with new camera settings and better paper. Hope it is better.

Oh and Barracuda.... can't tell. LOL

yes, this one alot much more better. very2 cool idea and nice photo too. good luck.

If you are not able to explain how you did this, then the mods will remove it!

Are you kidding me??????? I can explain but won't until after the contest!!!! You are all so quick to judge.... give me a break. MODS>>>> please PM me and i would love to explain how to do this.... not very hard if you think about it. (anyone else too for that matter) Sorry for the attitude but i have been seing too much accusing and not enough asking, sharing, or just being nice lately on this site.

i think it is your right to share or not how you did it, as long it follows the guideline it won't hurt....

I don't mind sharing at all.... after the contest... I am just tired of seeing all the accusing lately.... alot by a few individuals with no proof! I think we should all share our ideas.... isn't that what it's all about??? Please.... anyone wanting to know how to do this please PM me and i will tell all. My pleasure..... I just want to learn from all of you too.

I for one don't think it needs to be shared with anyone but the mods who may question it's authenticity. If you are willing to share it with people personally than kudos to you, but just because we may not know how it was done doesn't mean it isn't real.

I know how you did it. It's, it's... MAGIC!

I think I know how you did it too. The shadow is not a real shadow. Very clever author. GL!

I can swear that the shadow is a real shadow and not printed on the paper.

If that shadow isn't printed on the paper.. OMG its purely magic then.. author be ready to receive a PM from me..

Alright, you got my username. How did you do it? I never thought this should be removed, just because it is such a clever photo but it's mainly my own curiosity.

Super idea!! If some people would just calm down and think about what they are looking at then they may figure out how the illusion is created, instead of reacting with acccusations to belie their own ignorance. And if you can't figure it out then hey... that's the beauty of illusion! Great job author and other artists who are producing fantastic illusions.

@ swanze's comment

I agree with Swanze too!!!! Thank you all for the "backup".

the only thing I can think of how this is done is by placing a fork in a spot where the fork's shadow is under the spoon. Hmmm. Nice job!

Took me a second to see it... but that's pretty cool

Very nice indeed. Good luck!

I just knew this would be yours .........excellent capture.

awesome

I think I can guess who this is too. very good job.