Bouldering - why this photo stands out

NPPA: Best of Photojournalism 2006: Still Photography Winners: Sports Picture Story is a great shot for a couple reasons.

It gets across the giant, unforgiving nature of these rocks and the relatively small, malleable humans who climb them.

The cloud pattern is abstract yet threatening, almost like a neutral density filter may have been used.

Technically, the few branches at the top right corner of the frame could be considered a mistake, but I think they provide a nice mild counterbalance to the forboding rock structure.

- Ted Sawchuck