2015 Photo of the Year: $10,000 Cash Prizing - Semi-Finals

 WHY DOES IT KEEP WINNING THEYRE SO BORING EVERY FUKING YEAR

*edit- they're really cool, the first 10 times- nothing bad about the photo it's just such a textbook "sick shot" and a POY needs to be super unique

 Yeah, Koenig's photo was cool, something a bit different (in comparison to Trumpore's) Although the roost shot is probably the best roost shot I've seen, its still a bloody roost shot.

 Just another roost shot, just another dirt jump shot with scenery, just another Queenstown shot, just another MTB shot. It's like you forgot what website you're looking at

 I'm not saying it's a bad photo. I just think the whole concept has been done to death and there are other photos more worthy of the POY title...but it seems all you need to do is pull a skid through some dirt and the majority of pinkbikers just go nuts for it. It's as if there's some sort of unspoken competition to see who can be the biggest roost shot fan boy. IT'S A CONSPIRACY I TELLS YOU!!!

 That's what does if for me actually. For a concept that has been shot so many times (along with jumping against the sunset to be fair) it raises the bar on the rest. It's the roost shot everyone else can try to beat. No such thing as being 'worthy of the POY title,' that's a matter of personal opinion and that's why these 4 rad shots are up for a vote. Losing doesn't make any of them less awesome really. Look at enough photos and you can find similarities with all of these, none is entirely unique as mtb shots go but so what, they're among the best examples.

PS go to the 50 second mark and tell me again that he's just skidding for the camera: www.pinkbike.com/news/ur-team-dust-apocalypse-video-2015.html

 I understand that "worthy of the POY title" is a matter of a opinion and that is why the sentence starts with "I think..." but the way I see it is this (again just my opinion obviously):

Laue - great lighting, great colours, great backdrop, great composition/framing, great riding (although perhaps marked down for being a bit beyond us mere mortals?), maybe lacks overall action/dynamics

Trumpore - decent lighting, colours look a bit too HDRed (don't know if they actually are, just looks a bit that way), backdrop/setting isn't really applicable, composition I don't really know. Just looks like he's sat at a corner and taken a photo (obviously there's more to it than that but just seems like more thought has gone into this aspect on Laue's pic), great riding, great action.

So basically apart from the action in Trumpore's shot, I just don't see how I could ever say it was better than Laue's...but I guess it just depends on how others weight the different aspects of the pictures.

And the other two just don't do it for me for some reason (relative to these two anyway).

 Not Suzuki advertising shot!!

 Honestly it's a great photo, but POY just needs more. I prefer a combo of sick riding and stunning scenery. You just can't get that with a roost shot

 My thoughts exactly. POY need to be a work of art.

 1 and 3 for me.... teh susuki add in 4 ruins it for me

 Yes, that gives the picture much less power. It makes it look like a competition report pic where you know all the logistic behind. With such a nice scenery, would be awesome to imagine that the rider is alone doing his thing like on Christoph Laue photo.

 Yeah, if only there was a way to 'PHOTOSHOP' it out, but alas, no such thing exists :p

 Yup. Can't vote for it based on that single thing.

 They should have used this one from the same competition.
www.pinkbike.com/photo/12649608

 I'd photoshop that suzuki out in 2 minutes and no one would ever know it was there... But people who knew it was there... Rooting for Simon! You are the photo beast!

 @LittleDominic, That is a much better shot!

 Without the advertisement, that would be a spectacular photo.

@LittleDominic, you're right. That photo is much better. I think it could have won this competition. There's no way I could vote for an advertisement to be the photo of the year.

 This is a biking website not a photography website. I'm picking the photo that puts me in that moment and reminds me of why i love riding.

 It's a very well-taken roost shot, though. I love Christoph's photo. It's amazing but I feel it will probably miss out on the final being up-against Trumpore's. They're all awesome photos so well done to all photographers and riders. It's what makes PB one of my daily visits on the www. Eh, this reply was meant to be to FlowMaster haha.

 This is what "I've managed to convince my wife to drive me for some after dinner Rude Rock shuttles but the sun is in my eyes right now but after this section it should be mostly sweet, and by the time I get up for the next lap the sun will be behind the hill and this section will be sweet too" looks like!

 I think you don't get it. The real thing people are complaining about is that a "dumb good looking ultra staged roost shot" get all the clicks and leads to the elimination of really pretty other pictures

 I'm usually not too keen on roost shots... But this one is fucking sick so it got my vote

 Sorry -- "everyone" not "Everton."

 You're missing out. The gsxr is a fine machine

 Same here!

 I was describing Sean Lee's photo actually. The guy's position on the bike kind of ruins it for me. The lighting is nice but the dude looks like he has no head and just one arm. I think I am liking Christoph Laue's photo best again this year.

 Yes, I saw that about Sean Lee's photo, but my point was it didn't matter for last year' winner...

 Yeah I guess you're right. It's just the rider's entire body is completely in frame in Sean Lee's photo so it strikes me as odd. Everything else about the photo is spot on. I'm just nit-picking. All the photos are really good. It's the little things like the headless rider, the suzuki logo, and what appears to be a landmine detonating in the other photos that have me leaning towards Christoph Laue's photo.

 That headless guy's look, hunched over, intense, un posed but evocative, it's what makes that photo for me. Loved that about last years winner too.