Clever idea. Why not finish it off with a beach-scene background or play sand? Good color and sharpness. I think cropping diagonally may have worked well in terms of composition.
Way cool - book-em Dano! Great specimen shot with excellent lighting and a good sense of humor. The only small (tiny) problem is the white spots on the dark gray background. Well done indeed - you should be happy with your top of the heap placement.
Good attempt at a studio shot. The lighting seems decent enough, but may be a little flat. The blacks in this shot seem more gray. Perhaps adjust your levels to bring down your tones some to add more contrast to the shot. - 6