IMHO, <--i must add this because Im an idiot. LOL. People like photos that they can relate too, or at least that they can imagine to relate to. This tells no story at all, hence is completely unrelatable to most.
How come I got this feeling, you knew all of this upon entering.
even if those were shadows, I'd still like their inclusion. shadows are good....they add depth...no idea why so many people, including a couple I really respect, think they detract, because without that additional form this shot would be fantastically 2-dimensional.
of course, that's just my opinion and I've been told many times I don't have a clue what I'm talking about. *shrug*
Simple is good. :D I don't know if it's the subject itself that makes it appear to be a little soft, but the leading edge of the tiara (sp?) isn't as sharp as I thought it would be (leading edge meaning the part where the large bottom jewels meet the material they are resting on). The high center point seems to be where this photo is the sharpest, but my eye is drawn to the lower left first. Anyway, sorry for the long ramble. I still like this entry for it's simplicity. Good luck in the challenge.
The shadows compete with the form of the tiara. It also seems that this could have been more carefully composed so that the object could be enjoyed more. Not sure what all that white space does for it.