What Lies Beneath

By itself, I think this is a well done picture. It's an odd creature against a pretty background with a butterfly on its finger. Being a writer myself though, I can't help but marry your description story with the picture, and that makes the whole package absolutely brilliant.

Vision
That you can take all these disparate elements and turn them into something both beautiful and terrible is quite astounding. Through the combination of image and words, you turned made what would otherwise be a rather odd picture into a tightly themed story of its own.

Originality
This piece feels truly original. It uses elements from other stories and ideas, but makes all of them into its own.

Technique
Your choice of color palette is brilliant. The wash of blues paints a very mysterious scene and the butterfly, being the only thing that isn't blue, really stands out. Almost all of the separate elements blend perfectly so that I might not even know this was a photomanipulation if I didn't see the category.

Only two things restrain my praise. One, along the model's right arm, it looks like there's a seam, perhaps from the bodysuit she was wearing. And two, the creature's texture varies, especially around the chest. I don't find the circles near as menacing as the patterning on her hips or, even better, on her left leg.

Impact
I had to look at the picture again after reading the story. I think that counts as impact. You've captured that delicate scene where the creature's eyes soften. The scene right before the perfect kicker, where it seems things might turn peaceful and happy.

This isn't a happy story; I think I see within the picture/story a substory of senseless destruction. Does this creature symbolize an old lover that permanently scarred what was once a lovely person? The unending march of humanity and progress against the wonder of nature? Faceless businessmen stripping the beauty from a creative idea to make it more profitable? (I'm looking at you, Hollywood producers.)

That so many different messages, from personal to global, can be read into the image and imagery you've created is... well, that's awesome.

Summary
Neither the story nor the picture would be what they are without the other. Both are neatly done and interesting on their own, but together, they make a truly artistic and thought-provoking piece.