2 in the top 8 but none in the top 3

Even though I had two photos in the top 8 for the photo marathon I took part in with Chee Leong today, alas none made the top 3. The theme was "Freedom." It's a bittersweet feeling. That both of my submitted photos made it to the consideration for the prizes is a sign that I have improved since my first camera, however that none of them stood out enough to win shows that perhaps I need to marry creativity with technical prowess. The 3 prize winners comprised relatively "abstract" photos, while my photos, you can see them below, were more, how shall I say it, "standard-fare"?.