Fortnightly competition #3 Lunch Break

This is the first time I've done anything like this, so please forgive any ineptitude.

I'll be looking for a photograph that captures the spirit of a lunch break. Hopefully it's a fairly open subject, and will attract a reasonable number of entrants.

This competition will close at 18:00 GMT on Wednesday 26th of November 2008. I forget to put this in the first time, hence the edit.

Originally I'd thought of doing "A Drug Deal in Progress" so that I wouldn't have too much judging to do, but I thought this might get someone killed.

I should just mention my other half, who is also a keen photographer when not working too hard. She's helped with the photos I've posted here, and I'm relieved she'll be able to share the judging with me. I'm hoping there's an obvious winner, or there might be trouble.

Sorry for the delay,

Robert.

Behind every man is a good Women, so mine keeps telling me..

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Tel,

Whack that grub down your neck, Kirsty, this is a 5 minute lunch break, shopping comes first!!!






K10D and the usual fisheye ! ( 8 seconds a f22 - ISO 100 )

15 Nov. 2008 Livingston, Scotland

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Waiting for the kettle to boil...




Taken today @ lunchtime

K10D / FA43 / f2.4 / 1-15sec / ISO400

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Joining the Q

Mmmmm, that was good.



f/4, 21mm, 1/3sec

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"Just put your eye to the camera and push the button-thingy."
Flickr page:
link

None of this low cal stuff for me thank you (at least it's not deep fried eh)




Taken 25/11/2008 (despite what the EXIF says) at 20:10
Tamron 17-50 at about 40
f9.5
3 seconds
Three bursts of flash at half power

Mike

Njera, wot and waiter at the Finfine Hotel

(EXIF: Taken yesterday with the K10D, DA16-45 @ 16, 5.6, 1/10)

By way of explanation, njera and wot are the national dishes of Ethiopia. Njera is a kind of fermented pancake and the wot (stews of varying types, in this case mostly pulses) is served on top of it. The njera is consumed in the course of the meal (pieces torn off to mop up the sauce). I know it doesn't look particularly attractive but it can be quite good. There are Ethiopian restaurants in London, if anyone's interested!

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Mhuni

500px

Lunch break from "Hell".


Exif:
K10D with DA 18-55 kit lens. 4 sec at f19, ISO 100
Taken today at: 13:59

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Best regards,

Martin.


Curious about my photography?? Just Follow the Light.

Well by my watch it's 18:00 GMT, so that's the fortnight over.

Results to come...

Robert.

Thank you to everyone for entering – I was rather worried for a while I’d killed the competition by setting an uninspiring subject, but at least a few more people entered at the last minute.

This is the first time I have judged a photo competition and don’t really feel qualified, but here goes:

Galoot – Lunch before shopping

I like the colours and it captures a lunch break. While some photos are augmented by long exposure blurriness, I’m not convinced that’s the case here. Plus, the background and left hand side of the picture I find distracting.

Hefty1 – Potnoodle

Great idea and mostly well executed vision of lunch. The only things I’d have done differently would be to not include as much of the left hand side, plus have some steam coming out of the kettle.

GivingTree – Coke and a Sandwich

I think this one does a good job of capturing a lunch break. The depth of field works well to concentrate on the relevant bits, the lighting has been controlled well, but maybe the cropping is too tight – cutting off the plate and part of the can reflection.

mikew – Snicker and Sudoku

This picture leaps out of the screen at me. It is well lit and focused, beautifully composed and a great idea. For me the only thing it could be criticised for is it’s more afternoon snack than lunch, but my other half disagrees completely!

Dr. Mhuni – Njera, wot and waiter at the Finfine Hotel

This one makes me hungry and I like the ambience it has captured. However, my eye is always drawn to the waiter’s smile, and he’s out of focus, so it makes me wonder if the depth of field should have been bigger. I also wonder if the lighting on the food could have been less dull, though hard to achieve under the circumstances I imagine.

Malo1961 – Lunch break from “Hell”

This is probably the best composed shot for me. It is also well lit and executed. However, it has a bit of a flaw for me. The way it is lit says evening much more than lunch. Extra points from me for running Linux on the laptop – I think, anyway.

As there weren’t many entries, I’ve decided to just pick a winner and second place. Everyone else should regard themselves as highly commended.

First: Mikew
Second: Hefty1

Well done and over to you Mikew.

Finally … Pot Noodle? Snickers? Diet coke? I wonder what the same subject on a French photographic forum would have generated .

Robert.

Hi Rob,
Thanks for the nice words. It is a pity there weren't more entries, this round. Maybe the subject looked easier as it turned out to be. In spite of the few entries I think you did a great job in judging them. Of course congrats to Mike. A well picked and deserved winner in my book.
Regarding the light (or lack of it)......It was taken this afternoon, and I had to cope with the low light levels in my room, at home. The whole scene was set up in about 5 minutes and somehow I felt flash would kill the atmosphere. The hardest part was coming up with an idea.
You were right about the Linux thing, though In retrospect I think I should have moved in closer to the laptop, to show of the message on the screen a bit clearer. Anyhow....it was fun, even without drinking a drop.
Over to you, Mike. I hope you come up with another great theme.

Martin.

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Best regards,

Martin.


Curious about my photography?? Just Follow the Light.

Thanks for the first place and the kind words - and I round off each lunch break with some confectionery so for me it's a fir representation.

I enjoyed setting up and mucking about with the composition.

As for the next competition I have two possible ideas and will get it sorted in the morning.

Mike

Excellent judging Rob; my kettle was steaming slightly but the wide aperture just meant it got lost in the background - oh well...

Good choice of winner - the lighting really made it for me too so congratulations Mike, look forward to the next competition.

And yes, I wondered what our choice of lunches said about us as a forum too! Personally, I think Mhuni has the most appetising looking...

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Joining the Q

I enjoyed this one too, because I got to eat it!

After a kabilliion shots of the whole sandwich and not liking any of them, I finally gave up and scarfed it down in front of the comp. Then grabbed the camera, pointed it down-like, took one snap, and ended up with my entry!

Thanks for the comments, Robert. And well done, Mike. I liked it a lot too.

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"Just put your eye to the camera and push the button-thingy."
Flickr page:
link

Thanks for the judging Rob, and congrats to Mike - a wonderfully crisp image.

As for my pic - yes, lighting was a problem, affecting not only how the food was lit but also the aperture I could set controlling DoF. Couldn't use the onboard flash as the 16-45 creates a shadow @ 16 - also flash may have killed any atmosphere. I would have tried to get the waiter in focus through a smaller aperture if I could, though I have a hunch - to my taste, at least - that perhaps he's better OOF in any case.

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Mhuni

500px