Just wondered the same thing...

Paradise Approach



It was a business trip, honestly

Ok, I will make a start here to test the waters. It's probably not straight to the theme but it doesn't matter as I'm running "out of competition" this week (have to cruise the Atlantic waves for a while).



K20D, Sigma 105/2.8 EX DG Macro, AF540FGZ, 1/125 s, A11, ISO100.

Not really a corner shop but a smoking oven at the bank of the local river where the fishermen sell their catch to locals and tourists.

Prieni

Very nice image, John. It does work for me although I would like to see her eyes (would most probably spoil the mood). Very nice styling of the model (have some difficulty getting my head around that black strand (plait?) of hair amongst the red hair) and it seems that her costume goes very well with the rest of the arrangement as well.
As I gather from your answer to Mac's question you used simple, yet effective lighting for this shot.

Any more from this shoot?

Prieni

Well spotted, Steve!

I'll have a look at that, could be that there is just something in front of it... But I guess you are right that one of them is gone. Should have taken LED lamps...

Prieni

Glad you like it.
On the moon I have to make a confession : It was overexposed in this shot so I took another shot, exposed for the moon and mounted the moon from that one in this one.
I hope this didn't spoil the shot for you...

Prieni

As you have seen the spiral staircase leading up to our bedroom (in this weeks competition) I might as well show you the view from there a few days ago:


K20D, Sigma 70-300/4-5.6 APO DG Macro @108 mm, 2 s, A8.0, ISO200. This is a new ship that was named AIDAbella two days ago. First cruise ship this year.

Ben, that's good and bad news in one.
It's sad that you are not sponsored by Pentax anymore (i.e. you have to buy/lend your equipment yourself as we mortals have to) and sad that your and Pentax' view of Pentax' future are disjunct.

However, on the up side, you are a free agent and that must count for something. After all you have to make compromises and take responsibility for the sponsoring company, that's why you are getting kit for free (i.e. you don't have to pay for it but it isn't really free, is it?)

You are not limited by Pentax equipment anymore (though I hope that you didn't feel limited in the past) and can pick and choose whatever does the job at hand best for you. This must suit you just fine as I think you are free spirit anyway.

I always enjoyed getting an insight into the world of a pro fashion photographer from you. I hope you will continue to do so and look forward to seeing more posts from you.

Hope you won't abandon Pentax equipment completely.

All the best,
Prieni

This is a great shot, like it very much! At first the trees in the background look a bit like a painter's brush stroke. They make for a superb backdrop.

I like the post processing, you just hit the nail on the head with this (at least for me).

Great work!

Perhaps it would be sufficient to voice the "collective opinion" that "the people" would understand that passing on the judges job to the next runner up would be perfectly understandable and not perceived as snobbery.

Don's suggestion of an option not to judge every single entry sounds quite reasonable to me.

It would help to spread the load if the rest of us would get their act together and put in winning entries

Having said that, I will pass this weeks round (and the two or three next ones) as I am out at the Atlantic Ocean in the coming weeks. I'm looking forward to see how the competition has progressed on my return.

Prieni