Food challenge - at my work place!

01/19/2012 03:48:58 PM · #1

Hi all!
First some background - my manager and I are hobbyists photographers, and we brought the DPC concept to our work place.
(Monthly (anonymous) photography challenges in which all the workers can participate, and the top three each week are printed and hanged on the wall.)

This month it was decided that the subject will be "Food".
I wanted to catch pizza on the air, but couldn't find the talented cook who know to do it right :S ,
Anyway, here is my picture for this challenge. I'll be more than happy to get your oppinion about it before I submit it.

(The original)

Thanks,
Kfir

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED

01/19/2012 05:15:30 PM · #2

Hey Kfir! I like the cook in front being slightly blurry as he's in motion, but that looks more like an entry for a workplace-related challenge. Not really all that much food in the shot, and that lamp stuck to the left of the stonewall is driving me nuts!

When's the deadline? Might you have an opportunity to reshoot?

tanguera

Nikon D750

01/19/2012 05:19:56 PM · #3

I think I might have gone in the opposite direction for this, darker instead of lighter. Keep the oven and the pizza brighter and more saturated, but darken everything else. Too much competing for my attention, and the food portion, as has been pointed out, is quite small.

01/20/2012 02:44:44 AM · #4

Thanks for your help!

Originally posted by snaffles:

I sadly agree with you.. not much food here. It's funny, I didn't think the lamp will be annoying.
I have this weekend to try again, and I will try.

Originally posted by tanguera:

Great ideas, I will try them and come back with the results!

01/20/2012 09:12:01 AM · #5

Good, if you are able to shoot again, so much the better. The pizza should be the focus of the shot. I find the blur of the cook to be good, so if you could get something like him pulling the pizza out of that wonderful brick oven that should be good. We don't need to see too much of him, he is incidental to the shot.

You could also try him doing something like working on the pizza before it goes on - like him sprinkling ingredients on it - get some nice handblur that way. Problem is that means you're shooting raw dough etc, so that wouldn't look quite as appealing as a fresh hot pizza.

DANG!!! Now you have me craving pizza at 9 in the morning!!! :-)

Osiris1975

Canon EOS-600D/T3 Rebel

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

01/20/2012 11:03:09 AM · #6

If you could get the cook to slide in one of those long-handled wooden pizza-spatula things they use to get pizza out of the oven, the handle might work as a leading line to lead the eye to the pizza.

01/20/2012 11:15:20 AM · #7

Originally posted by Osiris1975:

If you could get the cook to slide in one of those long-handled wooden pizza-spatula things they use to get pizza out of the oven, the handle might work as a leading line to lead the eye to the pizza.

Pretty much what I meant in previous post. I think the selective desat works, just make sure at least the leading edge of the pizza (if not the whole thing) is in focus.

Message edited by author 2012-01-20 11:32:56.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED

01/21/2012 11:57:57 AM · #8

I hope I won't disappoint you too much... but we didn't go to the pizza place after all (insead we went to see "The artist". Awesome movie!)
Since I agree with you all, I tried something else -
(I call it "Play with my food")

What do you think? I'll be happy to improve it if you think it's better than my previous attempt.

Maybe without the black boarder ? -

Message edited by author 2012-01-21 11:59:23.

tanguera

Nikon D750

01/21/2012 01:01:09 PM · #9

Clever idea. Texture is a tad to harsh for my tastes, though. Also, I'd play with the color a bit. Everything appears to be too red. Take advantage of all the different colors in the image. Borderless for me.

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

01/21/2012 01:01:36 PM · #10

Hmmmm *scratching head* I don't know about this one. Leaves me a little cold to be honest, cramped top left area, border seems confining, haphazard comp, and I see too much pp and not enough food. If I were you I'd stick with the pizza idea.

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

01/21/2012 01:12:30 PM · #11

Originally posted by snaffles:

I totally disagree. Well, not totally; I agree that it's a little cramped to the edges but that can be fixed by adding white border, he won't be constrained by DPC rules on this. For the rest of it, I think the very graphic nature of this will likely set him apart from the others in his workplace, and the playfulness of it should be appealing. I think this is WAY more interesting than an environmental pizza shot.

R.

Pentax DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6ED AL [IF] WR DC

01/21/2012 01:23:01 PM · #12

Yep, I can see where Bear and tangy are coming from, and this shot could work and would stick out if you entered it. Just take our opinions for what they're worth, and go with what YOU want to enter.

Good luck, whichever way you go! :-)

tnun

Ricoh GR III

01/21/2012 01:56:19 PM · #13

I like the "play." At first it was shocking, then it was phallic, and then it was deelightful.

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

01/21/2012 01:56:56 PM · #14

Originally posted by snaffles:

Thanks, I think I'll go with "play" because, as you wrote - "Not really all that much food in the (pizza) shot".

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

can be fixed by adding white border

Can you please explain a little more about it? I tried to sharpen the borders but didn't succeed.

Originally posted by tanguera:

I'd play with the color a bit. Everything appears to be too red. Take advantage of all the different colors in the image. Borderless for me.

You are right! I will give it a try.

Originally posted by tnun:

I like the "play." At first it was shocking, then it was phallic, and then it was deelightful.

Thanks for sharing ;)

Message edited by author 2012-01-21 13:57:59.

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

01/21/2012 02:20:09 PM · #15

Originally posted by KfirLevAri:

Originally posted by Bear_Music:
can be fixed by adding white border

Can you please explain a little more about it? I tried to sharpen the borders but didn't succeed.