Cooking my dinner...............

[Pete Sykes]

Hi All,

I've taken too carrying around a compact zoom camera on my belt. The local chinese takeaway let me in the kitchen tonite while they were cooking my chow.

I'm not sure what his name is. Sounds a bit like "Tony" but I don't think it is ......... Anyway here are a couple of pics of "Chinese Tony" slaving over a Hot Wok.

 

[Hamish Gill]

That first is spot on composed I think!
How or why did you get into the kitchen? Just to take pictures?

 

[Pete Sykes]

Thanks Hamish ............... He wouldn't stay still............ Just kept grinning and chucking noodles around.

I go in there a lot have done for years .......... Like I said, I carry a camera with me. I just asked the woman on the counter if I could take some photos while I was waiting.

Peter

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Props for having the camera and for asking - most people wouldn't have the b@lls!

I like #1 because you have Tony in action and presenting towards the camera - nice cooking environment in the backgrounds to set the location.

All I would add would be a little sharpening and convert to B&W - I like street work in B&W for some reason, but that might just be me

 

[Pete Sykes]

Thanks Chris............ I'm not sure I'm keen on this one in black & white........... But seeing as how you asked.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Pete - how about this treatment? - a warm toned B&W with more contrast and grain, after running 'intelligent sharpening' on the color JPEG first.

I then applied a vignette to darken the edges, but leave the cook illuminated - it really helps focus the viewer on the subject

 

[Pete Askew]

No 1 is definitely my favourite too Peter. I also like the B&W treatment as it eliminates the distracting signs etc. And as Chris says, adding a slight vignette focuses in on the action especially as you have that nice wisp of steam coming off the food. Great idea in general and a great idea to ask - I like the idea of making images from the things we encounter every day in our lives (not that I am suggesting you get a Chinese take-away every night: you can also ask at the Indian and the chippy too ).

 

[Pete Sykes]

Thanks Fellas........... I like the job you've done on that Chris.

One of the things I need to be focussing more on is the post production. I'm afraid that, at the moment is a bit of a "Black Art" as far as I'm concerned.

Peter