Gluten Free Photo Contest – December Winners

by Carol Kicinski

Update – due to the looming deadline for my next book I have decided to suspend the photo contest for a couple months. It will be back and I will tell you all when it is.       xo, carol

This posting was delayed due to a dilemma of our judge Derek. For the first time since beginning the contest he could not pick a clear first place winner so we have two!

December’s theme was Gluten Free Holidays. To view all the entries click here.

January’s theme is Healthy Starts – so go ahead and hit me with YOUR best shot! Take a photo of a healthy gluten-free recipe and submit to me by January 26th, 2011. Winners will be posted on Sunday, January 30th. For all the info and how to submit – go here.

Overall here is what Derek, our judge, had to say about the entries:

The quality of all the entries were well above what we been seen before in distinguishing between them increasingly difficult. All of the winning images were strikingly good. There were another eight entries that were crowding them as really excellent shots.
Third place winner is:


Cranberry Apple Bars from Hallie of Daily Bites

Here’s what Derek had to say about this shot:

This is a very well composed shot with the diagonal dynamic lines creating interest and energy.The depth of focus was just right for the shot, the colors were just right, and the diffused lighting works very well to bring out the subtleties of the squares.

Second Place winner is


Magic Peanut Butter Middle Cookies from Lexie at Lexie’s Kitchen

And Derek says this:

This was an excellent shot. The delicacy of the cup, the strong colors of the cookies and tea, the light blue mat setting, were all well coordinated. The single point of improvement might have been to shoot just a half-inch higher so so the top of the cup isn’t lost and the cookies are framed lower in the shot. An added subtle part which is not part of this contest would be to put the shot in Photoshop and increase the contrast in the midranges. The image would pop a bit.
And now for the first time we have a tie for first place – they are


Gluten-Free Oreos from Laurie of Cakes ‘N’ Bakes

and

Spiced Maple Pecans from Hallie of Daily Bites

Derek says this:

Try as I might I could not pick one of these in favor of the others. Each of these had excellent composition, lighting, color, integration.

The Oreos on a white background with scattered pattern was a good example of simplicity in design. The design was basically monochromatic in the sense that it was Brown on white which is interesting. The pattern, lighting, composition, cropping were all excellent.

The pecans in the jar gave excellent context the lighting was interesting but not distracting,the use of red and green was complementary with the color of the pecans. The framing and cropping were perfect. Again the pattern, lighting, composition, cropping were all excellent.
So congrats to our winner – I will be send you both this to place on your blog should you wish:


Finally, as always Derek has a tip for us to improve our photographic skills. Here it is:

A good camera with a good lens will give you a very shallow depth of focus which is very interesting, but don’t overdo it. You don’t want the background so blurry that one can’t tell what it is.

There were a several shots that the depth of focus kept them out of the top runners but were well thought out,and well composed.

Study the winners for the interest, composition, angle, cropping, lighting and realize that this competition has become increasingly challenging to judge. It requires technical perfection and more shooters are getting there.

So go ahead and hit me with YOUR best shot – enter January’s contest and you too may get a professional critique from Derek!

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