church picnic

[Mosca]

just like it says. Shot with a point and shoot, the wifey wouldn't let me take the big camera.

[tonydee]

Does it need an anti-clockwise rotation? The outlines of those cooking overlap and merge together... more distinction and visible faces would have been great. Leaves the black background just to the right of the lady at left gaping a bit. Whites are blown. BBQ looks like an attempt to give people heart attacks... is that really mince drowned - like actually underneath the surface of and bubbling - in oil and molten fat? The spatula of the chef at right captures attention but is overlapped by some other indistinct shape, which confused me for a moment. Not seeing aprons much, it's noticeable how the open back looks kind of like what one Jackson might have called a wardrobe malfunction. Overall, there's a lot of raw interest in the shot though... tells a story about companionably preparing food for a large number of people, the night that will be. I can't help but like it. Cheers, Tony

[Mosca]

Thanks, Tony; that is about exactly what I thought. I know it's not technically right, but it is so attractive. It is an attempt to capture the mood, the combination of industriousness and good feelings. I wanted to make sure that what I saw wasn't something I brought with me from having been there. I was using an older P&S circa 2001, and it was shot on "auto", I didn't have a lot of control over the settings. I looked at it straight and not straight, and in the end picked it the way I shot it.

It's two spatulas, one in each hand; those guys work fast! Mince; potato pancakes? Minced potatoes and onions in batter, drowned in oil, yes. Three for a buck-50, no faster way to kill yourself even if you had a bullet. For an extra treat, lather on some sour cream; if you're watching your weight, go with the applesauce or ketchup.