Pasta and Pasta Dishes

Images made up of multiple photos can sometimes a bit of a risk as a general contest entry, but here I think the theme lends itself nicely to such an entry. The nonatych (if such a word exists!) has been put together well, with the images all aligned in the frames, which are just right in terms of size; neither too narrow nor too broad. Each individual photo looks to have been well composed, and all are similar in terms of how close-in to the subject they are, overall colouring etc. Being picky I may be tempted to slightly lighten the shadows on the bottom left and top right pictures, but that is not a major issue. A well constructed panel of images, the perfect way to illustratd pasta in some of its many forms. Congratulations on your second place finish.

What I especially like about this image is how well it convery the texture of dry, soft flouriness on the board and the pasta itself. The set-up looks natural so adds to the feeling of authenticity to the kitchen worktop scene. The image has a relatively shallow depth of field, which puts full focus on the rolls of cut pasta. It may have added further impact to the composition if a couple of the pasta strip rolls had been moved forwards a little so the empty space was not so large, but getting the set-up in a shot such as this is challenging, and I think you have done a great job. Well done on your top ten placing.

Although the set-up for this shot is relatively simple; square white plate, closely cropped square framing; the food has been especially well photographed. A sign of a great food image is whether the dish looks tempting and tasty, and this image certainly does. Lighting is good, and all important elements are well focused. Colouring looks natural, with no ugly colour-casts to ruin the look of the food. Well done on your top ten placing.

I love the close-in view of a worktop set-up, showing the ingredients of pasta along with thd finished product. I especially like the textures you have captured on the pasta strips, which is very true to life. The use of a wide aperture, creating a shallow depth of field, perfectly shows off the pasta pile, whilst still allowing the other elements in the composition to be obvious without dominating. Great image, well done on your top ten placing.

For me, one of the key elements with food photography is that the ingredients, or the finished dish, must look tempting and delicious. You have succeeded here, as the generous plate of spaghetti looks tasty, with natural fresh colours and natural-looking lighting. I may have tried cropping a little height off the top of the image, as the plain area on the top part of the photo is a little distracting and can tend to pull the eye away from the plate of food. Otherwise a great image, well deserving of its top ten placing.

An initial comment on the judging overall: There is some debate online as to whether noodles are considered pasta, with arguments either way. In judging this contest, I have not included any images clearly looking to show noodles from the more Oriental-style of cuisine, instead focusing on the more traditional interpretation of pasta as being the Italian-style cuisine. This also seemed in line with the majority of entrants who also looked to have interpreted "pasta" in that way. From an eating point of view, dishes meant to be made with pasta, but served with noodles instead would be pretty disappointing, so in judging I have not considered them interchangable.

On to the winning image: This is a delightful still-life showing various types of dried pasta, which is very pleasing on the eye. Lighting is gentle, bringing lovely tones to the image. The overall darker tones suit the subject, but there is still plenty of illumination to reveal lots of detail. Colouring looks natural too. The composition looks to have struck the right balance between staged and casual. Congratulations on your winning image.

I love the sense of reality this image converys, so I really could imagine being in the kitchen just as the meal is being served up. The inclusion of the pan, the hand and the serving spoon brings life to the shot and prevents it looking sterile. Depth of field is spot-on, as full focus is where it needs to be, with the background elements falling gently out of focus. Being critical, the pinky-red blob near the top of the frame towards the left is a little distracting, and it may be worth desaturating it a little so it more blends in to the background. Great image of a delicious-looking dish of pasta. Well done on your top ten placing.

A beautiful still-life image, well set up and captured with plenty of interesting details. Often in still-life shots, some of the objects within the composition seem rather incongruous and not linked in any way. Here however, everything seems to go together, and therefore give the shot a more realistic feel. Lighting is lovely, gentle but with sufficient highlights and shadows to create depth and form to the subject. Being picky, I may be tempted to alter the colour of the backdrop, maybe tweeking hue sliders to give a rich brown, as I am not sure the green best suits the subject. That is only a minor point however, and still a great image. Well done on your top ten placing.

I love this type of image, where virtually identical objects fill the frame. Some may find such images rather dull and lacking interest, but I find there is plenty to hold the attention and for the eye to explore. There is no obvious focal point, but that doesn't matter in this type of shog. Everything is sharp and well-focused, with good tones and contrasts, and rich vibrant colours that are not over-saturated. I may have been inclined to crop a tiny bit off both sides as there are some slightly distracting elements in the top left and bottom right corners, but they do not detract from a great shot. Congratulations on your third place finish.