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Bottled Water. Costs More Than Gasoline!
Bottled Water. Costs More Than Gasoline!
EarlBaker


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Indulgence (Basic Editing III)
Camera: Panasonic DMC-FZ3
Location: Home "Studio"
Date: Jun 11, 2006
Aperture: F2.8
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1/60
Galleries: Still Life, Food and Drink
Date Uploaded: Jun 11, 2006

 I am always teasing my wife about the fact that we spend money on bottled water, when we have perfectly good water available from the tap - for free! If you price it out, it really is more expensive than gasoline (per gallon of each), although gas is catching up.

I shot this in my home "studio" which in this case means my guest bathroom. I had been planning to shoot in my kitchen "studio" but realized on the day of the shoot that I had a really nice blue wall in the bathroom that would work well with the blue labels on the water bottles. It was very cramped and hot in the bathroom, but I am pretty happy with how this turned out. I don't have any real lighting kit, so I just had to settle for the integrated flash on my camera. I used a tripod and two-second timer to take the shots from maybe 30 inches away from the subject.

Post processing with Gimp was crop, levels (first time using levels - very cool tool), curves, color balance, re-size, and USM.

Statistics
Place: 63 out of 109
Avg (all users): 5.1851
Avg (commenters): 5.8421
Avg (participants): 5.1167
Avg (non-participants): 5.2016
Views since voting: 869
Views during voting: 410
Votes: 308
Comments: 21
Favorites: 0

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AuthorThread
 06/20/2006 09:29:01 PM
Thank you all for the kind comments. I must say I am very disappointed in my score and showing in this challenge. I knew this picture wasn't an overall "8", but I really thought I could average a "6" and top my previous best efforts. I thought my idea for the challenge was original, with a little humor, thus making it at least a 5 for concept. I thought the execution was pretty good. Composition was okay, colors, crispness, etc... pretty darn good. While I certainly understand not voting this a really high score, I am stunned that 38 voters felt this was worth a 1, 2, or 3. I am a somewhat stingy voter myself (few 7, 8, 9)and I only give 1, 2, or 3 to really bad photos or to photos that make no discernible attempt to meet the challenge.

What makes it more disappointing is that with the small number of entries, and the overall quality of the entries (not a strong group), I really felt I had a chance at a better finish.

Oh well, I am still proud of the shot. It was an elaborate set up (for me) and I did a lot better job at post-processing than in previous efforts. Back to the studio!
 Comments Made During the Challenge
06/20/2006 06:39:24 PM
I think this fits the challenge well. I like the blue background because of the way it matches up with the bottle labels. I don't care for the diagonal crease in the cloth or the tilt effect of the bottle (I realize you can't do anything about it in a basic challenge). 6
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/20/2006 05:15:57 AM
Great sense of humor...and isn't this too true!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/20/2006 03:35:43 AM
true!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/19/2006 11:25:32 PM
mmm, i'm thirsty
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/19/2006 06:00:10 PM
Haha, true. Good shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/19/2006 06:51:58 AM
I think this would have been stronger with a solid white background to go with the white tablecloth.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/19/2006 12:45:17 AM
not around these parts! send me your gasoline and I'll send you my water.
;-p
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/18/2006 10:22:23 AM
A straight on shot would have caught my eye better,Fold in table cloth is distracting. over all ok shot
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/17/2006 04:07:50 PM
Very fresh..
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/17/2006 09:20:09 AM
very creative ... and it works for me here in Santa Fe ... where water is definitely a luxury
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/17/2006 05:15:44 AM
I coudn't agree more!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/15/2006 01:25:37 PM
Damnnnnnnnnnnnn!!!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/15/2006 12:06:09 PM
and in the case of aquafina, its actually water from mississauga public water system. tap water, bottled.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/15/2006 08:48:08 AM
Made me chuckle!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/15/2006 07:00:56 AM
I like the cool blue tones, nice shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/15/2006 04:42:41 AM
Certainly does. Good interpretation of subject.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/14/2006 07:20:55 PM
Aquafina doesn't...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/14/2006 07:02:25 PM
Excellent image, as it is very clear and sharp.....
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/14/2006 08:11:52 AM
Nice idea needed more care with the surroundings IE the table cloth wrinkle free etc.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/13/2006 08:15:30 PM
interesting concept, i was thinkign on something like this also
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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