Cheftalk Foodie Food Eyes Photo Competition  

ChefTalk invites chefs, cooks, bakers, culinary students, home cooks, and all food lovers to participate in the first annual digital photography contest, Foodies’ Food Eyes. The competition, open to all interested in the creation of food, challenges you to use your perspective to capture your impression on the world of cooking and food. The winners in each of the two categories (Manipulated and non-manipulated) win prizes and have their photo featured in the ChefTalk newsletter as well as prominently displayed on the site.

Submit your favorite impression of food or cooking. The category is very broad and may include your own perspective into the science and art of cooking and food. Your photo may be submitted with minimal editing• or you can alter it using photo editing software.

You may enter up to (3) photos, but only one photo per entrant will be named a winner. Offical Rules below. Please read before entering.

This contest is being sponsored by the following companies:

1-st line coffee equipment

Espresso and Cappuccino Specialists

New West KnifeWorks

For those of us who love fine food, cooking is an art, and a quality knife is the artist's brush. At New West Knifeworks, we make our chef knives like we cook; we use the finest quality ingredients and prepare them with the patient hands of an artist. Our chef knives are finely tuned, quality instruments, a fusion of form and function.

Official Competition Rules

Starts On: Thursday, October 1, 2009

Deadline: Friday, October 23, 2009

Who Can Enter:
Any member of the ChefTalk.com community forums. The photos must be your own and cannot have previously been published nor awarded any other recognition.

How to Enter:

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• Upload your image (limit 3) to either of the contest categories (manipulated and non-manipulated)
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• Manipulated Photos: http://www.cheftalk.com/photopost/showgallery.php/cat/608
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• NON-Manipulated Photos: http://www.cheftalk.com/photopost/showgallery.php/cat/609
  
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Tell us:

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• In a few sentences, for explanation purposes only, elaborate on what the object of the photograph is.
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• If you are entering the Manipulated Category, tell us what you did to alter the pictures (i.e. photo editing software used, lighting effects, etc)
  
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Minimal Editing is defined as: 

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• Images may be cropped and rotated as necessary as long as the rectangular format is maintained and the size is within the specifications above. 
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• Images may be resized as long as the aspect ratio is maintained 
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• Red-eye removal and spot editing 
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• One-step enhancement (such as "AutoFix", "QuickFix", "Auto Levels", etc.) 
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• Use of filters to sharpen, soften, blur, despeckle, or remove noise. 
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• Use of corrective functions to improve the natural appearance of the image, such as levels, contrast, brightness, curves, intensity, tone, hue, saturation, lightness, value, color balance, and tint. 
  
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Submissions:
All Foodies’ Food Eyes entries must be submitted electronically via our online photo gallery. I will post a link to the category when we are ready.

Winners:
8 winners will be named, with 2 first place, 2 second place, 2 third place, and 2 runner-up winners in both of the categories, manipulated and non-manipulated.

Prizes:

First Place Prize

– Non Manipulated Category
Bradley BTIS1 Original Fully Automatic 4-Rack Outdoor Food Smoker


– Manipulated Category
Ascaso I-Mini Espresso Grinder (Courtesy of 1st-line Equipment)
Ascaso I-Mini Espresso Grinders at 1st-line Equipment, LLC

Second Place Prize

– Non Manipulated Category
FusionWood Petty Knife by New West Knife Works
Petty Knife

– Manipulated Category
New Ipod Nano (video)

Third Place Prize

– Non Manipulated Category
Copy of James Peterson’s "Cooking"

– Manipulated Category
Copy of James Peterson’s  “Sauces”

Runner Up Prizes
2 runner up prizes for each category a ChefTalk coffee mug.

Photographers’ Rights:
While the photographer retains ownership and copyright of the photographs, entry of your photo in the contest gives ChefTalk and any sponsoring partners the right to reproduce and display the photo (including ChefTalk.com, the ChefTalk newsletter and sponsoring partners' promotional materials and Web site) for publicity purposes.

Consent, Release, Responsibility:
If photographing an individual(s), it is the responsibility of the photographer to obtain permission from their subject, with the understanding that the photographed subject’s image and likeness may be used for public display. 

ChefTalk is not responsible for computer system, hardware, software, or program malfunctions or other errors, failures, or delayed computer transactions or network connections that are human or technical in nature.

Your entry in ChefTalk’s Foodies’ Food Eyes photography competition is your agreement with the above stated guidelines. If a winner is disqualified or determined to be ineligible, an alternate winner will be selected using the same judging process/criteria described above. Alternate winners are subject to all requirements set forth in these Official Rules. But, let’s just have fun with this and not cross over into the dark side!

ChefTalk is entitled to interpret these rules as needed and its decisions are final. ChefTalk reserves the right to disqualify any entrant that ChefTalk has reason to believe is not the original work of entrant, or does not otherwise meet the contest rules.

Void where prohibited by law or taxed.

Judging:

All ChefTalk community members may cast one vote per category for their favorite photo. The top 10 photos in each category with the highest number of votes will then be judged by the ChefTalk panel of judges for a final decision (all decisions are final). Entries that fail to comply with the Official Competition Rules will be disqualified. The ChefTalk panel will include professionals in graphic design, website development and various aspects of the hospitality industry. Entries will be judged on the basis of creativity, photographic quality, and effectiveness in conveying the interest and/or unique character of food.

Questions:

ChefTalk will have a forum open to field questions and discuss the competition throughout the contest.

http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/announcements/