Shortlisted for Private Shootout Affair‏

I'm soooo excited! This is the first time I have been shortlisted for a photography competition!!! I'm at a loss on what approach i should take for this photoshoot..after all this is my first competitive contest that i will be joining. But i shall take this as a practice and a platform for learning! Hope there will be more to come! Below is the email from Private Affairs.

Dear Gerald,

Congratulations!! You have been shortlisted as one of the six finalist of the Private Shoot-Out Affair contest. So get ready your cameras for the real stuff now!!! Please arrive at Private Affairs on 23 Oct, Sat at 1.30pm, 45 Joo Chiat Place for the real actions. You will be required to take about 7-9 dishes (may subject to change), allocating about 10 mins for each dish.

Please also bring along your laptop as well for any photo editing purpose but keep that to the minimum as it will be part of the judging criteria. You will choose your best shot for the contest. Our judges will be judging according to the following criteria and this will take up 50% of the score. The balance 50% will be judge by our fans in Facebook :

1. Composition - is it portrait or landscape

2. Colours - of the dishes, how one brings the colour to life and being natural
3. Creativity - The angle taken e,g from the top, side
4. Lighting - how the light falls on the food, be it natural lighting, studio lights or rest lighting
5. Min. digital retouch - the pic should not be manipulated by retouching... 95% should be in the original form.

Despite the listed judging criteria, it a no stress affair! Just let your mood and creativity flows and have fun!!