This Challenge “Portrait of a Vegetable” asks you to focus (your brain, before your lens) on and photograph vegetables, in any form: raw, being cultivated in a garden or farm, in a market, in a warehouse packed for export, in a kitchen, being prepared for the table; a vegetable alone or with other vegetables, but not as a “side” with meat or other non-vegetable foods (fruit, etc.); the vegetable(s) portrait should be the subject of your photograph, not an incidental decoration. The vegetables(s) can be whole or in parts, according to your creative vision. Look at the shapes/forms, textures, patterns, light/shadow, and even the sensuousness of your subject so you can decide what you want to portray.

No people or animals should appear dominant in the photo (to clarify: not a picture of a rabbit or horse incidentally chewing a carrot, nor a bird incidentally carrying a lettuce leaf.) You must photograph real vegetables, not plastic or ceramic imitations.

Think about what’s grown in your area or what’s in your own refrigerator. If it’s not the right season in your part of the world to find any fresh vegetables, try frozen or canned vegetables. Consider the vast possibilities: vegetables come in many colors and sizes, shapes and textures. You may combine them any way you choose BEFORE shooting, but not in post-processing.

So, look around, be creative in your own way, have fun and think Vegies!

The new guidelines, thanks to Andy, Lucy, and Judy, are clear about limitations regarding post-processing.

The main rules and fine print are found here as always:
https://pbase.com/otfchallenge/challenge_rules_guidelines

Here are the exceptions/clarifications to these rules for this challenge:
Exhibition entries:
- May be taken with any camera at any time
- You may submit up to two entries
- Your photo(s) must be titled

Challenge entries
- You may submit one entry
- Your photo must be titled
Please see all the other rules regarding size, etc.

The challenge period starts on Saturday, March 7, 2009 and ends at 22:00 on Saturday, March 21, 2009. All your entries must be received by Sunday, March 22, 2009 at 08:00 a.m. IST (GMT+2). The host is on IST in Tel Aviv, Israel.

You may check your local time via this website: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/difference.html?p1=676

All entries (both Exhibition and Challenge) should be sent to the following e-mail address: sumik (at) inter dot net dot il (no spaces, you know)

Please include the words "OTF Exhibition" or OTF Challenge" in the subject heading and don't forget to title your entries, include your OTF-name and double check the EXIF in your Challenge entry.

Please send the photo as an attachment (not embedded in the body).

Good luck to all of you and thanks in advance for your participation.