Well, there it is - the big winner. I have to say the response to the photo contest was better than I have thought with thirteen contestants and exactly umpteen entries. Why this picture above over, say, some of the great pictures of hops or great beers being had in great pubs? First, it is a good picture with a front, middle and back. It is also about beer but it is also about beer making, the second most intimate relationship you have have with beer. Then it tells a story and asks questions like "what the hell are these people doing out in the middle of the woods in the middle of the stream." They are cooling their wort, the photo described as illustrating:
brewing in the Deschutes National Forest, drawing our brew water from the head of the Metolius River here in Oregon.So if Dave from Portland Oregon can forward me his mailing address to beerblog@gmail.com I will get his prize, a copy of the book Ambitious Brew, out to him along with the Christmas cards. You can read more about Dave and his pal's adventures with beer at B.S. Brewing dot Com.
Comments
gr - November 26, 2006 11:03 am
I object. My dogs and cats are cuter than those guys, but more importantly, THE DUDE WITH HIS HAIRY TOES AND SNOW ON HIS FEET SHOULD HAVE WON, whoever he was. A) it takes cojones to live in the Yukon and dump snow on your barefeet for a picture and B) it was funny. There, my objection has been registered, and this Bud's for you, Mr Fuzzy Feet.
Alan - November 26, 2006 12:01 pm
I will grant you the beauty of Mr. Fuzzy Feet, otherwise known as my internet-based pal Darcey at Dust My Broom whose Friday night beer and blues posts are an inspiration and an education. But that photo clearly has only a front and a back. There is no middle. Can't you see my point of view? That being said, he clearly won the three entry "beer and snow" category
Dave - November 26, 2006 3:01 pm
Thanks a lot, Alan! Thom, Amanda, Sarah and I had a lot of fun that weekend, and it has made for some interesting conversations and experiences since, not the least of which is winning this photo contest! There were a lot of great photos entered, and we are humbled by the hono(u)r.
Hans - November 27, 2006 2:59 pm
You know what's weird? I think you're right about the aesthetic qualities of of the winning photo; it does seem to tell a story. Nevertheless, I would have voted for Yoda.
Andy - November 29, 2006 2:35 am
Sorry, perhaps the story tells a photo (though not one that would be known with a description), but aesthetically it is a terrible photo. Directly centered, lack of points of interest, and nothing worth viewing outside the middle 10%. Honestly, I'd pick almost any other photo in the contest over this one.
Ask yourself: if you were blindly viewing this photo, and asked to decide what kind of contest it was an entry to, would you ever in your right mind pick beer? No way.
Alan - November 29, 2006 8:26 am
Are you saying this was a FIX?!?!<p>First, why would you care enough? It's a stupid little contest, a bit of fun. Second, why are you so certain with yourself that you deem it worth our while to put up with a critique from someone who won't leave an email or URL. Third, you are wrong as you have to know what they are doing in relation to beer to get the beer connection then you know it is an extreme relationship and activity involving beer. <p>You must have wondered in thinking this was a blog called A Good Art College Froshboy Blog. I think that was the most tedious comment ever left here.