[unixrevolution]

Greetings everyone, and welcome to another fun Point and Shoot contest.

Thanks to Immunogirl for setting up the last one, and for judging my entries to be worthy of first place! To celebrate that this is contest #42, your theme is:

Life, the Universe, and Everything.

“They shrugged at each other. Fook composed himself. “O Deep Thought computer,” he said, “the task we have designed you to perform is this. We want you to tell us….” he paused, “The Answer.”
“The Answer?” said Deep Thought. “The Answer to what?”
“Life!” urged Fook.
“The Universe!” said Lunkwill.
“Everything!” they said in chorus.
Deep Thought paused for a moment’s reflection.
“Tricky,” he said finally.
“But can you do it?”
Again, a significant pause.
“Yes,” said Deep Thought, “I can do it.”
“There is an answer?” said Fook with breathless excitement.
“Yes,” said Deep Thought. “Life, the Universe, and Everything. There is an answer. But, I’ll have to think about it.”
Ford glanced impatiently at his watch.
“How long?” he said.
“Seven and a half million years.”
Lunkwill and Fook blinked at each other.
“Seven and a half million years!” they cried in chorus.
“Yes.” said Deep Thought.

[Seven and a half million years later…. Fook and Lunkwill are long gone, but their ancestors continue what they started]

“We are the ones who will hear,” said Phouchg, “the answer to the great question of Life….!” “The Universe…!” said Loonquawl.
“And Everything…!”
“Shhh,” said Loonquawl with a slight gesture. “I think Deep Thought is preparing to speak!” There was a moment’s expectant pause while panels slowly came to life on the front of the console. Lights flashed on and off experimentally and settled down into a businesslike pattern. A soft low hum came from the communication channel.

“Good Morning,” said Deep Thought at last.
“Er..good morning, O Deep Thought” said Loonquawl nervously, “do you have…er, that is…”
“An Answer for you?” interrupted Deep Thought majestically. “Yes, I have.”
The two men shivered with expectancy. Their waiting had not been in vain.
“There really is one?” breathed Phouchg.
“There really is one,” confirmed Deep Thought.
“To Everything? To the great Question of Life, the Universe and everything?”
“Yes.”
Both of the men had been trained for this moment, their lives had been a preparation for it, they had been selected at birth as those who would witness the answer, but even so they found themselves gasping and squirming like excited children.
“And you’re ready to give it to us?” urged Loonsuawl.
“I am.”
“Now?”
“Now,” said Deep Thought.
They both licked their dry lips.
“Though I don’t think,” added Deep Thought. “that you’re going to like it.”
“Doesn’t matter!” said Phouchg. “We must know it! Now!”
“Now?” inquired Deep Thought.
“Yes! Now…”
“All right,” said the computer, and settled into silence again. The two men fidgeted. The tension was unbearable.
“You’re really not going to like it,” observed Deep Thought.
“Tell us!”
“All right,” said Deep Thought. “The Answer to the Great Question…”
“Yes..!”
“Of Life, the Universe and Everything…” said Deep Thought.
“Yes…!”
“Is…” said Deep Thought, and paused.
“Yes…!”
“Is…”
“Yes…!!!…?”
“Forty-two,” said Deep Thought, with infinite majesty and calm.

Shoot pictures of what you think best encompasses this theme. You can shoot "Life", something that is reminiscent of "The Universe", or you can shoot "Everything" (but not "Anything".) Something vast and unfathomable, or something small that just kind of makes it all make sense, or just something that instills a sense of wonder. Maybe even whatever means Life, the Universe and Everything to you. The interpretation is up to you, but reach deep in your heart, and maybe even deeper...perhaps even down to the liver, or at least to the stomach. I'm sure I'll be impressed by the results, because I know that in this little circle of people, we have some of the most talented photographers I've ever had the pleasure of chatting with.

THE RULES

1. Have fun!

2. Allowable Cameras
i. Cameras Not Allowed:
a. 35mm, APS, 4/3 Film or Digital SLRs.
b. Interchangeable lens cameras of any kind.
c. Medium format SLRs, Rangefinders, and TLRs.
d. Large format cameras.

ii. Cameras permitted (cameras listed as acceptable here supersede rule i above):
a. Fixed-lens 35mm and smaller-format film and digital rangefinder and viewfinder cameras
b. Interchangeable or Fixed-lens 110 Film SLRs
c. 6x9, 6x7, 6x6, and 6x4.5 Medium Format"Folding", "Box" or "Holga-style" scale-focus cameras .

3. Entries will close on May 31st, 2011, midnight GMT.

4. Maximum image dimensions are 1024x768 pixels.

5. List camera brand, model with entry for all to see.

6. THEME: "Life, The Universe and Everything"

7. Max of 3 photographs per person.

8. Post processing is fine.

9. Winner will set up and judge next contest.

I have above expanded the rules for allowable cameras to further clarify what we've all sort of decided about Medium Format.

The contest is ON! Let's see some photos!

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Last edited by unixrevolution; 05-04-2011 at 01:23 PM.

[G.T]

Err... Well.
6 times 7 do 42

Seriously, that's an interesting theme. Have you an idea of what you'll get out of it?

[kyteflyer]

Interesting theme, and so open to interpretation!!

Here's my first canon G11

[unixrevolution]

Err... Well.
6 times 7 do 42

Seriously, that's an interesting theme. Have you an idea of what you'll get out of it?

No. But thats the fun!

Interesting theme, and so open to interpretation!!

Here's my first canon G11

Great! I like it!

[ivoire]

I'm in, I'm out..... wait..... I'm out, I'm in???

taken with Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS6

[unixrevolution]

I'm in, I'm out..... wait..... I'm out, I'm in???

taken with Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS6

I like that, too. Both photos posted so far seem to fit the theme, at least to me, and they're great photos besides.

Keep 'em coming!

[Bart]

Great theme, Erik.
I always liked that fragment.

"Life, The Universe and Everything", eh.
It would be hard to find a picture that doesn't fit in this theme.

[unixrevolution]

Great theme, Erik.
I always liked that fragment.

"Life, The Universe and Everything", eh.
It would be hard to find a picture that doesn't fit in this theme.

You can argue that almost any picture could fit this theme...but there are certain pictures that will exemplify it. Like, for example, the "Shadows" contest. There's at least one shadow in almost every photograph ever taken. But taking a photo with the shadows in mind is different.

[chubasco]

Petri 7s 35mm rangefinder, Fuji 400, BW conversion

[Bart]

this one is outside the contest but I found it somehow relevant








The following one is for the contest. With Panasonic FX500.


Life, there is always someone higher up





In Bruges, Flanders, Belgium.

Contrary to my usual 'modus operandus', I'll begin with just one entry

[Bart]

Oh and by the way, great entries already!

[ivoire]

i got a big monitor, but can't seem to find 42?!?!

another with the Lumix DMC-ZS6

[kyteflyer]

eek! does anyone else see my shot somehow actually detached and above my post, as well as the exif info being listed below it? weird as! Might try again, deleting that and posting a link to the shot after I upload to someplace else.

[edit] fixed. Better use this for my next shot...

This is the Universe. Or part of it <grin> Fujifilm S8000fd at 18x, and savagely cropped

[unixrevolution]

Impressive stuff, everyone. I'm digging it.

[Bart]

i got a big monitor, but can't seem to find 42?!?!

...

Keep looking. The Truth is out there