Is the lobster fresh? Photo

Photographer’s Note

I have friends from London visiting at the moment, so it gives me the chance to play tourist and go to places I don't often go to in Hong Kong.

Tonight we went to the Star Seafood Floating Restaurant in Shatin.

Whenever I think of Hong Kong's fresh seafood, I am reminded of a very funny story Billy Connolly once told about a visit to HK.

He watched a lady pick her live fish from the tank, have it killed and cooked within 10 minutes and then, when it was placed on the table before her, ask the waiter, "Is it fresh?"

She probably wanted to know if it was caught that day, but it does tell you a lot about Hong Kong peoples' demand for freshness.

Tech: Cropped, resized for TE and sharpened. Contrast +6.

jhm, nwoehnl, robertspotswood, RobBrown, Kenny10pin, gadinga, bertolucci, avigur_11, Georges, Jeppe, kajenn, PLD_images, pamastro, scalerman, Dinyar, roconnell has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

jhm (85052) 2004-04-03 11:01

Hi Andrew you back, wonderful macro picture very nice sharpness and beautilful of colours. The note is subliem. Great work,

ianmcall (1213) 2004-04-03 11:02

Beautiful colours and a nice DoF. The details come out really well and you did well to avoid any galre off the glass.

I'm hungry.

nwoehnl (120) 2004-04-03 11:34

Very nice shot into the lobster tank, Andrew. You successfully avoided distraction from glare or reflection, and retained fine detail and colors in the lobsters. The story in your note is hilarious.
Now would you please excuse me while I'm off preparing dinner ;-)

Kenny10pin (19301) 2004-04-03 13:01

difficult to say, because I know in China there are many dead ones in the front of the restuarant, but I would eat the one you took the picture of.

Very nice shot

bertolucci (12024) 2004-04-03 14:31

Nice tight crop of this detained lobsters, Andrew. They're really complex creatures. Good colours and sharpness - and you shot in through glass & water. Your funny note makes the scene come alive further. Well seen, Andrew -great pic.

avigur_11 (21315) 2004-04-03 15:01

This one looks very fresh, Andrew. I like the story, and I like the colorful crab jungle. It's hard to notice that you took it through the aquarim glass, it looks very real. Well done.

Georges (11185) 2004-04-03 15:17

belle qualité sur les détails nottament.Peut etre trop de monde sur l'image et le reflet bleu vole la vedette au crustacés.Avbez vous utilisé un polarisant car le reflet est superbe pas de traces sur les paroies des verres.pour ca l'image est bien maitisée. Bien vu pour ce cliché pas si evident du tout Andrew

Jeppe (18624) 2004-04-03 17:52

Oh - I would have loved to see the waiters face :-) but Ok he properly head the question before.

Very fine capture you done of this - good-looking, fresh lobster. Thanks for sharing Andrew.

I sometimes watch an English TV program (on Danish TV) called commercial breakdown. It shows different, funny and weird adds from all over the world and I can still remember one coming from Hong Kong.

We see a man eating a mussel - and a speaker says: "It been said that eating a mussel from the harbour of Hong Kong will kill you"!!! -- "That’s not true"
-- "It will take at least five".
(Perhaps you have seen it)

kajenn (2331) 2004-04-03 18:52

A very nice capture of this crowded crayfish aquarium. I'm trying to determine if there's a mirrored effect somwhere, but it's hard to tell. So you've done an excellent job! Funny note too!

PLD_images (7143) 2004-04-04 11:19

Good story Andrew. I like this shot. You managed to get really good colors for an inside photo and trough the glass tank.

pamastro (7215) 2004-04-04 14:09

Very nicely captured. Very nice colors. And great details. It's like they aren't even animals but more like plants all tangled up and colorful. This is making me really hungry. Great note, too. Absolutely fresh... I can understand that, though, having fresh off the plant vegetables all summer. Not even picking them a day earlier. Very nicely done. Great job.

scalerman (25803) 2004-04-05 12:42

Beautifully abstract. Couldn't have asked for better cropping either.

dsidwell (9745) 2004-04-13 2:01

Very busy, appropriately messy image. These lobsters look tasty!

roconnell (327) 2004-05-31 23:44