[X] My Assistant

[Astro0]

OK. Is there interest in producing another UMSF get together over at Victoria Crater?

There'll be some rules this time about the photos sent in to make it a little easier for me to produce.
I'll set the background and then you'll have to take an image of yourself that fits into that view, etc.

But first, is this something we want to do again?

Astro0

[Astro0]

While we wait for Opportunity to join us at the BBQ location, here's the image I'm thinking of using.

Imagine yourself standing or sitting in this location.

What we will need to achieve the best results for this version of the UMSF BBQ is:

1. A good head to toe photo, with, if possible, bland backgrounds (this just makes it easier to deep-etch your images in Photoshop)
2. No head and shoulder or cut-off shots this time. There's nowhere to hide you in this photo (and you would look silly as a 'Kilroy woz here' sticking out of the horizon)
2. Also, it can help if the lighting in your photo is fairly good - outside/sunshine with the light coming from your right.
3. Make sure that your photo is reasonably large with good sharpness (the smaller and blurrier you are in the original the smaller and less defined you will look at the BBQ)
4. Think about the angle of the image. If you are placed on the surface, your picture would need to be taken at eye-height. If it's looking up at you, you won't look right in the BBQ image. Equally, if your photo is looking down at you, the angle will place you somewhere down in the crater and hence small.
5. Look happy in the photograph. You're going all the way to Mars to BBQ with a rover, you should be over the Moon!
6. Everyone is placed on a first come first placed basis. You won't necessarily be in the foreground either. It depends on your photo and how other images work in with yours. Certain people (ie: Doug) get front row - he makes this invitation possible, so I'll be darned if he (and Helen) end up in the back row.
7. Feel free to pose or be doing something. eg: waving, sitting, kneeling, jumping, digging, looking back at Victoria Crater, whatever.

START THINKING ABOUT YOUR PHOTOS, BUT DON'T SEND THEM JUST YET!
Let's wait until Opportunity is back on deck and perhaps we have a better panorama (I'm open to suggestions).
I do like Doug's idea of a guard of honour for Opportunity as she heads off across the annulus and towards those cobbles.

I'll let you know when the party is about to begin, and the time to start sending images and where.

Astro0