Recently in competitive eating Category

I realized that I haven't posted ANY of my photos from Advanced photo class...and Wednesday is the last session! In truth, most of them are pretty boring because it was more of a technical class than a creative class, but I'll still post them soon. But let's start from the end!

My last project for the class was to do a self portrait. I decided that, for once, I would stop being lazy and actually do something that had some effort to it. Crazy, I know.

The self portrait was supposed to show something about us. And, well, what do you know about me? I love competitive eating! I figured that a) I am one of competitive eating's number 1 fans and b) I am pretty well known for my photos within the CE community, so it only made sense to turn the tables on myself and photograph me as a competitive eater!

So, I went to the store, bought 50 hot dogs (yes 50!) and cooked them up. I bought 40 of the absolute cheapest kind and then a 10-pack of good all beef ones. I figured I'd use the crappy $1/10-pack ones for show and actually eat the good ones...of course, after my first two bites of red-Kool-Aid soaked hot dogs I decided that I would just spit it out after I took each photo. It was, how shall I say, pretty damn gross.

These are some things I learned from this shoot:

1. It is really hard to take a self portrait. Especially an action shot. I had to set up my camera on 10 second delay and run around the table hoping I wouldn't knock down my lights or any of the cups of juice. And none of my photos came out as in focus as I would have liked them. I wish I could say I nailed it, but I was far from it. I hope I get an A for effort though (not that we're graded).

2. I can never be a competitive eater. I was pretty done with the eating part after two bites. I dipped them in red Kool-Aid for show. That was horrid. How do they do it?

3. I came to find why Pat wears a mohawk. My hair was stiff from Kool-Aid by the end of the shoot.

4. Cats don't like being locked in the bathroom for over an hour because you don't want them eating your hot dogs.

So, without further ado, here are some of my shots!

Getting ready:

A few of the photos:

This is the one I am pretty sure I am turning in. Mostly because my eyes are open (though not really in focus):

This was the set up:

What do you think? Automatic disqualification for too much debris?:

This is what I looked like afterward. Red hands, red hair, red face. Frown for the DQ:

(for those of you just joining me, I messed up the code to my blog while trying to fix something. So that is why it looks all crazy weird. But now instead of fixing it, I am working on an awesome redesign...coming soon...ish!)

My plan for getting to the Krystal Square Off this year went from non-existent to amazing to not-so amazing all within the span of a few days. I had always planned on going, but, as it was last year, it fell on the Sunday after the one Saturday a year I am required to work. In the week before though , my plan started to come together: My boss graciously gave me Monday off, Sadie and Jamie offered space for me to sleep in their hotel room, Mat said he'd come along to help me drive. Things were looking perfectly in place.

And then things happened at work and I was asked to come in on Monday. And told I would possibly have to come in on Sunday (Luckily when I asked my boss on Saturday night he said that it would be OK for me to go). And then I got a phone call from a number I didn't know. And it was Mat. Who had been mugged at gunpoint the night before and now (understandably) wouldn't be able to come with. Can I repeat that? He got MUGGED at GUNPOINT! (He is fine and alive and that is all that matters! Scary though.)

And my plan pretty much was non-existent again. But, if you know me at all, you know that I am a bit crazy and am not going to sit at home when I can possibly make it somewhere I really want to be. So, Saturday night, at 8pm, during the second act of Tosca, I hopped in my car for a ten-hour drive hoping I wasn't embarking on a suicide mission of my own. Since I had about 14 hours to make the ten-hour drive I pulled over twice, once for a two-hour nap at 1:30am in a Kentucky rest stop. Another early in the morning in a Tennessee fast food place for a half-hour power nap and giant coffee when I was having trouble keeping my eyes open. And after a brief run-in with the law (I have to pay Tennessee $150 for going 83mph in a 55...), and with my Garmin (who had decided that the Interstate was not the best option for getting there...I need to learn not to just blindly follow its lead), I finally made it to Chattanooga shortly after 9am.

I texted Sadie and met her and Jamie for my second double espresso of the morning before we headed to Ross' Landing for the event. There I picked up my Media pass. Thanks to the amazing Kenny Hammontree of Krystal and Brian of Wicked-PR I was granted press credentials for the contest! Yes, my stalkerdom was officially made official! And I wouldn't have to worry at all about where to watch the contest: I got prime, splatter-zone, front-row seats!

After picking up my pass, I wandered about shooting, listening to the band, talking with other press, and getting pumped for the event ahead!

Finally it was time to introduce the eaters, who arrived via boat on the riverfront. This is where it started to be weird being press. When you are audience you stand in the audience. When you are press you can go just about anywhere. I had to make choices of where to stand. I usually like planting myself in the stands and watching every drop of the show. But that is also in part because I had to in order to keep a prime spot. And now I could go anywhere. And that is daunting. For their introductions I went behind the gates to watch the eaters come from the boat. It meant missing them talking to George Shea on the podium. But I made the choice to stand where I as primarily because I could get shots that I wouldn't otherwise get.

And then as the rest of the pre-show went on it was choices. Do I stay back and talk to the eaters or do I go out and watch. Do I shoot from the side of the stage or run back into the audience. I ended up doing some crazy mixture of it all as the Sackful Challenge went on and as Badlands Booker performed.

When they called the eaters to congregate in the back it was time to take my space up in the front. I was right up on stage with only the judges and television crew between me and the eaters. I planted myself in the middle. The eaters were announced one by one, being raised onto the stage amidst smoke and fire and confetti. For some of it I followed the lead of Charles from Wicked who, needing the shots, ran back and forth to capture them all as the ascended. I still had somewhat of the hesitation of not wanting to get into other people's ways, but I made sure to be right there is front of my Chicagoans Tim and Pat and the two front-runners Kobayashi and Joey. And right there in front of Joey, Koby, and Pat during the contest.

I determined three things.

1. I need to take up running. Because running back and forth like that was pretty exhausting (especially on all of zero sleep).


2. I need to invest in some knee pads. Because kneeling on that stage kind of sort of hurt.


3. I need a second camera. I like to shoot with my telephoto for competitive eating events, no matter how close to the action I am. I like getting in there as close as I possibly can. Getting the food particles, focusing on the mouth and hands. But I also have to make sacrifices and really with the telephoto from that close I only get isolated shots of the eaters. Which I like. But it would be nice to get more than one person in a shot now and again.

Anyways.

The contest began with a bang. This year not only were there regular Krystals but each competitor could eat five Big Angus Burgers as well. So hamburgers flew from boxes and bigger hamburgers were unwrapped from paper and meat was shoved into mouths.

But the burgers weren't dunked into water. In years past they could take the buns and dip them in water to soften them up and make them easier to go down. This year, as a new rule, they couldn't dunk. It was cool in that they had to modify their strategies and that it was a different way of eating and that some might see the contest as more legit that way. And I appreciate it and will root for it in any way possible. But honestly I love the dunking because I love photographing the food particles flying through the air and water spilling everywhere and Pat's wonderful bright red hands. Sure there were some water spillage and some falling crumbs, but it wasn't the same disgustingly awesome captures. (But don't get me wrong, it was still mighty awesome.)

Soon into it the numbers were flying up. Would Pat overtake? Would Joey reign? Would Kobayashi come back?

Soon it became clear. Kobayashi's numbers started to rise and rise just enough to put him in what seemed to be a clear lead. I don't think I have smiled so much or come that close to joyous tears in all the contests I've been to before. You see, I always have the attitude with these contests that I don't really care who wins. By now I have met them all. And yes, I will always want Pat to win. But I like Joey and I like Sonya and Erik and Eric and Tim and Tim and Bob and everyone. But I had never before seen Kobayashi win in person. And I so wanted to see that happen.

Three Krystals ago Koby dropped out due to his jaw injury. Two Nathan's ago Joey won in an overtime eat-off. One Krystal ago Joey won. One Nathan's ago Joey won. I was there for them all. He was zero for four in major contests I had attended (which was, every major contest for the last two years). And what competitive eating fan doesn't hold Takeru Kobayashi up on a pedestal of ultimate competitive eating greatness?

So when it became apparent that he was not only winning, he was sweeping the floor of the rest of the table, it was the most thrilling, amazing, thrill of my competitive eating fandom career. I had to just put my camera down for a second and catch my breath. Kobayashi was about to win.

And when they counted down until the end he was the winner. By a mile (or at least enough burgers to put him well on top.)

I was taking a photo of Pat, I believe, when I all of a sudden was drenched in warm water. I turned my head to see Kobayshi pounding his fists on the table in victory. That's what you get when you want to be in the splash zone. A wet T-shirt contest, apparently.

They announced the numbers to the crowd: Pat Bertoletti in third with 76 points (51 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers).

Joey Chestnut in second with 81 points (56 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers).

Takeru Kobayashi in first with 93 points (68 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers.)

Amazing.

I stuck around for a bit after the contest. I was going stay and hang out for a bit longer but as I kept doing the math in my head of when I would get home and as I actually didn't feel too tired I decided I should hit the road instead. So I hopped into my Saturn and again blindly followed my stupid Garmin as I drive another ten plus hours back home. I pulled into a gas station to rest at one point and some farm supply store parking lot at another. And I almost fell asleep too many times. And I finally rolled into Chicago at 4am in an amazing wind storm ever and almost thought that maybe I had fallen asleep on the road and that this was what dying was. But I am pretty sure I am alive.

So yeah. I drove over 20 hours in 32 hours on no sleep and got my first speeding ticket ever and am mad sun burnt (I put on sunscreen but my camera strap wore it off) and still got no sleep when I returned home. And yes, I am crazy. You already knew that about me. It seems that every time I take a trip anywhere I begin by saying "This is the stupidest plan I have ever had." But I think if every trip I take for the rest of my life can begin that way, I will have led a pretty amazing life. And if I hadn't, I would have missed out on seeing the amazing return of Takeru Kobayashi. And really, that is all that matters.

More Krystal Square Off VI photos here!

Note to self: Do not drive in Little Village on Mexican Independence Day. It took me twenty minutes to drive there...normal...and then once off the highway it took me another hour to go the last mile!

Luckily I gave myself plenty of time to get there! And why was I going there, you might ask? Well it was time for the annual La Costena Jalapeno Eating Contest! Massive rains and flooding kept me from going last year, so nothing was stopping me this year!

This year's contest was crazy! It was a pretty decent-sized crowd and there were lots of great posters cheering on the favorites. The contest was exhilarating...so fast pace as competitors stuffed their mouths with the big green peppers. I don't know how they did it! I am not a spicy-girl so I certainly wouldn't have gotten far at all! In the end, as the tallying of totals began there was a buzz in the crowd. It seemed as if first place was a tie.

Pat was the defending champion and Sonya was out for a win so there was much tension when they announced there would be a one-minute overtime battle. More plates of peppers were placed in front of them and the eat-off began! It looked close, but Sonya's technique seemed to be dead-on. She managed to shovel more into her mouth, and in the end was declared the winner!

It was a crazy day! They handed out medals and bottles of Pepto Bismol to the winners. I loved the Pepto Bismol. Awesome.

Afterwards I went to Pat's for an after party. He is not only a great eater but a great chef! Who knew I would love a cream cheese/jelly/bacon sandwich? Or balsamic cheese curds? Unfortunately I had to leave before some of the real craziness began...but it was a fun time none the less! Can't wait to do it all again this Sunday at the Krystal Square Off!

More photos here.

OKOK, so I am way behind in almost everything right now and have way too many photos awaiting editing...I'm hoping to get semi-caught up before I leave for Chattanooga next weekend. And by "leave" I mean drive ten hours through the night all by myself...

Anyways, here's a little preview of photos from last weekend...

I am so behind in blogging!

Here's Saturday in ten items or less...

1. Took a party bus with Tim, Pat, Erik, Nate et.al. out to Crete for a taco eating contest! I was surprised when it pulled up because I was pretty much expecting a small bus-like-thing...but this thing was huge! And they loaded a keg onto it...

2. The contest was at Balmoral Park, so we also got to watch the races. I didn't bet though. And the people who ride the horses there don't actually ride the horses. They just sit behind them. It worked out well though because my class assignment for the week is capturing motion. And horses tend to move.

3. The contest was awesome. And short. Bertoletti won. Gravy came in second. Erik third, Nate fourth. There was a news guy and two amateurs too. They didn't come close. It looked like Tim could have taken it at one point. But in the end Pat finished first.

4. Tim wore all pink (yay!) but then put cheese sauce all over himself.

5. After the contest we hung out around Balmoral some more. Food. Drinks. Etc. Sage stole my camera. :( No one is allowed to use my camera but me! It is worth more than everything else I own combined!

6. On the way home Tim and all of them decided that I needed to do a keg stand. They chanted for me. I gave in and did it. I have never done one before and think I lasted about 7 seconds. Hey, its 7 seconds longer than I've ever done before!

7. The rest of them did much longer keg stands. Like 90 seconds long. I can't drink 90 seconds worth of beer on one week let alone in 90 seconds.

8. After the contest we headed back to Black Rock and hung out. It was crowded. I got a bunch of free drinks.

9. I didn't throw up. Just sayin'.

10. I took lots of pictures. Of course. Taco Eating Contest photos here.

I've flown to New York two years in a row for Nathan's. I've driven the ten hour drive to Chattanooga two years in a row for Krystal's...so sometimes it is really nice when an eating contest just happens to be just two miles down the block from your apartment!

Saturday was the Jimmy John's Freaky Fast Sandwich Making and Eating contest! This contest is a little different than most, it's a series of exhibition-style contests that pits professional sandwich makers against professional Major League Eaters! The premise is that the eaters have to try to eat the sandwiches as fast as the makers can make them.

For this contest the eaters were Hall Hunt, Pat Bertoletti, Tim Brown, and Steve Dokho (who had won a qualifying competition to compete). Before the contest I said hi to Pat and he gave me a T-Shirt...he's probably sick of me rooting for Tim :-) Then Tim complained that I was wearing a Pat t-shirt. :-) For the record, I love them both equally.

Anyways.

The contest started a little late as the singer before them (who was singing Britney Spears songs and begging the audience to give her french fries) went a little over. But finally the stage was set and the contest was announced. Three sandwich employees from around Chicagoland were announced first. And then the eaters took their places.

And then it was off! The makers started putting together their sandwiches. It was hard to see as they were behind a screen, but they got down making as the eaters waited. For this contest the eaters would not be penalized for not having sandwiches at first. The makers would be given six minutes to make and then when the time ran out the eaters would be given an extra minute or so to finish (the amount of time they spent at the beginning with nothing to eat).

As soon as the first sandwich was handed to them they were off! The eaters ripped sandwiches in half to share, they dunked, they stuffed, they swallowed. At times it definitely looked like the four to three ratio of eaters to makers would pay off as often times an eater would be without anything to eat at all. For the first time on the circuit it looked as if the eaters could win!

After six minutes the makers were told to stop and it looked like a victory was possible for the eaters as they went into their final minute. There was a tense moment as it looked like Steve was about to have a reversal of fortune, but luckily he powered through. Finally time was called for the eaters too.

After examining the table the results were announced...the eaters left behind two slices of tomato and a handful of lettuce. The makers would emerge victoriously!

It was a sad day for the eaters who have been facing off against Jimmy John's employees around the country all summer. This was the closest they got and they still couldn't out-eat the Jimmy John's makers.

Hopefully there will be another rematch and more chances next year.

View Jimmy John's Freak Fast Eating Contest Photos Here!

Saturday was the Fourth of July! For some that means fireworks. For others that means barbeques. For others that means donning winter coats and sleds and joining the parade! But for me, the Fourth of July only means one thing: The Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island!

Since it started airing on ESPN I would watch it every Fourth of July. It was my favorite part of the holiday and last year Nadia and I went to New York to see it in person! Unfortunately Nad couldn't join in this year, but I decided that I just couldn't miss it and went on my own!

I got to Coney around 8:45am. I managed to get myself a VIP pass but I wasn't exactly sure where that meant I could be. I'm glad I got there early though 'cause I soon met up with Jamie and Sadie and Carrie again and we managed to get right up front near the stage. I decided to stick it out with them because the VIP area looked to be a little more off to the side. Although, since it is such a fan favorite/media frenzy/thunderstick clapping/signs in the air event it is nearly impossible to get a good photo from anywhere! Maybe next year I can get a media pass...does running two blogs make me media?

Anyways, we stood there. For a long, long time. But we were entertained by both the stage and the crowd! The guys behind us were die-hard Kobayashi fans. And the guys next to us were all about Chestnut. I think me and the Hungry Sisters didn't care too much who won since we love them all! I mean, on one hand I have never seen Kobayashi win live, so I'd love to see him win, on another keeping the title in America is cool so I totally want Chestnut to win. But on my third and fourth hands I would die to see Pat Bertoletti or Tim Brown win it and do Chicago proud! So, in conclusion, I just want to see lots of people eat a lot of hot dogs!

The on stage entertainment was great as well. There was everything from a strong man to dancing dogs to music groups to the musical stylings of Badlands Booker himself!

Finally at noon the broadcast began! We watched Bunnettes dance and an ESPN reporter put hot dogs in a blender and drink them!

And then the competitors were announced and everyone took the stage...

As the giant Nathan's Famous clock counted down we all prepared for what surely would be an epic battle. And boy was it.

As soon as the clock ran down the eaters were off, hot dogs were dunked and stuffed and pressed and consumed. I had a good view of Tim Janus who seemed to be eating at a pace I'd never seen from him before. Joey and Kobayashi were pretty much neck and neck but with Joey always seemingly just that much ahead. I tried to keep up with my favorites Pat Bertoletti and Tim Brown, but unfortunately they were at the other end of the table and tough to see.

They ate. And ate. And ate. And then something completely crazy happened. Not only did Joey Chestnut break his ten-minute hot dog eating record from last year...he broke his twelve-minute record from the year before! With 68 hot dogs and buns Joey Chestnut won and edged out Kobayashi (who ate 64.5) for the third year in a row! Pat came in third with 55, which, by the way, just four years ago would probably have been enough to kill the competition. It's amazing the pace and capacity that has built up over these last few years!

After the competition I headed over to Ruby's where the eaters congregate after the contest. It was fun to catch up with the people I have met and I really do find it funny when I have conversations that go like:
Me: "Hi I'm Val."
Eater: "Wait, Val Bromann?"
I'm supposed to be following you, not the other way around! :-)

After drinking some beers that were just handed to me I headed back to the hotel, grabbed a pizza and Advil because by this point I had had almost nothing to eat, no caffeine and had a splitting headache. I ended up watching a few old contests on ESPN classic and then headed out to a bar for the after party.

It was tons of fun and I have to admit the fan girl in me was totally excited that I was sitting at a table in a bar with Kobayashi and Joey Chestnut. Totally. Joey's friend kept buying me drinks. Like, a lot of them. I know I had bought myself at least three. And I think he bought me at least three and two shots. I lost count. So I kind of felt bad when I ditched him to leave with Tim and his friends to go get food. But only kind of.

At maybe 2am or so we ended up going to get crepes at some crepe place. I had a smore crepe but...remember how I had like a million drinks? and remember how all I had had to eat was a piece of pizza? And remember how I have said countless times that I can't handle my alcohol? Well, I may have ended up throwing up in a garbage can outside. I figured though that it was OK. I mean Tim's a competitive eater so he's pretty much used to vomit. Right? Anyways, after feeling like a totally lame girl we went and ate hot dogs, because apparently a person who ate 30 hot dogs earlier in the day still feels the need for more! And then they dropped me off at my hotel.

And then I passed out. And that was my Fourth of July. And it kind of rocked.

View July 4th Hot Dog Eating Contest Photos here!

So from the moment I saw the first commercial for I'm a Major League Eater I pretty much knew I was wasn't really going to be on it. Why? 'cause Pat Bertoletti was nowhere to be seen. I think Pat was supposed to be featured more originally, not sure what happened there. But my "plot line" involved me being number one fan of competitive eating but especially above all else Pat Bertoletti and Tim Brown. Which is, you know, me. So when I didn't see Pat as a featured player I figured my shot at reality TV stardom was gone too. Especially since I knew my interview about Pat went slightly better than my one on Gravy (I am a photographer for a reason). They had interviewed me a few times and had taken lots of interviews with them while I was in the background taking photos of them and such. You know, doing my thing. But none of those got aired. Oh well.

Here are a few behind the scenes photos from the taping of I'm a Major League Eater:

If you caught the show and knew who I was you would have seen me: I was the crazy girl standing there when Tim walked in the bar...and the crazy girl standing behind Tim while he was eating at the bar. I was wearing my Krystal Square Off T-Shirt. Super. Fan. And, well, that was it! Really, I looked crazy. But I guess that is me. Honestly, I have never really liked the way I look on camera, I always look like I'm made of spaghetti and get really shy and nervous and giggly...which does not a reality star make. But it was still a totally fun experience! And I gobble up any chance I get to be involved in competitive eating and see the eaters at work! And who knows, maybe it will get good enough ratings that it will get picked up for a series and I can make a triumphant return!

In the end it was an EXCELLENT show. Truly entertaining and really well plotted. But I have to say that Tim ran away with it. He pretty much was the show. And he was awesome. As always.

I watched the show last night in a bar with my roommate Heather, Pat Bertoletti, Tim Brown, and a bunch of their friends. It was so fun to watch the premiere of a TV show with its star! What a night!

p.s. I still haven't touched the 621 photos I took at the July 4 hot dog eating contest...and still have a gallery left to edit for July 3. But hopefully I will have that tomorrow...hopefully.

Can I say it again that Tim "Gravy" Brown rocks my socks? 'Cause seriously he does.

I woke up way too early on Friday and didn't want to get out of my amazingly comfortable hotel bed. But I had an eating contest to attend! So it was off to my first of two mornings at Coney Island! This contest was a little different - it pitted three of the best competitive eaters on the circuit against three of the finest elephants the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus had to offer! Since elephants do not eat meat they were not eating hot dogs...they were eating hot dog buns!

Now, the event seemed to be set more as a press event that one for spectators. Which I totally understand. There was a huge lineup of video and still cameras in front and then a fenced off area to the side where everyone else got to stand. You could still see it though. So I got the best view I could from there...but then I saw Tim pointing me out to someone and then they came over and told me to go stand with the press photographers! Awesome. I was told I could move around to anywhere when I needed to but was too paranoid about getting in someone's way. So I mostly stuck to one position and went with it! But I got to stand with these people:

The elephants were introduced first and then the eaters: Eric Badlands Booker, Tim Gravy Brown, and Juliet Lee.

They took their positions...and then the elephants started eating! George Shea didn't even call it to start yet! The elephants totally cheated and got a head start! Just sayin'.

The elephants' pace seemed to be slower. They didn't have the urgency of the other eaters. And once in a while they got a bit confused and started grabbing at bananas instead!

But both groups trouped on stuffing their mouths with hot dog buns for six minutes! When time was called it was tough to say...the eaters went at a fast pace but could only fit a bun or two at a times in their mouths. The elephants took the slow and steady pace but grabbed trunks full of buns at a time.

And then the results...the three eaters ate 147 buns...but the elephants came out ahead with a whopping 505!

So in the great rivalry between the elephant and the human, the elephants triumphed! But I am sure one day they shall meet again...

View Man vs. Elephant Hot Dog Bun Eating Contest Photos!

p.s. I have a new photo management system that will hopefully work out! It looks boring now but will eventually be styled and seamlessly integrated with my website design and all of my past photos will be added!
Some of the new features include: commenting on photos, photo keyword search, photo tagging, and more!

p.p.s. Don't forget to watch "I'm a Major League Eater" tonight 10/9central on Biography Channel. If there is a crazy superfan in the Chicago bar segment, that would be me!

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Alright...I'll post a major recap of my amazingly awesome Fourth of July when I return to Chicago...For now here is a picture of the great American hero of the hot dog, three-peat victor at Nathan's, Joey Chestnut in action!

p.s. The good thing about competitive eaters is that they do not mind if you throw up in front of them because they are used to vomit. Just sayin'