Our final competition of the year, “The Best of Year”, took place on 27 April and was judged by David Eastley. A welcome visitor, David has judged for us a number of times before. His photographic interests are wide ranging and he loves to “push the boundaries and promote creativity” in photography. He described how photography is evermore becoming ‘photographic art’. He shares the view of many club members that what is important is the end result, the impact on the viewer, and not how the image has been achieved.
Throughout, David gave ample feedback, praising every image whilst also discussing possible improvements. He was very clear that all of his comments are just his opinion and another judge might have completely different views. Like most of the other judges this season, David was particularly impressed by the quality of the printing in the club.
Judge’s favourite images of the evening
As always at Storrington, the standard was high. The judge’s favourites were:
- Prints: “Prairie composite” by Daisy Kane – a very enjoyable composite of flowers, with several layers of which the judge said “a Wonderful repetition of the flowers, subtle and gentle, interesting and intriguing”.
- PDI: “The sun breaks through” by Dean Sephton – a beautiful early morning woodland scene, with the sun breaking through the trees to disperse the mist and melt the frost. The judge described it as a very skilful image.
Highly Commended
A further 8 images were Highly Commended; 3 prints and 5 PDIs.
Printed Images
- “Doggy fashion” by Chris West – a very contrasty B&W portrait of a dog wearing a cap, showing great detail and described as a ‘jolly good dog portrait’.
- “Downs Mist” by Martin Tomes – a very enjoyable landscape with a very strong composition yet subtle colours throughout, showing the mist trapped in the Downs.
- “Gentle Curves” by Liz Barber – an image of a flower in shades of white which are so subtle that the flower almost disappears. The judge also praised the choice of paper.
In total there were 14 printed images; too many to describe them all in detail. The judge was complimentary about all entries.
Projected Images (PDIs)
- “Watching the parade!” by Nigel Cherry – depicts a small boy watching a Remembrance Day parade, which the judge said was reminiscent of Martin Parr images and was the epitome of Englishness.
- “Autumn Colours, Winkworth” by Daisy Kane – a lovely woodland scene reminiscent of a Monet painting, with splashes of colour adding additional interest for the eye.
- “About to kick-off” by David Seddon – a very gritty B&W image of two men squaring up for a fight; the tension in their faces clearly evident.
- “Stand-off on the Old Fence Post” by George Reekie – a lovely, colourful image of a woodpecker and two Bluetits on a fence post, showing very fine detail and sharp throughout.
- “African Daisy” by Liz Barber – described as a fine piece of artistic flower photography, with an artic feel and lovely detail at the centre of the flower.
In total there were 23 projected images; too many to describe them all in detail. The judge was complimentary about all entries.
With the judge’s tasks completed, Janet Brown gave a vote of thanks, bringing an enjoyable evening to a conclusion.