Eric Burchell joined us again to judge the final print competition of the season. Not as controversial as some of our judges this season, in fact he was very generous with his marking, 2x15s, 10x16s, 14x17s, 9x18s, 5x19s, 6x20s.
It would appear that birds of all varieties were his favourite subject of the night, but out of left field came Jane Coward with her Funnel Web Spider Boy who triumphed on the night. Eric commented that capturing the moment was all important and that to avoid “record” pictures for competition.
There were some exceptional pictures this week, Ian Mac getting two 20s and a 19. All birds, no surprise there, with my particular favourite “Pheasant in Snow” which was superb.
Peter Michell with his birds of a different variety, was also in form with a 20 and two 19s. “Fiona” was stunning, as were the pictures.
Derek also focussed on nature scoring one of each, 18, 19, and 20. He let us into the secret of his 20 “Merlin in Snow Storm” saying that the handler had to lie on the ground while he took the shot. The result was a wonderful picture of a rare bird, apparently in the wild. Thanks for the tip Derek.
Ms’ versatility Daisy, had a 20 and two 18s with her 20 “Hot Air Balloon” receiving great praise from Eric. Her three entries, Hot Air Balloon, Stepping out of the Woods, and Bonfire Night, showed her versatility and artistic flair.
Well done to Max Burns with a 19 for “Rose” a beautifully executed picture of a rose submerged in water within a vase.
After the panel competition, you can relax on the print front until next season. This year's standards have been as high as ever, providing us with prints that stand up to scrutiny outside of the club as exemplified by our success in external competitions. So keep up the good work and keep snapping.