Highly Commended Alastair Ruffman Black Smoke

Highly Commended Kevin Allen Roses

Highly Commended Mike Sadler All Ablaze

This competition presented our judge, Gerry Adcock from Ryton Camera Club, with a bumper selection of over seventy images for his perusal. Many of the images where of a very high standard which resulted in seven pictures being selected as Highly Commended.
This was Gerry’s first visit to Ponteland and his comments, particularly concerning how he would have improved an image, were very useful and instructive.
Gerry finally chose Alastair Ruffman’s dramatic monochrome “Astronomical Clock Tower Lift - Prague” as the winning entry. This was a brilliant portrail of a spectacular creation especially since Alastair had also entered a colour version viewed from the opposite direction!
Second place was taken by Bill Norfolk’s “Derwent Water Mist”. A delighful picture, well balanced with the water in the foreground and the ethereal mist almost covering the hill in the distance.
Michael Balfour’s “Open Tulip” completed the podium places and really leapt out from the screen with it’s sharpness and exciting array of colours. Congratulations to all the winners especially Alastair and Michael who also received Highly Commended for a second entry in the competition.

Second place Bill Norfolk Derwent Water Mist

Third place Michael Balfour Open Tulip

HC Mike Sadler I’ve Got My Eye on You

HC Alastair Ruffman When the Boat Came In

HC Ian Woodrow Autumn Hoverfly

HC Barbara Hogg Small Masks

HC Jess Keating Soar

Set Subject 1 -  Fine Art 12 December 2011

This was our second season for the first of two set subject competitions for digital images. This year external judges have been invited to cast their critical eye over member’s pictures and select 1st, 2nd and 3rd places along with a selection which they think merits Highly Commended.
Our judge for the Fine Art competition was Vince Rooker ARPS DPAGB APAGB EFIAP, someone who previously presented his own excellent images at Merton Hall. Vince started by explaining that he had needed to research the definition of Fine Art before he started to look at our pictures - something which had also challenged members!
In total there were over 50 entries for the competition with members showing some real imagination interpreting the brief. Vince chose Hank Craggs creative photograph “After Piranesi, a Long Way After” as the winning entry with another of his pictures “Suspended Amouration” coming in third. Splitting Hank’s two images was “Farewell” by Kevin Allen the creation of which will no doubt become a subject in it’s right later on this website!

First place After Piranesi, a Long Way After by Hank Craggs

Second place Kevin Allen Farewell

Third place Hank Craggs Suspended Amouration

Highly Commended Ian Woodrow
Waiting For Her Adam

Highly Commended Ken Godfrey Art 10

Highly Commended  Frank Thompson
Keelmen Heaving in Coals by Moonlight,
Turner, National Gallery

Highly Commended Katherine Guellard
Saving the Euro

Highly Commended Bill Norfolk
Yellow Orchids

Highly Commended Ken Godfrey Art 11

Highly Commended Frank Thomson The Lobhorn & The Justial Valley

HC Mike Sadler Last Performance

HC Kevin Allan Upturned

Knockout 10 October 2011

The annual Knockout competition was once again well supported by members with 40 entries into the competition. Photographs are displayed two at a time on individual screens and members select their preferred picture with a show of hands. The order in which pictures are displayed is quite random and some of the rounds drew gasps from the audience as they were forced to select between quite different portrayals of the same subject.
After 8 rounds of voting members selected “Who’s for Lunch”, a beautiful study of an Eagle Owl, by Michael Balfour as the winner. Second place went to Frank Thomson’s “Rescue Mission” with Bill Norfolk’s “The One that got Away” third and in fourth place was Kevin Allan with a monochrome study, “Lilies”.

Second place Rescue Mission by Frank Thomson

First place Who's for Lunch by Michael Balfour

One Shot 35mm Project 19 September 2011

Whilst not strictly speaking a competition members did vote for their favourite picture from the summer One Shot project.

The assignment was to take a single image with an unfamiliar camera in a limited time period. Initially the idea was to use a single 35mm film camera before it becomes impossible to have the film easily developed. So many members wanted to take part that we were forced to use two broadly similar cameras, a Canon EOS 100 and a Canon EOS 600, bravely loaned by Mike and Frank. The film used was Fujifilm Superia 200ASA which rather suited the dull weather this summer! Each person was only allowed to take a single picture which inverted the current thinking when using a digital camera - members need to plan BEFORE pressing the shutter release instead of working in Photoshop during post production. A real step back in time!

The films were processed, printed and  scanned by Robertson’s of Gosforth in less than an hour and member’s initially viewed the scanned images using the digital projector. After that we browsed the prints before finally voting using Veronica’s traditional business card system. While the votes were counted each photographer described the challenges they had faced from selecting a subject to choosing the camera settings.

Second place Brian Edlin Wheels

The winning image selected by members was “Big Pete” taken by Mike Sadler at Northumberland County Show - the fast moving subject was a brave choice when you only have one attempt at the picture!