This week Neil Scott FRPS of Edinburgh Photographic Society visited us to judge our Colour Print Competition. The club is always delighted to welcome Neil, as he brings us amusing stories about photography. Neil had previously entertained us with two interesting talks, in 2017 and 2019:
Neil had 39 prints to judge, entered by 13 members. It was apparent that some members were out of practice at mounting prints. Neil recommended that prints be mounted centrally on the mount board with slightly more space underneath the print than above it. However, Neil congratulated the photographer who had made a mount out of a recycled “PermaJet” box. It doesn’t matter what’s round the back of a print, as long as the front looks good.
Neil judged each print based primarily on what the photographer had added through their own creativity. A photograph of a well-known subject, such as Bow Fiddle Rock or the Aberlady submarine, is better when the photographer chooses their own unique viewpoint. The same is true when photographing a beautiful garden or artwork that someone else has created. If the photographer hasn’t added some creative input of their own then the photograph becomes a “record shot”. Neil liked Ross Robertson’s shot of the V&A in Dundee because it wasn’t just a picture of the building: it showed the contrast between the stark lines of the building and the soft, natural flowers in the foreground. He also liked John West’s photograph of a glass vase reflected in a window. An artist had made the vase, but John had captured the distorted lines cause by the window and vase together. Ed Robertson’s “Stained Glass” print also showed a unique view of coloured glass bottles, photographing them from underneath to create a perspective view.
Once creativity had been taken into account, Neil awarded extra marks based on the overall quality of the print. Some prints were let down by their composition and needed more space in the frame. Other prints had shadow areas that needed to be lightened, and some looked too soft and could have benefitted from sharpening, or from a faster shutter speed if the softness was caused by camera shake. The highest marks were awarded to prints that showed both creativity and a high quality. Neil encouraged everyone to keep trying, regardless of their score this evening. Some members showed a good eye for what makes an interesting image, and they could do well in the future with a bit of practice. The top scorers were (in reverse order):
- 5th place (51 points)
- Stephen Williams
- 4th place (52 points)
- Elaine Gilroy
- 3rd place (53 points)
- Joe Fowler
- 2nd place (54 points)
- John West
- 1st place (58 points)
- George Todd
The top images were:
- Brown Hare At Rest (George Todd) – 20 points
- Durbar Monk (George Todd) – 20 points
- Black Knight’s Shadow (John West) – 20 points
- Horse Trials (Joe Fowler) – 19 points
- The Blacksmith (Joe Fowler) – 18 points
- Walter The Woodturner (George Todd) – 18 points
- Helenium (Elaine Gilroy) – 18 points
- V&A (Ross Robertson) – 18 points
Well done to George Todd with an unassailable 58/60 points! Also congratulations to John West and Joe Fowler. And thank you to Neil for judging the competition and entertaining us with his witty stories.
Next week Jean Manson will be visiting us to tell us her “Wildlife Tales from Home and Abroad“. The week after that we have another “Sets of Six” evening, so start thinking of what you would like to bring along.
Musselburgh Camera Club 