Club Meeting, Image Assessment Evening - Tuesday 24th September 2019.

           

Image Assessment was the theme of the Morpeth Camera Clubs meeting on 24th September with members bringing
in their digital images and prints to receive advice and suggestions from others. The evening began with photographic
judge and fellow member Peter Downs, who asked the audience rhetorically what they thought it was that made a good
photograph; has it to be pin sharp, have good saturation, does the rule of thirds have to be applied and should all have
lead in lines. The basic requirement, he said, was that the image has to be technically good and should create a reaction.
He went on to provide a critique offering tips on improving the images submitted by nine members.

Offering advice along the way he said that from a judges point of view the use of a border would help to contain the subject,
and went on to say that usually less is more, when considering a scene, it is better to concentrate on one aspect rather than
to include its busy surroundings. In architectural scenes it is important, he advised, to ensure that verticals are true and an
image of a church interior prompted Peter to discuss the issues of converging verticals. A panorama shot of a stately home
brought up the suggestion that to place the entrance in the dead centre may look good symmetrically whereas a shot taken
at a slight angle would give the building depth. Throughout his assessment he made it clear that when presenting an image
to a judge, unwanted elements, especially around the edges should be cloned out to avoid detraction from the subject.

Among the 30 images viewed were glass paper weights, Steam Punk characters, Liverpool’s waterfront, circular skylights,
sunbeams pointing to an Amble skyline, a panoramic view of Rhum in evening pastels, castle ruins,and a still life of a crystal
decanter. One photograph which especially caught his eye depicted repeated shadows from a vase of daffodils. In his opinion
this was what photography was all about; although only half of the vase was visible, it was the shadows which added impact.
An image which encouraged much discussion from the audience, was of Morpeth`s stepping stones, taken with a slow shutter
speed, only the feet and blurred red jacket of a walker were evident. This was an image which created a reaction he concluded.

The second half of the evening was dedicated to discussing prints which had been submitted by 10 members. In three groups,
headed by three experienced and knowledgeable club photographers John Thompson, Sue Dawson & Peter Downs, the volume
in the room increased dramatically. Members perused prints, which covered landscapes, portraits, natural history, in both mono
and colour. Members were asked to give their impressions on impact, their reactions to the subject matter, technique, use of
colour (or monochrome) and generally their opinion on possible improvement. Prints, provided by both established and from
newcomers to the club were given constructive comments by fellow members and the leaders in the groups. For newcomers
this can be quite daunting at first but it is felt that it is important to gauge reaction to one’s work, to be able to then accept
constructive criticism and hopefully, having the confidence to show their work, progress and enjoy.

Club Chairman, John Barnes thanked all who took part in the evenings’ activities and for the expertise generously offered to
the participants. Gauging the interaction throughout the evening he felt confident that this format would provide a valuable
addition to club evenings in the future. Coffee was then served, concluding another interesting evening at the club.

Steph.