Club Meeting, Set Subject Print Competitions - Tuesday 11th December 2018.
On Tuesday 11th December, Morpeth Camera Club welcomed Alan Porrett, ARPS, DPAGB, EFIAP, APAGB, from Whitley
Bay Photographic Society, to comment on each entry and announce the winners of the Set Subject Competitions. The
themes for this seasons competitions were ' On the Beach ' in the colour print section and ' Contra Jour ' (against the
light) in the monochrome print section.
Colour Prints.
Included in the forty one images submitted in the colour section were water pools with reflected sky, textured shells,
wreckage revealed at low tide, ancient rock formations, feathers, washed up timber, precariously placed stone columns
and seaweed. Kayakers, lone fishermen, lifeguards, families strolling with their dogs and children playing, all provided
a human element.
1.
2. 
3. 
Alan announced his four highly commended placings to Dave Bisset for Sand landscape, Davy Bolam with Stranger on
the Shore, Ursula Pearce with Pebbles and Alistair Cooper with Ayr. Peter Downs was awarded fifth place with Coal Dust
and Sand, a gold and black abstract of sand patterns which gave the impression of woodland at night; fourth place also
went to Peter for Strolling, which the judge admired for its painterly effect, with figures on a beach, highly coloured to
give an almost mirage effect; Mark Harrison came third with Surfs Up, a minimalist, pastel coloured scene of a lone
surfer on the horizon in the mist; Lytham Pier by Glyn Trueman was in second place which the judge said had dramatic
skies above a strong linea pier, the buildings on which were dramatically side lit. The judge went onto announce the
winner of the Set Subject colour section as Seascape Abstract by Mark Harrison. Alan described it as ‘A very attractive
triptych of images’ where the photographer had used a panning effect to create movement on the beach and seashore,
in subtle pastel hues.
Monochrome Prints.
The Monochrome section followed with thirty eight entries, with Alan saying that in most cases the authors had coped
well with the difficulties of backlighting adding that it was not an easy technique to master. Entries included silhouettes
of Robin of Pegswood, sailing craft, skeletal trees and weeping willows, wet reflected boardwalks, the Angel of the North,
a sunburst shining on St Aidan, backlit petals of a Macanopsis flower and subway pedestrians.
1.
2. 
3. 
The four highly commended places went to Alistair Cooper with Glasgow Skyline, a silhouetted cityscape, Paris View by
Stephanie Robson, a girl looking out to the city from the clock of the Musee D’Orsay, Teasel by Paul Appleby, a detailed
rim lit seed head; and Against the Light by Davy Bolam, a girl in an archway creating shadows, looking towards a Polish
market place. Destination Unknown by Mark Harrison was given fifth place, a person crossing a railway bridge with lights
reflected from steel and glass, which the judge said was contrasty in a good way in that it contained strong blacks and
whites. Underpass by Davy Bolam came fourth which Alan chose for its linear effect of the steps and the rim lighting on
the figures. Third place was given to Flower Girl by Roseanne Robinson, an attractive portrait of a girl whose flowered
hat was lit and although the girls face was in the shadow it was still clearly defined. Second place went also to Roseanne
with Sheepish; rim lit sheep which were backlit to great effect in detailed rough terrain. First place in the monochrome
section of contra jour images was announced as All in the Detail by Mark Harrison. A strong silhouette of a lady in profile
applying lipstick which the judge said had a strong shape within the frame with added detail in mouth and lips, it held
well together, he added, with spot on lighting and worked superbly well.
Throughout the evening Alan generously suggested options of cropping and tonal value after which Chairman Mark
Harrison thanked him for his valued comments. Coffee was served during which club members could admire the award
winning prints displayed around the room.
Steph.
Bay Photographic Society, to comment on each entry and announce the winners of the Set Subject Competitions. The
themes for this seasons competitions were ' On the Beach ' in the colour print section and ' Contra Jour ' (against the
light) in the monochrome print section.
Colour Prints.
Included in the forty one images submitted in the colour section were water pools with reflected sky, textured shells,
wreckage revealed at low tide, ancient rock formations, feathers, washed up timber, precariously placed stone columns
and seaweed. Kayakers, lone fishermen, lifeguards, families strolling with their dogs and children playing, all provided
a human element.
1.
2. 3. Alan announced his four highly commended placings to Dave Bisset for Sand landscape, Davy Bolam with Stranger on
the Shore, Ursula Pearce with Pebbles and Alistair Cooper with Ayr. Peter Downs was awarded fifth place with Coal Dust
and Sand, a gold and black abstract of sand patterns which gave the impression of woodland at night; fourth place also
went to Peter for Strolling, which the judge admired for its painterly effect, with figures on a beach, highly coloured to
give an almost mirage effect; Mark Harrison came third with Surfs Up, a minimalist, pastel coloured scene of a lone
surfer on the horizon in the mist; Lytham Pier by Glyn Trueman was in second place which the judge said had dramatic
skies above a strong linea pier, the buildings on which were dramatically side lit. The judge went onto announce the
winner of the Set Subject colour section as Seascape Abstract by Mark Harrison. Alan described it as ‘A very attractive
triptych of images’ where the photographer had used a panning effect to create movement on the beach and seashore,
in subtle pastel hues.
Monochrome Prints.
The Monochrome section followed with thirty eight entries, with Alan saying that in most cases the authors had coped
well with the difficulties of backlighting adding that it was not an easy technique to master. Entries included silhouettes
of Robin of Pegswood, sailing craft, skeletal trees and weeping willows, wet reflected boardwalks, the Angel of the North,
a sunburst shining on St Aidan, backlit petals of a Macanopsis flower and subway pedestrians.
1.
2. 3. The four highly commended places went to Alistair Cooper with Glasgow Skyline, a silhouetted cityscape, Paris View by
Stephanie Robson, a girl looking out to the city from the clock of the Musee D’Orsay, Teasel by Paul Appleby, a detailed
rim lit seed head; and Against the Light by Davy Bolam, a girl in an archway creating shadows, looking towards a Polish
market place. Destination Unknown by Mark Harrison was given fifth place, a person crossing a railway bridge with lights
reflected from steel and glass, which the judge said was contrasty in a good way in that it contained strong blacks and
whites. Underpass by Davy Bolam came fourth which Alan chose for its linear effect of the steps and the rim lighting on
the figures. Third place was given to Flower Girl by Roseanne Robinson, an attractive portrait of a girl whose flowered
hat was lit and although the girls face was in the shadow it was still clearly defined. Second place went also to Roseanne
with Sheepish; rim lit sheep which were backlit to great effect in detailed rough terrain. First place in the monochrome
section of contra jour images was announced as All in the Detail by Mark Harrison. A strong silhouette of a lady in profile
applying lipstick which the judge said had a strong shape within the frame with added detail in mouth and lips, it held
well together, he added, with spot on lighting and worked superbly well.
Throughout the evening Alan generously suggested options of cropping and tonal value after which Chairman Mark
Harrison thanked him for his valued comments. Coffee was served during which club members could admire the award
winning prints displayed around the room.
Steph.