Club Meeting, 2nd Open Print Competitions - Tuesday 12th February 2019.
On Tuesday 12th February 2019, Mavis McCormick, LRPS, a member of Hexham and District Photographic Society,
kindly agreed to view, comment upon and announce the results of the clubs’ Second Open Colour and Monochrome
print Competitions. Mavis is well known for her quirky, offbeat images produced in Photoshop so we were looking
forward to her views on the sixty seven entries she was charged to judge.
Monochrome Print Section.
Starting with the monochrome section, we saw alternative sculpture, architecture, landscapes, glowing street lamps,
charging horses, a shiny detail shot of a Harley Davidson, lofty viaducts, impressionistic woodland, portraits, still life,
pattern pictures of coiled rope and linear images of metal and glass.
Mavis was pleased to see some alternative mounting methods of vertical letterbox and square formats and gave advice
on tonal quality especially in monochrome images. She went on to announce her four highly commended places; Still
Finding his Feet by Davy Bolam, Votes for Women, also by Davy. Grumpy Puffing Billy Driver by Sue Dawson and V & A
by Roseanne Robinson.
Mavis said that all of her high placings were good but after much consideration she awarded fifth place to Sue Dawson
for Hexham Abbey for its strong detail in the screen, roof arches and stained glass windows. Fourth place went to Davy
Bolam with Avenue of Trees which Mavis said was ‘all about the light’, was crisp and had great tonal range. Third place
was given to Sue Dawson with Off Before the Storm, a view of Edinburgh under dark clouds taken from Arthur’s Seat
which Mavis said ‘had so much to like about it’ with both the highly detailed city together with the sharp detail of people
running from the storm in the foreground. Holy Island by Pat Wood was given second place, a simple version, Mavis said,
with the upturned boat and castle creating a mirror image. And the winner of the Second Monochrome print competition
was Paul Appleby with Are We There Yet which the judge said she had liked from the start. A group of people on a bus,
all with different expressions, which Mavis said had a great story telling quality.
1st
2nd 
3rd 
Colour Print Section.
Next was the Colour Section which opened with a lovely soft image of a bluebell with a suggestion of pastel blue and green
in the background. A still life followed of an old kitchen scene, muted colours a city corner café, a vibrant abstract of swirls
in a vortex in red, yellow and blue, a dried rose, protesters at Grey’s Monument, a scene of an incoming storm at Amble,
and a kaleidoscope of colours from a lighthouse lantern. Formal gardens, rape fields, portraits, Chinese lanterns, memorials,
a detailed tractor wheel, a peeling sad window frame, a quintessential English country scene, an abandoned barn among soft
grasses contrasting with a Lakeland farmhouse surrounded by lush green meadows, were also among the entries. The highly commended places went to Alistair Cooper with Lichen which Mavis said was detailed, bright and realistic; Fountains Abbey
Tower by Glyn Trueman which was ‘like a painting’.Returning Home by Dave Bisset, a charming puffin in flight offset to the
left to give the impression of movement across the scene, and Confirmation Day by Roseanne Robinson, a lone girl with a
look of apprehension, which Mavis admired for the silkiness of her dress and lovely light on her hair.
Mavis went on to announce her personal best five photographs. In fifth place was Peter Downs with Decay, peeling paint on
a windowsill which Mavis liked for its grittiness. Fourth place went to Peter again with St Mary’s Lighthouse which she said
was unusual, with filtered colours which Mavis said worked well and almost looked futuristic. Roseanne Robson was given
third place for Physalis on Wood the judge saying that this is what photography was all about and that she had captured the
paper softness of the flower in great light. Davy Bolam was given second place with Silver Birch Wood in Autumn, a stand of
Silver Birch among saplings and wild flowers which Mavis loved for its wonderful bark detail and use of paper which she said
added softness to the scene. The winner of the Second Open Colour competition was also Davy Bolam with Beauty of Decay,
a boarded up window with peeling paint surround. She said that it was all about the presentation; on lovely textured paper,
soft tones and textures but had still maintained detail in the decay.
1st
2nd 
3rd 
Mark Harrison, Club Chairman, thanked Mavis for her constructive comments, after which members were able to look more
closely at all the entries placed around the room and discuss over coffee.
Steph.
kindly agreed to view, comment upon and announce the results of the clubs’ Second Open Colour and Monochrome
print Competitions. Mavis is well known for her quirky, offbeat images produced in Photoshop so we were looking
forward to her views on the sixty seven entries she was charged to judge.
Monochrome Print Section.
Starting with the monochrome section, we saw alternative sculpture, architecture, landscapes, glowing street lamps,
charging horses, a shiny detail shot of a Harley Davidson, lofty viaducts, impressionistic woodland, portraits, still life,
pattern pictures of coiled rope and linear images of metal and glass.
Mavis was pleased to see some alternative mounting methods of vertical letterbox and square formats and gave advice
on tonal quality especially in monochrome images. She went on to announce her four highly commended places; Still
Finding his Feet by Davy Bolam, Votes for Women, also by Davy. Grumpy Puffing Billy Driver by Sue Dawson and V & A
by Roseanne Robinson.
Mavis said that all of her high placings were good but after much consideration she awarded fifth place to Sue Dawson
for Hexham Abbey for its strong detail in the screen, roof arches and stained glass windows. Fourth place went to Davy
Bolam with Avenue of Trees which Mavis said was ‘all about the light’, was crisp and had great tonal range. Third place
was given to Sue Dawson with Off Before the Storm, a view of Edinburgh under dark clouds taken from Arthur’s Seat
which Mavis said ‘had so much to like about it’ with both the highly detailed city together with the sharp detail of people
running from the storm in the foreground. Holy Island by Pat Wood was given second place, a simple version, Mavis said,
with the upturned boat and castle creating a mirror image. And the winner of the Second Monochrome print competition
was Paul Appleby with Are We There Yet which the judge said she had liked from the start. A group of people on a bus,
all with different expressions, which Mavis said had a great story telling quality.
1st
2nd 3rd Colour Print Section.
Next was the Colour Section which opened with a lovely soft image of a bluebell with a suggestion of pastel blue and green
in the background. A still life followed of an old kitchen scene, muted colours a city corner café, a vibrant abstract of swirls
in a vortex in red, yellow and blue, a dried rose, protesters at Grey’s Monument, a scene of an incoming storm at Amble,
and a kaleidoscope of colours from a lighthouse lantern. Formal gardens, rape fields, portraits, Chinese lanterns, memorials,
a detailed tractor wheel, a peeling sad window frame, a quintessential English country scene, an abandoned barn among soft
grasses contrasting with a Lakeland farmhouse surrounded by lush green meadows, were also among the entries. The highly commended places went to Alistair Cooper with Lichen which Mavis said was detailed, bright and realistic; Fountains Abbey
Tower by Glyn Trueman which was ‘like a painting’.Returning Home by Dave Bisset, a charming puffin in flight offset to the
left to give the impression of movement across the scene, and Confirmation Day by Roseanne Robinson, a lone girl with a
look of apprehension, which Mavis admired for the silkiness of her dress and lovely light on her hair.
Mavis went on to announce her personal best five photographs. In fifth place was Peter Downs with Decay, peeling paint on
a windowsill which Mavis liked for its grittiness. Fourth place went to Peter again with St Mary’s Lighthouse which she said
was unusual, with filtered colours which Mavis said worked well and almost looked futuristic. Roseanne Robson was given
third place for Physalis on Wood the judge saying that this is what photography was all about and that she had captured the
paper softness of the flower in great light. Davy Bolam was given second place with Silver Birch Wood in Autumn, a stand of
Silver Birch among saplings and wild flowers which Mavis loved for its wonderful bark detail and use of paper which she said
added softness to the scene. The winner of the Second Open Colour competition was also Davy Bolam with Beauty of Decay,
a boarded up window with peeling paint surround. She said that it was all about the presentation; on lovely textured paper,
soft tones and textures but had still maintained detail in the decay.
1st
2nd 3rd Mark Harrison, Club Chairman, thanked Mavis for her constructive comments, after which members were able to look more
closely at all the entries placed around the room and discuss over coffee.
Steph.