Club Meeting, What Makes a Good Photograph - Tuesday 2nd September 2025.
On Tuesday 2nd September Morpeth Camera Club started their new season off with guest speaker Graeme
Clarke ARPS whose presentation was entitled ‘What Makes a Good Photograph.’ Graeme is a member of the
Gallery Photo Group, based in Middlesbrough. He has been a long-time judge on the NCPF circuit and has a
passion for flora and fauna. This year, in the PAGB Inter-Federation Nature Print competition, he gained a
PAGB Ribbon for his image, "Rhino tossing Wildebeest". The same image was awarded photograph of the
year at the Gallery Photo Group.
He opened his presentation by saying that he wanted to give us a better understanding of the criteria that
judges use and how photographs ought to be judged. What does a picture communicate and what are the
most important elements. Does it have an impact, and with photography being more of an art form, what
emotions do you feel. Does it have originality, tell a story and does it document aspects of the natural world,
or include facets of human life, and does it make you gasp. He went on to say that content and the technical
aspect are also very much taken into consideration. He explained the tiers of distinctions awarded and the
rules of acceptance.
He went on to show examples of his work; submissions of fungi varieties, a panel of rewilding in South Africa,
and shared the comments that the judges made. Following on, he explained the technical side of judging a
photograph; its composition, is the eye led to the subject, is the lighting and colour balanced appropriately
and its delivery.
Members were then arranged into groups; each group was given a different set of images and then asked
to give their opinions on each set. It was interesting to see the differences of opinion and taste. Although
each image had achieved some degree of success, the consensus in the room was that there was, in some
cases, a lack of originality, which Graeme said was a difficult thing to attain.
Graeme effectively explained the criteria for impact and emotional response in photography, detailing how
distinctions are awarded and identifying the key components of a successful image. He concluded that he
hoped the audience would now be better equipped to make informed decisions regarding what makes a
good picture. Club Chairman, Jeremy Cooper, thanked Graeme for his presentation, adding that it will
result in us looking at our own images differently.
Steph.
Clarke ARPS whose presentation was entitled ‘What Makes a Good Photograph.’ Graeme is a member of the
Gallery Photo Group, based in Middlesbrough. He has been a long-time judge on the NCPF circuit and has a
passion for flora and fauna. This year, in the PAGB Inter-Federation Nature Print competition, he gained a
PAGB Ribbon for his image, "Rhino tossing Wildebeest". The same image was awarded photograph of the
year at the Gallery Photo Group.
He opened his presentation by saying that he wanted to give us a better understanding of the criteria that
judges use and how photographs ought to be judged. What does a picture communicate and what are the
most important elements. Does it have an impact, and with photography being more of an art form, what
emotions do you feel. Does it have originality, tell a story and does it document aspects of the natural world,
or include facets of human life, and does it make you gasp. He went on to say that content and the technical
aspect are also very much taken into consideration. He explained the tiers of distinctions awarded and the
rules of acceptance.
He went on to show examples of his work; submissions of fungi varieties, a panel of rewilding in South Africa,
and shared the comments that the judges made. Following on, he explained the technical side of judging a
photograph; its composition, is the eye led to the subject, is the lighting and colour balanced appropriately
and its delivery.
Members were then arranged into groups; each group was given a different set of images and then asked
to give their opinions on each set. It was interesting to see the differences of opinion and taste. Although
each image had achieved some degree of success, the consensus in the room was that there was, in some
cases, a lack of originality, which Graeme said was a difficult thing to attain.
Graeme effectively explained the criteria for impact and emotional response in photography, detailing how
distinctions are awarded and identifying the key components of a successful image. He concluded that he
hoped the audience would now be better equipped to make informed decisions regarding what makes a
good picture. Club Chairman, Jeremy Cooper, thanked Graeme for his presentation, adding that it will
result in us looking at our own images differently.
Steph.