Competition Thoughts
Ian Jackson • 22 October 2021
Thinking about the competition on Wednesday night, in my opinion, the judges’ marking was tough on all of us, but Diane Seddon set out the main things she was looking for at the start, gave plenty of useful feedback and was as fair as we can expect anyone to be, given that in the last analysis, marking by any human must be to a considerable degree subjective. It's not as though what we do matches "compulsory figures" in ice-skating, where the geometric perfection of ones' skate marks in the ice can be measured. As I have with a couple of our previous judges, I have worked on some of my images, based on her proposed changes, to see what happens when some of them are made. Three images will be with this post to give an idea of what can be done. I think they improve the overall effect.
We are a small group, and if we want to continue to have fun, and at the same time improve our standard of photography, we need to look outwards whenever we can. We should be challenged by our judges and our visiting speakers and demonstrators. To me this means obtaining the services of judges who are new to us, or at the very least who we have not seen for a very long time (like Diane on Wednesday) so that our work is subjected to a variety of modern opinions. Similarly, the wider the net we can cast to find speakers, the more we will see of what is happening in the wider photographic world.
One of the few good things about the pandemic is that it has made us all much more aware of how simple it is to have speakers and judges "virtually" present, using Zoom, whether we meet as a group, or take part individually in our homes, or indeed in some combination. This makes it much easier to get people in from further away, plus perhaps more prominent people whom we could not otherwise afford, to give us the benefit of their knowledge. This extends to joint meetings with other clubs. Diane indicated that she is not yet happy about doing "live" meetings face-to-face with clubs, and I think that this trend amongst speakers and judges may be with us for a long time, perhaps permanently.
The images show my entry “Deep in the Woods” as it was originally, and with two sets of changes made to it. See what you think.
Anyway, those are thoughts for what might come in the near future. For now, let's look forward to the rest of the N&EMPF DVD next week, and in the light of the comments we have had from the last few judges, preparing our images for PDI of the year!
We are a small group, and if we want to continue to have fun, and at the same time improve our standard of photography, we need to look outwards whenever we can. We should be challenged by our judges and our visiting speakers and demonstrators. To me this means obtaining the services of judges who are new to us, or at the very least who we have not seen for a very long time (like Diane on Wednesday) so that our work is subjected to a variety of modern opinions. Similarly, the wider the net we can cast to find speakers, the more we will see of what is happening in the wider photographic world.
One of the few good things about the pandemic is that it has made us all much more aware of how simple it is to have speakers and judges "virtually" present, using Zoom, whether we meet as a group, or take part individually in our homes, or indeed in some combination. This makes it much easier to get people in from further away, plus perhaps more prominent people whom we could not otherwise afford, to give us the benefit of their knowledge. This extends to joint meetings with other clubs. Diane indicated that she is not yet happy about doing "live" meetings face-to-face with clubs, and I think that this trend amongst speakers and judges may be with us for a long time, perhaps permanently.
The images show my entry “Deep in the Woods” as it was originally, and with two sets of changes made to it. See what you think.
Anyway, those are thoughts for what might come in the near future. For now, let's look forward to the rest of the N&EMPF DVD next week, and in the light of the comments we have had from the last few judges, preparing our images for PDI of the year!
Competition Original
Photo By: Ian Jackson
First Edit
Photo By: Ian Jackson
Second Edit
Photo By: Ian Jackson
Louth Photographic Society
NELPS organised an outing to the Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, there was some confusion with opening times, and a few of us arrived to find the gates closed, we went for a coffee!! Once inside and parked up we were welcomed by the volunteer staff, and began to take some photos around the site. A Grimsby trolleybus was running this morning, this bus had been painstakingly restored from a bare chassis, with great attention to detail, even down to sourcing the original moquette fabric to upholster the seats, it was great to be able to ride in a trolleybus again. Trolleybuses have a particular nostalgic memory for me, I lived in Uxbridge, on the outskirts of London, and the 607 trolleybus route ran past the end of my road, with a usual frequency of 5 minute intervals the buses were a common sight gliding along the main road. The 607 route was one of the longest in the country 11 miles to Shepherds Bush, taking about an hour for the journey. The trolleybus was whisper quiet, comfortable, and pollution free, and I took several trips on these. In comparison the conventional London bus the “RT” was not as quiet for longer journeys. The London trolleybuses, and eventually the London “RT” buses, were replaced with the iconic diesel fuelled Routemaster “RM” bus. I had an enjoyable visit, and many thanks to NELPS for organising the outing.
When we see a photograph what do we actually see? Does the image grab our attention? Does the image tell a story, or do we have to fill in the blanks with our own memories, and experiences? If we see a complete picture, or just a detail, which stirs our emotions most? At a recent competition a print was shown of fishing boats pulled up on the beach at North Landing, Flamborough, it was an excellent print, but the judge remarked “it’s just boats on a beach”. Do we feel the same emotion with a “normal” view, or do we want more, a storm raging, or fishermen launching the boats? Anyway, here are a few of my “abnormal” photos, first up a rusted bolt, you see I ask “who put that there?”, “what did it once hold?” Second, a vehicle excise disc, surely that stirs memories? Thirdly, a stone carved column, who carved the details? Was it shaped according to an architect’s brief, or a stone masons pattern? What emotions were felt by the stone mason? Lastly, a door handle. Where does this lead? How old is it, and how many hands have opened this door? Finally, I think that I’ve got my “mojo” back, I’ve been out more with my camera, and enjoying the experience, and surely that’s what photography is all about, the joy of capturing an image that pleases me.
The Exhibition will be in place from 10th - 29th September 2026
I was scrolling through the archives yesterday, and found these "Still Life" images. Still Life is an interesting photographic genre that requires good lighting, and compositional skills, but the results can be amazing. Here are four images of the genre, "Breakfast" showing cereal falling into a bowl, "Four Candles" (no not the ones from the Two Ronnies sketch), the moody "Decaying Tulip", and the simple but effective monochrome "Opener". Perhaps these images might give you some inspiration.
I joined the NELPS outing at Chambers Farm Woods on Wednesday. The NELPS visit to Chamber Farm wood and butterfly garden was well attended, with several members from NELPS, Grimsby, Dunholme and Louth, kind thanks to all that came, although it was very hot the butterfly garden, being rather full and slightly unkept did not let us down with butterflies, two less common were seen, a Comma butterfly and a humming bird moth, with loads of very lively common blue butterflies. Most of the insects in the butterfly garden were highly active, and by the time an insect was spotted, it was off!! I managed to just about get an image of the Comma butterfly, and nobody stood a chance with the humming bird moth, it was too fast. The dragonfly was more accommodating remaining fairly still posing for us. The next NELPS outing will be to the Peoples Park in Grimsby on Wednesday 19th, I'm busy on that day, but I will be attending the meeting at the Sandtoft Trolleybus Museum on Wednesday 26th. Many thanks to NELPS for organising these outings, it was a thoroughly pleasurable morning.
A visit to Whitby for a sunset picture didn't quite go to plan. Unknown to me today is the last day of the Whitby Regatta. Whitby in the summer is usually busy, but today it rivaled Time Square in New York. My planned shoot of the East Pier was a non-starter because for tonight only there's a fun fair along West Pier where I planned to shoot from. I had to re-think and resort to plan b, which was also a non-starter because the East Pier was closed as it was packed with fireworks. Plan c was OK though and I got an image I'm pleased with.
I've been up to RSPB Bempton Cliffs this week, and have taken some excellent photographs, the weather was fine, and the lighting was less harsh than usual. This pair were on the cliff top, obviously well established, and saw off this interloper trying to muscle in on their space, those beaks look very vicious. I hope that everyone else is having a productive summer break.
For club interaction, we are invited to these NELPS photo shoots. So lets start this club interaction, NELPS are now on there summer break, but it does not stop there. The NELPS club president has put together some outdoor photo shoots:- Lincoln 5th Aug meet at the Cathedral 11am Not forgetting the photo exhibition by Lincoln Camera Club in the Usher Gallery! Chambers Farm Wood & Butterfly Farm 12th Aug meet at 10am. Peoples Park Grimsby 19th Aug meet at 10am. Trolley Bus Museum Sandtoft 26th Aug meet at 10am Cadwell Park 10th Aug motorbikes, 24th Aug cars and both are track days so free to get in.
Sutton & Trusthorpe Camera Club have their annual Exhibition at the Meridale Hall, Sutton on Sea, on 29th / 30th August. Drink and a Home-made cake only £3!
I’ve lost my photographic “mojo”, that desire to go out and take impactful photographs. That creative spark has gone, vanished, will it ever return? Writers talk of a “writers block”, when they just sit in front of a blank page, and can’t think of anything else to write, I’m the same, still out with my camera, but just not creating anything meaningful. Some of this I suppose is due to the fact that I’ve almost stopped my genre of model photography, we had the Studio evening, and other than that I’ve only had 2 model shoots this year. So what is my photography genre now? I know that I’m not a bird photographer, I haven’t got the patience to sit in a bird hide for hours with a long lens, waiting for the right bird shot to appear. Landscape, possibly, but I look at the work of some of our members, and YouTube videos, and don’t know whether I can achieve as good a standard in my work? I do enjoy macro photography, but again do my photos reach a good standard? One way forward is to look at our Societies annual project, this year it’s “water” one photo a month depicting water. Then of course there are the planned photo competitions for the rest of the year, those subjects could inspire me to go out and take some images. Anyway, that’s me, enjoy the rest of the summer, and if any of our members could share a photo, with a line or two of text I will be very happy to post on this blog.
