After Alfred cordially invited members back, Brian gave us a quick run through of the programme of events that have been prepared for us to enjoy in our new season at Photocraft. Having been programme secretary for a number of years in the past, I know how much time and effort goes into putting a programme together, so I’m sure you’ll join me in thanking Brian, Kevin and other committee members in putting such an interesting year of events together for us.
Brian then went on to explain how the club will be asking judges to score our pictures in our main competitions from now on. I have to say that I have never liked the score-out-of-ten system. I think it encourages the judges to think negatively about their scoring; they are inclined to search the image for ‘faults’ that they can use to justify knocking points off, instead of thinking positively and evaluating the pictures on their merits. So, for the first time in the club’s history, the images will be given merit awards instead: First, Second, Third, Highly Commended, and Commended.
This is a radical departure for the club, and I welcome it. However, if we wish to continue with the idea of having a leaderboard and yearly winners of our main competitions, the merit awards will need to be converted into numerical scores. Chris has already emailed you about this, but it’s worth running this past you again so that you understand how it will work:
• 1st Place: 20 points
• 2nd Place: 18 points
• 3rd Place: 17 points
• Highly Commended: 16 points
• Commended: 15 points
• For entering the competition: 12 points
Let’s just see how well it works and review it at the end of the year.
This evening’s main entertainment was a re-showing of the images entered into last year’s Print and Projected Digital Image Competition giving members an opportunity to say something about their entries and a chance for others to comment on them. It was interesting to hear a bit more about the background of each image and in some cases the methods of editing used to get the desired effect.
The original competition was judged by Peter Merry who had been asked to give merit rather than numerical awards and you can revisit his adjudication in the blog https://photocraftcameraclub.co.uk/projected-digital-image-and-print-of-the-year-competition/ .
Prior to this evening’s meeting, Chris had invited club members to review the images on PhotoEntry and to give their own verdict on them. This was a simple thumbs up/thumbs down vote. In order to compare this Popular Vote with Peter Merry’s original awards, these binary scores had to be converted into merit awards. (My goodness, all this conversion business is beginning to make my head spin!)
So here are the results of the Popular Vote together with Peter Merry’s awards in brackets:
PRINT of the Year
Popular Vote
First: Salt Flat ICM by Mark (Highly Commended)
Second: College privacy by Alfred (First)
Third: The Shard, framed in granite by David M*
Highly Commended: Above the Andes by Brian
Highly Commended: Paddle boarders by Alfred*
Commended: Cherry Blossom by Dave S*
Peter Merry’s other Awards
Something needs to change quickly by Paul (Second)
Above the Andes by Brian (Third)
A Welcome Return by Dave S (Highly Commended)
Supersoft toilet roll (zone plate image) by David P (Highly Commended)
Stairwell by David M (Commended)
Rose-ringed Parakeets squabbling by Mandy Commended)
Frosted Rose by Mark (Commended)
PDI of the Year
Popular Vote
First: Misty December morning in Sussex by Martin (First)
Second: The Long Climb by Martin (Commended)
Joint Third: Poppy Seedhead by Kevin (Commended)
Joint Third: Harvest mouse by Mandy*
Joint Third: Moth Orchid by Dave S (Second)
Joint Third: The Shard from More London Riverside by Chris (Third)
Highly Commended: Beach at sundown by Alfred (Highly Commended)
Commended: Peaceful living by Paul (Commended)
Peter Merry’s other Awards
Evoking Escher by Dave S (Highly Commended)
Sunset behind the ruins by David M (Highly Commended)
Goldfinch descending from Smoke Bush by Mandy (Highly Commended)
Space to reflect by Paul (Highly Commended)
23, 24, 25 zzzzz by Brian (Commended)
Spero by David A (Commended)
There were a few images that were consistently popular both with members and the judge. Among the prints, Mark’s Salt Flats ICM, and Alfred’s College Privacy did well. In the PDIs, Martin deserves special mention as his Misty December morning in Sussex came First in both, and his The Long Climb did very well in both.
Peter Merry made a lot more awards than our Popular Vote system did, so most of those succeeding in the Popular Vote also received awards from him and you can see those images in the blog of that competition https://photocraftcameraclub.co.uk/projected-digital-image-and-print-of-the-year-competition/ . Rather than show all those images again here, I will just display the ones that impressed club members but not him apparently – marked * above.
So here they are, first the Prints with their awards by Popular Vote
Coming Third
Highly Commended
Commended
And in the PDIs Joint Third
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