The third meeting of the season was presented by Honorary Life Member of the club, Peter Thompson DPAGB APAGB. Peter has frequently cast a critical as well as an appreciative one over many competition entries during the years he has been invited to judge a variety of competitions at the club. Monday evening was to be different; Peter had brought along a collection of AVs to show.

The first, barely a minute long, summed up Peter’s approach to photography as follows: he is not a serious photographer but one who snaps just what catches his eye! If it was as simple as that, we would all be great photographers! Peter provided a varied and interesting programme of AV sequences. The first serious one, was of Granada and La Alhambra; images of the surrounding countryside provided context as did those of the city and there were detailed photographs of the architecture of the Alhambra itself.

Next came a short fun sequence dedicated to air traffic controllers and achieved by using Pictures to Exe; a mixture of aeroplanes from those of the Red Arrows to a tornado and a spitfire or two for good measure seemed to be on collision courses within the same air space but despite the close proximity of one to another, Peter’s computer skills ensured all craft were safe. Next came, the Himalayan Garden and Sculpture Park near Masham; there were glorious spreads of rhododendrons and azaleas and throughout this twenty acre woodland site, were many fascinating sculptures in a variety of materials.

In complete contrast, the North Yorkshire Moor Railway World War 2 event provided ample opportunities for portraiture. There were those dressed as Germans, Americans and French and, of course, others dressed as British military personnel across many ranks. Finally seeing some of the images in monochrome, suggested that they could have actually been taken in the forties. Saltburn also provided photographic opportunities to create a series of picture postcards.

Peter was really close to the action of The Sealed Knot as the Battle of Marston Moor was re-enacted. Men armed with pikes and others on galloping horses appeared to be in the thick of battle. The energy of the fight and the rejection of the defeated was most apparent.

A trip to the Hebrides captured so much: there were dramatic landscapes, beautiful beaches, images of the Callanish Standing Stones on the Isle of Lewis and so much more.

Each AV was accompanied with well-chosen music that supported the atmosphere being created by the each set of images. This had been a great opportunity to appreciate the work of someone who frequently visited as a judge.

Next week Mike Barnard ABPA LRPS will judge the first two of the season’s digital image competitions: Standing Out from the Crowd and Street Markets.