Forest of Galtres Camera Club

Monday 15th December 2014

Peter Briggs led an evening in which members could contribute their opinions on images submitted by fellow members. Peter opened the evening by presenting some of his own thoughts and sometimes those of others on judging photographs. Some views may have been agreed with others dismissed but each comment provided food for thought for those present.

Peter began by referring to an observation, he had heard on the radio saying that looking at a photograph does not require much in the way of thought processing because the photographer himself has done the thinking for the viewer. A judge can only present one person’s opinion and that, of course, is his own. A judge of some twenty years, observed that although camera technology and the use of computer programmes has changed the way images are produced, the actual photographs entered for competition have not changed. Peter observed that photographic images are unlike other creative art where there is not usually a prescribed way to achieve a desired outcome but in photography there are those familiar rules which include, for example, a subject being on the third. Maybe those ‘rules’ are there to be broken!

Thirty three images were discussed. Sometimes there was general agreement on the merits of an image and sometimes there was healthy disagreement which would spread to suggestions for improvements. An author’s own contributions to the discussion often added another dimension to the debate as he/she was actually aware of restrictions beyond the parameters of what was on screen.

Images ranged from still life to a portrait of a Petergate Fidler, from a monochrome mountain landscape presented in portrait format to a manipulated image of oars which curved round a central point and from a pastel poppy against the soft green heads of young barley to the thundering hooves of race horses, their jockeys standing in their stirrups and Stobart emblazoned on their rears – those of the jockeys not the horses!

This evening worked really well. Many thanks to Peter.

We all then shared some festive food and talked about all things photographic.

The next meeting will be held on 5th January when Keith Schubert will judge the Summer Outings competition.

A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you.