Peter Thompson DPAGB APAGB judged the thirty entries for the Pat Riggs Open Digital competition. He commented constructively on each image and then selected the top four. Peter did not know beforehand to whom each image belonged. He chose two images to be equal third. These both belonged to Lizzie Stewart. Peter liked the power of water and the strength shown by the horse and its owner in ‘Black Beauty’. In ‘Awaiting Orders’ he felt there was a story to tell; there was the anticipation by the dog isolated against the background it might be ready to explore.

Keith Schubert’s Family Outing was placed second. Peter liked the diffused range of colours in the image and that the image was darker on the right suggesting that the family of swans were drawn to the lighter area on the left.

In first place was an image taken by Peter Dobson called Herdwick. Two sheep that constituted, according to Peter Thompson, a great portrait – portraits do not have to be of people! This, he said, was a well framed image, with a great sense of texture as well as communication with the subjects themselves!

During the coming week, each member will be able to view and give a score out of twenty to each of more than thirty five images entered by fellow members. At next week’s meeting, the results of this digital on-line competition will be revealed. This proved a very interesting competition when held for the first time last season.