 Logo Design - Douglas Bain |
Logo Design - Douglas Bain |
Thanks to the initiative of Douglas Bain, two friendly and successful competitions were held during his all too brief time with the Victoria Camera Club. The results can be viewed on Doug's blog here for 2007 and 2008. As you will quickly discover, I (Garry Schaefer, as you webmaster) have patterned pages for the years since 2008 closely on the format established by Douglas. Visit this link on our VCC website for the results from 2009.
This year VCC Competitions Co-Chair, Michael Lambie, organized the event on our behalf and to continued what has become a tradition in our Club's annual roster. Thank you Michael!
20 Images were presented by each club and were judged by Canadian and
Scottish judges. The comments and marks awarded by each judge are
provided, along with the images, below. Our thanks go out to
both Robert Fulton
(Scotland) and Gregg
Eligh (Canada) for the diligence, wisdom and experience
they brought to the task. We are grateful for the valuable feedback
they have provided to us all.
Photographs
are copyrighted. They may not be copied or used for any purpose without
the permission of the photographer.
Overall Placings:
(based
on the sums of points from the two judges)
1st Place (Tie): Got Ya
by David Taylor (from
Eastwood)
1st Place (Tie): Barn
Swallow Feeding Young by Linda Baker (from Victoria)
2nd Place: Storm Brewing
by Ian McAllister (from Victoria)
3rd Place: Fire on Ice
by Michael Lambie (from
Victoria)
Total Scores Overall:
Eastwood Photographic
Society: 581.5
Victoria Camera Club: 586
Another very close finish
between two great clubs!
From the Scottish Judge:
Foreword
Greetings to both clubs. Thank you for your invitation to pass comment on your work. I enjoyed looking at your images, some of which, I thought were outstanding.
By coincidence, I have made several visits to Victoria over the past 7 years when going to see my uncle who stayed in Sequim, Washington State. We found the best way to travel was via Vancouver and then onto Victoria by ferry / bus where we stayed for a few days before going on to Port Angeles. You are fortunate to live in a lovely city full of character, in a beautiful part of the world.
Judging
I feel I should say a few words about my approach when judging. I have a simple philosophy, and that is to be strongly guided by my intuition and emotional feed back when viewing the image. That part I find relatively fairly straightforward. The difficulty arises when trying to break down & analysis why the image has provoked the emotional response that it has, and then to communicate to someone else.
At the end of the day all we can do is give an honest opinion and remind ourselves that this is a hobby that we all share and enjoy.
Photographer: Alex Dorrens
Club: Eastwood Photographic Society
Scottish Points: 11
Canadian Points: 10
 |
Scottish Comments:
In my introduction I referred to looking for an emotional connection with the image, but I’m afraid the feeling I have here is slightly uncomfortable seeing reseasonably aged gentleman partly clothed giving it “laldy” on the drum. From a technical point of view the drummer has been well recorded and shows a lot of detail. The mono chrome background has probably been successful to the extent of subduing the background.
Canadian Comments:
While the subject is ‘colourful’, I don’t find the shot to be dramatic, creative or a strong indication of the photographer’s talents. Perhaps tighter crop and move the viewer in tighter.
Photographer: Willie Waddelll
Club: Victoria Camera Club
Scottish Points: 13
Canadian Points: 16
 |
Scottish Comments:
A nice natural history image with the bird’s flight pattern well displayed against an atmospheric sunrise. The tree has been well placed in the frame to make the most of the arc formed by the birds thus creating a nice composition and helping the viewer to share the moment. It’s also good that some detail has been retained in the grasses and the ground area.
Canadian Comments:
Unique, dramatic, serene. I feel you wouldn’t lose anything by tightening crop on ground and giving more sky and action.
Photographer: Michael Lambie
Club: Victoria Camera Club
Scottish Points: 12
Canadian Points: 12
 |
Scottish Comments:
Nice detail in the bird and the author has to be complimented on placing it at the angle they have. I think that works well. The grey background, although not distracting, is a bit dull & uninteresting.
Canadian Comments:
Good portrait but I think better light and less ‘blown out’ background could add depth, form, and drama.
Photographer: Nick Wober
Club: Eastwood Photographic Society
Scottish Points: 17
Canadian Points: 14
 |
Scottish Comments:
Certainly it is bravery to the extreme on the part of the paraglider. I really enjoyed this picture. The placement of the paraglider in the frame is ideal and the touch of red draws your eye immediately. Lovely atmosphere with the mist and clouds enhancing the mountain. Well captured!
Canadian Comments:
Good shot of a dramatic scene. Well composed and exposed.
Photographer: Nick Wober
Club: Eastwood Photographic Society
Scottish Points: 16
Canadian Points: 14
 |
Scottish Comments:
A nicely captured image of the “Waverly”. I feel it has been enhanced by the fading light which allows the lights on the ship and the reflections in the water to create a nice feel to the image. The sky provides a nice backdrop to the scene.
Canadian Comments:
Perfect exposure – beautiful light. A bit static with positioning in frame.
Photographer: Blake Ford
Club: Victoria Camera Club
Scottish Points: 13
Canadian Points: 10
 |
Scottish Comments:
Recently this museum has become a very popular area for photographers.Clearly a very wide angle lens has been used creating a distorted affect which does not bother me. However the fact that the photographer has been very keen to highlight the roof area at the expense of cutting through the bodies in the foreground, in my opinion lets the picture down to an extent. Ideally one of the foreground figures could have been a bit more prominent than the rest of the crowd thereby providing a subtle focal point of interest. To achieve this would require a lot of patience and many pictures.
Canadian Comments:
The building is dramatic and creates all of the impact. Don’t crop so tight on bottom of frame. Use people to add to foreground / background.
Photographer: Scott Laird
Club: Victoria Camera Club
Scottish Points: 14
Canadian Points: 16
 |
Scottish Comments:
The strength in the image comes from the low view point taken up by the author in order to give the viewer a different “take” on the vehicle. To me that aspect works well but is let down to some extent by the high contrast used which has left some of the light areas a bit burnt out.
Canadian Comments:
Dramatic – great high contrast. Good depth
Photographer: Ken Wilkie
Club: Eastwood Photographic Society
Scottish Points: 14
Canadian Points: 12
 |
Scottish Comments:
The author had taken a slightly unusual approach to this portrait and has been successful to a reasonable extent. The model’s attractive eyes provide strong connection with the viewer. I’m little less sure about the position of both hands; perhaps a single hand would have been more effective. The red cloak works well together with the subdued lighting. I did also feel that the composition is strengthened slightly by cropping the left hand side of the image in the shoulder area. A nice attractive picture.
Canadian Comments:
Good portrait – could use more separation from background on shadow side (left). Hands are a bit too prominent – her right hand is a bit awkward.
Photographer: Mike Wooding
Club: Victoria Camera Club
Scottish Points: 15
Canadian Points: 17
 |
Scottish Comments:
One of the first things that strikes you is the pin sharp detail of the bee. A nice attractive plant has been used and thoughtfully placed on the diagonal which works well. A good quality natural history shot.
Canadian Comments:
Stunning! Spectacular image. Excellent focus, exposure and light.
Photographer: David Cation
Club: Eastwood Photographic Society
Scottish Points: 13
Canadian Points: 16
 |
Scottish Comments:
A nice creative interpretation of “wind power”. I like the composition balance with the foreground turbine prominent and the second filling the frame nicely. On the downside the foreground is a bit unattractive. I wondered if it may have worked better in colour but concluded that the choice of mono may have been influenced by the work required in Photoshop to produce the flower effect.
Canadian Comments:
Very good creative approach – shows creative control, composition is off balance and a bit awkward. Move camera position to left to tighten up.
Photographer: Matthew Dobson
Club: Victoria Camera Club
Scottish Points: 12
Canadian Points: 14
 |
Scottish Comments:
The general shape the picture works for me but I’m afraid that the applied effect doesn’t thrill me. I suppose it’s one of those things you either like or not. In my case I don’t think it enhances the images, sorry.
Canadian Comments:
Good portrait – computer manipulation takes over. Becomes prominent element of shot.
Photographer: Omer Ahmed
Club: Eastwood Photographic Society
Scottish Points: 19.5
Canadian Points: 14
 |
Scottish Comments:
I love this picture, it’s my type of image. Lovely calming emotional feeling comes over from it. One of its strengths is in its simplicity with strong graphic lines and a great atmospheric feel. If I was to be very nit-picky I would just like to have seen the geese a little bit further to the right but the sun reflection on the water provides an attractive filler on the right hand side of the picture. This picture was is strong contention for first place in my selection but just missed out by half a point.
Congratulations to the author on producing such a lovely image.
Canadian Comments:
Good shot. Well exposed. Composition is a bit lacking.
Photographer: Neil Boyle
Club: Victoria Camera Club
Scottish Points: 14
Canadian Points: 16
 |
Scottish Comments:
Nice shot of the bird with the beak opened communicating to other birds. The background is nicely defused with no distractions and the bird well placed in the frame. I would suggest further improvement could be made by cropping off some of the area above the bird and possibly some off the left hand side.
Canadian Comments:
Beautiful shot. Very nice composition and exposure.
Photographer: Ken Lindsay
Club: Eastwood Photographic Society
Scottish Points: 17
Canadian Points: 16
 |
Scottish Comments:
Another very good image. The use of the light to highlight the shape of the dunes and bring out the tree against the dark background is excellent. Composition is very strong and again simple. The three areas of light falling on the shadow area of the dunes are a bonus.
Canadian Comments:
Excellent “visual puzzle”. Shots like this demand the viewer study it and figure it out. Good eye!
Photographer: Peter De Marco
Club: Eastwood Photographic Society
Scottish Points: 12
Canadian Points: 14
 |
Scottish Comments:
Probably the most photographed tree in the U.K. In this instance the author has chosen to place the tree on the extreme right and for me it makes the composition a bit unbalanced. I would have also been inclined to move nearer to the water’s edge to get rid of some of the grasses in the foreground. I feel there is a slight barrier there. I do agree with the author in making the image a “letterbox” shape.
Canadian Comments:
Very well exposed. Nice horizontal crop, but I feel I’m missing something in the foreground (bottom).
Photographer: Elaine Freedman
Club: Victoria Camera Club
Scottish Points: 13
Canadian Points: 14
 |
Scottish Comments:
Basically an image of shapes and colours taken with a slow shutter speed to capture the motion effect. The question is, does it “hang together well”, and for me the answer is not quite. I assume that the author has waited until the firework display started and therefore lost any blueness in the sky. With the benefit of hindsight, since the fireworks don’t really contribute a lot to the picture it may be worth considering going back as it is getting dark and concentrating on the fairground area.
Canadian Comments:
Wild. Busy. Chaotic. Everything the subject wants you to feel. It feels a bit uncontrolled and lacking in composition to me.
Photographer: Garry Schaefer
Club: Victoria Camera Club
Scottish Points: 10
Canadian Points: 16
 |
Scottish Comments:
I’m afraid the thought process in producing this picture is a bit lost on me. As I have spoken about previously I am generally hoping to be stirred emotionally by looking at an image but I’m afraid this didn’t press the right button for me. Sorry.
Canadian Comments:
Beautiful, abstract, mysterious, interesting. You have a good creative eye with this. Composition feels a (little) bit awkward.
Photographer: David Taylor
Club: Eastwood Photographic Society
Scottish Points: 12
Canadian Points: 12
 |
Scottish Comments:
Dramatic sky with the figure providing a focal point in the right place. A competent picture but I don’t feel it is as strong as most of the images in the competition.
Canadian Comments:
Interesting sky. Including the person for scale makes this shot.
Photographer: Gwen Curry
Club: Victoria Camera Club
Scottish Points: 11
Canadian Points: 8
 |
Scottish Comments:
The gentleman in question looks to have a photogenic face but under these restricted conditions in a crowded market place he comes across as being a bit camera shy. Clearly I don’t know if the author knew the man but had it been possible to put him a bit more at ease and use natural daylight, then I’m sure there were good pictures to be had. I can appreciate the difficulties in such circumstances if that is the case.
Canadian Comments:
Harsh flash on camera. Busy, unrelated ambient location. The subject appears interesting and to have character. The photograph lacks these things.
Photographer: Jim McCreery
Club: Eastwood Photographic Society
Scottish Points: 14
Canadian Points: 14
 |
Scottish Comments:
Nice feel good factor comes into play with the bluebells and the young girl in the natural surrounds. I did wonder if it would have been better if the author had moved adjacent to the tree on the right to concentrate on the second wave of flowers and making the girl a little larger in the frame. It may be that the photographer did this and concluded that this was the better image. A largely successful picture with some reservations.
Canadian Comments:
Good colour contrast and light for this subject. I feel the top of the frame gets messy and intrudes on the primary subject.
Photographer: Richard James
Club: Victoria Camera Club
Scottish Points: 16
Canadian Points: 14
 |
Scottish Comments:
Or should the title be “What happened next?” If this was for real then I hope that the photographer got the shoot first time, I wouldn’t like to tell him he had to jump again. Lovely light and dramatic sky showing off the detail on the main rock to advantage. Interesting idea, the figure jumping off the rock which works well. If the figure has been superimposed then well done to the author for getting the lighting on the figure spot on.
Canadian Comments:
Great light – shot from the right direction. Good depth and interesting angle. Adding the figure is key.
Photographer: Carole Valkenier
Club: Victoria Camera Club
Scottish Points: 18
Canadian Points: 14
 |
Scottish Comments:
Intriguing colours, shapes & textures here, with the main shape in a strong position. This is a strong visual interpretation of the building creating an abstract form. I compliment the author on their personalised interpretation.
Canadian Comments:
Stunning subject. Good and interesting crop. Good exposure and colour.
Photographer: Linda Baker
Club: Victoria Camera Club
Scottish Points: 13
Canadian Points: 16
 |
Scottish Comments:
In general I like to dabble with slow shutter speeds while taking action shoots. I feel it can provide a sense of dynamics to the event. However I tend to favour a part of the image being a bit more distinguishable and this lets the viewer fasten on a bit more to the scene. The colours work very well and it is easy to see the subject matter but in my opinion just lacks that element mentioned above.
Canadian Comments:
Nice shutter drag. Captures the action well. Excellent Crop and composition.
Photographer: David Hendry
Club: Eastwood Photographic Society
Scottish Points: 15
Canadian Points: 14
 |
Scottish Comments:
Strong graphic lines and shapes make this an interesting picture. I like the placement of the rider & shadow coming into the frame coupled with the lines created by the paving stones. I suspect that the mono treatment also simplifies and adds to scene.
Canadian Comments:
Good use of crop, composition and diagonals but I feel the diagonals ‘compete’ with each other. Excellent exposure.
Photographer: David Cation
Club: Eastwood Photographic Society
Scottish Points: 13
Canadian Points: 14
 |
Scottish Comments:
Nice shape to the picture. The fireworks coupled with the blue toned sky enhance the photo. I would be inclined to tidy up the bottom right of the picture either by cropping or cloning or a mix of both.
Canadian Comments:
Well composed and exposed. Were you not able to show the entire boat? Or position yourself to eliminate the clutter, lower right?
Photographer: Hanna Cowpe
Club: Victoria Camera Club
Scottish Points: 17
Canadian Points: 16
 |
Scottish Comments:
Another strong, simple composition which appeals to me. I don’t know if there has been a neutral density filter used here to get the long exposure used to provide the smoothing effect of the water, but whether it has or not I think this is one of the features of this image. I love the composition. I did wonder if it might be raised another notch or two by presenting it in pale pastel colours but a very enjoyable picture never the less.
Canadian Comments:
Well done – good execution. I find the composition to be a bit loose and open without a strong direction or focus.
Photographer: David Hendry
Club: Eastwood Photographic Society
Scottish Points: 16
Canadian Points: 14
 |
Scottish Comments:
A good picture from a very simple subject. How many of us would have walked past this scene without a thought of there being a picture there? I put my hand up to being guilty. Although completely different in subject matter, it reminded me in approach to the bicycle rider in “Velo City” a few images ago. A good “seeing eye” by the photographer.
Canadian Comments:
Very well exposed. The texture, shape, line , and detail in the main focus area is lacking in the right hand 1/3rd. I would suggest cropping that to keep interest strong.
Photographer: Willie Waddell
Club: Victoria Camera Club
Scottish Points: 12
Canadian Points: 14
 |
Scottish Comments:
Interesting image which would be lost without the shrub bushes providing a sense of scale. Nice shapes and forms, although I feel that there is just a bit too much information as it stands. I would suggest cropping along the top just above the third wave of dunes in order to simplify.
Canadian Comments:
Lovely, sensual study of line, form, shadow and colour. Could use a focal point of interest.
Photographer: Ken Lindsay
Club: Eastwood Photographic Society
Scottish Points: 17
Canadian Points: 16
 |
Scottish Comments:
Like the tree selection and the use of the dry mud patterns in the foreground. The curve of the branch on the left hand side complements the shapes of the other branches or trunks. My only niggle is that I would have liked to have seen a bit more space left round the edge of the frame near the tree. Nevertheless a lovely image.
Canadian Comments:
Great depth! Drawn the eye into the frame towards the black trees. Excellent depth of focus.
Photographer: Andy Shearer
Club: Eastwood Photographic Society
Scottish Points: 16
Canadian Points: 12
 |
Scottish Comments:
Lovely composition with the planes on the diagonal and the smoke trails shown to advantage. The aircraft are nice and sharp, so I would say this is a very good picture of its type.
Canadian Comments:
Great diagonal and spacing in the frame. Using a bit more of the top, left 1/3rd could create a bit more ‘dynamic’ energy and the converging smoke trails would add to the composition a bit more.
Photographer: Andy Shearer
Club: Eastwood Photographic Club
Scottish Points: 14
Canadian Points: 12
 |
Scottish Comments:
A competent image but I’m afraid it did not retain my attention for long and I didn’t get that affinity that I had with some of the others in the competition.
Canadian Comments:
Good animal portrait – selective focus and tight crop keeps our attention.
Photographer: Brigitte Holzl
Club: Victoria Camera Club
Scottish Points: 14
Canadian Points: 14
 |
Scottish Comments:
In my mind I kept associating the flowers with ice and snow. Perhaps the fact that we have been suffering the worst winter conditions experienced here for several years. An attractive model and the tilt of the head works well but the general concept doesn’t do it for me.
Canadian Comments:
As a portrait, it has lots of competition. I find the flowers distracting from the strong, beautiful, dramatic face.
Photographer: Alex Dorrens
Club: Eastwood Photographic Society
Scottish Points: 15
Canadian Points: 14
 |
Scottish Comments:
I grew and exhibited Dahlias for 23 years before turning to photography some 17 years ago. At one stage took part in a competition which involved a number of us from Scotland sending an entry to Toronto (sound familiar?) What’s that, do I hear someone saying “You should have stuck to the flowers!” Normally I tend to find that a single object such as a flower, places constraints on the compositional aspects due to the lack of relationships between other elements. In this case the photographer has overcome these constraints by placing the centre of the bloom in a strong position and the interest is continued in the curving shapes of the petals and pleasing colours.
Canadian Comments:
Beautiful, strong subject. Subtle light emphasizes colour and texture. I feel the composition is off balance.
Photographer: Omer Ahmed
Club: Eastwood Photographic Society
Scottish Points: 18
Canadian Points: 14
 |
Scottish Comments:
Not exactly a snappy title, but a successful picture. I like the composition with the two trees on the right and the small shrubs on the left of a nicely placed boat. The muted colour of the boat also appeals to me since it is not too intrusive in the foggy conditions. I thought the image worked very well.
Canadian Comments:
Lovely mood and tone. Excellent exposure and colour. Composition leaves a hole lower left.
Photographer: Norman De Leenheer
Club: Victoria Camera Club
Scottish Points: 19
Canadian Points: 14
 |
Scottish Comments:
For someone like me whose experience underwater usually consists of finding my rubber duck in the bath, this is a very impressive image. The human figure provides a sense of scale of the fish and you have to admire and envy anyone with the guts to go diving in the company of such an awesome creature. In the end it must have been a very rewarding and memorable experience.
Canadian Comments:
Dramatic situation and opportunity. Interesting colour range.
Photographer: Sheena Rainey
Club: Eastwood Photographic Society
Scottish Points: 17
Canadian Points: 10
 |
Scottish Comments:
Finally to finish off, a good character study portrait of the boatman. His dental care is shown to full advantage in a relaxed atmosphere. A nice travel shot
Canadian Comments:
This guy has lots of character but the shot needs to pick up the drama and texture. Crop leaves too much open space and distance across the top and maybe the subject needs some direction to relate to the camera and viewer.
Photographer: Michael Lambie
Club: Victoria Camera Club
Scottish Points: 18
Canadian Points: 16
Total Points: 34 - Third Place
 |
Scottish Comments:
An excellent image of the bear making its way across the ice. The back lighting round the animal and the windswept snow add greatly to the atmosphere in the picture. It may be possible to bring out a bit more detail in the dark area of the bear by use of Photoshop. The conversion of the image to that of the “letterbox” format also concentrates the attention on the bear.
Canadian Comments:
Stunning image! Excellent exposure in difficult conditions. Frame the bear off direct center to add to motion and composition.
Photographer: Ian McAllister
Club: Victoria Camera Club
Scottish Points: 18
Canadian Points: 18
Total Points: 36 - Second Place
 |
Scottish Comments:
This is a picture that grew on me the more I looked at it. It seems to have an enigmatic quality about it that leaves a lingering memory of it in your mind. The interaction between the two figures and the exclusion and disinterest of the girl on the right makes for strong visual impact. The mono / colour treatment also gets rid of distractions and draws you to the characters in the picture.
Canadian Comments:
This is a truly dramatic, interesting, funny and real shot. If this was art directed, composed and cast with pro talent, it couldn’t have worked as well. I love it a lot.
Photographer: David Taylor
Club: Eastwood Photographic Society
Scottish Points: 20
Canadian Points: 19
Total Points: 39 - Tie for First Place
 |
Scottish Comments:
A superb “Action” shot capturing the moment. There are so many positive elements in this picture. We have the main focal point with the cowboy, his horse and the calf. The lovely curve of the lasso connecting two main areas and then the bonus of the various characters in the background, straining to see the action. The group inside the arena fills that area nicely. In my opinion this is a highly successfully image that could stand up well in international competition
Canadian Comments:
Brilliant shot! Perfectly timed and composed.
Photographer: Linda Baker
Club: Victoria Camera Club
Scottish Points: 19
Canadian Points: 20
Total Points: 39 - Tie for First Place
 |
Scottish Comments:
This is a top notch natural history image with the moment being caught to perfection. Lovely detail on the birds feathers which are set off against a good plain background with no distractions. The fact that the wings are slightly out of the frame does not trouble me at all. Well done to the author.
Canadian Comments:
Stunning! Spectacular! Excellent focus, exposure and composition. I wish you could have included the wing tips. (I’m being picky – it’s a great shot).
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