The judging of the first Open Competition of the season was the subject for this weeks meeting of the IOM Photographic Society, comprising nearly 60 digital images and more than 30 prints, These were being judged in both Monochrome and Colour sections, split between our usual Intermediate and Advanced groups a total therefore of eight separate sections. Andrew Barton, well known local photographer and a frequent visitor and long-term friend of the Society was our judge. Uniquely, it was also the first time the Society had experimented with the judging done remotely via Zoom, Andrew having all the entries at home and his commentary and marking being done via the internet. It proved an intriguing evening, our audio via loudspeakers perhaps needing some refinement but the images and marking very clear and a possible precedent should we need to isolate again in the future.
Digital images were judged first, with the Intermediate Monochrome section being won by Martin Sanderson with an image of a gull and heron apparently looking to occupy the same space on a shed roof, the moment well caught but with close competition from Philip Watterson. The Colour section provided the stand-out digital image of the evening, a sunset reflected in a cottage window very well seen, presented by Janet Henry and winning Andrews favour as the Best Image In Competition, but with images from Moira Blyth and Lara Howe very close behind. The Advanced Monochrome showed the strength and depth of competition in the Society, with Sue Blythe and Barry Murphy vying for top spot, with Steve Johnstone and Ian Pilbeam in pursuit. However, Sue just took the honours with an image of a young woman crossing the road between two trams, the reflections and speed of the trams very evident in an aptly titled Dangerous Crossing. The Colour section reversed the placings, Barry Murphy just in front with a lovely shot of a bird on a wire, one wing extended in an image titled That Way, but with Sue Blythe and Steve Johnstone just missing out.
Having won the Intermediate Monochrome digital section, Martin Sanderson proved his monochrome skills by taking the award in the Intermediate print section with an image of the three lighthouses visible from the Calf of Man, the perspective nicely controlled. In the Colour section, Geoff Atkinsons image of two lighthouses at the end of a pier, the distance between them foreshortened with use of a telephoto lens and again nicely printed proved the winner. Steve Johnstone will have enjoyed the Advanced Colour prints section, both his entries scoring maximum marks a pin sharp macro image of a hoverfly on a leaf winning the section but with Chris Blyth, Nigel Owen and Sue Blythe all with images just a mark below. In the final section, the Advanced Colour, three images from Sue Blythe, Steve Johnstone and Chris Blyth all scored highly but Chriss image of a rainbow captured in a droplet at the end of a pencil took the award, possibly because of it being a technically difficult shot and one with an impact for being different.
Our next meeting is on Wednesday 25th November when Dennis Wood from the Western Society will be judging an assignment competition for both prints and digital images, the set subject being Still Life. The meeting, being sponsored by Iforium whose support is gratefully acknowledged, will be held the St John Ambulance HQ on Glencrutchery Road, with the new start-time of 7:00 pm. Full details of our programme may be found on our Facebook page or on our website www.iomps.com Our meetings are open to the public (non-members with a modest entry fee), and all will be given a very warm welcome.
By Chris Blyth
CAPTIONS:
IMAGE 01: 'RAINBOW DROPLET' by Chris Blyth
IMAGE 02: 'EARY CUSHLIN WINDOW' by Janet Henry
