Double first for Golspie photographer in camea club still life competition
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The title of East Sutherland Camera Club’s March competition was ‘Still Life/Table Top’, writes club secretary Andy Kirby.
This is one of those types or genres of photography where the photographer has complete control over everything. In particular they have complete control over the subject matter, composition, background and lighting.
This month’s judge was Fin Macrae, a photographer and graphic designer based in Tain. As you would expect from his professional background, he gave an incisive and very helpful critique.
Martin Ross from Golspie had a double first. In the colour section he chose a dying allium flower head in a vase against a black background. He gave this subtle side lighting, picking out the side of the vase and the stem but focusing the viewer’s attention on the flower head.
In the monochrome section he scored maximum points with his Memories of a Summer Rose. Again the composition and lighting were excellent and Fin praised the emotional story told by the empty vase with the shadow of the rose behind.
Emma Deeth, Tain, also had a good night in both the colour and monochrome sections. In colour, her Love Sweets came second. A well composed and colourful image that made the most of selective focusing.
In the monochrome section she came second and third. Second place went to Make Up, a very graphic image that makes excellent use of diagonals in the composition and contrasting blacks and whites. Third place went to Every Picture Tells a Story. It did precisely that with her grandfather’s camera from the 1950s and an array of family prints which could well have come from that camera.
In the colour section four images tied for third place. Zoe Gray from Portmahomack, celebrated coffee time with a traditional composition of coffee, grapes and a partially eaten custard cream with an effective scattering of crumbs. Andy Kirby, Dornoch, went down the Old Master route with his composition and lighting of Fruits. Jayne Gutteridge from Golspie chose just the right lighting and sharp focus with a graduated background for Nature’s Lacework. Peter Wild, Dornoch, used effective low key lighting with his compositionally balanced Tea for Two.
For more details about the club see www.eastsutherlandcc.org.uk and where the wining competition images can be seen.
Winning images:
Colour
1 Study of an Allium by Martin Ross.
2 Love Sweets by Emma Deeth
3 (equal) Coffee Time by Zoe Gray; Fruits by Andy Kirby; Nature’s Lacework by Jayne Gutteridge; Tea for Two by Peter Wild
Monochrome
1 Memories of a Summer Rose by Martin Ross
2 Make Up by Emma Deeth
3 Every Picture Tells a Story by Emma Deeth
