Wainwright Photographic Competition 2004
As the 2003 competition got off to a good start and spurred on by the AGM in January, we felt we should repeat the event. The entries were fairly slow to arrive and by late October we began to wonder whether members had lost interest. We should, however, have not worried, as by the first of December we had received 58 entries! This is an increase of 50% over last year and the quality of entries seemed to be at a similar high level.
Derry Brabbs has seen all entries and has adjudicated as to who shall be the winners in the 2004 competition. His comments and the three images are as follows:
2003’s winner was also a winter picture but I had no hesitation in choosing this monochrome print of the Scafells. In true Wainwright style, I usually try to avoid including humans in my shots but, on this occasion, they work as a composition aid & also emphasise mankind’s frailty when set against the awesome power of nature.
In complete contrast to the winning picture, the runner up perfectly evokes summer days in the Lakes and a reminder that not all the best walking or photographic locations are above 2,000ft! I love the simple composition featuring the arched tree branch, but the picture is made by the use of backlighting.
Although I had not intended to create a seasonal palette with my selections, this autumnal print completes the trio. It has a strong, simple composition emphasised by the perfect use of light to highlight one fell side and the valley floor, with just a hint of sun on the extreme right to balance up the image.
The observant amongst you will have noticed the similarity in the surnames of first and second place. Derek & Judy Leak are married and Derry hopes that by making this selection he is not to be the cause of marital strife!
Derry had some general advice to entrants: I would liked to have commented on each individual submission but due to the constraints of time and large number of entries, am making a more general critique pertinent to most of the competition.
People took too many of the photographs whilst out walking in the middle of day under flat, hazy lighting conditions and those images consequently lacked impact. Autumn and winter shots look better because the sun is lower in the sky and the landscape has more natural colour (unless it is snowing) than in mid summer. If you want good summer pictures, set the alarm clock, get off out early and you will be back in time for breakfast!
Spend more time studying the viewfinder as too much extraneous foreground or other irrelevant debris spoilt too many entries. Decide upon the subject of your photograph and then frame it as tightly as possible by using either zoom lenses, or changing your own position until the different elements of the composition naturally slot into place.
Thanks to Derry for his selection and comments, to Eric for once more providing the prizes and to the participants for ‘strutting their stuff’ and for making it another great competition.