No one was more surprised than Peter Robinson when he learned that he’s won all three categories of our first print competition of the season. Judge John Smith APAGB, CPAGB, Hon LCPU, told us several of the prints could have won and he had to nit-pick to choose a winner. 17 good quality prints competed in the ‘Colour General’ section and Peter’s ‘Wild Willy Barrett’ image of a violinist hit the high note. John liked the character’s expression and diagonal composition. Wallace Baxter’s perfectly timed ‘Not in the plan’ cricket photo scored 19, as did Keith Mulliner’s portrait of a Tudor Gentleman’ in Ford Green Hall. Wallace caught the stumps flying in his cricket photo and John told us it had caught the moment well. John thought Keith’s portrait was beautifully printed, but thought he should have concentrated on the subject and cropped off the fireplace. It was still awarded 19 marks. Two fine motor cycle photos scored 18. Head on shot, ‘Lucca Allen’ by Wallace Baxter and panned ‘Super Bike 11’ by Ray Hill captured the action superbly.
In the mono section, John Smith told us that a photo was growing on him as the competiton progressed. That photo was ‘Smiling Cher Tribute’ by Peter Robinson, which eventually won. Like Peter’s photo that won the colour section, it was taken at the Nantwich Civic Hall. John liked the low key image’s detail and dark background. It pipped Ray Hill’s excellent landscape of ‘Ashness Bridge’ which came second. John liked the way the textured stream led to the bridge which framed the picture. Wallace Baxter fine study of ‘John Stone’, a civil war re-enactor, was awarded 18. It was cultured portait with good eye contact and a diffused background. Keith Mulliner’s action photo of a canoeist entitled ‘No. 26 Talu Aysan concentrating’ scored 18. John liked the paddler’s expression and torrent of water.
Peter Robinson completed his hat-trick of wins in the Nature section with his photo of a ‘Forked Tongue Komodo Dragon’ taken at Chester Zoo. Keith Mulliner’s panned photo of a ‘Low Flying Female Kestrel’ was awarded 19. John liked the action and sharpness of the beautiful bird. Wallace Baxter scored 18 for his ‘Goldfinch with seed’. John thought it was well composed and had a diffused background. Kath Hill’s ‘Eagle Owl’ also scored a well deserved 18. It looks very proud sitting there posing for its photo!
Well done to all of the winners. All the results can be seen in our Results page.