Guilty Secrets – Competition 1st August 2024

01 August COMPETITION: ‘Guilty Pleasures’

An image depicting pure indulgence.

The Judge for ‘Guilty Secrets competition was Chris Carter. Chris has been a photographer for over 3 decades and is a keen traveller and 4 wheel driver.

Overall Chris stressed that if there is a lot of white in the background or a completely white background, the photographer could consider darkening the corner slightly to concentrate the eye more on the subject.

In the Projected Colour Set subject the following images all scored the same points.

Hot Chocolate, Tart and Poetry’ was nicely set up

The Judge said ‘Rosey L’Orange’ was well taken.

‘Fireside Stout’ was a cosy image.

‘I’m having all of it’ was well captured with nice colour.

Of Jenny Pedlar’s ‘Incognito’ the Judge said he would have liked to see the child’s eyes but really liked the blue on her tongue.

In the Set Subject Mono category ‘Doing it Tough’ by David Hancock scored the highest mark. The Judge said it portrayed pure indulgence.

In the Projected Colour Open section of the competition Gail Iskov’s ‘Red Hill Hotel’ and Michael Selge’s ‘Foot Food’ both scored well.

Of ‘Red Hill Hotel’ Chris said it had nice lighting in the sky and he liked the horizon through the centre of the image, the red clay in the front and the subtle colours.

Of ‘Foot Food’ Chris said it was nicely cropped with beautiful colours and it is good that the bird is engaged in an activity.

Closely following the above two images were Gordon Lindqvist’s ‘Do you like my teeth? and his ‘Cobbald Gorge’ and Meredith Retallack’s ‘Penneshaw Vista’.

Chris said Gordon’s ”Do you Like my Teeth?’ was well posed and nice and sharp and Meredith’s had good lighting with nice shades of green and brown and the sky has been cropped down well. Gordon’s Cobbald Gorge shows a beautiful area, with lovely reflected light on the cliff.

The next category shown was the Projected Mono Open Category. Three images scored well in this category. First was Michael Selge’s ‘In the Light’. The Judge liked the viewpoint and the lights at the back with the musician showing on the left and the microphone coming in from the right balancing the image well.

Second was Judy Sara’s ‘Brown Falcon’, of which Judge Chris said the bird was nicely lit and stands out well from the background.

Third ‘Stink Bug’ by Judy Sara was a sharp image.

There were three images with high scores in the Colour Prints Open category.

One was Michael Selge’s ‘Emerging Sunflower’. Chris said it worked well with the third flower helping the composition. He also said it was well lit.

Judy Sara’s ‘Dusky Robin Eating’ scored highly. The Judge said the image was nicely caught with a beautiful background. He said the mossy pole suits the image and it is nicely composed.

Also by Judy Sara, ‘Bush Turkey’ was well lit, the rim light highlighting the fine feathers in the neck and head and the image had good colour.

Four images scored well in the Mono Prints Open category. Judy Sara scored the highest marks in this category. Her ‘Cloaca Machine’ worked very well, the scientist is well lit and with good composition. It works well with the black background as it makes the scientist jump out and the equipment is also well lit.

‘Tex’ by Michael Selge scored well in this category. The Judge said it was well caught, full of energy and concentration. The lighting which was difficult, was well done.

Judge Chris said Paul Hughes ‘Closed’ worked well with plenty of detail. He said the lit wire stretching to the house really helps the composition.

Judy Sara’s ‘White Morph’ has a nice setting and is nicely lit.