The tools of trade are the star attraction for entries in this competition.
The Judge for this month’s competition was Andy Mitchell. The following are the top scoring photos and his comments
Projected Colour – Set Subject
The image shows a machine in use with the flames flaring from the grinding wheel. It also shows the rotation of the left hand wheel. The detail on the machine shows it is old, a little rusty and vintage. The Judge said he liked this photo.

The Judge liked the thought that has gone into creating this image. It works well as an abstract representation of tools. It has good focus so that you can see the hairs on each individual thread.

This photo grabs the attention with the obvioous motion in the wheel and the sparks.

Projected Colour – Open Category
Nice lighting painting in this photo. The sparks radiating from the central halo work well. The sparks fragmenting when they hit the ground adds interest.

A great capture of the paradlote in flight. It is sharp and the action is frozen. With the subdued background the bird is the hero of the image.

The bland background emphasises the bird which is the hero of this photo. The whole impact is contained in the blur, emphasising the motion.

Projected Monochrome – Open Category
The photo below has an abstract quality to it. The photographer has gone in close so that the background is excluded.

Good Action in a concert shot. The guitar players look like they are giving it their all. The lights add to a sense of chaos and action.

The author has done a very good job. The stars are on point, sharp, and there are streaks from passing satelites.

The chaotic pattern gives this photo a slightly abstract feel.

Print Colour – Set Subject
A well planned photo with nice colours.

Print Monochrome – Set Category
There is good contrast in this photo with the dark skin tones and bright clothes and with the net in between the photo works well.

Print Monochrome – Open Category
This is a good shot, the exposure on the birds is perfect. There is nice detail in the wings, and the image is sharp. There is a lot of detail in the capture. The photographer has really caught the action.

This photo works well compositionally with the use of the light beam. The double bass is parallel to the line and the musician’s legs are splayed so that converging lines focus attention.

An interesting portrait shot. The expression is engimatic and the viewer wonders what the subject is thinking about. The photo works well with the dark background and clothing, so the focus is on the subject’s face. Her dark eyes become an important feature of the photo.

A technically well taken shot, exposure and sharpness are good. It is well composed with nice, subtle shades of grey. The birds have a bit more contrast so the viewer focuses on them.

The photographer has caught the performer mid song. The lighting works, well highlighting the face of the musician and his instrument.

























































































































Birds and Animals – Competition 9th April 2026
Birds and animals will be the main feature for this competition. This subject is not reliant on the ‘Nature’ definition, so ‘the hand of man’ can be present.
The following are the comments from Judge Geraldine Hough.
In the Print Colour section Judy Sara’s ‘What did I Tell You?’ tells a lovely story, the left hand animal has his eyes closed and is not listening to the other. Geraldine said it is a beautiful image, well taken with good catchlights in the eyes.
In the Print Colour Open section, two images scored equally.
Michael Selge’s ‘Bruges” is a lovely photo showing very distinctive architect. Michael has captured beautiful reflections.
‘Wentworth Punt’ from Duart McLean has demonstrated a particular effect, almost like a water colour. It was well seen, with soft colours.
In the Print Monochrome Set category, ‘Just Fledged’ by Helen Whitford is a stunning image. The detail is in the mouth. The image is sharp from front to back, with beautifully clear wing feathers. The photo was taken from a great angle.
Also from Helen, ‘Where’s Mum’ is a lovely shot. It is clear that the bird is upset and is waiting for food. There is nice clear detail in both face and open mouth, you can even see inside his mouth. There is good detail in the eye with good catchlights.
The next category, Print Monochrome Open, had one top scorer. Michael Selge submitted ‘Columns and Lights’. The Judge could not see anything that could improve this image.
There were five top scorers in the Projected Colour Set category.
‘Hands off my Dinner’ by Susan Bell is a beautifully taken photo, with a lovely head and eye detail. The inclusion of the fish is nice.
‘I Remember’ by Michael Selge has captured a lovely expression in the Orangutan’s eyes. The detail aroud all the edges of the fur is very clear in spite of the blurred background. The animal has a half smile. It is a really nice portrait shot.
Paul Rix captured ‘Four Tawnies’. It is a very nicely taken shot. The angles of all the heads is very good with the closest bird looking up and each bird then having a slightly different angled head and all the tails in a row adds great interest to the photo.
‘Searching’ captured by Michael Selge is a lovely minimalist photo. The detail under the bird is very clear as well as the eye. It is a difficult shot.
Kerry Malec has presented ‘Pied Butcherbird’ as a triptych. It has a nice aspect with the birds all looking different ways.
Moving on to Projected Colour Open section, ‘Remarkable Rocks’ by Susan Bell was the only top scorer. Geraldine said that the light did Susan a great favour, giving dramatic shadows. The sky is also pretty and adds to the photo.
‘Sylvaine’ and ‘Grace’ were both the top scorers in the Projected Monochrome Open section, both by Michael Selge. Of Sylvaine, Geraldine said it was a well taken concert shot. The light on the face is beautiful as well as the detail on the guitar area. The face and expression is lovely. The Mic is needed in the shot as it is part of the story.
Grace has a nice expression. The Great detail in the clothes is interesting. The eyes are soulful and the photo has more impact in monochrome than it would have had in colour.
The final category, Projected Monochrome Set Subject had two good scorers.
‘Leopard’ by Judy Sara is a lovely shot, and so lucky for Judy to see it in it’s own environment. The leopard has lovely eyes and detail on the body.
This is a nice little Devil. Tasmanian Devils don’t have a very interesting colour, so it works well in monochrome. Background is a bit bright, but as the Devil is black he still has good definition. The Devil has beautiful expression on it’s face and good catchlights in the eyes.
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Posted by susanb1977 | 13/04/2026 | Categories: Blackwood Photography Club News | Tags: Competition comments, nature, Photography, Photography Clubs | Comments Off on Birds and Animals – Competition 9th April 2026