The ‘Birds of a Feather’ competition brought in a number of excellent entries. Birds could be wild, garden or pet birds.

Judge David Rowlands commended the images submitted, stating they were of a high quality.

He particularly appreciated the images that showed action or the behaviour of birds as shown in Meredith Retallack’s image “Spring Fling”, “Large Billed Tern” shot by Judy Sara and “War Wounds” by Michael Selge.

The quirky and cute birds shown in the images by Paul Hughes “Am I Ready” and “Bathtime” were also appreciated by the Judge.

The good use of backgrounds without distractions employed by Judy Sara in “Hornbill Courtship” and the good use of post processing in “Sparrow Hawk” by Judy Sara were attributes praised by the Judge.

David particularly commented on the advantages of being at eye level with the bird to capture the light and reflections in the eye and commended many images for achieving this, among them “Pelican Sleep Time” by Sue Bell.

Showing good dynamic detail “Plonk” by Michael Selge showed the landing speed leaving behind clear water droplets and water movement.

In the Open Category, Michael Selge scored top marks for 3 images, “The End”, which the Judge said was well executed, even though not a pleasant subject, the good use of leading lines led the viewer into the image. “Storm Summoner” with a good interpretation of the art work and “Darwin Sunset” which scored top marks.

Meredith Retallack and Steve Wallace elected to enter very different street scenes, both of which told a story. Mary’s “Playing into his Hand” is a contemporary street scene with the people in the street being happy, active and animated, while Steve’s “The Store, Dunlop Station” is a step back in time showing an historical building with an interesting old bike in front of it.

“Dawn on the Bank” by Mark Pedler and “F18 Shooting Flares” taken by Sue Bell were also commended by the Judge.

Of the critiques the Judge gave, he suggested removing distractions where possible including any smudges, dust spots and distracting light spots in backgrounds. He also suggested darkening or lightening backgrounds to better contrast with the image subject and cropping photos to make the subject the most prominent object in the image.

Susan Bell

SAPF Judge Annette Hollitt judged our Competition ‘Patterns and Texture’ on Thursday 30th March 2023, with a total of 88 images to view.

There were 14 Monochrome Prints, 8 in Set Subject and 7 in Open. Mark Pedlar scored a 10 in Set Subject for ‘Circles of my Mind’ and a 9 in Open for ‘Bottom of the World’

There were 14 Colour Prints, 8 in Set Subject and 6 in Open.

Michael Selge received a 9 for ‘Wet Bark’ and Sheila Gatehouse a 9 for ‘Weathered by Sea and Time’, in Set Subject.

Michael Selge also received a 9 for ‘Aurora’ and James Allan a 9 for ‘Backlit Brass’ in Open.

There were 44 Colour Projected Images: 36 in Set Subject and 6 in Open. 

Members who scored 9s in Set Subject were Kerry Malec with ‘Fern Frond’, Sheila Gatehouse with ‘Ducati Yellow, Michael Selge with ‘Sunflower’ and David Hancock with ‘Old Man Gum Tree’. Michael Selge also received a 9 in Open for ‘Flyover’.

There were 17 Monochrome Projected Images: 16 in Set Subject and 1 in Open. 9s were awarded to Meredith Retallack’s ‘An Impression’ and Michael Selge’s ‘Melbourne Library’, both in Set Subject

The average score for the evening was 7.57

Report by Ray & Julie Goulter

Our Annual Exhibition was held on Thursday November 17^th with a good turn-out of members to celebrate our achievements for the year.

The Best Architecture Award was won by Di Gage with Underneath the Arches. The WEA Landscape Award went to Dappled Light in Black Gap by Meredith Retallack and Frances Allan won the Best Creative Award with The Splash.

The awards were presented by Julie Goulter, the club’s president.
The full list of awards was as follows:

Projected Digital Images – Colour Division

1st Hutt St Photos Award – Michael Holmes – Portrait of Daisy

2nd – Kerry Malec – Horses Crossing Flooded River

3rd – Sam Savage – Squabbling Neighbours

Merit – Di Gage – Nest Building

Merit – Sheila Gatehouse – We’ll Park Where We Want To

Merit – Paul Hughes – Derby Jetty

Merit – Judy Sara – Fungi Garden

Annual Aggregate – Projected Digital Images – Colour

1^st Photographic Wholesalers Award – Judy Sara

2nd Heather Connolly

3rd Sheila Gatehouse

Projected Digital Images – Monochrome Division

Top Monochrome Print Trophy – Michael Seige – The Skater

2nd – Kerry Malec – River Crossing at Dusk

3rd – Heather Connolly – Geometric

Merit – Di Gage – Remarkable Rocks

Merit – Sheila Gatehouse – Cathedral of Lights

Merit – Kerry Malec – Natures Artwork

‘Merit – Meredith Retallack – Caught in the Act

Annual Aggregate – Projected Digital Images – Monochrome

1st Blackwood Times Award – Judy Sara

2nd – Sheila Gatehouse

3rd – Ray Goulter

Click HERE to see a video presentation of all the projected digital image entries.

Colour Print Division

1st – Meredith Retallack – Dappled Light in Black Gap

2nd – Di Gage – Busy Bee

3rd – Judy Sara – Brown Bear

Merit – Di Gage – Underneath the Arches

Merit – Steve Wallace – Lesser Crested Tern

Annual Aggregate – Prints – Colour

Blackwood Photographic Award – Judy Sara & Helen Whitford

3rd – Sheila Gatehouse

Monochrome Print Division

First – Judy Sara – Splash

2nd – Sheila Gatehouse – Hart’s Mill

3rd – Di Gage – Mortlock Library

Merit – Mark Pedlar – Pickin’ Em Up

Annual Aggregate – Prints – Monochrome

First – Judy Sara

2nd – Helen Whitford

3rd – Sheila Gatehouse

Despite having held our workshop on High Key Portraiture, this was our least favourite subject for the year, with only eight out of fifty-seven entries placed in the Set Subject.

In Prints we had Judy Sara’s Masquerade Elle, Helen Whitford’s Loving Couple, James Allan’s Mark and Sheila Gatehouse’s It’s all about Fashion and Strike a Pose.

In Digital Images we had just Sheila Gatehouse’s 61 Years of Love, Helen Whitford’s self portrait, Helen and Di Gage’s Mr P.

Judge, Roger Harrington, made constructive comments and suggestions but used a limited range of scores.
In Open Subject he was impressed by Judy Sara’s Yellow Fungi Garden, Inside the Old Boathouse, Jay Take Off and Yellow Gills, Di Gage’s Busy Bee and Mortlock Library 2, Stuart Mcleod’s Emu 16, Frances Allan’s Open Book, Sam Savage’s Elegant Bathers and Steve Wallace’s Brown Tree Creeper.

Click the links for all of the Top Digital Images and Top Prints for 2022.

This was our last regular competition for the year, with only the Annual Exhibition left to go!
It would be great to receive entries from everybody!

With a theme as broad as Light there was a wide range of subject matter within the set subject this month.

A few photos emerged from the Illuminate Festival which was the basis of our outing in July.
Judy Sara again did well with Lights on the Roof #1, Illuminate Burst, Festival Centre and The Washing, all taken at Illuminate.

Helen Whitford’s Beam me Up, Scotty, Sheila Gatehouse’s Lighting the Way and Steve Wallace’s Radiating Out were also taken at the event.

Beautiful sunlight peaking through clouds or backlighting the subject featured in Michael Selge’s Lit Clouds and Fading Light, Judy Sara’s Golden Light and Sunrise on the Windfarm, Ray Goulter’s Dawn – Elliston and Gordon Lindqvist’s Shearing Shed at Dawn.

The remaining top photos in the Set Subject were an eclectic mix – Ray Goulter’s Eggs, Sheila Gatehouse’s Swimming in a Sea of Blue Light and The Old Fluoro and Helen Whitford’s Across the Torrens, Mythical Moose and Northern Lights Mystique.

In Open, Jenny Pedlar’s Sundew and Fly Agaric impressed judge, Fred Bray, along with Heather Connolly’s Australia’s Favourite Tree, Gordon Lindqvist’s Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters, Judy Sara’s Galahs Landing, Black Winged Stilt and Dawson Pub and Helen Whitford’s Cockling on Goolwa Beach.

Click the links for all of the Top Prints and Top Digital Images for this and previous competitions.