We had fewer images than usual but a small, enthusiastic audience enjoyed those that were on show with our judge, Susie Lipert, providing thoughtful comments.
The Set Subject, Product Photography, may have been a little daunting for some members – perhaps part of the reason for the low number of entries – and in fact the most common criticism from the judge was the lack of contextual detail in the images to help “sell” the product.

The most “advert-like” images were probably Judy Sara’s Bluetooth Earphones and Helen Whitford’s DeLonghi….for Living.  Meredith Retallack’s Bake your Own made quite a strong Product image though it could have benefitted from contextual elements.

Judy Sara_Bluetooth Earphones

Helen Whitford_DeLongi… for Living

Meredith Retallack_Bake your Own

Although perhaps not seen as a strong Product image Susie was intrigued and impressed by Vicki Kramer’s The Handbag – an interesting and quirky composition.

Vicki Kramer_The Handbag

The Open section entries were quite varied in subject matter but it was a couple of nature shots which most impressed Susie.

Helen Whitford_Preening Chest Feathers

David Hancock_Please Give Generously

All of the images from this competition appear below and the Top Images from all of the 2020 competitions can be found here.

David Hancock_Reduced to Sell

Vicki Kramer_Fascinating Fascinator

Helen Whitford_Beautifully Used

Judy Sara_Bluetooth Earphones

Vicki Kramer_Tin Scooter

Duart McLean_Staple Diet

Meredith Retallack_Bake your Own

Helen Whitford_DeLongi… for Living

Vicki Kramer_The Handbag

Meredith Retallack_A Really Sweet Pea

Helen Whitford_Preening Chest Feathers

David Hancock_Gotcha!

Gordon Lindqvist_Making a Declaration

Duart McLean_Cutting at Height

Judy Sara_Last Light

Duart McLean_Focused Grazing

Gordon Lindqvist_Rodeo

Meredith Retallack_Caught by a Thread

David Hancock_Please Give Generously

Vicki Kramer_Shoes for Sale

Vicki Kramer_Poppies

Vicki Kramer_Glass Vase

Judy Sara_Into the Bin

Duart McLean_Its Raining

Judy Sara_Old Machinery

Meredith Retallack_Concentration

Judy Sara_Sand and Scrub

We have one regular competition remaining, “Character Study” October 22nd, before our Annual Exhibition competition which will be judged off-site on November 7th.

Like everything else the Annual will be different this year with a digital-only competition.  Members will be able to enter up to 6 Colour images and 6 Monochrome images.  Within these 12 images members can nominate any number to be in contention for the WEA Australian Landscape, Portrait or Nature trophies.  Colour, Monochrome, Nature and Portrait winners will receive a one-off individual award while the WEA Australian Landscape trophy is a perpetual shield.  The other perpetual competition shields will not be awarded for 2020 as those competitions were cancelled.
So start preparinging your entries and take a chance on bringing home one of these unique COVID year awards!

Details of the competition and Entry Forms will be emailed to all members soon.

A competition with a difference!  As our scheduled judge was reluctant to meet online we took the opportunity to try community judging on Thursday night.  James and Duart found a way to make it work and although only a dozen members joined in it was an interesting and empowering exercise for all.

Entry numbers were down but interestingly monochrome images were up, particularly in the Open section.  All of the entries were available for  preview on our members’ Facebook forum and indeed are still available fpr view and comment.

James Allan’s Southern Cross in Action was acclaimed as the image which best captured the power of the wind with real impact and Judy Sara’s The Old and the New made the biggest impression in Monochrome Set Subject.  There were quite a few windmill shots!

James Allan_Southern Cross in Action

Judy Sara_The Old and the New

In Open, Helen Whitford’s Feather and David Hancock’s Happy Wash appealed to the majority of member judges.

Helen Whitford_Feather

David Hancock_Happy Wash

It was an interesting experience having everyone participate in picking the best images and listening to the reasons why certain images held appeal for different people.  It was generally agreed that the results were probably similar to what they would have been with a single, experienced judge.

Here are all of the images.

David Hancock_HMAS Kite

Duart Mclean_ Waiting for Wind

Helen Whitford_ Windy Spot

James Allan_Dynamism of a flag

Judy Sara_Felucca

Paul Hughes_Summer Sails

Ray Goulter_Yachts

Helen Whitford_Under the Milky Way

James Allan_Southern Cross in Action

David Hancock_What a Drag

Paul Hughes_We have Lift-off

Di Gage_Abandoned

Helen Whitford_Feather

Sheila Gatehouse_Hazy Lakeside Days

Di Gage_Martindale Hall

David Hancock_Fisher Mates

Judy Sara _ Banksia

James Allan_In the Mangroves

Di Gage_Keeping Watch

Duart McLean_White Wonder

Ray Goulter_Old Signs

Duart McLean_Looking at You

Judy Sara_Jellyfish

Judy Sara_The Old and the New

Paul Hughes_Burnham Overy Windmill, Norfolk

Helen Whitford_Fully Rigged

Duart McLean_Silent Sentinals

David Hancock_Happy Wash

James Allan_Port Hughes

Judy Sara_Beacon

RayGoulter_Steps to Nowhere

Sheila Gatehouse_The Shed Time Forgot

Di Gage_ Grapevine Cottage

Helen Whitford_Sing like Nobody’s Listening

Judy Sara_Last Rays of Light

Ray Goulter_Heysen Revisited

Paul Hughes_Black and White Portrait

Di Gage_ Feathering the Nest

David Hancock_Whenever

Sheila Gatehouse_The Earth’s Lungs

James Allan_Sit in the Corner Chair

Di Gage_Misty Morning

James Allan_Shop to Let

The Top Images can be found here and members can visit our Facebook Forum to see what others had to say and to add your own comments.

No, not the TV Show (although I did consider taking a photo of my galah watching the show on the TV.)  The Set Subject was quite well subscribed, providing more than half of the entries.

There was a variety of interpretations including a couple of obscure  entries from James Allan and Helen Whitford.  (When collating the images I googled Ascii 1 to check that it was what I thought it was!)  Our judge, Robert Dettman, was impressed with both the creativity and technical skill in Splash of Lemon.  I knew I was taking a risk with an image about numbers which actually showed no numbers!

James Allan_Ascii I

James Allan_Splash of Lemon

Helen Whitford_7.55 They’re in your Head!

Sheila Gatehouse impressed with Welcoming and Heart of the Festival State.

Sheila Gatehouse_Welcoming

Sheila Gatehouse_Heart of the Festival State

Although our numbers were down a little, both in terms of images and participants in the meeting, it was a great night.  Robert gave thoughtful comments on every image and we thank him for his efforts!

Below are all of the entries and the Top images can be found here.

David Hancock_As Time Goes By

Duart McLean_ Waiting for Mail

Howard Seaman_Happiness

James Allan_Splash of Lemon

Libby Moore_Its Coming

Meredith Retallack-Water gives life

Paul Hughes_Before the Euro

Sheila Gatehouse_Heart of the Festival State

Vicki Kramer_A is for Artierial Line

James Allan_x is for Exit

David Hancock_Is That So?

Vicki Kramer_Bistro C

Paul Hughes_Quite a Mouthful

Vicki Kramer_Wine Barrell

Sheila Gatehouse_Welcoming

David Hancock_Reduced to Sell

Judy Sara_Monopoly

Howard Seaman_Autumn Colours

Paul Hughes_Newly Emerged Monarchs on Milkweed

Helen Whitford_Pearls

Duart McLean_Hills Sunrise

James Allan_Rain is Expected

Meredith Retallack-The Bee’s Knees

Libby Moore_All Blown Up

Helen Whitford_Stretching my Gular

Libby Moore_Raindrops

Sheila Gatehouse_A Place to Dry Out

Duart Mclean_Twin Pelicans

Helen Whitford_Bonney Light

Howard Seaman_Summertime Blues

Judy Sara_In the Forest

Judy Sara_Rapid Bay

Paul Hughes_HMS Victory

Vicki Kramer_No Pooping

Sheila Gatehouse_It’s an Order

James Allan_Ascii I

Duart McLean_Numberplate

Vicki Kramer_Bar Hum Bug

Helen Whitford_7.55 They’re in your Head!

Libby Moore_Games we Play

Vicki Kramer_Japanese Text

Judy Sara_5

Sheila Gatehouse_A Place of Contemplation

James Allan_State Bank of SA Kadina

David Hancock_Building Lines

Meredith Retallack-Face to the Front

David Hancock_Lovers at Play

James Allan_Sun on the Water

David Hancock_My Boat

Judy Sara_Tenji Block

Judy Sara_The Bird and the Sculpture