Results for JUNE'S BLACK & WHITE and open IMAGES

We would like to thank our judge, Lynn Clayton APSNZ AFIAP, for taking up her valuable time to do our judging for Black & White and Open images this June. Here are her comments and congratulations to all our Honour winners

C GRADE OPEN PROJECTED

I usually try and encourage the C graders and then toughen up through the grades! So I hope I haven't given too many Honours out!

TEA WITH GRANDMA
by Helen Howlett

 

This is a wonderful image, in this grade especially. The soft lighting is well controlled generally; the evasive thoughtful expression is excellent. Yes there is a patch of light on her head which an A grader may subdue, but overall an HONOURS

 

 

AWAY FROM IT ALL
by Verna Mason

 

These photos are difficult to take and difficult to judge! You saw something special but it hasn't quite made the WOW image! Maybe it isn't sharp? Had it been crisp and sharp i'd have been much happier. Maybe there is just too much on the left side? ACCEPTED

 

 

 

BROOK
by Phill McLeish

 

 

The secret I think is to have very black blacks and white whites so the tonal range falls in between. There is no true black in here. Try this on the PC and see it it jumps off the page more. Good composition, it is the exposures that let it down. HIGHLY COMMENDED

 

 

 

 

CAMBRIDGE CLASSIC
by Helen Howlett

 

Here the photographer has created something special with an unusual point of view, an elevated angle! Photographers to succeed must add their own personality to an image and this is a great method of achieving this. I think the processing is almost overdone but it suits the clouds somewhat. The angle of the car is strong, you have lost a tad of detail in the bonnet but hey I'm happy. HONOURS

 

 

 

CAVE OUT
by Phill McLeish

A very difficult image to get all of it exposed correctly. You have done pretty well, and I like the fact I can see some detail in the cave wall. Sadly the big bright sky area is uninteresting and burnt out. HIGHLY COMMENDED

 

 

 

 

 

DE CAY
by Verna Mason

This should have been an honours! Sadly it isn't as it isn't actually sharp. Did you use a tripod? I suspect not. This needed to be crisp and leaping off the page! I'm very sad. There is almost enough space on the right side of the stalk but a tad more would have helped! MERIT

 

 

TWILIGHT VIGIL
by Phill McLeish

Well seen....and you have good blacks in here. I like the little dip on the horizon too. The trees start to bunch up a bit on the left..... Perhaps a small crop there? If you use photoshop try adding more drama to those clouds to bring them up too. HIGHLY COMMENDED

 

 

WHAT A SHOT
by Helen Howlett

I love the animation of the two players and the bored looking referee.... wonderful! Good tightly cropped photo, well exposed. Next try experiment with a shallow depth of field to soften the background......HONOURS

 

B GRADE OPEN PROJECTED

CONNOR
by Janet Dore-Wright

This is a good study of this young lad. Nicely subdued background, good expression, and good light in the eyes. You have used a tad too much flash... try to avoid flash altogether with people. The patterned shirt detracts from his face a little, advice people to wear plain clothes but it is not always possible. This would make a great black and white portrait! HIGHLY COMMENDED

RUSTING AWAY
by Sarah MacMillan

This is a great study of an old vehicle; perhaps a slightly lower point of view would have helped and removed more of the trees in the background. The colours are harmonious and that always helps. Maybe moving to the left and including some of the side would have made this stronger.
HIGHLY COMMENDED

 

 

 

TRUCK
by Alyson Threadgold

This has a lovely tonal range and complimentary colours. A perfect sky for the subject. I'd have liked to see more contrast with this to add some drama to the lighting. Very good viewpoint. I'm pleased you left a snippet of their environment in this... Adds to the setting. HONOURS

 

 

MOKAU SAND
by Dan MacMillan

There is a commonly used position called Tourist position....boring! Try and find a unique angle to show you have taken control of the scene....make it your image. There are some bright white patches and a small blue one that distract, clone them out! The composition is not exciting, that long tree goes right across the image....try using it as a diagonal leading into the photo. ACCEPTED

B GRADE PROJECTED BLACK AND WHITE

 

DANDELION
by Katie Jones

This is very sharp and beautifully done...however I'd like to have seen some modular or mood lighting. This is quite static. These seed heads lend themselves to light and joy de vivre.... to me this is an excellent record shot. MERIT

 

 

 

 

 

LOUIE
by Katie Jones

If this were my dog I'd probably be delighted with this image. Technically extremely well done. Judges are annoying.....they always want more!! I'd love the dog to have been looking at the photographer....showing some reaction to you!! However I will give you an HONOURS in this grade

 

 

 

TUNNEL
by Katie Jones

This is very symmetrical! And not much is happening...a big black hole which is what tunnels are I guess. To do well at club you have to work some magic... Find a spider hanging down, or kids running....any thing at all. ACCEPTED

 

 

 

 

 

MISSED THE TRAIN
by Janet Dore-Wright

A good title.... the upper right hand is very bland and white so this causes some problems to the viewer. Again this is taken from the tourist position........bend the knees and get down lower and change the angle to make the viewer stop and take a second look. Good black and whites in this. MERIT

 

 

 

LOVE
by Janet Dore-Wright

A good way to create foreground interest although hardly original.This is a lovely record perhaps from a romantic beach walk, however it isn't a WOW! Photo. It has several layers, four in fact, like a club sandwich and I only ordered a single filling! Well there is a lot in here! The horizon is about to curve... well almost! MERIT

 

 

 

 

50
by Sarah MacMillan

Well you have made an image from nothing virtually.... Good thinking! Good black and whites, I find the four objects compete with each other despite a good use of depth of field...three works better 99% of the time. HIGHLY COMMENDED

 

 

 

CRISS CROSS
by Sarah MacMillan

An extremely complex and busy image but it works well and retains my interest. One of the few times when a white border really works, it contains the image and links up with the criss cross effect. Reflections, shadows - very competent work. HONOURS

 

 

 

 

ODETTE
by Prue Hogan

A beautiful girl and you have captured some emotion with this study. Had you dragged across the shadows in Picasa or darkened the blacks this would have added real drama and punch to this. Please do this and re-enter it in another Salon where it will do better I hope. The white background is a problem...And white blotches on the right......ask someone to help you fill in the background....MERIT

 

 

RWANDEN
by Prue Hogan

This photo has the same problem with no real blacks. Add the power - add the black! Again a few white patches behind that would be better darkened. Her eyes are not looking at you. Try and engage the subject so they look directly at the camera for this sort of portrait...some portraits suit the eyes off camera but not this one! I don't mind the sun patch on the nose but always try and avoid. HIGHLY COMMENDED

 

 

 

 

WEB DANCER
by Prue Hogan

I cannot see anything dancing.......I expected a spider really! Again there are no blacks. I am starting to wonder about my computer! But this photo also has very gray tones and when I drag across the shadows they come alive! Remember black and white Photography is about black and white colour! ACCEPTED

 

 

FADED FLEET
by Dan MacMillan

I really like the subject and the second boat creates huge interest, one boat can be static. I like the small gap between the boats..Phew!! well placed on the third. Sadly the lighting is very even and flat.... Too overcast perhaps, it works for your clouds. To make this an award winner you could paint the light and add some variety to the hull of this boat. (Having said that I'm not that good at it either) but this is what it needs. Accentuate the shadows. However in this grade HONOURS

 

FISHING AT SILVER LAKE
by Dan MacMillon

A very creative work here. I like the composition, the man on the third. For some reason I am finding there is too much white - two thirds at least of this image is white, it doesn't matter actually in most photos, except in this I don't find the main subject exciting enough to stay riveted there and I keep looking for something else. But it is well done. HIGHLY COMMENDED

 

 

A GRADE OPEN PROJECTED

LAKE WAKITIPU
by Steve Thomas

By the time one reaches A Grade I understand you should know a great deal about lighting and composition etc. The image falls down with lighting - perhaps increase the contrast? I love the composition but in this grade I really want some WOW factor with the time of day and something exciting happening. MERIT

A GRADE BLACK AND WHITE PROJECTED

HIGH FLYER
by Steve Thomas

A good capture with a stunning background. I',m sure it looked amazing in colour. The kite is a little central but if that were me I'd be delighted with the photo. For competition it needs more dramatic lighting. HIGHLY COMMENDED

 

 

THEY WILL BE HOME SOON
by Steve Thomas

This has caught the emotion, well done. The little glimpse of the window sets the scene well. The angle of view is different and the photographer has really thought about the best way to shoot this. Good light in the eye and subdued lighting. HONOURS

 

 

 

 

PETE'S FENCE
by Kerry Williams

Someone is using Nik Silver Effects, and the treatment suits the image well. I find the Exit sign a little distracting. Ones eye always wants to read words but really the photographer wanted us to look at the character. Avoid light patches such as the top left corner too.
HIGHLY COMMENDED

PORT NICHOLSON
by Cliff Threadgold

I love the mood you have created here. It suits the subject well. I doubt anything is in focus but it doesn't matter. Careful placement of the light on the third works well. My only reservation is the slight pixilation or discolouration in the background areas - maybe you over did the treatment a little? HIGHLY COMMENDED

Well that is the end of the digital - 7 HONOURS - maybe too generous but they are the best work here for sure! I think the lower grades have their sights firmly on being in A grade and the A grade workers have some stiff competition coming through... You had better lift your game at the top level
I feel privileged to look and comment on your work...I know you won't all agree with me but I hope my comments either raise debate or assist you to create more exciting photos in the future!

C GRADE BLACK AND WHITE PRINTS

(Sorry about the quality of the reproduction of the following images as this is how they were presented to me. The file sizes had been reduced so much they have pixilated and as I don't have the originals I can't do much with them......Cheers Tina)

OLD AUSTEN
by Alanna Gracie

In C grade this is perfectly acceptable....it is a good record of this car. Sharp and it's all there for our enjoyment. As your photography progresses try and give the viewer more.... Anyone with a camera could have got this result, you as a photographer need to give us more...or less but you need to add your own message. You could use a shallow depth of field f2.8 or so and blur that dominating fence out of the equation... you could have got down on your knees and eyeballed the grill...... So next time try something different. MERIT

 

STAIRS TO UNKNOWN
by Alanna Gracie

With black and white photography try an ensure you have true blacks and whites in your image. This lacks a real black. I like the angle you chose - that is good, but is it really an interesting subject? Your title suggest not! Less is best, eliminate the third side of this and try again....ACCEPTED

 

 

 

SAM
by Alanna Gracie

You have done pretty well here; the circles of light5 in the background are distracting...... i'd have liked to see the chest hair sharper than it is.....it is a large area and being out of focus is quite distracting. His nose is definitely sharp and then it tapers off. MERIT

 

 

THE LIGHT IS RIGHT
by Peter Wimmers

I could argue with your title really...is the light right? I am not convinced! The bright part of the torso has no detail whatsoever........ the fingers are disjointed from the body and detract........... I'd have removed them totally. I think C grade this is a great effort however. But the title challenged me immediately. Very good blacks and whites though. HIGHLY COMMENDED

 

 

B GRADE BLACK AND WHITE PRINTS

FEATHER
by Alyson Threadgold

As an exercise in depth of field this works well..........good selection creating the soft blurred background. The feather is on the third, you have learnt your lessons well. However does the subject compel me or grab my attention........ only fleetingly. It is just too simple I think and lacks interest or WOW factor.
HIGHLY COMMENDED

 

SAND PATTERN
by Alyson Threadgold

I like your selection of sepia tones.... This is almost wonderful but just misses somehow.......a tough call I know! Two items are difficult as the eye jumps between them, the right hand side area runs out of the picture which is most annoying to my eye. Yes there is a tiny third object but it is too small to count! This could easily have been an Honours had you included the surround of water to the sand on the right. HIGHLY COMMENDED

 

 

 

FIRST BORN
by Karen McLeish

With a title like that I expected a little baby! Anyway this is a cute portrait of two people. The eyes are powerful although the entire image is a tad soft. The composition does work, could it have been stronger if you had offset the father more to the left? I think there are better compositions but as I said it does work. HIGHLY COMMENDED

 

 

BACK IN 5 MINUTES
by Eric Hill

This is so well presented, the matt suits the subject! I personally love old garages architecture etc..... I wish the blacks were really black in this! This has a softness to it but I am enjoying that, the clouds are fabulous. In B grade I'll give this an HONOURS

 

NO CUSTOMERS
by Eric Hill

A wonderful part of the world and this will give you great memories. I like the negative space on the right. I just wish you could have isolated the boats from the seats, climbed up on to something to get an elevated view! The print quality is very good; I'd have also cloned out the top of that pole so it didn't lead out of the photo! MERIT

B GRADE OPEN PRINTS

LAST FISH OF THE DAY
by Eric Hill

I wonder how many of you read the article in the last D Photo about presenting you work for competitions. It is interesting how in art galleries around the world you rarely see black mattes anymore..... I suggest you follow this trend too. Black tends to kill the image.... Anyway the image itself is a good use of the panoramic viewpoint. The fisherman is plonked in the middle; if only he had wandered to the right 20 steps! The horizon is also in the middle... all rules that can be broken and very successfully but in this image I feel that your composition lets you down..... I told you judges are hard to please!! MERIT

A GRADE BLACK AND WHITE PRINTS

S'NO MAIL
by Mike Huntley

This is A grade so I am expecting a big leap up in the standard... I expect the photographers input to show and this falls down a little, it seems to me to be a very good record shot.......shot from eye level or what I call the tourist position. The print quality is great, but the composition falls short. Did you think to get down low and isolate this from the background? Maybe you wanted the gatehouse behind but for me it is confusing. ACCEPTED

MIRRORED
by Cliff Threadgold

This is a most unusual angle and I commend you for trying something different. The lower third does not hold my interest really... so I feel there is too much in this, a good crop would have earned you extra points for me! Perhaps crop it just below that car wheel! The sky is fantastic.... , the tonal range is good. HIGHLY COMMENDED

 

 

 

WAIPIRO BAY
by Cliff Threadgold

This is a beautifully printed work, great tonal range, sharp, good paper choice etc. The clouds suit this well and the composition works too. It doesn't have the WOW factor of some scenery, but you have done a fine job here. HONOURS

 

 

MASTER CARVER
by Kerry Williams

I have seen this before I am pretty sure - or a similar shot. This is an extremely difficult shot to create, it records the carving and the carver and the surroundings....Pretty difficult to capture all this in one image..... You have succeeded. Initially I thought it too busy and wanted less but this is photo documentary and as such works well. I think you will struggle in pure photography terms to win awards but in its genre it is excellent. The tonal range is very good. We have to remember that we take photos for a variety of reasons, not just for camera club, this image will outlast many that get Honours and Gold medals because of the content.... I doubt it will do outstandingly in Natex..... I hope I am wrong! HONOURS

BARN
by Davide Pini

This photograph perhaps could have had a little more contrast to make the blacks pop! I like the foggy trees in the background, very subtle. I feel the tight cropping is a tad too close.... but obviously you don't. And judges don't know everything! MERIT

 

 

 

JANE
by Davide Pini

An interesting portrait. Interesting because Jane is looking out of the picture..... and she is off centre, which I like but I'd have preferred her eyes to be looking perhaps to the right! its is more of a glamour shot than a portrait one might say! and that is not a criticism. Good light in her eyes, sharp, does the wall need to be out of focus? Maybe not I like the contrast.... so many ways one can shoot a portrait.....and they all can work very well. This is a very good effort.
HIGHLY COMMENDED

A GRADE OPEN PRINTS

THE DRUMMER
by Mike Huntley

As I said earlier try and avoid black mattes, they take away from the image! I love the fact you have some blur in here, however I feel the entire image is a tad soft. I'd like his toes and the foreground drum to have been sharp! I guess too I'd have liked less hair on his face although I like the fact he is disheveled.... At this level I think sharpness is something you should be controlling. ACCEPTED

 

 

 

MT RUAPEHU
by Davide Pini

A Picture Postcard....nature does wonderful things. But what has the photographer added? I suspect he or she stopped the car and wound down the window - maybe...??!! I want you to get out, bend the knees and search for some foreground - something to lead us into the mountain..... Preferably a couple of clouds in the sky too, but they are sometime hard to fine! ACCEPTED

So that my friends (if I have any left) are my thoughts. I hope that they help you next time you are out with your cameras.... Two main things, add your own personality to the image. Make it yours and secondly avoid the tourist position, we all use it far too often! bend those knees and or look for elevated viewpoints. All the best and thank you for your time.

Cheers
Lynn Clayton