Photo Competition 2010

2010 Photographic Competition Results

As usual, the photographic competition was difficult to judge. Some very good images had to be put on one side in the selection process, so if you are not one of the winners, please don't be put off trying again.

Alan Stopher once again kindly agreed to be our lead judge, with assistance from Alwyn Ogborn and Bob Gough.

Alan writes:
"There was a good range of entries particularly in the Other Waterways category B. As always it was a challenge to select the images for commendation. Most fitted the requirements of the competition admirably but there were three in Category A which were taken on adjoining waterways and were therefore not considered for the Huddersield Narrow Canal section. One of the Other Waterways category pictured boats drawn up on a beach in a coastal harbour so we considered this did not fit the bill for a waterway view. Some entrants had evidently struggled to produce good quality prints on home equipment and we wondered whether they would have done better to have them commercially processed at one of the many shops. We do appreciate, however, some may prefer to make the prints all their own work.

The overall winner this year came from the 'Other waterways' category. There were a number of industrial and urban pictures to go with the popular boating and rural canal settings and it is clear that our entrants are well travelled. The judging panel particularly liked the composition of John Lower's picture of a canal boat and crew negotiating the reopened bridge at Sleaford. The onlookers concentrating on the waterway activity made for a satisfying composition and it was technically sound in all areas.

The winner of the Huddersfield Narrow category was John Brierley with a technically excellent image of the boat Chug at its Uppermill moorings in snow. Exposure and sharpness were perfect and the composition was assisted by the tree boughs and the bridge.

Still on the Huddersfield, the Category A runner up was an action picture of horse-boat Maria being pulled and steered into the Marsden portal. People were again a key element of the picture and the fact that the prominent ones were engaged in the process of manoeuvring the boat made for a pleasing image. The flat lighting probably helped the exposure in the often shadowy tunnel mouth without doing many favours for the sky.

Also commended in Category A was Paul White's sunset taken at Stalybridge. The colours were well saturated in the sky and in the reflections in the water. A well chosen viewpoint with the tree balancing the church tower made for a successful composition.

The Category B winner was a busy shot of boats and their crews held up at Apperley Bridge by Leeds & Liverpool water shortage. The picture could have been taken almost anywhere but the key to the success of this picture was the lively engagement of the boaters against a typical waterways backdrop.

The runner up, was a wide angle view of boats assembled at Salthouse Dock at Liverpool Waterfront. The perspective of the moored boats gave a dynamic feel to the picture and the wide open space of the dock and the framing wheel to the right hand edge gave a sense of place.

Commended in Category B was the atmospheric Frost and Fog at Braunston. The author has managed to capture what it feels like as crews prepare for a day's cruising in winter.

Well done to the winners and runners-up and thanks to all for entering. Thank you also to Alwyn Ogborn and Bob Gough for ably assisting in choosing the successful prints. We enjoyed looking at your work."