2024 Season Competitions

Competitions are an integral part of all camera clubs, Competitions are an integral part of all camera clubs, encouraging new and old members outside of their comfort zones to interpret and produce a unique image. Whether shot on film or digital, printed or projected, the external judge provides a balanced critique that encourages all members with improving their particular photographic journey.

Club Competitions 2024/25:

Competition 1 - Title: Home & Garden
Judge: Ruth Hayton

This competition is straight forward enough. We are looking for photographs taken in, or of, a home and garden. It DOESN’T have to be YOUR home or garden. You may be visiting a heritage site like Brodie Castle and gardens, it might be a family, neighbour, or friends place*. If your images depict a homely or garden feeling they will fit right in.

Be warned though! Avoid those record shots. Make your entries stand out by thinking about composition and lighting; what time of day is best to reflect the mood or atmosphere you wish to portray. Are you avoiding cluttered backgrounds, so your subject stands out, or are you taking a sweeping panorama of hedgerows and flower beds with lots of depth of field? Maybe getting in close for a macro shot will be your focus.

This competition has a very broad scope so don’t be lazy and too ordinary in your approach, there is a significant difference between a nice picture and one that has instant appeal whilst telling a story.

* Please seek the owner’s permission first, we don’t want you arrested for poking a lens through a hole in your neighbour’s fence!

Cheers

Ready, Steady, Bake

Toasting the Sunset

Garden Planet

Serious Pruning

Competition 1 - Title: Open
Judge: Ruth Hayton

The Saddle and Forcan Ridge, Glen Shiel

Gimme yer purse

Tom McNamara - Ireland's oldest busker

Heart of Glass

Competition 2 - Title: Death and Decay
Judge: Malcolm Lind

Well this is a cheery topic!

Whether you wish to photograph a rundown or abandoned building, rotting vegetation or a predatorial animal as it captures its prey, then this challenging topic will stretch your imagination. Maybe you’ll try your hand at portraying the feeling of loss and sadness in a dramatically lit graveyard or by using your postproduction skills to show death and or decay in a surreal context. You might consider a walk around town at Halloween; capturing a ghost on camera would impress but be aware if it’s not up to scratch, judges (and zombies) bite back!

Whatever you choose to do make sure that it fits the topic and stands out, you don’t want to decay your trophy chances by getting a rotten score now do you!

Dying Reeds Loch Lomond

A Grave Mistake

Hair Frost on Rotting Twig

Echo of a Sad Ending

Fading Glory

Crisp 'n' Dry Petals

Might need a new Seat Cover

Life & Death

Gladys from New York

Nature Reclaiming

Remember...

Competition 2 - Title: Open
Judge: Malcolm Lind

Noble Oak

Poppy

The Brightest Clouds are just before the Dawn

Have you got a Bag?

Competition 3 - Title: After Sunset, before Sunrise
Judge: Neil McGoldrick

Any image that is taken after the sun has set and before the sun rises again fits this competition brief, but don’t worry this competition is for everyone not just vampires.

Don’t just think ‘night photography’, think twilight and the blue hour; think activities, people and places that come alive when others are thinking of heading to bed. Nocturnal animals are also around, urban foxes foraging in bins, pine martens and badgers on their woodland prowl. You might need a few late nights if you are to interpret and present your subject in a unique way; so stock up on the caffeine and start clicking!

Nelson's Tower on Cluney Hill

Bandstand Under the Stars

Moon River

Annie at Sunset

Seeking Shelter

Starry Night Over Sisters Volcano

Light of Humanity

Brilliant Christmas Eve Sky

Chasing the Light

Competition 3 - Title: Open
Judge: Neil McGoldrick

Dancing in the Night Sky

Melting into Nature

Leave the Leaf

Loch Creran Abstract Reflection

Competition 4 - Title: Title: Shadows & Reflections
Judge: Anthony Winfield

This topic is going to get you looking at things in a different way. Making the shadow or reflection in your images the main focal point is going to be key in meeting this challenge.

Will you use tone and contrast to show a strong and bold shadow, or will you take a more subtle approach with a reflection? Whatever you decide, make sure you’re not overshadowed on judging night or you might need to reflect on where you went wrong.