Image of the Year Competition

It was time for the final NDPS club competition of the season, Image of the Year.

Members can enter one digital and one print image into the respective format rounds. Additionally, members can enter a second image into each category that has achieved a 9.5 or 10 score.

🚨 Blog warning! 🚨

This blog may contain heavy dollops of sour grapes, self entitlement, and indulgent bitching. You read on at your own risk.

Digital Round – My choices and judging

First choice

For the digital round, I chose ‘Snowy Peaks’ as my open entry – this had only been seen in a club presentation by the landscape group, but had some good feedback from fellow members.

If I were going to be critical, I’d say it’s main disadvantage is that it is a well-known and photographed location.

Judge’s Comments

The judge almost shrieked with an opening comment about this snowy scene being a ‘cold image’ on such a hot evening. Okaaaaayyyyy! Well sorry mate, I didn’t get the memo about seasonal restrictions!

They commented that it worked well in mono, that there were strong blacks and good contrast. There was some token mention of the trees in the image.

And that was it – it didn’t get shortlisted.

Second choice

For my second choice, I picked Glacial Lagoon Aurora which had scored 9.5in POTY.

I would say this should have a chance of shortlisting but I feel Iceland scenes are potentially becoming a turn off for judges.

Judge’s Comments

The judge said they liked the colours in the sky which had a rainbow look. They commented on some movement in the stars (if they had looked a bit closer, it’s one star moving and it’s called a “shooting star”). When I shot this image, I was especially careful not to get blurry stars.

They commented on the scene left to right but didn’t have much else to say.

This image did not get shortlisted.

Print Round – My choices and judging

First choice

For the print round, I decided to throw in Beached Whale as my open entry since it got top marks in POTY print round, this would’ve also been eligible as an extra choice.

I like the unique scene of this and it’s a pretty clean image. Perhaps lacks a full “Wow” factor.

Judge’s Comments

The judge glanced at this image, paused for a second or two then asked if this set of rocks was really there or made up. Did the author spend ages building it they pondered? (What a Billy Bollocks comment that was)!

The feedback went further South….!

The judge pushed the knife in deeper with a final comment that this wasn’t an interesting image!

Jeez, if there was a trapdoor with a chute underneath, I’m sure they would’ve pulled the lever and sent this print down to the furnace of flames below! Do you get the feeling the judge didn’t fancy this image at all?

Can you tell this image didn’t make the shortlist?

Second choice

For my second image, I chose ‘Early Morning on Cromer Pier’ which was a 10/10 in a POTY print round.

I would say this is a technically competent image and I really liked how it came out in printed form. It may have a disadvantage in that it’s a well-known and photographed scene therefore may struggle more for getting near to the prize.

Judge’s Comments

The judge said the sky had some detail in it which meant there must have been some light on that morning.

They said the image was about the light and they liked the starburst lights and the detail in the boards showing the damp decking.

They liked the symmetry of the shot, but they felt the sky should’ve been darker.

Guess what? This one didn’t get shortlisted.

Reflections

I’m not shocked none of my entries got anywhere, but I am disappointed that neither the Cromer Pier shot or the Aurora shot didn’t go to shortlisting.

Image of the Year has a different vibe and as always, down to the judge themselves.

For Snowy Peaks, clearly a snowy scene on a hot day set proceedings off on the wrong foot. I think the scene is so popular and it didn’t stand out.

For Glacial Lagoon Aurora, I think the composition is a little flat and square on but Iceland scenes can easily be perceived as trying to ride on decent images from that location, just grabbed in a wonderful place. I did feel this image was good enough to make the shortlist but there you go.

For Beached Whale, I am pretty irked by the dismissive comments doubting that the structure of the rocks exist like that at this location and stupidly suggesting that I somehow built it? Was the judge thinking I had used AI? This shape is made by rocks as they exist there as seen so I felt the comment was crass.

As for the judge saying this image wasn’t interesting. Well, it got a ten in POTY so stick that up your wahooney!

For Early Morning on Cromer Pier, I deliberately made sure the blacks weren’t ’blacked out’ to avoid criticism of whole blacks and no detail! I was concerned that I would be criticised for too much of the image being ‘black’!

I am aware this image has been done before but I felt its competence and quality of print may have snuck it into shortlisting.

Never mind, I’ve just sold a copy of this image from the recent exhibition so someone has liked it enough to hand over their money. Another ‘Stick it up your wahooney, that’ll learn ya’ moment’.

As I said at the start, I would be bitching and I have done so having got that off my chest and unloaded, thank you for reading and for your tolerance.

Am I a sore loser? Of course I damn well am!

Onwards and upwards…