Aim of this blog post
Norwich and District Photographic Society (NDPS) season is finished and I wanted to reflect on how I fared within the competitions.
Competition format
This year, there was a change to the programme from previous years:
- Critique evenings replacing some POTY rounds (meaning overall 12 images to submit rather than 16)
- Pixoroo now the platform for submitting images and observing scores / progress
- All rounds are themed with both submitted images having to conform to the theme
Digital league
Round 1 – urban rhythms
I started the digital league with decent enough scores with Portal Beneath The Towers scoring 18 and Colourful Commute scoring 17.
I expected more from the latter image as I’d put a lot of effort in with the crop and editing. The judge seemed far to (ridiculously) obsessed that the man in the frame wasn’t on the third. I feel I was underscored on that image.
Round 2 – Nature’s Abstraction
I had a very strong round with both my images held back.
Sunflower Field Reimagined got a highly commended rating with 19 and Where Force Becomes Form came third with top score of 20.
Round 3 – Monochrome Round
A repeat of the last round with all bar one point from maximum scores, and both images held back.
Skullptured By Nature got 19 with the stem of the leaf going out of frame losing a point but I got highlight commended.
Meandering Channel got 20 and won the overall round.
Outcome
With 113 points overall, I won the club’s digital league fending off 44 other members.
Print league
Round 1 – Timeless Beauty
My images Pier Into The Light and Dew-Kissed Bloom At Dawn were almost night and day in terms of scoring, with scores of 16 and 19 respectively.
I was very disappointed with the Pier score and regretted not submitting a Peak District shot which would’ve been more impactful, but I’d convinced myself it wouldn’t fit the theme.
The dew-kissed bloom shot was a missed opportunity and I think due to me deciding to print it so small as a print.
Round 2 – Light and Shadow
I was pleased with Shadows on the Beach Hut getting an 18 but disappointed that Early Morning On The Pier only got 17.
The judge took umbridge with the alleged blown out light from the lantern, and said I should’ve bracketed the shot.
Round 3 – The Local Story
A Sky Big Enough For Quiet Thoughts got 16 – this image was too simplistic and judge bait, and the judge was liking images where the title that told him where the photo was taken (oops)!
My Happisburgh print disappointed me a lot with 16. The judge just didn’t get the story and had very little to say which led me to believe he was very bored by it on instant viewing.
Outcome
I ended up with a total of 103 points and 8th place in this league amongst 24 other members with the winner getting 113 points.
Overall Reflections
Overall, in both digital and league competitions, I came third with 216 points overall, just behind the runner-up on 217 points, and four points behind the winner on 220 points.
Missed opportunity
One thought is that I could’ve (and maybe should’ve) won this entire competition. Four points short is close, and clearly my prints let me down.
Glass half full
Winning the digital league outright puts to bed my disappointment of not winning my digital league competition in previous season.
I won the digital league and came third overall which is a huge achievement. I’ve demonstrated significant improvement in my photography and proven that I can compete at the top end of the club competitors.
My sunflower and dew-kissed bloom prints did receive highly commended ratings by a judge in our annual exhibition, and worth noting the latter was printed much larger.
Glass half empty
My printed work clearly didn’t hit the dizzy heights of the scores for the digital images.
It could be that the images weren’t as good.
I had some trouble this year changing my mounting materials which did have some impact as one judge thought I had stuck two thick mount boards together.
I wonder if my paper choices were always right. I took the usual care but one or two rounds I rushed due to lack of time.
My Happisburgh local story scene would’ve worked better on a baryta paper but I went with a cotton texture print which made the image look like a watercolour painting.
To be fair, this is that discussion point other members and I have a lot. What we like personally, and what a judge likes. This image is currently on my wall at home and has been there for months so he can stick it up his wahooney!
Final thoughts
There’s nothing really to complain about?
Well… there always is something but let’s leave it there.
I’m proud of my achievements this year and it will be interesting to see what I can do for the new club competition season ahead.
Onwards and upwards…