Toot Toot

Time for some trumpet blowing, I’m afraid.

Remember I put in some images for this years third Monthly competition at the Orkney Camera Club? I came home from our trip to the big island to find that the results had been published – and I was quite literally lost for words, which is why I suppose I am only now making the post.

It was not all plain sailing and the judge’s comments made for interesting/enlightening reading.

I did quite well in the Colour Digital Images

M3 1631 Tardis Landing
M3 1631 Tardis Landing

Tardis Landing, placed First. Judge’s comments: “Interesting uncertainty about how big the box is compared to its setting. Atmospheric, fun and interesting to analyse

My comments: previously I had not been clear about why this image “works” and other attempts with this 00-scale police box had not.  After reading the comments I analysed the image again and now understand that it is all about the point of view – lowering the camera below table height and angling the lens upward really helped. Zoom Burst used, lit with a penlight torach and Analog Efex textures and light added

M3  1631 So, a needle pulling thread
M3 1631 So, a needle pulling thread

So: placed Second. Judges Comments: “Nice idea. Well set up and taken. Too much space around it? But maybe that helps the impression that the needle is much bigger and stronger than it actually is.

My comments: my only regret with this one is that I lost patience and gave up before managing to achieve tension on all of the threads I also wish that I could have made it work without knotting, or been able to hide the knot.

M3 1631 Te, a drink with jam and bread
M3 1631 Te, a drink with jam and bread

Te, unplaced. Judge’s Comments: “Nicely set up and taken. A nice clean feel to it. Can’t see a link to the theme.

My comments: I’ll take those comments, thank you. (The theme connection was of course the same as for So – the song from The Sound of Music for memorising the tonic sol fa musical scale.)

In Black and White Digital Images, I did even better! How? weeelll..

M3  1631 Dual Scale
M3 1631 Dual Scale

Dual Scale, placed First. Judge’s Comments: “Very simple idea and works well. The inclusion of numbers and the idea of measurement take you towards the idea of scale, added to by the differential focus and extreme perspective.

My Comments: Almost too embarrassed to admit that this was a “scratch” entry from the archives!

M3 1631 Pod plays Double or Drop
M3 1631 Pod plays Double or Drop

Pod Plays Double or Drop, placed Second. Judge’s Comments: “Interesting idea and well executed. Idea of scale comes from a small figure doing a job too big for it and becoming overwhelmed by objects that are miniature versions of the real thing.”

My Comments: I’m fond of this one, just wish I’d had a sprout or two to hand to stand in as “cabbages” (look up Double or Drop – or Crackerjack if you fail to follow) The Judge’s comments seem a bit deep to me – my connection to “Playing with scale” was simply that I had been playing with my artist’s scale model.

M3 1631 1 to 76
M3 1631 1 to 76

1 to 76, placed Third. Judge’s Comments: “Deceptively simple. Model locomotive looks real at first glance then other parts of the image reveal it isn’t. Cropping is a bit puzzling?

My Comments: Obviously a 00 model, scaled at 1:76. Cropping forced by need to confine the image such that the track did not run out!

Well, that’s that for this year’s monthlies. What a way to finish!

Now I  have to make my selections for the Annual Comp. There is one class I can’t even think about entering, sadly.

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