The highlight of the month at the camera club is usually when a POTY (Photography of the Year) round is judged. For me, the most valuable aspect of these evenings is the briliiant feedback and critique that the judge gives – there is no better way to learn what makes a good photo.
With the exception of the wheat field, which I actually thought was a pretty nice photo, I wasn’t expecting any of these to score particular highly. The Light Before the Storm was one of those quick snaps after a sudden change in the light – the sun was low in the sky and the clouds growing heavier. I had just recently learned about manual exposure from Steve Hedges, and was just trying to practice what I had learned – I guess those experts really do know their stuff!
The Spoonbill winning was as much of a surprise as the tree in Epping really. I think a lot of success in photography comes down to what people like on the night.
Right, to the photos. I’ll put them in order of score, ails on the images in captions …
Image of the Nights – 20/20
Top Scoring Photos – 20/20
If you want to learn what makes a good photo, there’s no need to study photography an university or to read countless boos, just join a camera club, and within a year you will see around 500 photos examined by eagle eyed judges. It really is the best way to learn – says the guy who never got a qualification … Actually, I did get something from City and London college about 30 years ago … a certifacate in dark room photography, I think…