Potters Bar and District Photographic Society has announced the winners of its 2023 competitions.
Split into two classes across two categories, the winners of the year-long, five-round, cumulative competitions were revealed as:
- Projected Images, General Class: Richard Litherland
- Projected Images, Advanced Class: Fiona Adamson
- Printed Images, General Class: David Fordham
- Printed Images, Advanced Class: Graham Coldrick.
In addition, each class has a 'Best Picture' award.
This separate competition is chosen from those images that gained 19 or 20, out of a possible 20, during the five heats and are selected by external judges.
2023’s winning Best Pictures were:
Projected Image, Advanced Class: Cliff Threadgold with 'Locked Up'
Winner Cliff Threadgold said: “It was taken on one of my trips to Kathmandu. I was walking a back alley with my daughter when we stopped to talk and photograph a family.
"On turning around I noticed we had gained a lot of attention from the boys in the building. My immediate feeling was that of sadness and they wanted to be outside with us.
"To help reflect this I decided to present the image in monochrome where bright colour gets stripped out and the greys emphasise the sadness.
"As a black and white picture it also has more of a timeless feel to it.”
Projected Image, General Class: Cheryl Bullock with 'Tiny Teacup'
Cheryl said: “My macro [close-up] lens has quickly become my favourite and I really like getting detail in my photos using it.
"I am quite creative and like trying to put that into my photography.
"The tiny teacup is a doll's house miniature which measures just 7mm in diameter and I was trying to create something a bit different with this idea.”
Printed Image, General Class: David Fordham with 'Eyes on You'
“This picture of a leopard was taken at the Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent last year," said winner David Fordham.
The Big Cat Sanctuary is the sister site of Hertfordshire zoo Paradise Wildlife Park.
David said: "The Cat Sanctuary is a great place to get close to the animals, although as a photographer, you still need to deal with poor lighting conditions, unpredictable actions of the animals and shooting through wire cages.
"This was one of several pictures taken, but in this one I have managed to get the eyes and whiskers nice and sharp."
He added: “I am absolutely delighted to have won best print, in the 'General Class' of Print of the Year competition.
There were some fantastic photographs entered by fellow members, so it really made my day to have one of my pictures picked by the judge as the winner.
"I would encourage anyone who is interested in Photography, to join a local photographic club. It has really helped me improve my photography and meet people who have a similar interest."
Printed Image, Advanced Class: Graham Coldrick with 'Soft Lights at Reykjavik Church'
Graham said: “Most people who travel to Iceland are drawn by the spectacular landscape and if they do photograph in the capital, they photograph the outside of Reykjavik Church, which is an unusual shape.
"On this occasion when I looked up from inside the church the natural lighting was such that it lit up all the nooks and crannies and gave an overall suffused warm glow.”
The Society meets at Wyllyotts Centre, Darkes Lane , Potters Bar, on most Mondays from 7.45pm. It welcomes any potential members who wish to develop their photography, whatever equipment they use.
More information can be found by attending a meeting, at pottersbarphotosoc.org.uk or on Facebook.
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