Winning monochrome images have been shared by Potters Bar & District Photographic Society following a recent competition.
Throughout the year, the Society holds a five-heat cumulative competition interspersed with three standalone contests.
One of the latter is The Oakmere Cup for monochrome prints, mostly black and white images. The cup is named for when the Society used to meet at Oakmere House, before it became a restaurant.
The Society’s president, Helen Frost, said: “When you take the colour out of a photograph, you concentrate more on shapes, contrast, shadows and other aspects of composition.
"Black and white photography may be seen 'old fashioned', but it really is a challenge to get right.”
The external judge for the competition was Ben Pike from Caldecote, who made the principal awards as follows:
- 1st place (and cup holder for the next year): 'Lonely' by Bob Scarlett.
- 2nd place: 'Museum Colonnade' by Fiona Adamson.
- 3rd place: 'Departing' also by Fiona Adamson.
About the winning pictures
'LONELY' by Bob Scarlett
Bob said: “This was taken La Grande Arche, La Defense, Paris last November and my attention was caught by this single person sitting on the long flight of steps at the base of this enormous building surrounded by birds.
"He just looked very isolated and lonely.”
'Museum Colonnades' and 'Departing' by Fiona Adamson
Fiona said: “Both of these images were taken on a visit to Berlin.
"DEPARTING was taken at the Jewish Museum where all the walls are not straight and the floors not flat. While walking around you sense that something is not quite right, balance wise.
"In this photograph I have tried to emphasise this feeling by taking the photograph at a more acute angle.
"MUSEUM COLONNADE, BERLIN, was taken on Museum Island very early in the morning to try and get separation between figures walking through there — no mean feat as it was half term!"
Ben also awarded a range of Highly Commended and Commended honours.
HIGHLY COMMENDED
'THROUGH THE MIST' by Sue Scarlett
Sue said: “This pictures was taken on an early morning walk near Northaw."
COMMENDED
THE WALKWAY by Helen Frost
“This was a montage. Originally in colour I put it together, flipped it for the reflection and made it black and white. The reflection was then slightly blurred as it would be in water.
"The walkers and benches were taken in Crete, the walkway cropped from a Cumbrian print. So pretty international! I wanted to keep it simple so decided to leave the sky clear of cloud.”
THE VASE by Helen Frost
“On exhibition at a big art museum in Tokyo. I tried a number of photos trying to decide how many people I wanted in the shot and hoping they would stand in the right place!
"The vase looks very delicate from a distance but in fact was a tough metal. This is pretty well as it was with the room lighting already making it a monochrome photo.”
WILLOW by Lesley Alsford
“This image was taken of a willow tree close to home in Enfield town park. I used a long exposure to capture some movement in the leaves and grasses. I processed it to give a ‘high-key’ effect.“
JUST LOOKING by Bob Scarlett
“This was taken at the Pompidou Centre, Paris. I was intrigued by the person looking at the pictures, one of which was also 'looking’.”
FLOATING LOG by Richard Litherland
“Taken [appropriately] at Oakmere Park in Potters Bar last spring after the winter storms had brought a lot of branches down.
"The log with its branches upright was floating on the still surface and formed an interesting composition with the reflections of the nearby tree tops.
"The image was manipulated using a Lunapic engraving effect filter which gave it a Japanese feel.”
'ANGUISH (after Henry Moore)' by Richard Litherland
“Taken last summer at the Henry Moore sculpture gardens in Perry Green.
"The image was manipulated using a Lunapic artistic smoke filter which dramatically brought out what was seen as a cry of anguish in a blackened desolate sky.”
Potters Bar and District Photographic Society is happy to welcome new members — whether they shoot colour or black and white — to its meetings on Monday evenings at The Wyllyotts Centre, Darkes Lane, Potters Bar, starting at 7.45pm.
Further information can be found at pottersbarphotosoc.org.uk or on Facebook. Prospective members can visit free, up to three times, to see if membership is for them.
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