Thursday 23rd March

Last night’s Print Panel Competition  with judge Richard Walton must rate as one of the very best evenings of this season’s excellent programme.  Richard, who holds FRPS, EFIAP and APAGB distinctions, is a most entertaining, appreciative and positive judge.  It’s always a good start when a visitor  is so complimentary about the Club, and there was plenty of audience interaction throughout the evening. Richard obviously enjoys his judging and is particularly enthusiastic about panel presentations – frequently suggesting changes in the order that made more of the images.  He has a quick eye for technical details, gave sound advice and has a warm and humorous style that meant the evening was great fun as well as informative.

We gave him a bit of a challenge though, with an excellent range of creative and high quality panels.  And though they weren’t eventually placed, special mention should go to Steven Tattersall who presented  three images of the Witterings that were perhaps more a triptych  than a panel (nice try Stephen!), Sue Watts lovely, minimalist series of a stone (ball?) falling into water, and Sarah Nichol’s bright flower details, surface mounted on black board. Lynne Owen’s panel of Barbie gave Richard plenty to think about as well!

In the end, Richard selected Peter Rocchiccioli’s lovely series Portraits of Rajasthan  in first place; Ann McDonald’s gentle fishermen in the mist in second; Metal Reflections by Mike Davison in third and Jeff Owen’s panel from his McDougall’s Garage  series in fourth.  Congratulations to all the winners.  It was really encouraging to see such a high standard of carefully thought out panels.  Richard will be with us again next year for the panel competition – we’ll have to raise the bar higher again for him.

Peter with his winning Portraits of Rajasthan and judge, Richard Walton