PHOTOS: Sutherland snappers turn back the clock for ‘nostalgia’ theme in April photography competition
In their final monthly competition of the season, East Sutherland Camera Club’s members took a trip down memory lane, writes Andy Kirby, ESCC club secretary.
The title of the competition was “Nostalgia/Retro” – and like all competition themes it was open to interpretation.
Submissions ranged from recent photographs illustrating a subject harking back to the past, to post processing, creating the feel of an old image, and old black and white negatives that had been digitised and restored.
On this occasion it was members themselves who did the judging, selecting their top four images in each class – excluding their own images.
In the colour section Duncan Meechan, Milton, came first with Ye Olde Telephone Box.
It is clear what the subject is, but placing it off centre gave a well balanced composition which took the eye into the image to explore more.
The whole had a supressed atmosphere with dark tones implying a time gone by.
Second placed was Peter Wild, Dornoch, with Stamp Collecting.
For many, the faded page of stamps brought back childhood memories.
Closer inspection revealed that a lot of work had gone into the creation of the image.
Keeping the background and a magnified image in focus without distortion is near impossible.
Peter had achieved the impression by printing an enlarged version of the stamp and removing the glass form the magnifying glass.
Certainly, Ardgay resident Buster Crabb’s When Railways had Porters was firmly in the nostalgia arena.
The tight crop focussed the eye on the key elements of the story.
Zoe Gray, Portmahomack, came fourth with a simple but very effective composition, Deep in Thought.
The whole had a dreamy atmosphere and one could imagine the subject being in a nostalgic reverie.
She had used a postprocessing technique that kept the subject sharp but gave the background an impressionistic blur – the Adamski Effect.
Monochrome or black and white photography can be a nostalgic technique since for many photographers that was all they had when they took up photography.
Golspie members were on a winning streak with the top four monochrome images.
First place went to Alan Butcher with Takes me Back.
Taken in the Beamish Museum – a guarantee of retro authenticity – the composition was made all the more effective by the well placed inclusion of two old men with sticks and a slightly uncertain gait.
Martin Ross had given his second placed image of Brora Harbour a very effective post processing treatment with a textured overlay, sepia tint and faded corners.
Sue Jenkins came third with her Looking Back.
These sort of images which tell a story can be taken the hard way or the relatively easy way; Sue had chosen the hard and more skilful way!
She had combined at least three images in the camera.
This takes particular care to get things lined up the way you want them with each shot because if you don’t you have to start again.
The relatively easy way is to take separate photographs and combine them afterwards in the way you want in post processing software.
Alan Butcher’s fourth placed image Wish You Were Here was a recent photograph of Dunrobin Castle but had been masterfully processed to create the authentic feel of an early 20th Century postcard.
Members can look forward to the annual competition in May where the top four in each class of each of the six competitions goes forward to be judged by Matt Sillars from Inverness.
For more details about the club see eastsutherlandcc.org.uk and where the wining competition images can also be seen.
