Judges – Jenny, Louise and Micaela. Scribe – Margaret H.
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- 1. NZ Robin – Intermediate – This image imparts a sort of arrogance in this little bird with its head cocked to the side and in its natural habitat. The shallow depth of field does a great job of allowing us to see the bird and its feathers.. The bird is well framed, the eye is sharp, and there is great detail in the feathers. There are some a very bright area at the bottom of the image in the middle and just near the bird’s feet that attract our attention away from the bird. The image would be stronger if you toned down these bright areas. A square crop helps the robin stand out more from the busy background. Merit
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- 2. Weka Close Up – Intermediate – I love the way the bird fills the whole frame, with darker speckled feathers giving a halo around the face. This image is almost confronting. I wonder how close you were to the bird. This is an interesting angle being straight on. Eyes are sharp and appear to be interested in the photographer and you have the bird is quite central in the frame. A slightly different crop, perhaps removing some of the top left would create a more pleasing visual flow. Honours
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- 3.Life Changing – Salon – Here we have an image with a message that life is about to change. Well spotted butterfly in chrysalis. The water droplets give the image some character and add interest The subject, the pupa is almost dead centre in the frame. While this makes it dominant there is a lot of the image that does not add to the concept. However the focus is on the leaf holding the chrysalis, which is sharp, but the chrysalis and water drops are out of focus and details blurred shame. Accepted
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- 4.Uninterested – Salon – Great pose for the main subject and he is nicely off-centre but balanced by the right hand rock. The placement in the frame works well. The rock directly behind the animal has caught the light. As it’s not a natural history competition the photographer could tone this down in post processing. Interesting lines created by the way the flippers and tail overlap and the way he is framed by the rocks, with soft focus on the water bringing the eye back to the subject. Highly Commended
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- 5. In Full Bloom – Salon – Here we have a close-up image of a common flower showing lovely vibrant colours of nature. The image has been captured in bright sunlight and its a pretty flower but taken straight on and with direct sunlight there’s not a lot else to see. However there is too much darker at the bottom it could do with a bit of a crop and there was a query – is the image sharp? Accepted
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- 6. Beachcomber – Salon – This image engages you in ideas of light and dark, mystery and reflections both literal and metaphorical. The subject appears to be in a world of his/her own. This is a lovely place to be and a great use of negative space to draw the attention to the person on the beach. The waves in the bottom centre of the image are a little distracting and small crop from top and bottom keeps the image balanced, while enlarging the view through to the beach. However there is too much pure black next time have a try using HDR enhancement. Merit
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- 7Tongaporutu Beach Salon – Great use of wide angle format, the soft focus throughout has meant the highlights have been well managed. The person in the tide draws the viewer’s attention and gives a sense of scale to the image. But the composition of the image is heavily weighted to the right. A different angle down the coast would have provided a more pleasing composition. Cropping the ocean from the left side of the image gives a stronger image that keeps the misty ethereal look of the ocean and the grand scale of the landscape. The colours are quite flat due to dull lighting. In the future it would be a good idea to wait for more dramatic lighting and increase the mid tone. The use of the “lighting” sliders or HDR enhancement would add further impact to the image. Accepted
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- 8 Agrotslpsilon Month – Salon – This image is impressive in that we can see the whole wingspan of this moth. It’s almost like a something we would see in a natural history museum. I understand that it would be unsettling for a farmer to see it. The moth is centrally placed which does draw our attention, but this placement does not add to the aesthetic of the image it is essentially a study image and shows us the details of something that we probably would never see otherwise. The histogram shows us that the lighting is skewed to the left leaving us with some detail difficult to make out and the bottom left corner is distracting, and the image would be enhanced if this were removed .Merit
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- 9. Extremely Pretty -Novice – There is great use of the stream in the name of this image, the use of leading lines with the stream drawing the eye into the image and to the small island on the top third. The image would be stronger with different lighting. Perhaps try when the sun is lower in the sky. The content is all framed nicely. However it does look a tad over sharpened and is the horizon sloping a wee bit? –The photographer is right – it’s an extremely pretty place and well taken. Highly commended
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- 10. Buried Uner The Old Oak Tree – Novice – There’s a quiet solemnity to this image—a towering tree standing guard beside a weathered gravestone. It is nicely focused. The greens and brown leaves balancing nicely under the tree help to give context to this being a large oak when we cannot see it all. The gravestone is well focused and readable if the viewer chooses to zoom. It feels like a moment paused in time, where nature and memory intertwine. The fallen leaves at the base almost seem like offerings, gently cradling the space in peaceful. The composition is quite central the image would be improved with a different crop perhaps off the right down the edge of the tree. Another idea for next time would be to get lower and leave out the sky. Highly Commended
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- 11.Angry Seagull – Intermediate – Well captured shot of this lovely seagull with mouth wide open. It feels like its mid performance. The clear background brings the viewers focus directly to the gull which is nicely focused throughout. There is a definite connection between the viewer and the gull. The dark background looks ominous and allows for the white gull to stand out. The low angle adds to the impact of the image. The white areas are well managed and the photographer has captured an everyday occurrence and turned it into a piece of art. You have earned a well deserved Honours.
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- 12. Morning The Bridge – Intermediate – There is a lot happening in this image of a busy morning on the loop. There are enough complementary connections in the image that mean having the bridge across the centre does not detract or dissect the view. Captures the early morning feel with long shadows and mum out for a brisk walk with baby in pram. However the image is quite dark and the brown post doesn’t help, plus the blown-out area on the blue ball. This image while commonplace has captured elements of Whangarei that we all love. Merit
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- 13.Smoking – Salon – There’s something a little gritty and introspective about this image and perhaps a quiet rebellion too. It feels raw and real, like a fleeting snapshot of someone deep in their own head, suspended in a pause that might be restful, defiant, or just necessary. It tells a story, the subject sitting in the sun, captured from other side of grille smoking his cigarette. However there is a very bright spot on the left which is annoying, a crop off the side would have eliminated it without taking anything away from the photo. Highly Commended
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- 14.Speed Golf Get In A Hole – Salon – It’s a great story – the image leaves you wondering if the ball made it into the hole. Can feel his passion! I really do wonder if the ball stopped just on the edge. This image may be a little victory, but it feels big. This would be a good PJ shot. Highly Commended
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- 15. Speedgolf Teed Off –Salon – This is a great environmental portrait image, the movement of the club and the sense of anticipation. The subject’s intense gaze makes you want to look as well. Composition has been managed well. The colours are flat but realistic. The photographer has created a tension that we can almost feel. A great PJ shot. You have been awarded very worthy Honours!
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- 16. Takahe Love – Intermediate – Lovely image its sharp and the Takahe look as though they are really enjoying themselves. There’s such brilliant colours in these lovely birds, showing a sense of harmony and peace. The background layers delicatel,y but still defines foreground, middle-ground and background. A well deserved Honours
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- 17. Rangitoto Beach- Salon – You have a lovely shot of an iconic kiwi batch, made more interesting with the explorers heading towards it. Looks like it is straight out of a story book Realistic, natural colours with a great story – the bright red door in the middle of the wilderness adds a pop of colour. This image imparts the sense of calm that you get when you’re far from noise, breathing in the fresh air and letting time go slow. A well deserved Honours
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- 18.The Tannery – Salon – There’s something captivating about watching a centuries-old craft still alive in such vivid detail and it shows us real people going about their work. This is an almost monotone image with enough pops of colour to keep the viewer interest. Love the perspective and the colours and how the people in the image help to give it scale. Border patrol – some distracting parts of people and hats along the bottom and a partially cropped person on the left could have been removed. There is a slight man slightly cropped in half on the left edge and a head showing at the bottom of the image. The image would be stronger with a slight crop off the left edge and the bottom. Highly Commended
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- 19. Misty Falls – Salon – Great angle in the sunlit light through the mist. This waterfall is the hero of the scene, the trees on the right add a sense of realism to the scene however there are some light spots on the bottom edge that are distracting. The image would be stronger without these. The image is quite flat which makes it moody but a little more contrast could add more drama. It feels like the image needs to be rotated slightly to the right to straighten up the base of the falls. Accepted
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- 20The Bush Walk – Salon – This triptych image is familiar to us who live in Whangarei. The beauty and diversity of nature impacts us every day. The leading lines on the central image lead us through the frame. The upright aspects on either side function as bookmarks holding our eyes in the frame. The images combine to form an overview of the bushwalk. The images on both the left and the right are not sharp were they need to be. The image on the left has been taken in harsh light and as such draws our eyes. The aim of a triptych is to achieve a “whole is greater than the sum of its parts” effect, where the combined images create a more profound meaning or impact than they would individually. I’m not sure that this has been achieved here. The photographer has shown us a familiar and yet thoughtful story and is to be commended for trying something different. Accepted
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- 21. At The Opening – Salon – This photograph evokes a quiet intensity— there is an aspect that is both contemplative and subtly disquieting about the images in “The Opening.” The image is quite dark further adding to the feeling of impending doom. There are two slightly distracting elements to this image. On the left-hand side, the frame of the artwork is not quite straight. Also, the bottom right-hand corner with the brighter floor attracts our attention. Cropping the first wall photo from the image would help strengthen the focus on the person. Altogether, the mood created is introspective, haunting, and a little mysterious. Makes you wonder about the story of the pots and the crime they are related to. Merit
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- 22.Our Indoor Plants – Salon – This is an Interesting ICM image of plants. Colours are good. However the image has no obvious focal point. Our eyes roam around the image with no place to settle except for the bright blown out area in the top left-hand corner. It’s common in ICM images for them to have very bright areas. The image would be stronger if this area were cropped out or toned down in post processing. There is no hero in the story. The pot on the left draws the focus, and the top left corner is over exposed. Sorry not Accepted
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- 23.North Island Robin – Intermediate – Great details and colours in the robin, the background blur makes this busy little bird pop and there is enough detail in the front to allow the little guy to perch comfortably in the frame. A well deserved Honours
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- 24.Elephant Rock – Intermediate – Great shot of this rock, clearly showing the beautiful colours textures and layers in the rock that tell the story of its history. Even though the light is behind the “elephant rock” the photographer has managed to capture detail and texture of the rocks. The crop feels a little tight and a slightly wider format would give the image space to breathe. Highly Commended
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- 25. Autumn Leaves –Salon – Not judged as the print presented was the same image, which was judged.
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- 26.Waro – Intermediate – This image creates a multi-dimensional reaction. There is a lot here to take in. This image could be either a composite image or a multi-exposure image. The image is very busy and would be enhanced with a more obvious focal point. The lightest part of the image is the top and bottom attracting our eyes away from rest of image. There are some very dark areas with no detail. Adjusting the “light” sliders in post processing would enhance the image. The bank of trees is very dark and takes up too much of the image. The image itself is not in a good focus. The Lightening of the trees in particular and the whole image would make a difference. Merit
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- 27.Rock Stack – Intermediate – Lovely image you have here of the bright blue water and the rocks it is nice and sharp. While the layered rock formations standing firm by the ocean’s edge suggest stability and endurance, the blue sea impart a feeling of freedom. The image is very central, and the image had been taken straight on. A different crop or angle could create a more dramatic image. The lighting is very harsh so there is little detail in the dark areas of the rocks. One idea to improve the image would be to brighten the shadow areas. However, in the future, capturing this type of image in softer lighting could greatly enhance the image. Highly Commended
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- 28. Ones Trash Is Anothers Treasure –Novice – We just loved this image and the detail of the casing is clear, especially likeing how it is encased in a spiders web, delicately holding it in place. While we can see the context, the image shows us a lot of out of focus area that does not add to the story. A crop off both the right and the left – but still placing the subject off centre would greatly improve this image. This would be a really good image for a nature competition with a tighter portrait crop. Highly Commended
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- 29. The Last Guardian – Novice – Mono. – Beautiful black and white image, gives a real sense of presence. With the dramatic sky and the light cloud separating the trees from the background. There’s a sense of quiet presence—like time is momentarily holding its breath for this last Guardian. The angle of the main tree is counterbalanced by the smaller tree or perhaps the smaller branch. The image is well handled. The use of Black and White is to be commended for a Novice worker. Well done you have deserved this Honours.
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- 30.Toward the Light – Salon – There is a lovely soft contrast between the red and yellow. The angle of the light draws the viewers in a diagonal from the bottom left to the top right. The dark lower left corner and bright pink petal hold the attention making it difficult to focus on the yellow centre. Highly Commended
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- 31. Toutouwai – Intermediate – What a beautiful image you have captured. Well focused and blurred background. The bird sits nicely in the frame, in its natural environment, with its bright shining eye. There is interplay of light and texture creating a sense of intimacy and distance all at once. However the bird would look more comfortable if you straighten the branch a tad as it is on a bit of a lean. Well done you have been given an Honours
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- 33. A Wash – Salon – In this image we can almost hear the rushing of the water over the rocks. The solid rocks against the rushing water create a tension that ironically is calming to us. The colours are quite subdued and there is room to add a little more saturation to increase the impact of the “water colours.” A more obvious focal point would create a place for our eyes to rest and add strength to the image. This image is compelling and using long exposure to transform a simple river into an impressionistic, flowing canvas. Merit
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- 32. Water Colours – Salon – Lovely, subdued colours in the water, soft focus, and misty waves are well done. A focal point for the viewer to focus on is not easy to find the eye bounces between the white patches throughout the image. This image evokes a feeling of vulnerability wrapped in beauty. Merit
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- 34.Steam Punk HQ -Salon – In this image we have the distinctive skull-and-gears logo mounted on a stone wall, which is associated with Steam punk HQ in Ōamaru. The lighting is flat and diffused, likely overcast natural light. While this avoids harsh shadows, a little more directional lighting might bring out more texture and dimensionality in both the wall and the metal sculpture. Essentially this image is a straightforward photo of some-one else’s art. When a photographer wants to do this, they need to make the image their own in some way. Accepted.
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- 35. Precious Time – Salon – This image brings a composite or multiple exposures showing a great story about time. A great mix of colours and blends in the watch faces and the text ads a hint of nostalgia at anytime! Absolutely love this image, the colours are great and detail is clear. Great idea and well blended images of all the different watches. If you own all those there is no excuse to be late anytime. A Well Deserved Honours
