Written by Last night’s meeting at Dunchurch Photographic Society was one of those memorable evenings that really highlights the strength of the club—great images, friendly competition, and a fantastic sense of camaraderie.
It was the hotly anticipated Nature competitions, with members competing for the Toft Trophy for Best Colour Print and the Wally Mills Trophy for Best Projected Image. The standard was high, and the competition was keen, with plenty of discussion around the room as the images were revealed.
The evening nearly got off to a tricky start when our scheduled judge unfortunately had to withdraw the day before the meeting due to illness. Stepping in at the very last moment was long-standing friend of the society, Tony McMaster, who truly saved the day. Poor Tony may not have realised quite what he was letting himself in for, with 26 prints and an impressive 38 projected images to judge on the night!
As always, the range of subjects on display was wonderfully diverse—from the tiniest details of fungi to sweeping landscapes, and from delicate butterflies to powerful big cats. It made for an engaging and enjoyable competition, showcasing both creativity and technical skill across the membership.
Despite the scale of the task, Tony judged with insight, warmth, and generosity, offering thoughtful and encouraging comments throughout. He did an admirable and very kind job, and the society is extremely grateful to him for stepping in at such short notice.
Congratulations go to all the winners and placed photographers on the night, whose images stood out in two very strong fields. Winning the Toft Trophy and the Wally Mills Trophy is no small achievement, and they were well deserved. Well done also to everyone who entered—an excellent evening of photography and a great benchmark for the rest of the season.
