On Wednesday 26th January 2022, Dunchurch Photographic Society held the 1st Round of the 2021-22 season Merit Competition, all on the subject of ‘Illusion.’

The Merit Competition is a marathon competition over three different rounds, all on a different set subject, with successful images able to earn points depending on whether they are Commended, Highly Commended, Third, Second or First. There are four categories; the Novice Print section, Novice Projected Image section, Advanced Print section and the Advanced Projected Image section. That means, four different champions to be declared by the end of the Merit competitions. 

Our judge for the evening was John Haines from Kingstanding in Birmingham. John gave some very considered and valuable feedback and critique about the images that had been entered by Dunchurch Photographic Society members. Indeed, the Society presented John with some difficult decisions to make about the images, often creative in flavour, or where lots of work had been undertaken in order to get that ‘illusion’ element into the final work.

Congratulations to all of the photographers who were successful across the four categories for this opening round and well done to everyone who submitted images. As usual, they demonstrated a wide variety of subject matter and processing techniques. 

There’s still plenty to play for as the marathon continues with Round 2 on Wednesday 9th February; the subject being ‘Song Titles.’

Come and have a sing-a-long with us! 

Report by David J. Bray AFIAP, CPAGB, A.CPE

Chairman.

The Merit 1 results are as follows …

Novice Prints

First Place

Illusion of Time by Steven Farmer

Second Place

The Girl in the Mirror by Steven Farmer

Novice Projected Images

First Place

My Inner Photographer by Graeme Webb

Third Place

Next Train Goes Straight Thru by Michael Bryan

Highly Commended

The Face by Steven Farmer

Advanced Prints

First Place

Chloe by Mark Ellis

Second Place

Upstairs or Downstairs by Mark Ellis

Third Place

Triangular Interchange by Rosemary Gibbs, LRPS

Highly Commended

Family Excursion by Rosemary Gibbs, LRPS

Commended

Big for your Boots by Warren Strickland

Advanced Projected Images

First Place

Goblet by Mark Ellis

Second Place

Frozen Valley by Terry Mann

Third Place

Fly Fishing by Ken Garside

Highly Commended (in alphabetical order)

Feeling the Heat by Rosemary Gibbs, LRPS

Time is an Illusion by Ian Andrew

Commended (in alphabetical order)

The Last Jedi by David Bray, AFIAP, CPAGB, A.CPE

Tunnel Vision by Warren Strickland