Category: SPC

Teignmouth – the gift that keeps on giving

Posted on Posted in Out with Rosemary, SPC, street photographyTagged , , , , , ,

August 2025
Can’t believe I haven’t been to Teignmouth in nearly a year – doesn’t seem possible! Went for a trip out for the day and couldn’t believe my luck – I bumped into 3 out of the 4 “models” from previous encounters…and had a catch up chat with one of them. I also met Eddie, a local photographer and “persuaded” (read bullied!) him into modelling [see final image], which for any photographer is fairly traumatic – far easier to take pictures than have them taken of you! Always good to make contact with fellow local enthusiasts…and he was a natural!!

January 2025
Teignmouth is only about 40 minutes away from Sidmouth and couldn’t have a more different feel. It’s great for street photography as it has Back Beach – with colourful, peeling boats and beach huts, where the locals hang out; the main Prom – which runs for miles; a Pier; skate park and a train line next to the sea. Rosemary and I often go there for a few hours of photography and invariably come back with something (after sampling the local cake offerings of course!).

In fact the first image below, “I still miss her”, was taken in 2023 when we were having a wander round Back Beach. The guy started to talk to us about camera gear (as older blokes often do!) and I was desperate to take his photo, as his face seemed so expressive and interesting. I think because he’d been into photography in the past he agreed, but probably couldn’t understand why I wanted to! Sadly he then started telling me about how he had recently lost his long term partner and you can really see this rawness in his photo. Was a very poignant moment…

In 2024, Rosemary and I offered to run a Sidmouth Photographic Club summer trip to Teignmouth, which meant that we had to make several recces to choose/sample cafes. In the end we made 3 trips and on each of those I managed to take one or two images that I liked. As always, success is weather dependant…and with street, the luck of the draw who happens to be around at the right time. Had one slightly dodgy experience (entirely my own fault of course)…was eying up a couple of characterful blokes in one of the shelters and from across the road I held my camera at waist height using the back screen to take the shot. But one of the guys clocked me and called me over, asking me rather gruffly if I was taking their photo. I looked surprised and said that no, I’d just got a new camera and had been looking at the screen to see how to change my settings (this was actually true…except that I had pressed the shutter button as well). Thankfully one of the guys used to have a camera back in the day, so we chatted a bit about photography. Then Rosemary wandered up and not knowing what had happened, asked me in front of them if I’d got the shot….arghhh!!! Recommence digging out of hole. I said no, I hadn’t managed to ask them yet if I could take a photo. The older guy was happy for me to take his picture, which is the black and white image further down in the gallery. Blimey, you really do have to be able to talk your way out of trouble when you’re dealing with people!!

The trip itself went really well – we had about 18 people in the end, which was one of the largest club trips and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves…and I even got a few more images to add to my collection….oh, and the cake was great!!

(Click on an image to see a larger version)

Just One Point In It (Part 2)

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Sooooo, back in May 2023, I won the Digital Projected Image (DPI) league at Sidmouth Photographic Club (details here) by ONE point. Fast forward to May 2025 and I just missed out on winning the league by ONE point!! And although I was suitably miffed at just missing out on the top spot, I was surprised to have been in the running at all, as I hadn’t been getting top placings throughout the season.

Neapolitan Life – Commended


The first competition of the 24/25 season started off with 2 DPI entries.

This shot was taken during my second Naples trip, in October 2024 and formed part of my ARPS panel.

I’ve always liked it as a single image, as it contains so many aspects of life in that city – the green shutters, washing hanging out, battered cars, bad parking, run down apartments, someone just watching the world go by…

The judge enjoyed the storytelling aspect of the image, although he felt there were other images to be had contained within that one picture. So, off to a reasonable start.

A Ray of Light – Commended


This image was taken during the summer of 2024 in the Barbican Theatre, during a trip with my Northern Crew to the big smoke.

The whole estate is a photographer’s paradise, with brutalist concrete buildings providing a stark backdrop for figures walking through the light/shade.

I waited for about 15 mins in this spot catching different people as they walked through the patches of light. Sometimes a great person would be coming along, but the sun would go in. Or when the sun did come out, the people passing through were not “interesting” enough. So it really was a waiting game – and I used burst mode to ensure I had at least one shot of the legs in a striding position.

I received a commended for this one too – so although not top slots, they were at least both awarded.

Catching the Light – Bronze


In competition 2 we had 1 DPI entry and I went back to my Barbican trip for a moody shot of a man walking through the pools of sunlight in one of the walkways. A little too dark for most people’s taste, but that’s very much my style and I’m surprised I didn’t get slated by the judge for not enough detail in the shadows (a pet hate of theirs). But of course he did suggest that a small light coloured line should have been used to border the image, so that you can see where the picture ends. Sorry to say that’s a pet hate of mine and I actually enjoy how the black of the picture bleeds out into the black of the projector background….we’re all different (thankfully!!).

The Bystock Pools Naiad – Commended


Competition 3 was a challenging one, as we had to enter 2 images from set subjects: religion, connected, ethereal, help me or happiness.

I had the idea for the underwater shot on a past visit to Bystock Pools with Rosemary – when taking a photo of the water I felt that it was missing a face floating under the surface!!! When the topic “ethereal” came up I decide to give it a go.

I took photos of Carol’s daughter in her lounge from up a step ladder looking down on her – the lengths we go to to get our shot! I then merged that photo with the water shot in Photoshop for the end result…oh, and a Naiad is a water nymph!

Teddy Boy Charms – Bronze


I took this shot in Weston-Super-Mare during a Teddy Boy Festival, which was full of original Teds still strutting their quiffs, suits and suede shoes. I was drawn to the guy’s hands with all the different rings and he was more than happy for me to take a picture. And I thought it fitted rather nicely into the category of “connected”.

The judge understood that you didn’t need to see the man’s face to imagine what he looked like – as a face would have detracted from the hands. I received a commended and a Bronze in this competition, which kept me in the top 10, but I wasn’t setting the table alight!

Beach Botany – Commended


In competition 4 we had 2 DPI entries again, so I went with my quirky shots.

This one was taken in Teignmouth on one of my many visits, and I just loved how the woman’s leg was so decorative in amongst the beach huts. No face was necessary, as her tattoo said it all really. And the strong colours add to the visual impact.

Into the Light – Gold


This shot was taken in Berlin last summer. The light was very intense and I was on the lookout for shadows/silhouettes (just for a change!). Whilst crossing a footbridge, I looked down and saw the potential. Again, I waited for a good 10-15 minutes taking photos of different people (using burst mode) to get the right people in the right position. I also enjoyed the shapes of the buildings and their shadows. And it led to my first Gold (smiley face!!), which crept me up the league table…and into third place.

The Morning Commute – Silver


The last competition of the season is always a tricky one, when there’s an outside chance of coming first, because that final image choice is soooo important. Who is the judge? What type of images resonate with them? What will the others at the top of the league put in? And so I have to confess that I chucked my morals in the bin (I don’t care what the judge thinks – I’m only entering images that speak to me) and chose strategically. I knew that the judge was more of a traditionalist, who wouldn’t really “appreciate” my quirkier images, so I played it safe with an image that was not Marmite. This was taken in Valencia at the Science Park and we stood around for about an hour taking shots of people cycling or walking by. This viewpoint isn’t quite as widely taken as some of the other more iconic buildings.

But the only way I could win was if the two people above me and the one below me in the table did worse than me – and that’s something I obviously have absolutely no control over. Must admit it feels a tad churlish to be wishing ill on your fellow photographers (especially when they’re friends)….but as soon as I saw Mike’s photo I knew I was done for – he justifiably received a Gold!! And so I only missed out by 1 point, which certainly added to the drama. But I achieved placings for all of my DPI images, which I’ve never managed before and came second in a club filled with very talented photographers. Thankfully we have a rest over the summer, before the hours of deliberation start again next season!

Brian Sherlow (Chairperson) presenting
my Runner Up Certificate
Image by Jo Hawes

My Favourite Photos from 2024

Posted on Posted in Out with Rosemary, SPC, street photographyTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

It must be a sign of age, ‘cos I can’t believe that yet another year has flown by and we’re already in 2025! Normally my Foraging friends and I have always posted our favourite 10 pics from each year, once we reach December/January time and I thought this would be a good practice for my blog, as it gives me time to review what I’ve taken over the year, relive some of the memories behind the shots and then try and work out why I am drawn to certain images. I was lucky to travel an awful lot for photography in 2024 – from local seaside locations, to UK cities and then abroad into Europe. So here are my 2024 top 10 images – as usual fairly eclectic – and in no particular order.

Wonkey Donkey


Oh boy, this image not only has a long (and seemingly hilarious to those who were there) backstory to it, but has practically created a cult within Sidmouth Photographic Club!! So….I was on a Club trip to Weston-Super-Mare in the summer, standing in front of this interestingly named shop waiting for someone “appropriate” to walk past….and of course no one did. To stave off the boredom (and to at least get some sort of shot) Carol called out to a guy pulled up in his car asking him to pose. At which point a bunch of photographers papped him. Hilariously to the others, I had totally managed to miss the guy posing and ended up with a photo of his roof and the sky. So in revenge, I decided to create the above image, showing that I’d managed to capture a shot that everyone else had missed. And ever since I have been plagued with the Wonky Donkey moniker – yes, I’ve been given the book – yes, I’ve been made to read it out loud and yes, I’ve been made to memorise the rhyme!!! Therefore, this has to win the most memorable image of the year, not only for me, but for several of the Club members too!!

The Cyclist


This image was taken in Valencia in May on a photography trip with 2 Club friends; Jo B and Jo H (yes, it was a tad confusing at the start, so I added the surname initials!!). It’s a fabulous city for photography, especially the City of Arts & Sciences. The buildings are like alien spaceships and the water surrounding them add great reflections. We got up very early one morning to catch the sunrise and thanks to Jo H scouting ahead, managed to find the area where the best reflections/shadows were to be had with the rising sun. A very happy hour or so was spent clicking away at cyclists, runners, wagons, men with wheelbarrows etc. and I still have hundreds of images that I haven’t finished looking through yet. I have to confess that the camera was on burst mode to ensure that there would be at least 1 photo per person going past that could work – hence the hundreds to wade through. Would thoroughly recommend a photography trip there – although don’t be surprised if a Club Judge has seen hundreds of these images!

Wash Day


This image was taken on the island of Burano, during my visit to Venice with Debbie in January (arrgh – already a year ago!). I was drawn by the white washing against the blue wall through the red doorway and was lining up the shot when this woman walked through. At first I cursed, but afterwards I realised that actually, she made the shot and I loved the fact that her face was hidden – added a hint of mystery. It ended up being my favourite shot of the trip!

Into the Light


This shot was taken on a trip to the Barbican Centre in London with my Northern Foraging friends in June. Oh what an amazing location for street photography….but the best opportunities come when the sun is out, streaming through the openings, creating interesting shadows. I just loved the curves and light in this composition, even though technically the guy is in the “wrong” position (not on a third) – but I don’t care…it works for me, as I do like a bit of negative space in an image and I darkened it to add a tad more atmosphere.

Just Chillin’


Our Club runs bi-weekly photo trips during the Sumer shutdown and Rosemary and I volunteered to lead one in Teignmouth at the end of August. It’s a great place for photography with boats, beaches, a pier and long seafront. I have to admit that this guy sunbathing caught my eye and I took several of him from different angles. He was clearly enjoying parading himself in public and this angle just worked for me, giving enough information about him, without the need to see his face. A tad disrespectful perhaps…but photographers just can’t help themselves I’m afraid!

juptr

This composite image started life in Birmingham on a Club trip in February. Those of you who read the blog will remember that I came across a couple of lads filming a music video and I couldn’t help myself from hijacking their artistic endeavours. They were happy for me to take pictures and when it came to processing them afterwards, I felt I wanted to do something a little different – like an album cover. I used Generative AI to create the wall with the Union Jack, as I didn’t have any images of that (i.e. the software created it) and then added my photo of juptr, with some old school lens blur and scratches to add a bit of character. I really enjoyed trying to make the image a little different to a straight portrait.

Beach Botany


Rosemary and I went on several recces to Teignmouth to prepare for the Club summer trip and always managed to come away with something. On this day, we had very strong sunlight, so not ideal photographic conditions, but as we were wandering around Back Beach area, I spotted these legs sticking out between the beach huts and was immediately captivated. As with many of my photos, it’s not about the whole person – here, the flowers on her leg contrasted against the yellow and blue of the beach huts and created an interesting juxtaposition (we photographers love a good juxta!!). And yes, I did a beach clean in Photoshop to remove stones, burnt wood and half a paving slab – I’m such a neat freak!!

3-2-1


I had a wonderful trip to Sorrento in October with my friend Cyn, which was for relaxation rather than photography and I took many phone shots of the beautiful scenery. This was the only “serious” shot that I took – as we were looking down on one of the beaches, the composition just struck me and I waited for a bird to fly through the shot, making sure I was on burst mode to get it in the right place. The placing of all of the elements appealed to me and is slightly quirky (what a surprise!!). And no, I didn’t add the bird and/or shadow in post production (although of course I wouldn’t hesitate to do so if necessary!!).

Leake Street


In October, 3 of us from the Club had a fun-filled day trip to London and spent our time round Waterloo station and along the South Bank. This image was taken in Leake Street, an area underneath Waterloo station where street artists come to showcase their work. It’s totally safe – usually more tourists than street artists – and is an interesting backdrop for photography…although I struggled to find many shots. I do have a bit of an obsession with silhouettes, so was pleased when the above composition came together.

Caught in the Light


What was I saying about silhouettes and shadows?!! I spotted this opportunity in Berlin, when I was visiting a friend in September. The sun was so bright overhead that I was hunting for shadow locations and spotted this ideal position from a bridge looking down on the walkway. I find that these sort of shots work best when you find a suitable location and then just wait for the right people to walk through. You need some patience (so it helps if you are on your own) and again, burst mode increases your “decisive moment” success rate.


And so what do my favourite images from last year tell me? That I had some great trips both home and abroad, with something pretty much every month. That I still have a pile of images to process – and post on my blog…New Year’s resolution should be to keep up with my posting in 2025. That I’m still drawn to shadows/silhouettes, strong shapes/colours, legs(?!), quirky, sense of absurd. That I enjoy street and travel photography. And that you never know what you’re going to capture next – the joy of the random moments, where everything aligns and a wonderful scene unfolds in front of you just as you press the shutter or frustration when nothing motivates you (or even worse, you weren’t quick enough to capture the moment). Already looking forward to my adventures in 2025……

Fun in Brum

Posted on Posted in SPC, street photographyTagged , , , , , , , , ,

Back in February, 12 of us from Sidmouth Photographic Club (SPC) set out from Devon for 3 days of photography and fun in Birmingham. We arrived by lunchtime on the first day and quickly made our way into town to get cracking. We started in Digbeth, full of fascinating street art which is notoriously difficult to make into something other than a record shot. Some of the group used it as a great backdrop to capture people against, but you needed a lot of patience to wait for the “right” person to walk past (and we all know what my patience levels are like!).

Over the 3 days we wandered around different parts of the city, taking in the station, Selfridges building, Bullring, new Library, canals etc. – sometimes en masse, sometimes alone/in small groups – and it really is a fascinating place, with plenty of characters (especially round the station). Even so, I struggled to find interesting or unusual compositions…and the light was sooo flat every day – not an interesting shadow/silhouette to be found! I wonder if sometimes there is so much vying for your attention, that it’s difficult to focus in on what’s that little bit different. But I would definitely recommend it as a destination for street/architecture photography.

We certainly had a lot of fun as a group though – plenty of banter, refreshment stops and good food, and the odd embarrassing photo (spot the SPC model below!)…all available for the right price of course!! I think it’s fair to say that Mike (who organised the trip), must have felt like a teacher taking an unruly group of kids on a field trip – but there were no visits to the hospital or police station, so I would say he got off pretty lightly this time!

(Click on an image to see a larger version)


One of the trip highlights for me, was coming across a young guy (street name juptr) filming his rap video next to a couple of old fashioned phone boxes. I couldn’t resist hijacking his shoot and asked if I could take a few pictures. He was very obliging, so when I got home I decided to create a few different looks for him. He already had a couple of tracks on Spotify which I’ve added to one of my playlists, and he and his friend were most surprised that a middle-aged woman was remotely interested in hip hop/grime/drill etc. (let alone knew what it was) and listening to Radio 1 Xtra! Haha – never judge a book by its cover, innit!

(Click on an image to see a larger version)


The most engaging building in Birmingham has to be Selfridges, which looks like an alien spaceship that’s landed in the centre of the city! Fascinating abstract shots to be had, especially as the disc colours subtly change with the light. It’s been photographed thousands of times, so it was challenging to try and find an angle or shot that’s unique.

(Click on an image to see a larger version)

Gwell hwyr na byth…

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… as I’m sure you’ll agree!! And for those of you not fluent in Welsh – Better Late than Never – ‘cos it’s taken me 3 months to post these images for goodness sake!!

Back in June, 5 of us from the Sidmouth Photo Club trekked off to Cardiff (about a 2 hour drive each way) to help Andy do a recce for his upcoming SPC Summer Trip. And what a fascinating city it is to photograph. We started in the park next to the castle, then took a boat down to Mermaid Quay, which is a great way to view the assortment of interesting buildings.

Harri and I were a little starstruck to think that Captain Jack from Torchwood had walked on the very same paving slabs as us and we did our best to find the secret entrance to their Operation Centre – apologies to non Doctor Who fans who have no idea what I’m banging on about!

Considering there were so many different styles of buildings at the Quay, there was surprisingly little to photograph, so after lunch we wandered up to the city centre, where we all found a lot more of interest. And being a Friday afternoon, there was an eclectic mix of shoppers, workers and groups of friends already getting into the weekend spirit! It’s definitely a party city and I’m sure there would have been some “interesting” shots later on in the evening (and possibly a handbag in the camera lens for your trouble)!

Ironically, Andy’s Trip didn’t actually take place, so we were very glad to have taken the opportunity to visit when we did. Would be interested in going back, as it was such a diverse, colourful city…and who knows if I might just bump into John Barrowman dashing about in his trench coat….

(Click on an image to see a larger version)

London Calling…

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The last time I was in London was 6 months ago, when Sidmouth Photographic Club ran a 2 day trip around Greenwich, O2 and Canary Wharf. And thankfully Mike (our club Secretary, who arranged that event), was keen to run another one during the summer – this time, a day trip to Battersea, with a walk along the river back to Waterloo. It felt a bit like a school outing, as 10 of us boarded the train and competed to see who could eat their packed food the quickest…which was probably me, as I’d finished my breakfast before we even set off from Honiton station! These trips are always popular, as they are superbly organised, with loads of photo opportunities and lots of fun to boot.

Once we arrived at Waterloo, we boarded the Northern Line to Battersea Power station. I sat next to a fabulously photogenic guy with calf-high red Doc Martens and colourful tattoos. Looking round the carriage, you could see group members desperately trying to take his photo on their phones, without looking like they were. I managed half a boot and half an arm – not even remotely artistic, so had to concede defeat!

At Battersea we had plenty of time to wander round on our own and what an amazing place it is – the Power Station is now a destination venue, containing high end shops, eateries and outdoor spaces. It had a great vibe, with plenty to keep both street and architectural photographers happy. The harsh sunlight worked in my favour, providing fabulous shadows and silhouettes, which is one of my (many) current fascinations. In preparation for the trip, I had been watching YouTube videos by Siegfried Hansen, a German Street photography, who is attracted to graphical scenes with strong lines, colours and shapes, so my eye was looking for more unusual compositions. And almost from the start I became fixated with legs and feet (yes, yet another of my “obsessions”!), as they took centre stage in my images. At one point, after spotting a lady with wonderful red Adidas trainers, I followed her into a shop and asked if I could take a photo of her feet in the amazing shadows – and even though she clearly thought I was bonkers, she agreed…so it never hurts to ask if you really want that shot!

After lunch we wandered down river to the American Embassy, which is an oasis in the city, with beautiful prairie-like planting and a massive water feature. The building itself is highly photogenic and as usual, we were all trying to find our unique viewpoint…and that’s what I love about photography; even when we are all looking at the same building, every one of our photos will show a different angle / point of view / mood / story. And next door was The Sky Pool; a glass bottomed swimming pool suspended many stories up between 2 buildings. We were in luck as there were 2 people swimming in it, which made for a more interesting shot.

We continued along the river to the Tate Britain for a brief tea and cake stop (admiring some tattooed feet and more Doc Marten boots – sadly, too busy scoffing to photograph), before carrying on up to Trafalgar Square. I have to admit that by this time I was seriously flagging due to the heat, so spent all of my time in the Square trying to get one decent photo of a pigeon next to the Do Not Feed Pigeons sign…and in the end, I have to admit that I blended 2 images together to make it work (never let reality get in the way of a good image)!!

Onwards over Hungerford Bridge to dinner at the Cote Brasserie – and suitably refreshed, we strolled to Waterloo station to catch the last train back home. I have to confess that an abundance of sugar and over tiredness led to my table companions being treated/subjected (delete as applicable) to 3 hours of silliness from myself…in my defence, I was trying to make the journey go quicker for all of us, but it must have felt like being stuck next to an additive fuelled 8 year old!! Hehehe….happy times 😀

A cracking day out – it’s always a real joy to spend time in London, capturing the quirkiness of the city. Already looking forward to the next trip (if I’m allowed back!!)…

(Click on an image to see a larger version)

Just one point in it!

Posted on Posted in SPC

Image by Tony Veltrop: Receiving the DPI Competition Cup for the 2022/23 season
from Harri (2022/3 Chairperson) and Brian (2023/4 Chairman)

I used to think that because I wasn’t very sporty, I couldn’t be competitive – ha…how wrong can you be?! I certainly showed my true colours in this season’s Digital Image competitions at the Sidmouth Photographic Club, once it looked like I may have a chance of winning the league!

In the 2022/23 season, running from September 2022 to May 2023, we had the opportunity to enter 8 digital images over the course of the season. And with so many talented photographers in the club, every entry would need to do well in order to make it into the top 5. I decided this year that I would only enter images that I really liked – even if they were a bit “different” – no looking up judges to guess their pet likes/dislikes or picking safe images!

I started the year off well with my first 2 entries, both taken on a club trip to Lyme Regis. I knew the “Homeward Bound” image could be risky, due to so much negative space on the left and the figures walking to the left rather than the right (which is what you are “supposed” to do, as in the west we read left to right). But the judge like the simplicity of the image and felt that the direction was valid, as the title implied they were coming back from somewhere, awarding it a Commended. I spotted people walking along the top of the Cobb in silhouette almost as soon as we arrived and couldn’t believe my luck when I saw someone with a bike.

My “Fun at the Beach” was a composite of 3 images – no one could be that lucky to get all 3 of the kids in exactly the right places simultaneously! It’s always a relief when the judge can’t tell that the image has been so heavily worked on – he awarded it a Bronze. I knew that I wanted to capture people walking in front of the beach huts when we were at Lyme, so I spent a good forty plus minutes with my tripod taking hundreds of shots, being rewarded with the 2 kids on bikes near the end of my stint.

Homeward Bound – Commended
Fun at the Beach – Bronze

In the next competition, we only had 1 entry to submit and I chose my shot of Andy (SPC’s very own Programme Secretary!) taken in one of the sea front shelters on a club “Shoot Sidmouth” evening. We were just walking back to the pub at the end of the evening, when I spotted the wonderful light through the shelter windows. So I bullied poor Andy into modelling for me – unfortunately for him he had to balance above the seat as he realised (too late!!) that it was wet…we have to suffer for our art luvvie…well Andy did anyway! The judge enjoyed the fact that the image asked more questions than it answered and liked the soft lighting, awarding it a Gold.

Waiting – Gold

The next competition was more restrictive and we had set subjects for our entries. I chose “Man Made” as my topic and submitted 2 from London. “A Different Perspective” was taken at Canary Wharf and was awarded a Gold – it always pays to look at different angles when you’re out and about…I was struck by how neatly the streetlight fitted into the gap between the buildings. “In plane sight” was taken at the top of the Walkie Talkie building and received a Silver – and no, for once I didn’t photoshop in the plane!

A Different Perspective – Gold (set subject: Man Made)
In plane sight – Silver (set subject: Man Made)

We had 2 entries for the next competition and this is the one time where I do feel I tried to play it safe with one of my images. The train drivers image was taken on the Paignton – Kingswear line and I liked the striking yellow border. But the judge pulled me up on the lack of clarity in the drivers’ faces and over processing, so didn’t award anything for it. And I agree with him – I was kicking myself, as an unplaced image really brought my score down. But thankfully I was rescued by the Gold I received for “Time to Let Go”. I had the idea to take this image when I was working on another project – but ended up having to do a reshoot as the sun was too bright the first time. As the top of the actual window was quite high, I ended up having to reduce the height in photoshop to make a more balanced image. The judge felt that this was a powerful image that could be interpreted in different ways – and liked that the focus was on the hand and not the face. These scores put me into first place, but only with a 2 point margin – could I maintain this lead to the end?!

Time to Let Go – Gold
Homeward Bound – unplaced

And so the pressure was on for the last competition. Because I had the chance to win, I really wanted to – but had I peaked too soon?!! I was wondering what to enter – but luck stepped in. On a photoshoot in Teignmouth, a guy on the beach stopped to chat to us about cameras (as blokes seem to do!!) when he saw us taking photos. We got chatting and I really wanted to take his photo as I could just tell that he would look great as a black and white image! When I asked, he was a little surprised but let me. He went on to tell me about how his partner had died from cancer and I felt that you could still see that sadness in his eyes. I called the image “I still miss her” and knew that I had to use this image as my last entry. I can’t tell you how much work I did in photoshop and received really useful critique advice from friends. I knew the empty space would be a risk, but I felt it was an integral part of the image, to show where she would once have been by his side. Thankfully the judge understood this and I was awarded a Bronze.

I wasn’t 100% sure if this would be enough for me to win, as it depended on the scores of the 4 photographers below me – but this time the odds were in my favour and I squeaked a one point win…phew – it really was a close competition this year and I am so delighted to have managed it. Now I don’t care if I never win again – at least I’ve done it once (although knowing me, my competitive streak will kick in again next year!!).

I still miss her – Bronze