My success or otherwise in the GMC 2014 photo competition

Each year, for as long as I can remember Gwent Mountaineering Club has run an annual photographic competition for its members. There are 3 categories of entry: mountain landscapes, mountaineering action and mountain flora and fauna. Club members can submit up to 3 entries in each category. This year I submitted the photos below and received the judge’s comments on each one. I was lucky enough to win 1st prize — an Up and Under voucher — in the flora and fauna category.

General comments made by the judge included: “Things in the foreground give a 3 dimensional feel to a picture. Try and put the subject in the left or right third of the picture. Crop out any highlighted bits in the pictures to stop the eye being drawn to it if it’s not the subject.”

All in all, I was very pleased. Building on success from last year too.

My entries in Mountain Flora and Fauna

	Marmot – 1st prize in class. “Well photographed, good detail because so close, could have trimmed slightly bright bit at bottom of photo.”
	Blue Flowers – “Good arrangement in circle of rocks, biggest flowers at front not sharp. The ones at the back are. Natural history shots need to be sharp.”
	Sheep – The judge liked this one. “Got down to their level, good detail in the wool, well controlled lighting.”

My entries in Mountaineering Action

	Cantilever, Glyder Fach – “Can feel the action, good position walking into the photo and not at the end, strong lines on the rocks.”
	Breithorn  – “Good arrangement, triangle shape, good mountains in the background  – front guy could have been looking at camera! Good all in red.”
	Descending scree – “Could see subject was gingerly walking down. Lots of detail even though in shadow well defined and on side of photo.”

My entries in Mountain Landscapes

	Monta Rosa Hut – “Well positioned, plenty of foreground detail, interesting sky and nice and sharp”
	Women on Glacier – “Nice arrangement, lots of detail, good lighting”. The judge really liked this one but one thing let it down!!! Can you see what?
	Sergeant Man – “Lighting let it down. Too dark, bright area at top of picture could have been cropped”