Salon Results

from CameraTalk August/September 2020

by Photographic Society of New Zealand

Canon Online Results

2020 North Shore Salon

There is no doubt that 2020 has challenged anyone trying to run events. The organising committee of the 2020 North Shore Salon decided to push ahead with the event despite the disruption of COVID-19. To find our how things went CameraTalk interviewed the salon chair Diane Costello LPSNZ.

Overall, how did the 2020 Salon go?

What a rollercoaster ride it was this year, with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. New Zealanders were required to self-isolate at Level 4 at 11.59pm on 19 March 2020, and there was great uncertainty surrounding our ability to fully progress and deliver the Salon this year. Achieving Level 1 at 11.59pm on 8 June ensured we were well positioned to move ahead as planned for the 26th North Shore Salon.

Where there is a will there is always a way, and having to be agile in the our thought processes, the Salon Committee was able to navigate through the various COVID Levels and settle on the best and most viable solution for progressing the Salon.

How did that compare with previous years, especially in the number and standard of entries?

We had an increase of 340 entries, compared to 2019, with a total of 2,007 entries. There were 676 print and 1,331 digital entries, whereas last year we had 445 print entries and 1343 digital entries. The ‘Never Seen Before’ category proved very popular and had the most entries of all the print categories. Last year, there were 85 prints in the category (Monochrome) that was replaced. A selection of 137 prints out of 676 was exhibited at the Mairangi Bay Arts Centre in July. We believe the standard of the exhibited prints was easily as high as in previous years. It is truly an accolade to receive an Acceptance and upwards in this company, selected by six judges.

COVID-19 changed the way that prints were handled, in that initially the selection was made from digital images and then only those accepted were printed. What was the reaction of your entrants to that process?

We did not have any objections to the manner in which we were forced to operate the Salon this year. We insisted on receiving enough pixels in the digital file presented to be sure that a top quality print could be made, and that no defects were hidden behind compression and size reduction. The judges were able to inspect the images at 100% resolution if required. Everyone was supportive and patient. I would assume that those who did object, didn’t enter. The proof was in the pudding when we saw the final selections on the MAC walls, all well deserved.

The Odd Couple by Jay Drew APSNZ - North Shore Salon 2020 - Gold Medal : Digital Opposites

How much extra work did gathering in the prints after selection create?

If there are sound processes in place, with excellent software by Phil Thornton and a receptive supplier/sponsor for printing, each step goes according to plan. We submitted a Question/ Answer scenario so that all entrants understood exactly what was required. Only one or two entrants didn’t supply prints in the timely manner. As always, communication is key.

What percentage of people took up your offer to have the images printed in Auckland, rather than submitting their own finished work?

Around 80% of print award entrants were delighted to accept a special on printing and matting by our sponsor, Print Art.

White Faced Heron by Vivienne Rowell - Winner of the Salon Trophy 2020 and Gold : Never Seen Before Print

Are you likely to continue with this approach, or do you see a move back to prints in 2021?

The digital judging of prints was forced upon us, and we are pleased with the results. We are not sure that entrants would be so supportive if we were to decide to operate the same way in the future without the imperative of lockdown. We will not make a decision without asking for feedback and careful consideration, but at the moment we expect to revert to judging prints as prints.

The Salon Committee is still to convene to do a wrap up of the 2020 Salon. However, all things considered and with few key people, we were delighted to have delivered a Salon this year.

A face of a Nun by Breen Porter FPSNZ ARPS LBIPP AFIAP - North Shore Salon 2020 - Gold Medal : Digital Street

Laurie Thomas Landscape Salon

News from the Organising Team

THE UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES we found ourselves in by the end of March put a big question mark over this year’s Laurie Thomas Landscape Salon. Everyone who submitted images showed us that we made the right decision to go ahead, and that made it worthwhile facing the many challenges along the way. Luckily COVID restrictions were lifted in time for the judges to meet in person and the annual awards celebration could go ahead as originally planned. On 8 July, the Christchurch Photographic Society hosted the Laurie Thomas Landscape Salon for the 24th year in the row. Those who could attend and braved the elements on that freezing and wet night were in for a treat. We were very fortunate that convener Brian Eastwood MNZIPP came to Christchurch specially to present the awards and acceptances. He was joined by last year’s winner, John Hawkins.

Brian and fellow North Island based judges Bob McCree FPSNZ and John Jones-Parry LPSNZ selected this year’s winner from 395 images entered by 100 participants. In Brian’s words,

“There were some outstanding images amongst the entries… and some could have succeeded with a bit more consideration to basic editing. The successful images were those that captured the scene, conveying an emotion or mood to the viewer, with good lighting and strong composition.”

These criteria were met by 85 (22%) of the submitted images and of these 11 images (3%) received awards. However, there can only be one winner and this year the Laurie Thomas Landscape Salon trophy went to Deborah Martin and her image, Approaching Storm, Tawharanui.

Deborah’s winning image resulted from testing a newly acquired lens and playing with a variety of apertures and speeds. The approaching storm provided great drama for “the interaction between the dark and light sides of the sky, while the rock stood firm no matter what the elements threw at it” that conjured up a vision for this image. The one that stood out for her though defied various ‘photographic rules’ but, as Deborah put it, “Taking risks and breaking the rules was worth exploring.”

The two silver medals went to Shona Kebble APSNZ for Mountain Vista and John Boyd Hon FPSNZ Hon PSNZ APSNZ for Early Shower. Bronze medals went to Annemarie Clinton for Saltation, Bruce Crossan LPSNZ for Karekare Sunset and Joanne Southgate for Summer Starting. All of this year’s successful images can be viewed at https://lauriethomassalon.com

Congratulations to all successful participants and to those that were not. Don’t be disheartened; your support has been vital in making this year’s salon happen and we encourage you to try again.

There is plenty of time to enjoy and explore New Zealand’s stunning landscapes. Visit known and unknown places before entries for the 25th Laurie Thomas Landscape Salon open in May 2021. We look forward to receiving your images next year. Until then, happy snapping.

Mountain Vista by Shona Kebble

Early Shower by John Boyd

Karekare Sunset by Bruce Crossang

Summer Starting by Joanne Southgate

2020 Trenna Packer Salver

by James Thompson - Trenna Packer Coordinator

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE Christchurch Photography Society for winning this year’s Trenna Packer nature photography competition. This annual competition run by the Nature Photographic Society comprises sets of six nature images from New Zealand and surrounding Islands. Honours awards are given to four to six individual high-quality images.

This year there were fifteen entries, four from the South Island and eleven from the North Island. This was down from previous year, with the COVID-19 lockdown not helping.

Judge, Julia Home APSNZ EFIAP AAPS GPSA PPSA, had this to say about the Christchurch Photographic Society’s winning set. “A good variety of subjects with consistent image sizes. A very strong starting image and a lovely strong finishing image. No repetitive subjects and all images of equal size, giving good transition from one image to the other. Just watch the relative brightness of image 4 compared to the rest of the set.” The following clubs entered the winning sets: • 1st Place - Christchurch Photographic

Society • 2nd Place - Howick Photographic Society • 3rd Place - Nature Photography Society of

NZ • 4th place - Whakatane Camera Club

Honours were awarded to: • Darrell Knight, Manukau Photographic

Society: Phalacrocorax varius (Pied Shag) • Lynette Vallely APSNZ, Whanganui Camera

Club: Petroica longipes (North Island

Robin) • Anne Lambe, NPSNZ: Todiramphus sanctus (Kingfisher) • Bob McCree FPSNZ, Howick Photographic

Society: Apis mellifera (NZ Honeybee) • Carol Molineux APSNZ, Kapiti Coast

Photographic Society: Clavriaceae family

This year’s and last year’s judges had similar comments to make about entries needing to show good flow between the images, with image size being an important factor. This is something for clubs to think about for future entries.