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2024 Awards
Each year the club holds its annual Awards Dinner recognizing the best images of the prior year as well as acknowledging members for their significant efforts in the effective function of the club. The evening also includes the transfer of elected officers and new board members.
The event was held at the Lake Marie Club House, East Orcutt, CA.
2024 Top 10 Color & Mono Judge Awarded Images
Judge: Mack Davis
Monochrome Images
#10 A Quiet Street - I appreciate images that give us a good feeling. The lack of hustle and bustle makes it a peaceful image. I like old world architecture. If the maker had asked me for a title suggestion, I would have been tempted to to take the emphasis off the street and put emphasis on the man. “Grandpa’s Morning Stroll” might have been nice.
Not number 1 but it’s a nice image—it beat out 32 others.
#9 Hole-y Hail - Obviously a stormy shot either coming or going, but it doesn’t look like hail. It’s a catchy title but for me, the emphasis here is the clouds forming interesting art. In fact, “Nature’s Artwork” might have been good. I even put a piece of cardboard across the bottom part of the print to screen off the trees that are pulling my eyes away from a artsy clouds. I nice, interesting image.
#8 Graceful Beauty - These creatures have to be graceful to balance on those spindly little legs, right? The fine point of the print for me is the excellent contrast—adequate tone in the shadows, detail in the white feathers. The posing-with the curves in the necks of the birds gives interest. I don’t know about most of you, but too many times when I try to get a good shot of an animal, they move just as I push the shutter…so cudos for timing.
# 7 Man Listening to Woman at Café - Might be the worst title in the group. Not trying to be mean…but how about “Blah Blah, Worst Business Lunch Ever!” or “Oh Please, just Shoot me!!” Now let’s talk about the image itself. Excellent lighting, the composition isn’t too bad, but I would have only included about a third of the woman on the left—she makes too much of a presence. I have to wonder about the gesturing or expressions of the woman talking—Maybe not anything worthy…Now that I look again, I would have cropped out the woman on the left entirely. Interesting street scene, hey is he reaching for his gun with his left hand?
#6 Jessie No7A - Wow, if this image doesn’t illustrate how as objects closer to the camera appear much larger, what would? This photo has a lot of intrigue. It makes me ask a lot of questions…is she running from someone, or reaching out to grab someone’s hand, for some help? Is she topless from being attacked? Is she Native and doing a tribal dance? At any rate, it’s not any ‘run of the mill’ photo. Well lit and certainly captures attention.
#5 Another Winter to get Through - It took me a while to decide what to say about this print. It’s rugged and shows the demise of a once strong old tree. It certainly shows the pain and harshness of stormy winters. I’ve been out in weather like this when I lived in Washington State, and it’s difficult sometimes to get a quality shot. So I commend the maker for the desire to work hard and brave the elements.
#4 - Lake at Jasper Lodge - I’m a pushover for scenes like this. I spend quite a bit of time around lakes and streams. This shot has good clarity, great contrast and nice reflection. The hills look like they would make for some great hikes. The only drawback is, I don’t see any lodge. It’s always good to connect the title with what’s visible. It’s a really nice image.
#3 - Arriving at Yosemite - Yosemite is my favorite place on earth. But to secure the # 3 spot, it still needs to be a superb shot. This has all the elements=El Capitan, Half Dome, and Bridalveil Falls. I’ve stood just about at that spot and marveled at the magnificent view. This photo has wonderful detail, rich contrast, super foreground, mid and background. There’s excellent detail in the shadowed areas and brilliance in the highlights. Wonderful image
#2 - Two Chairs - When I first saw this photo, it didn’t make a fireworks kind of impression. But the more time I spent with it, the more I recognized not everything we see has to make a resounding, booming impact to have vital importance. I saw how close the two chairs were together, and my imagination took off. I could visualize a woman who dragged her chair up so close to the other that she was practically in her mates lap. I imagined her husband there with his arm around her, shielding her from the crisp morning air as they drank their morning coffee and admired the views. I wondered if they had children, who their friends were, what they did for a living, and tons of other things about their lives. The important thing is, the photo made me think and it made me FEEL. When an image projects an emotional element, I believe it has so much more significance. And in a group of photos, it stands out-it’s a winner.
#1 - A Friend’s Consolation - This image had the same affect on me that the # 2 image had. But just a tad more. I expect some of you have a dog in your life. Touching thing about dogs—they can have intense feelings. Cows don’t, chickens don’t—and other animals don’t, or at least I don’t see it in them. But when I’m discouraged maybe even crying, my dog will come over to me and put his paw up on my thigh and look up at me and just stay there. He knows I’m upset, discouraged, sad and seemingly wants to give me comfort. I’m thankful God created that in dogs. Children have those characteristics too. So what do I see in this photo that gives it the number one spot?
I see two children walking away from someone who is moved to record the act of tenderness. And, as in the number two image, my mind begins to wander, and wonder. What has happened in their young lives on this day. The older girl is reaching up to her face, perhaps to wipe away a tear. It could be tears of joy or of sadness. It doesn’t matter which, it evokes a response of empathy. I never thought about this, but we can have happy empathy as well as sad. The definition is “the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.” So this photo could represent either a happy or a sad situation. Either way, the little friend wants to let the other girl know she understands and wants to share in what’s going on.
The photo has “okay” photographic elements—good exposure, composition, etc. But the important quality is in the ability to cause me to think and explore how it makes me feel. The first 8 images in the group have nice features, but #2 and #1 are rich with the reasons I became a photographer and why I will likely be one for the rest of my life.
Judges Top 10 Color Images
#10 Terraces - This image reminds me of a bicycle chain. It’s colorful, has design formed by nature and intricacies. The gold and silver color combination work nicely together and the layout gives my eyes lots of places to explore. I often photograph abstract things I come across and this image demonstrates the fun involved when we step out of what we “normally shoot".
#9 Savage Seas - I’ve always had a great deal of respect for the power of ocean waves. I love the contrast in this photo, of the scary power of the waves and the gentle elegance of the flight of the seagulls. I always have fun with rock formations and clouds—trying to pull images out of the elements. In this huge rock formation, I see one scary looking puppy. The colors pop nicely in the image and the composition gives a nice balance to the piece.
#8 Aerial Surfing - Super athletic images like this are always popular. I’ve never been good on surf boards, skate or snow boards, so I appreciate the talent involved in those sports. As far as the photo goes, it has all the necessary element of an awesome image—great color, super composition, action for interest—just all around fun.
#7 A Patch of Sun at Hornbeck Homestead - Can’t go wrong when you put a cute kitty in the shot. Although he looks a little bit like we’re imposing on his nap time. The image has great color—I’ve always liked brown and blues paired together. The image is well lit and compositionally balanced.
#6 Folded Coast - This image is amazing. It’s a perfect example of the power of the surf to whittle out a design in the coastline. I love the richness of the blue ocean water. It’s an extraordinary photograph.
#5 Badlands Formations - Boy, nature has really done a number on these old hills. There are great colors in the image and the random patterns are fun. We have to take what the scene provides but it would have been exciting to see some animals in the scene for contrast, but it’s a really nice photo, as is.
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#4 Bee & Thistle - Magnificent color and excellent macro photography make this an outstanding image. It probably could have been even higher in the ranking, but the top three are equally as awesome. I’ve had limited success getting really good images of bees. Maybe I could get some tips from the maker of this image.
#3 Here’s Looking at You, Kid - Little creatures like this are just incredible. Science, nature, God (probably God should have been listed first), but however these and thousands of other creatures came to be, we are just so blessed to be able to see them and photograph them. The colors are only part of the grandeur. The tiny, intricate parts of their anatomy are spectacular. If you didn’t think, “Oh WOW”, when you saw this photo, I just don’t know what to tell you, because it is an outstanding photo.
#2 Spring has Sprung - I have to tell you, I have photographed two little girls (5 or 6 years old) in a field that looks just like the one in this photo. I imagine many of you know where there are fields like this. Springtime gives us outstanding places like this to find. The maker here found a jewel, and captured gorgeous colors, in perfect lighting and composed the image perfectly. I would love a large wall print of this in my house. Oh wait, I already do. Congratulations to this photographer.
#1 Walking in the Sunset - Your best in the Color category has a special meaning to me. Of course it’s a beautiful image. It has spectacular colors and perfect composition. The maker also adds the human touch—introducing a man (maybe disabled, or at least needing a cane to assist him in walking) a man not in his younger days, is walking into the sunset of life. This is why this image is special to me. The majority of my family has passed on. I not only have 6 grandchildren, but two great grandchildren. But this competition isn’t about me. For me to be honored to give you my opinion about your images is truly special. I’ve had the opportunity to see photos that have made me think, and wonder, and feel my emotions.