Contest judges say top picture “most striking”

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34103, 16 March 1976, Page 13

Contest judges say top picture “most striking”

Although not of an original theme, the winning picture in the 1976 “Holiday Replay” competition possessed “a quality that gave it wide public appeal,” said the judges (Messrs P. B. Dolan and L. R. Bloxham).

“Of all the pictures published, this is the one which, because of its spectacular action, is the most striking. The idea is not an easy one for amateurs to tackle, but we are of the opinion that, in this instance, it has been well executed,” the judges said.

They added that it was unfortunate that “Ice Cool Wendy” could not be reproduced in colour; the black-and-white newsprint reproduction sadly failed to do it justice. Commenting on their second placing — “Flying High” — the judges said it was a good, simple composition which captured a child’s moment of joy.

The entry, “We’re No Angels” (two children in church), was commended as a particularly appealing study and showed that success was possible with a cheap camera and a limited knowledge of photography. “The contestant in this case even had to ask a shop assistant to unload her

camera,” the judges said. Of the 4100 entries received (a record), 76 per cent were from the Christchurch area, 16 per cent from other areas of Canterbury, and 8 per cent from other provinces. Colour prints outnumbered transparencies by almost two to one, and there were fewer monochrome prints than last year. Instamatic cameras topped the popularity poll, but Asahi Pentax scored the greatest success rate — an outright winner and seven acceptances.

Although the rules of the contest did not set a time limit on when the pictures were taken, the judges felt that some contestants were digging back too far in their albums. At least one entry was taken 25 years ago and several were dated in the early ’6os.

The judges were also alarmed at the lack of care given to negatives. “Many hundreds were just left floating loosely in the envelopes while others were clipped, pinned — even stapled — to prints,” they said. “Several glass-mounted slides were also damaged

m the post and we strongly recommend that, in future years, these be securely packed in plastic slide boxes for mailing.”

Two main faults ruled out many of the entries and the worst by far was the lack of sharpness, said the judges. "What looked -’.ble ii

acceptable in its original size often failed miserably under magnification,” they noted.

The other failing was a tendency to submit pictures or a purely personal nature; of interest or appeal only to the persons concerned.

The judges also expressed disappointment at the small number of entries from members of camera clubs and photographic societies.

“The Press” and its cosponsors thank all those who entered this year’s contest Reproductions (on art paper) of the 17 acceptance prints will be on display in the main office of “The Press” for the rest of this week.

SECOND PRIZE OF $lOO goes to Julie Tawhai, of 41 York Street, Linwood, for the picture (below) of her daughter, Christie, “Flying High.” O Nikon F camera and 35mm colour transparency film were used. The picture was taken at Brightwater, Nelson.