The final event of the year for Keswick Photographic Society was participation in what is known as the Western Area Battle. This takes place annually between Cumbrian clubs that are members of the national Photographic Alliance of Great Britain – Keswick, Carlisle, Dalston, Penrith and Workington and a guest club from Dumfries from over the Solway. It was held at Dalston Victory Hall, organised by Penrith & District Camera Club and judged by Jane Lazenby from Barnsley.
Jane is a member of Wigan photographic society and has a degree in fine art as well as numerous photographic distinctions. She is an experienced judge in both national and international competitions. In her own work she focuses on creative composite photography by combining a number of different photographic images into a single image to create a pictorial story. The afternoon started with her presentation on how she produces her composite images using computer programmes. She was at pains to emphasise that none of this is achieved by using AI.
After an interval for refreshments, the judging took place with prints being scored first followed by projected digital images, in both cases with 8 entries from each club. The overall outcomes were that for both prints and digital images, Keswick Photographic Society were the winners and Workington Camera Club was runner up. The top scoring print (with 20 points) was ‘Figures Descending In The Mist’ by John Williams of Penrith & District Camera Club:
The top scoring digital image was ‘In The Lead’ by Bob Given of Keswick Photographic Society.
Keswick also had high scoring images in prints: with 19 for ‘Violet Sabrewing’ by Simon Roberts;
and 18 for ‘Breaking Through’ by Bob Given; ‘Supported’ by Tony Melling and ‘Red Fox With Mouse’ by Julie Walker.
In digital images: 20 for ‘In The Lead’ by Bob Given and 19 for ‘Rajasthani Village Boy’ by David Woodthorpe;
and ‘Nectar Bat’ by Simon Roberts;
and 18 for ‘Sunset Shore’ by Tony Melling.