Cheam Camera Club: PDI

Our third 'club' competition but first PDI of this season - I remain in the standard group for this set of images.  And here are my efforts.

Projected Digital Images
Round 1:

Llanddwyn Island:  Taken this summer during my trip to Wales.  I love the sun burst in this image but I took the image in a square format, so have had crop the image and thus enlarge it for competition size - not sure if this will work on the big screen.  There was also some distracting sea, and grass in the image which I have cloned out - again this would be the first time I have presented such a heavily edited image.  Judges comments So... no comment on the editing, which is good news, no comments on the enlarging, again good news BUT the judge did not like the forefront of the image,to many mid tones, no interest, not needed - he didn't like the image in general, sadly tonight score for this image is why I despair some nights at the club. -  Score 7.5

Better, what do you think?

The Living Dead:  Again, heavily edited - there were people in the background - a row of tunnel lights above his head. Really not sure if I will get away with my 'enhancements' - my processing skill are not yet good enough to do 'heavy' editing but at some point I have to enter some to see where I need to improve.    Judges comments -  well again, surprisingly no comment again on the enhancements - so maybe I'll try a few more with 'heavy edits'.  Generally liked the image but would not have on his wall!  Score 8.5

So mixed reviews tonight - I don't generally do well at all in the PDI (not sure why but there we have it).  I had hoped for no less than 8 for The Living Dead - so pleased with 8.5.  However, I would have liked no less than 9 with the Llanddwyn Island so 7,5 is a major disappointment!!!  I wonder what the score would have been if I had entered the cropped version - I suspect less than the 7.5 as no foreground interest!!

QoS: Black & White Challenge

As part of a quilting group I belong to, Quilters of Sutton, we recently held a Black & White block challenge - with members adding one colour of choice.  We had 29 blocks entered altogether - I volunteered to 'connect' 9 together.

This is my effort.......

Baby Quilt: Baby Green

Of course, I have had at least 7 months notice for this quilt but with the due date Friday 9th, and not even having chosen the fabric - last weekend I made a decision to cancel my Saturday activities and get a move on!!

Well, having not produced a quilt for some time, I'm please to say I've not lost it.  Quilt top made and sandwiched in one day.  Quilted and bound on another!!!  And luckily for me the mother was a week late!!!  Just needs a label when the baby is named and I'm done.

Crochet Blanket

I feel as I've been making this blanket for ages, certainly since the beginning of the year and perhaps the back end of last year.  Admittedly it's not been a constant make, but it still feel like forever.

Made with a bag of mixed wool from the charity shop, with the addition of a few balls from the pound shop, it's worked out very well.  The pattern is not my own and can be found here.

Cheam Camera Club: Mono Print

Our second  'club' competition but first mono print - My scores last season were not good enough to be moved into the intermediate group for this set of print so I remain in the standard group - it can no longer be called the 'beginners' group as the group is currently made up of some photographers who have been taking photographs for 30 years plus.  

Mono Print
Round 1:

Under The Pier:  The better of my two images I was really pleased with the composition of this image and I had worked really hard on the exposure.  Judges comments - Generally liked the image - thought I had over done the processing on the sea. Score 9.5

20 Fenchurch Street, London: This was my 'comments' image.  I was a little unsure of this image.  It's incredibly hard, I think, to do something different with an place/building that has been photographed thousands of times.  So, I inverted the image (Converted to B&W and then changed the whites to black and blacks to white).  Judges comments: The score itself indicates that image did not work for this judge - however comments were a little lacking on how I could have improved it - other than the image was too simple and was 'missing something'.  Score 7.

Must work harder!!!!