The Society’s first Photographic Competition was both a success and a disappointment. It was a success because of the variety of entries and a disappointment because so relatively few took up the challenge. Being our first such competition it is perhaps understandable that word is not out on the street, despite notification to most of the country’s photography magazines. Actually there are literally dozens and dozens of photography contests out there all angling for your attention and offering prizes of varying value. So I’m confident that next year, the crop will be better.

We offer a big thank you to Brighton Pier for providing this year’s prizes.

The competition was held to celebrate our 30th Anniversary and encouraged entrants to submit images that best described :

‘Why its Seaside Pier gives the town a special identity’

The rules of the competition were published on the Society’s website and the difficult theme of the competition proved to have been only loosely followed, making the judging a little easier.
Of course, the principal purpose behind the competition was to unearth some interesting pier images and additionally, the Society gained at least four new members as a result of it. I hope you will agree that the winning entries provide a very different view. I am pleased to say that every professional photographer approached to act as a judge did so. The judges were Chris Abbott, Peter Laurence, Kate Barclay and Will Nixon. A big thank you to all four, who have supplied the following summaries of their photographic approaches.

Chris Abbott
“If pushed I’d have to say that I am a landscape photographer but in truth I don’t really want to be pigeon-holed – I like the challenge of finding a beautiful photograph whenever and wherever I find myself. The challenge is the key to learning, and there is always something new to learn. You can imagine how I felt when I was asked to document the rebuilding of the pavilion on Weston-super-Mare’s Grand Pier – all manner of wonderful and unique challenges have come with that responsibility, and it’s going to be a tough assignment to top.“
You can see his work at www.grandpierwsm.co.uk or at www.chrisabbottphotography.com

Kate Barclay
Kate Barclay is one of a new breed of digital photographers who can marry technology with a natural talent for composition and the capture of light. Her career highlights include: two images Highly Commended in the Panasonic Batteries sponsored Amateur Photographer of the Year 2005; Runner-up in the BBC Country File Children in Need Calendar 2006 competition; several features in photography magazines in 2006, 2007 & 2008. She is the featured photographer in ‘A Guide to Great Photography’ by Peter Bargh. She had two Highly Commended images published in the Landscape Photographer of the Year 2007 and 2008 books. Look at www.katebarclay.co.uk to see the full range of her images and details of her photographic workshops.

Peter Laurence
A life long interest in mountaineering and photography has allowed Peter Laurence to experience and record the diverse geography and cultures of many countries. His awards include: National Geographic Magazine Photo Comp 2009 Editors Selection: Final Judging T.B.A, Royal Botanical Gardens Edinburgh Photography Comp Prize 2009, Commendation Award, Landscape Photographer Of The Year 2008, Winner of the Kendal Mountain Film Festival Photographic Prize and Winner of the Eltermere Photographic Prize.
Look at Peter’s other images at www.plaurence.co.uk

Will Nixon
The underlying theme of his work considers our understanding of and attitudes towards what we think reality to be. Initially the various images appear to be snapshots that make up a typical urban environment, and to an extent they are. However, the works are in fact a calculated juxtaposition of different photographs, which take the form of a collage. Each collage is digitally manipulated, disguising the evidence of human intervention, but not completely.

Judges’ Comments
The judges discussed the entries amongst themselves and reverted to me to adjudicate on a small disagreement over placing. Their comments are best summed up by the following summary supplied by Kate Barclay. Click on the pictures for a larger image.

FIRST PRIZE - £250 - Craig Bromley – ‘Birnbeck’
The composition is good and well thought out, the proportion of sky to fog is well balanced with the pier perfectly placed. I like the dark vignette around the edge, it leads me around and along the pier into the image. The central light spot is used to good effect and yes the red door is a good focal point in just the right place.

SECOND PRIZE - £150 -Beverley Gull - ‘Cuddle up’
The romance of Piers a place to promenade, relax and enjoy. This image says it all for me. I like the silhouetted pier (Southend) against the evening sunset, and the metal shapes add that bit extra with the couple giving the image a story.

THIRD PRIZE - £100 -Emilie Turnbull – ‘Eastbourne’
The lights, fun and entertainment of the pier. This image also shows off the Victorian architecture, which was very much the heyday of life on the pier. Emilie has made good use of the wide angle.

Each submitted a short piece describing the photograph and the big surprise to the judges, who queried but did not solve the technique, will be from the winner! So very well done to Craig Bromley for fooling us all! It only goes to show you that you really don’t need the latest equipment, but you very definitely need to have the eye!

Winning Photographers’ Comments:

Craig Bromley (six images submitted)
Birnbeck Pier - “I take photographs with vintage film cameras that have plastic lenses to create dream-like images.”
See other images at www.craigbromley.com

Beverley Gull MBE (six images submitted)
“Cuddle up’ - It was a bitterly cold winters evening, sometimes the best time to visit the sea. I watched the glorious sunset behind the pier and suddenly noticed a couple appear, laughing and thoroughly enjoying their walk along the massive Southend pier. They stopped for a while to watch the painted sky change colour and cuddled up to keep warm. I couldn’t help but to capture such a wonderful moment.
I became fascinated with pier structures, their historical context and the importance of keeping them alive, at a young age. I marvel at the piers around the country, their beautiful structures, their connectivity between land and sea and the enjoyment they bring to all visitors, as a focal point in any seaside town. After the disaster of Brighton West pier and Weston-Super-Mare I gave myself the challenge of visiting every pier in Britain to record and capture their splendour in photographic form.”

Emilie Turnbull (four images submitted)
“My image of Eastbourne Pier was taken from a series of photographs documenting the numerous piers on the Sussex coastline, entitled “Pier to Pier”. It was part of my final assignment for my Photography Higher National Diploma. In my opinion Eastbourne Pier is the most beautiful and grand of all the piers on the Sussex Coastline, particularly at night time when all the fairy lights glisten in reflection of the water, and one which I visited on numerous occasions. Given the time, I would love to cover another section of the British Coastline, famed for its piers, possibly Kent or Yorkshire. Watch this space!”

I was amused that none of the judges guessed Craig Bromley’s picture taking technique, so it goes to show that having the latest technology is absolutely not necessary!  His other submitted images did raise some doubts about the technique used and even the age of the photograph.

Many congratulations to all the winners who will be receiving their prizes shortly.

A big thank you too to the other entrants, who in their own ways looked at the fun behind and in our seaside piers. It is important to stress it was a photographic competition, which was looking for more than just a simple view. So next time, be more adventurous! There’s no reason why you cannot start now looking for that unusual view.

I am very pleased to report that at our meeting in November, the EC agreed that we will run this competition every year; this is of course dependent on the generosity of a sponsor or sponsors. If any members would like to suggest a pier related theme for next year’s competition, which will be launched at our AGM in Bournemouth, please make contact.

Perhaps to illustrate what I mean, the following are images submitted by each of the judges. Click on the pictures for a larger image.

Chris Abbott

Progress on Weston-super-Mare Grand Pier

Kate Barclay

Summer Storm at Cromer

Peter Laurence

Bangor Pier and Snowdonia

Will Nixon

Hastings Beach Front

1st January 2010