2018/19 Alec Balmer Competition Judging Report – Wonderful evening at SLPS!

Article by Mal Holmes


IAN KEMP wins the Prestigious… 2018/19… SLPS Alec-Balmer Trophy.

What a superb night it was at last nights Society Meeting… not only did we have 2 new prospective members join us for the evening, but it was one of the most highly anticipated and looked forward to, nights in our calendar This being said… Our Judge for the evening, even remarked on the fantastic turnout on the night, in regards as to the amount of membership, who had braved the weather in order to attend.

The Society, welcomed our Judge… Paul Gallagher from Aspect 2i, a world renowned, superb and leading protaganist of all things in the photography world both here and abroad, who gives lectures, workshops and tours both at home, here in the UK and internationally, which many of the SLPS membership, have attended over the years. Paul and his partners at Aspect 2i are also leading print experts and give help and advice in all aspects of camera, editing and printing techniques…

The evening got under way, with the setting up of the Society’s, new automatic drop down, wide projector screen which had recently been installed… this made less space at the side, for the ‘Print’ display frame, but a few tweaks here and there, got it all in… and what an enjoyable night it was…

The SLPS… Alec-Balmer trophy, is as all members know, a monochromatic ‘open category’ competition, held each year and attracts many fantastic entries from the membership. of course it is primarily a ‘print’ competition, but in order that the membership see the images, and allowing Paul, (our judge) with the help of a laser pointer, to critique and comment on each entry, the printed images are shown digitally as well.

The standard, it was remarked on…. was exceptionally high this year, and I can say on a personal note, that even amongst the initial batch which did not receive commendations and above, I would have given many of them wall-space in my own home… such was the calibre of the compositions and printing techniques.

After our half-time break, Paul, reviewed the second batch of images, and they were fantastic to say the least… I didn’t envy his task, in picking the commended, highly-commended and finally settling on his 3rd, 2nd, and ultimate 1st placed entries… but Paul accomplished this, with a full explanation for each and every one of his choices… thus announcing Ian Kemp as this years ultimate winner, for his mono ‘drone’ shot of the Fildlers’ Ferry Power Station Cooling Towers… in the mist…

A worthy Winner… Placed images to follow… on the SLPS Website..

You can visit Paul’s Aspect 2i site by clicking the link below..

http://www.aspect2i.co.uk/index.php

NEXT WEEK… another week not to be missed… The superb. photographic art work of the internationally recognised… Adrian & Jane Lines…