Photo Challenge 2023
Blackburn and District Camera Club Annual Photo Challenge 5 June 2023
Each year we run a special event, The Photo Challenge. This is a team competition pairing members with different abilities to work together to achieve 10 photographic challenges in the space of one evening. Its not like a normal photo competition because whilst we expect good photography, the teams must fulfil all the briefs.
This year we returned to the village of Whalley for our challenge, a small village in which there are many photo opportunities.
Whalley has a rich selection of subjects, not all of which are directly referred to in the challenges.
There was plenty of scope to make an interesting and rewarding Challenge collection.
This year's challenges were:
Whalley Village 1
The Village of Whalley one of the most picturesque in the Ribble Valley. Your challenge here is to capture an aspect of the village that shows this. Wander round and find the perfect view of the village. Consider the way you would want to capture this. Consider the architecture, floral displays and the setting ie Whalley Nab. What I want to see is Whalley at its idyllic best. I know Whalley well so will have high expectations!
Whalley Village 2
Challenge 2 is about the historic architecture in the village. Subjects if interest are the Church, Abbey views, the Gatehouses, viaduct, Old School and some of the old building within the village. Submissions can be straight record shots or something involving manipulation to create an image that shows historic Whalley.
The River Calder
The river runs through Whalley and there are many places in and around the village that offer positions to photograph it from, ie the bridges, road and foot bridge under the Viaduct, the Abbey, upstream form the village or using the vantage point of Whalley Nab. Your challenge is to find a vantage point that gets you an engaging image. The less obvious will probably be the most appreciated!
1900
There are many parts of Whalley that date from 1900 or before. Your challenge her is to give me an image that shouts, “this was taken in 1900”. To do this you will need to find a subject looks period, probably this will be architectural. Get a good image to start with! Then look at processing skills and how you can use these to give the image a period feel. The more convincing the more points you will get, whilst the presence of non-period details (street furniture/markings etc) will lose points!
Posing a model
Working with models is something that has been available at club nights on several occasions so most of us will have some experience. The task here is to use the model to represent a specific theme or subject. The choice will be yours, but could be, dust jacket portrait on the back of a book, interaction with the photographer or architecture, capturing an activity, behaviour or feeling.
Sounds easy! But the model is me! Your job is to approach me during the evening, and I will give you 10 minutes to direct me. I will do my best to represent your chosen subject, but the pressures is on you to get the type of image that fulfils the challenge. Think setting, lighting and most importantly Pose! Give this image a title. NB I will take note of your brief and see how your work reflects this!
Details
This challenge is to use details in an image- it’s not just about using a macro-Lense to get a close up! I want to see some photo thinking at work. Consider use of depth of files to isolate/include, framing, layers, reflections, facial detailing and any other creative ideas you may have. Your task is to give me a Detail image that has real punch!
Weather conditions
We can’t predict the weather in advance! The one thing we do know is that there will be “weather”! To do well in this challenge your expected to capture an image that shows something about the weather on the day, this could include a sunset, rain, dramatic cloud formations, shadows or something else weather related. NB conditions will change during the evening. Make the best on any opportunity.
Open
This is the one where you get the chance to impress the Judge! On your evenings photography you will find opportunities that may or may not relate to the other challenges. Your task is to give me an image that shows your shills and creatively at its best, this may be a grab shot, a subject that catches your eye or something showing off your photography or your processing skills.
Grain
Digital noise gives a similar effect to grain on film images. Often, it’s something photographers want to avoid, but on this occasion it’s something your expected to use! A noisy image can be achieved at capture or in processing (plenty info on how to do this on the internet).
Grain/noise can add much to an image it can give a period feel, particularly on B/W images. It is regularly used in fine art images and give a quality to portraits, architecture and landscapes that give atmosphere and quality. Sensitive use of noise can create an image with a difference but remember, poorly applied noise will not improve an image, just make it look poor!
Your Challenge here is to give me an image that uses Noise to enhance an image. The subject matter is your choice!
End of the day
Towards the end of the evening the light will change as will subject matter, also different venues may be available (pub interior?). Your challenge her is to capture the end of the day. Imagination, photography skills and processing skills will all be used to meet the “end of the day” challenge.
The Best Image In Each Category
