Shortlisted Photo

Everyman Shortlisted, originally uploaded by Liverpool Cathedral CofE.

Here's the photo that I was talking about in my last post.

Also a couple of links about the competition:

http://www.liverpoolcathedral.org.uk/404/section.aspx/403/inspiring_places_winners_announced

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2011/09/23/tony-mallon-s-parent-with-child-wins-liverpool-cathedral-photography-prize-100252-29472806/

Photography Award

A couple of weeks ago I discovered that a photograph I took of Samwise had been chosen by the judging panel to be one of three shortlisted entries in it's category in the 2011 Liverpool Anglican Cathedral Photographic Competition. I was asked to keep this quiet until the public votes were in for the 'People's Winner'.

To be honest, it wasn't the greatest picture I've ever taken - I put it into the competition just to make sure that I had an entry in all 3 categories. I thought that my entries in 'The City Centre', and 'Hope Street Area' categories were far better. This one for the 'Everyman' category showed Samwise with a cheeky grin holding up a bunch of pantomime posters.

The competition photos are all on display in the Cathedral until the end of October - I took the family there to see them last Saturday, and there's some great shots on display. Not sure if I'm allowed to publish my entries elsewhere - which is why they aren't online yet.

The awards reception was held tonight at the Hope Street Hotel. The invitation was for myself, and a guest - so I took Samwise along. Champagne (orange juice for Samwise), canapés and a chance to talk to the judges and other entrants. We got to meet Mike McCartney (a well known photographer / musician and local character whose brother once played bass in a popular beat group). He said that it was great to see children in the competition, and would like them to take, as well as be in, the photos Samwise said that he wants to try his hand at this next year.

I was looking at an exhibition of Mike's work at the museum a couple of weeks ago - so he was looking at my work at the same time :-) Mike was the Chair of the judging panel - he talked about each of the shortlisted entries, and announced the winners.

I was quite pleased to see that the picture I voted for as the 'People's Winner' (not one of my own) was the one that won the public vote.
Didn't win the first prize in the 'Everyman' category - but we did get a runners up prize of a book about the Everyman theatre, and a family ticket to see 'Sinbad the Sailor' in November. !!!! :-D !!!!

Prize Winning Photography

Wooot! I've just won the Green Tail Monkey monthly photography competition for June, with this photo.

Did he fire six shots or only five?

Samwise and Frodo at play in the garden earlier this evening.
First results using the "nifty fifty" lens that I got from an ebay auction. I'm quite pleased to find that this lens lives up to it's reputation. Was in danger of testing it's resistance to water in the first photo!

Spring In The City

Did a photography workshop, which was run by a professional photographer at Liverpool University last Saturday. These photos are some of my better results. The morning was spent learning some basic techniques, and in the afternoon we put them into practice, followed by a review of the photos taken.

A group of 15 of us wandered around the University grounds, Abercrombie Square and the grounds of the Catholic Cathedral, shooting at anything and everything of interest. We surprised a few people who were turning into a nearby car park, when they had to drive through a horde of photographers. At one point we came across a bunch of skateboarders who kindly did a few stunts for the action photographers (I wasn't fast enough to catch them - so I took a group photo).

The workshop is run through the Adult Education service - there's another one in Autumn - and is well worth doing if, like me, your taking your first steps with a DSLR camera.

Liverpool Discovers - End of the Trail

I've completed my Liverpool Discovers trail - i.e. visited and photographed all of the works in this public art exhibition. OK so I didn't see Kelda the giant Viking lady puppet, nor did I see "Where Stars are Made", but these are Wirral and St Helens Discovers.

They've extended the exhibition until the 8th May - although a couple of the works will be removed, and some resited.

I've posted my set of photos on flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/darkdwarf/sets/72157626137837038/, as well as in various posts on this blog.

This was a great exercise for getting to grips with my new camera, and I've learnt a lot as I legged out of work at lunchtimes to take the shots.

I thought that this was going to be a bit of a solarity experience, but far from it. I've found that some people seem to feel the need to come up and ask questions about what you're taking pictures of. Some wanted to know what the artwork was all about. Perhaps they're thinking that because you've got a camera and tripod then you must be some sort of authority on the subject? Some were also doing the trail and wanted to chat about it, so I had a few pleasant conversations.
I kept bumping into two ladies on different parts of the trail - so showed them a few of the photos. A traffic warden hovered around me as I took the Mary Bamber photos, then proceeded to tell me what he knew about her. In the Bluecoat a chap passed me a card inviting me to become a founder member of a photography forum. (www.greentailmonkey.com if anyone's interested).

Another reaction to having a camera set up on a tripod is the way that some people will duck as they go past it - there's no need as I'm quite happy to wait for them to pass, and I'm operating the shutter with a remote switch. Of course there are those who just shove right in the way, as if you've somehow infringed on their right to view the artwork. Then there's the one's who seem to want to be in the picture, and will linger around, trying to be in the background, or walking into the picture when they think you're taking the shot.
In all cases it's just best to be polite, saying thanks to those who duck and scurry past, quietly wait for others to finish looking, gritting your teeth and waiting for the lingerers to get out of the way.

The advice in my photography book is simply to beat them to death with my tripod!