John Scaife judged our October competition with the kind of sensitivity and good humour that demonstrates he understands the world of amateur photography and the politics of club competitions!

He was very appreciative of the efforts of members who, until that point, were mostly self-confessed novices in the art of creating triptychs.

Entries were down slightly, as we agreed to limit them to two, rather than three each, but the quality was good, and it was obvious that many had learned a great deal completing their entries. We learned a lot more listening to John’s feedback on overall composition and balance, and he willingly shared a wealth of technical suggestions without, I hope, de-motivating anyone considering whether to enter our next monthly challenge, which is focused on the equally creative theme, “Abstract”.

The subjects of the entries ranged widely from animals and architecture, old cars and cutlery, portraits and paragliders, surfers and swans. Featuring the odd bit of ICM, abstract reflections and the more conventional results of travels to Venice and Marrakesh, there was much to entertain, and John’s commentary kept us engaged and interested all evening. Already a popular visitor to our club, members will be delighted to see him again in the future, and we thanked him for his time and the effort that he put in to the evening.

J Short