The quest to win NRPS’ 2021 Picture of the Year was hotly contested, and popular judge, Keith Spicer, was very positive about the high quality of the entries in all four categories.

A stickler for straight lines, Keith was generous in his praise for those who experimented, but gave carefully considered technical advice on cropping and composition for those that did not make the final cut. His in-the –moment, online demonstrations of what might have been differently presented, were well received.

Monochromes and muted tones did well throughout, but in the end, it was the vibrant and exciting rugby shot, (in which the eyes undoubtedly got it) that secured the 2021 POY trophy for Graham Nicholls, as the overall winner.

The Landscape section saw Janice Cuer in third place with her ‘Moored in the Bay’, and Pamela Bruce-Lockhart’s minimalist and muted ‘Sliver of Hope’ taking second. Jenny Short’s ‘Willows on the Water’, depicting the Somerset levels in flood, was the winner in this section.

Monochromes took all three places in the People/Portrait section. In third place was Jenny Short’s ‘A Friend in Need , taken on the streets of Bath, and Graham Nicholls’ ‘Blonde Boatman’ from Bradford on Avon was second. Tony Nineham took first place with his humorous capture of a nonchalant, reclining figure, on a bench somewhere in Cambridgeshire, entitled ‘Lazy Sunday’.

Bill Collett took third place in the Other section with his creative, Intentional Camera Movement technique, featuring ‘Doves’. Diana Walker’s ‘Harvest Mouse’ curled up in a tulip took second place, but Tony Nineham achieved his second winner with a pin sharp, ‘Nest Building Wren’.

The Sports/Action section produced the overall Picture of the Year 2021, but was strongly contested with razor sharp images from Bill Collett and Janice Cuer sharing third place equally with their ‘Village Cricket’ and ‘It’s Going In!’ photos. Jenny Short’s surfer, ‘Living The Dream’, took second place to the beautifully aggressive, overall POY by Graham Nicholls, aptly entitled, ‘Get Outta My Way!’

Winning images can be viewed in the gallery online on the Society website, and will be celebrated again when awards will be officially made, at the annual dinner at Old Down Inn on 25th February. Members are urged to make their menu choices known to Janice Cuer as soon as possible.

Jenny Short