Norton Radstock Photographic Society held its Annual Presentation Dinner at The Old Down Inn last Thursday.

Postponed because of the snow in February, it was a lively occasion, with good company enjoying a pleasant menu surrounded by high quality prints by members.

The Committee organised the fine details so that all ran smoothly on the night, and Geoff Noad kindly recorded the event with photos of the awards as they were given, as well as the presentation of flowers at the end of the evening to mark the outstanding service that Margot Witcombe and husband, Mike, have made to the Society over the years. NRPS’ new Honorary President, Margot Witcombe, presented the monthly competitions and Picture of the Year awards.

The very first presentation was for the recently re-named Witcombe Millennium Cup, for the best picture in the Annual Exhibition. The public voted for most popular photograph on the day, and the winner was David Chown’s creative ‘Books Bring Words to Life’, which also later took first place in the Picture of the Year category, ‘Other’.

Monthly Competitions

Colour Prints: 1st – Jill Toman (59 points), 2nd – Diana Walker (58 points), 3rd – Jenny Short (45 points).

Monochrome Prints: 1st Jill Toman – (64 points), 2nd – Suzanne Ladd (54 points), 3rd – Jenny Short (51 points).

Picture of the Year (As judged by Peter Weaver)

Portrait/People: 1st – Suzanne Ladd, ‘The Umbrella Seller’; 2nd – Jenny Short, ‘Master Mason’; 3rd – Bill Collett, ‘Natasha’.

Sport/Action: 1st – Jill Toman, ‘Sidecar Racing, Highbridge’; 2nd – Jenny Short, ‘A Dab Hand’; 3rd – Jane Richardson, ‘Heat of the Battle’.

Landscape/Seascape/Cityscape: 1st – Bill Collett, ‘Burnham-on-Sea’; 2nd – Janice Cuer, ‘Blinking Eye’; 3rd – Suzanne Ladd, ‘Harvest Time’.

Any Other Subject: 1st – David Chown, ‘Words Bring Books to Life’; 2nd – Jenny Short, ‘Chinese Lanterns (Physalis)’; 3rd – Ivy Goatcher, ‘Bristol Suspension Bridge’.

Jill Toman’s ‘Sidecar Racing, Highbridge’ was judged overall to be Picture of the Year 2018.

Thursday, 4th April sees Geoff Noad take the floor, and time has also been set aside for members to consider further the entries for the Tri-Battle Competition with Frome clubs that is fast approaching.

Jenny Short