22nd May 2023 – The 2022-2023 Clive Harrison Trophy

25/05/2023 Graham Peacock

This week we held the annual panel competition in which we saw a broad range of subjects and interests demonstrating the variety and skill of our members photography.

We welcomed back our judge for the evening Roger Smith all the way from Gosport. Roger provided his own insight into the panels before him. He commented that ‘each panel has something a little special’ and that the authors had taken care and paid attention to the individual images.

He also said how much he enjoyed his second visit to our club. He also presented Gladys with a tripod for her panel ‘The Pheasant’. A nice gesture.

We had a total of ten panels and I would like to congratulate all of those who entered this seasons event. Roger did deliberate for sometime before making his decisions which was not made easy by the quality of the panels. Well done everyone.

The results were:

1st The Pheasant by Gladys Perrier
2nd Exmoor and Corfe Castle at sunrise by Andy Myatt
3rd On the cover of Vogue by Stephanie Paterson

HC Expressions by Alan Edwards
HC Grey Seal Colony by David Watkins

David Watkins
Club Chairman

The Pheasant by Gladys Perrier

The Pheasant
In celebration of the pheasant – a quintessential sight in our English countryside – I wanted to express something of this bird’s splendour. All too often we see them skulking off into the hedges. A mere glimpse of red, green and gold. Take a closer look and you will find something quite magical. This, I wanted to share.

The cock pheasant tiptoes through the curly dock looking for tasty insects. Then, sitting in the morning sun like a copper kettle, waiting to come to the boil, simmering in the sunshine, with the iridescent greens of his cap and blood red of his wattles catching the light as he tucks his head under his ochre wings. Suddenly he is wide awake, raising his splendid tail skyward. He flashes spangles as his wings flap and quiver. Tilting his head as if to sing an aria, ‘koork ko”, crows he.

Splendid and flamboyant ready to mate.