Ely Miscellany (aka "Points of View")

Saturday 21st September saw Cambridge Camera Club's annual Points of View competition, where everyone taking part needs to take five "set subject" images within a constrained area and with identical conditions.  It's a fun event, but one which I haven't been able to enter for a few years.  It was a gloriously sunny day on this occasion; and, since I had nothing else planned, I decided to make the trek up the A10.  After 30 minutes driving around Ely, searching in vain for a parking place, I almost gave up and went home.  In the end I'm very glad I didn't.  Although the light was a bit harsh for photography, it was a real joy to be out in the sunshine.

The five set subject catories were:

• The River Ouse
• Three
• Ely Folk
• Cathedral Curves
• Double Take

Here are some of the pictures which didn't quite make the grade.  Inevitably there is tendency towards "subject ambiguity" (i.e. hedging one's bets!), although I hope that most will be reasonably obvious.

Inevitably I ended up bumping into other members of Cambridge CC who were attempting to capture their own images for the competition.  David and Françoise turned up towards the end of the afternoon, just as the light was improving (and everyone else was going home!).

Although, naively, one might assume that the main aim would be to win the competition, it's actually a bit of a poisoned chalice.  Not only does the winner have to set the following year's competition, but - traditionally - they also end up judging it.  As a result, it is a well-established tradition that everyone attempts to come second.

So (drum roll please) here is my second place set from last night's judging by the incomparable Ann Miles.

The River Ouse

Three

Ely Folk

Cathedral Curves

Double Take

Many congratulations to Sue Badcock - a worthy winner - who has the dubious honour of sorting out the 2020 competition!

Third-rate Photographer

Cambridge Camera Club's Points of View competition was held last night, and as always it was a highly enjoyable event.  It's one of those competitions where everyone's ambition is actually to come second, since then you get most of the glory but don't end up with the "privilege" of setting and judging the competition the following year!

Round 1: Tourist Cambridge.  This was taken on King's Parade just across the road from King's College Chapel (but then you could probably have worked that out!).

Round 2: Corners.  It was difficult not to be too obvious with this round, so I went for something which - with the addition of some colour - would make a fine "Mondrian" painting.  It's actually the entrance to the old Computer Laboratory tower where I used to work as an undergraduate and a PhD student.  Memories came flooding back...

Round 3: Mood or Atmosphere.  This little girl was actually a guest at a wedding, and the double-decker bus appeared to be the transport to the reception.  I loved the way she was in a world of her own, and - having her face pressed up against the glass - was being lit while her father was in relative darkness.  It was as though she was in a kind of spotlight, and the chance alignment of the bus windows and the building behind were a pleasing bonus.

Round 4: Retail Therapy.   This was taken on Emmanuel Street, which is where many of the Park & Ride bus stops can be found.  This couple amused me enormously, as it was the chap who seemed to be there under sufferance (and was carrying all the purchases!) while his partner was nonchalantly sending a text message on her phone.  The matching shoes and jeans, plus the lady's bag being the same colour as some of the shopping, were the icing on the cake.

Round 5: Metal or Metallic.  By this round I was getting rather worried (being in the joint lead) but luckily Paula, who did an excellent job of the judging, failed to understand the following entry so marked it down.  Phew!  It's actually a rather beautiful slotted spoon with a wooden handle, taken through the window of a cookery shop on the corner of Bridge Street and All Saints' Passage.  The window lights were shining through the spoons, which were each acting as a "gobo" and making patterns on the wall behind.  Well, I liked it anyway...

The final outcome was that I came Third overall, so could relax with head held high and honour reasonably intact.

A few more rejects

A few more rejects from Saturday's Points of View outing.

Quite frankly, I'd be rather worried if anyone actually enjoyed Postie's given what they are, but whatever lights your fire I suppose... 

Details from a rather beautiful glass sculpture in the grounds of Jesus College.

Another sneaky grab shot from the wedding which was taking place in Jesus College chapel.

Finally, my "safety shot" for the Mood/Atmosphere section of the competition.  I'd have thought that "Miserable" counted as a mood, wouldn't you?

Points of View

Every year, Cambridge Camera Club runs a Points of View competition.  All participants are given a map with a marked geographical area, and given five hours to tackle five photographic challenges.  It's always fascinating to see each person's interpretation of the challenges, and how different it sometimes is from everyone else's.  This year's challenges were:

1. Tourist Cambridge
2. Corner(s)
3. Capturing a mood or atmosphere
4. Retail Therapy
5. Metal or Metallic Objects

I'll publish my five entries to the competition once it has taken place, but in the meantime here are a few images which either didn't make the cut or are completely off-topic.  I'll leave it as an exercise for the reader to decide which is which...

I don't know if I should be worried, but I appear to have developed an obsession with dogs and ladies' underwear...