The Isle of Man Photographic Society held its annual print competition this week, and the members were privileged to have Christine Widdall, MPAGB EFIAP FBPE, president of the Oldham Photographic Society and a long-standing senior executive member of the Lancashire and Cheshire Photographic Union as their judge.

She is an acknowledged expert photographer with years of experience, charm and charisma, and loaded with enthusiasm - so a packed audience eagerly awaited her commentary, and she did not disappoint! An entertaining and often amusing commentary with lots of helpful asides passed all too quickly.

As the sole entrant in the standard section, Jonathan Carey’s entries were judged as a group, his ’Every Penny Counts’ - a pleasing and well printed image of a young boy donating to a street musician - deservedly gave him a first place.

In both the intermediate and advanced sections, the awards were well spread out, and demonstrated the wide range of talent in the society.

Barry Murphy swept the board in the intermediate mono section with a 1, 2 and 3, his portrait of ’Tom Jackie’ proving the winner.

Hazel Walsh showed her skills, winning both the colour section (with ’The Bone Collector’) and the creative section (with ’Man and Machine’, a composite of a rider and his motor-cycle).

The Natural History section was won by Sue Leeming with her shot of a heron in Douglas Bay, whilst Shirley Lotfy completed the Intermediate group by winning the record section with ’Street Art, Belfast’ - an image exactly as titled.

The advanced group proved very competitive, with a large and high quality entry, particularly in the mono and colour sections.

Nigel Owen showed yet again his mastery of mono with ’Truelips of Man’, a delightful shot of three tulips, the stems ’bent’ into the Manx triskele.

Chris Blyth took the colour section with ’Frozen’, an image of two roses frozen into an ice block, whilst Sue Blythe’s beautiful shot of a mother polar bear and cub won her the Natural History section.

A ’Vase of Tulips’ gained Ruth Nicholls the creative section - the flowers given a very soft, diffused finish in a highly artistic treatment.

The competition concluded with the record section, Ron Shimmin taking both first and second place with two of his meticulously printed shots, the winner being ’Lamentation Panel - the Louvre’ a bas relief image of a sculpted marble panel, almost 3D in its effect.

Christine completed the evening with a presentation of some of her own images - with an emphasis on her joy at photography, and the fun aspects of her work.

Reluctant to go anywhere without her camera, she made clear that the essential point was not to produce ’competition standard’ work but to take advantage of the light and whatever the weather conditions, to take images to enjoy - and just maybe, with serendipity, some exceptional images as a result - and which her presentation clearly showed.

Landscapes of Saddleworth Moor (her home), Snowdonia and of the Lake District, pets at play in the river, architecture at Salford Quays all demonstrated high technical skill with a great eye for an image.

Tony Curtis, club president, gave the vote of thanks.

Results - Standard Group : Mono Prints - Jonathan Carey (VHC). Colour Prints (Woodbourne Cup) - Jonathan Carey (1 & 2). Intermediate Group : Mono Prints (Ballure Cup) - Barry Murphy (1,2 3 & 2xC), Sue Leeming (VHC & HC), Richard Shafto (C). Colour Prints (Coombe Cup)- Hazel Walsh (1 & C), Barry Murphy (2 & C), Sue Leeming (3 & 2xC), Joy Brodie (VHC). Natural History (Ballaragh Cup)- Sue Leeming (1,2 & VHC), Richard Shafto (3, VHC and C), Barry Murphy (C). Creative (Carnane Cup) - Hazel Walsh (1). Record (Lezayre Trophy)- Shirley Lotfy (1 & 3), Beryl Quayle (2). Advanced Group : Mono Prints (Bridge Cup)- Nigel Owen (1), Jeremy Broome-Smith (2), Sue Blythe (3 & VHC), Ruth Nicholls (2xVHC, HC & C), Bob Servante (HC & C). Colour Prints (Sanderson Cup) - Chris Blyth (1), Ruth Nicholls (2), Sue Blythe (3 & C), Jeremy Broome-Smith (VHC & HC), Bob Servante (VHC & C), Chris Nicholls (VHC), Janet Servante (HC). Natural History (Caraghan Cup) - Sue Blythe (1,3 & VHC), Jeremy Broome-Smith (2 & VHC), Chris Blyth (C). Creative (Snaefell Cup) - Ruth Nicholls (1), Jeremy Broome-Smith (2), Nigel Owen (3). Record (Glenrigh Cup)- Ron Shimmin (1 & 2), Chris Nicholls (3). Best Mono Print In Competition (Mackie Cup) - "Truelips of Man" by Nigel Owen. Best Colour Print (Redwood Trophy) - "Polar Bear and Cub" by Sue Blythe.

Chris Blyth