MONGOLIAN DANCER

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I've already blogged here about this exhibition and competition.

Tonight's the night of the adjudication (19/2/2020), though the exhibition goes on till 2 March 2020.

By popular demand the exhibition has now been extended to 9 March 2020.

Let's start at the end, for once.

Having commented on the photos worth a commendation and those from 5th to 2nd prize, the co-adjudicator, Eamon O'Daly, announced the winning photo.

Mongolian Dancer

One of the elements, if not the main one, that appealed to Eamon was the choice of shutter speed which enabled the motion to be captured but retained the clear face of the musician in the background.

And the winning photographer, Liz Stowe from Raheny Camera Club.

Some of the other winners
[A point to bear in mind when looking at the pictures: I have taken these as photos of the exhibits on the wall. The room lighting, while good, is not ideal for this. While I've made every effort to avoid it, it has not always been possible to get a picture without some trace of light reflection even on matt surfaces. The camera is more sensitive to this than is the human eye.]

Not doin too well - Tony McCann - 2nd

Eamon was very taken with this photo, to which he awarded 2nd prize. He noted the contrast between how the busker, Martin McDonnell, is doing so badly in the street and his €15 admission gig in Whelans in aid of the Irish Cancer Society the previous night.

He also noted the composition of the photo, with the musician and his street audience.

Firestarter - Maurice Ward

Chinese Dancer - Gunita Zonberga 4th

Puc fada - Tony McCann

Backstage - Vivion Mulcahy

Non-winners I liked

A show of hardness - Birgit Kreischman

Are you listening to me? - Billy White

Delayed delivery - Jean Crowley

Watching you - Alan Shelley

Wind beneath my wings - Charlie O'Neill

I'm probably influenced in favour of this one as I think it is taken beside the current ruins of my old school in Parnell Square.


And then there's this one

Bono - Paul Rainey

I have a blind spot when it comes to Bono. No offence to the photographer who appears to have got a very impressive shot. To me it's Bono as Jesus Christ and the Edge as the Mannekin Pis. Used to sing with the Edge's Da in a choir.


The Independents

There were ten entries in all from independents (ie non-club members) of which six are shown above. In other years these were judged in a separate category of their own. This year they went into the general pot and Vivion (middle top, referred to above) was among the prizewinners.

Checking out the independents

And there seemed to be quite a bit of interest in this category among the audience.


Cheeky photo

Hanging on every word - Sam Keegan

This cheeky photo includes both Michael Edwards, who started and ran the competition up to this year, speaking on the left, and the current adjudicator, Eamon, listening on the right.

I mentioned that I thought it was a cheeky photo to the man I was talking to at the time, only to figure out later that he was the photographer.


People

Barry Crowley

Barry, as well as taking on a role in organising this year's competition, also acted as MC on the night. In the course of thanking the sponsors, he graciously acknowledged the role of Michael Edwards and his team, Siobhán, Dermot and Vanessa, both as the local photo shop and in running the competition over the years.

Michael sent his apologies for his unavoidable absence on the night.

Eamon & Christine

There were actually two adjudicators, both Eamon and his wife Christine. While Eamon did all the talking, he made it clear that Christine had to share any credit - or blame - for the decisions made!

Pat McCabe

Pat is the manager of the Donaghmede Shopping Centre and he provided both the exhibition space and the catering from Kay's.

Aileen, left, & Elaine from DCC

Dublin City Council (DCC) have been a major sponsor in the past and thanks to Pat Carey for keeping them on board in the post-Edwardian dispensation. Pat is also responsible for the poster at the head of my earlier post.

The Council have provided 10 very nice awards (placed, from 1st to 5th, and 5 Highly Commended). I've included photos from both categories under winners above but specified a placing where relevant.

Brian Whelan

Brian is Bermingham Cameras on Burgh Quay. I think I remember that this was where Michael Edwards started out on his photo career. But Michael now tells me he started out in Hurson's of Talbot St with Paddy Bermingham ( 1965 ) and it was another 8 years before he joined him again in Burgh Quay. (See his comment below)

Bermingham's have been associated with and supported the competition from the outset and this year again provided prizes for the top three winners.

Brian & Gunita

Three former Benedictines
Pat Carey, Martin Ryan & Maurice Ward

I got to know them via St. Benedict's Camera Club, which now rejoices under the title North Dublin Camera Club.

Brian & Jean Crowley

An independent victory (mentioned above}. Jean Crowley accepting his prize for Vivion, who did turn up but was unavoidably absent for this stage of the proceedings.

Christine is “debriefing” Tony McCann with his wife, Margaret, watching. I should mention that the adjudicators seemed quite willing to discuss their entries with the photographers.

I didn't dare ask.

My Entries
Now that the adjudication is done and there is no further need for anonymity, I'd like to comment on my own two entries, neither of which attracted the adjudicator's attention on the night.

PLAYING WITH FIRE

This the stage door of the Olympia Theatre. It is an invitation to go onstage but at the same time a reminder that all playacting is playing with fire. What might the act trigger in a member of the audience?

I am reminded of Edward Ball in the Gate Theatre at a performance of Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment where Roskolnikov kills an old woman with an axe. Shortly afterwards Edward meted out the same fate to his mother.

Equally, of course, the theatre itself could go on fire, as it did in the film Only Two Can Play.

FREDERICK DOUGLASS: THAT'S MY GIRL

This was a bit of a mind-blower, to be frank. Cecelia Hartsell, heself an African American, talking about former slave and abolitionist, Frederick Douglass, under his watchful eye.

Photo: Sam Keegan, Howth Camera Club

It's not often I'm on this side of the camera, so I thought I'd take a bow.

Thanks Sam.

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The entries shown above are just a a very small selection from what's on show. Always remember that no adjudication is the only one possible, as Eamon freely admits. So do drop in to see the exhibition before it closes and see what you'd have picked as winners. There's a lot of serious quality on show.

By popular demand the exhibition has now been extended to 9 March 2020.