This week members of Irvine Camera Club headed off to visit our friends at Cumnock Camera Club for a photography knock out competition. Trips like these have been sadly missed over the past two years, with most clubs having to rely on Zoom to virtual meet. So, it was lovely to actually be able to get together in person once again with another club.
The 7 members from Irvine who made the journey into East Ayrshire were made very welcome by the host club in their new venue at the Barrhill Community Centre.
Despite some early technical issues at the start, the images were soon up and running and being displayed for everyone to vote on. As in previous knockouts, both clubs provided 16 photographs each. The audience were shown the images in pairs, and for each pair they were asked to vote on their favourite. The image with the least votes as knocked out, but not until long time Irvine member, Kenny Gordon, had given it a considered appraisal.
Getting through all 32 images took us nicely through to the break, where Cumnock had put on a splendid buffet to replenish everyone’s energy reserves. They also laid on a very generous raffle, with enough prizes available to ensure that just about everyone who purchased tickets went on to win something.
Following the break the job in hand was now to whittle down the remaining 16 images to 8, then to 4 and finally to the last 2 images standing.
There was an excellent and varied collection of photographs from both clubs and, as it always the way, the voting was very tight between several of the pairings throughout the evening. At the end of the night I am glad to report that we were left with two Irvine images in the final round. Jim Mason’s “Leaving Harbour” and Michele Campbell’s “Little Grannie”. In another very close vote, Michele’s image carried the show of hands and was awarded the win.
Neil Given of Cumnock closed the evening by thanking us for coming to his club and observed that everyone had had a really good time and that they were going away enthused and ready to make more fabulous images for the next time.
I hope you enjoy looking at the photos that Irvine Camera Club entered and, if you are inspired, that you have a look on our website www.irvinecc.co.uk where you will find many more fantastic images from our talented members.
