Photographic Judgments

From the exceedingly low standard of the entries for this year's photographic competition, an all-time low only emphasized by comparison with the really good work which appeared in Spike last year, it would seem that the decease of the Photographic Club has killed photographic art at V.U.C. Almost without exception the prints submitted show a deplorable lack of imagination: in many cases the technique is downright bad.

While I hesitate to honour any print in the group with a First label, I place Second an untitled seascape by B. B. Given. This print shows an artistic conception superior to the rest, and some sense of tonal values. Third place I award to the same competitor for his " ? ", an original and pleasing study. Three more prints by the same competitor fill Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth places.

I commend "Prospect," by K. J, McNaught, as a bold attempt which almost succeeded. The icicles in the centre of the print detract from the effect. "Snow Shadows," by R. L. Oliver, is a print which should show up quite well in reproduction; and "Fellah," by A. R. Anderson, an interesting study marred by the hand being badly focussed.

I recommend that the V.U.C. Photographic Club be revived. From the evidence before me individual effort is no substitute for the stimulus of group discussions, lectures, competitions, the submission and unlimited criticism of prints and processes. A Club visit to the exhibition of Camera Club prints at present on view at the Public Library could have been most profitable. And wartime shortage of materials cannot be blamed for the disappointing quality of the photographs submitted to me.

G. Perry