The Guild’s revived photographic award attracted an encouraging entry of 60 images, more or less evenly divided between the four categories – People, Livestock, Crops and Landscape.
Unknown to the judges, all the images chosen as the category winners were taken by the same photographer, giving Cumbrian freelance, Wayne Hutchinson, a remarkable clean-sweep!
The judges shortlisted several entries in each category from the Guild website and then assessed high resolution copies for technical quality as well as content and composition.
Nick Bond who, as deputy Chairman at the time, co-ordinated the judging process, said the judges had quite a task picking the category winners and an overall top image.
“All the images that made it into the shortlist were photographs that worked on various levels,” said the judges. “The winners were very dynamic images that pulled the viewer into the subject matter.”
In the People category, Wayne pipped freelance journalist Neil Ryder to the winner’s certificate, while in the Livestock section, Farmers Guardian photographer Marcello Garbagnoli’s uplands farming scene was runner up.
Press & Journal farming editor Joe Watson was awarded the second-spot prize in the Crops category for a study of onions, while Mike Ashton’s flood scene brought him the runner up certificate in the Landscape category.
Joe’s onions were deemed worthy of the runner up prize overall but, needless to say, one of Wayne’s images – showing leaves being plucked from a maize cob – was judged the overall winner (right).
Wayne received his multitude of certificates, and the President’s Award for Best Photograph, at the Guild’s Royal Show awards evening party – see report under Events.
“We’re delighted at the number of Guild members who made the effort to enter this revived competition and the way it showcased the outstanding talent they possess,” says Nick Bond. “The winning images will be displayed on The Farmers Club stand at the Royal Show and possibly at other events through the year.”
Judges for this year’s competition were Guild President, Margaret, the Countess of Mar; Steven Skinner, chief executive of The Farmers Club; and Julian Rodriguez, Dean of the School of Media at the London College of Communication.
People Category Winner – Wayne Hutchison
Woman in blue dress with hoe cultivating crop outside hut
People Category Runner-up – Neil Ryder
A master butcher demonstrates cutting late season lamb at a QMS seminar.
Landscape Category Winner – Wayne Hutchison
Herdwick ewe grazing alongside mountain stream, Wasdale
Landscape Category Runner-up – Mike Ashton
Flood Defenses?
Livestock Category Winner – Wayne Hutchison
Shepherd on quad bike moving swaledale sheep in snowy weather
Livestock Category Runner-up – xxx
Show Winner
Crops Category Winner – Wayne Hutchison
Close up of hands removing leaves from corn picked from the plant
