"Scotland Around the Edges" by Duncan McEwan, & Angles Print Competition.

“Scotland Around the Edges” was the title of Duncan McEwan’s recent presentation All the images were taken whilst he was in sight of the sea, or at least within the smell of the salt air. They looked a world away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Duncan’s love of photographing Scotland was clearly evident all through the evening.

The baronial castles, in romantic vision or dramatic silhouette, and the natural beauty of small deserted bays and beaches were a joy to see. The sand, made pristine by the tide, bore many interesting shapes created by the water’s changing forces. The colours of the sea chopped and changed, dependent on the angle of view.

Lofty power stations made a mighty comparison with docks and small fishing villages. Lifebelts and lighthouses contrasted with the timelessness of the standing stones of ancient civilisations. It all looked like a photographer’s paradise.

We hung onto every word as Duncan provided us with valuable clues as to how we might capture such wonderful images ourselves. Armed with these pearls of wisdom, we left conscious of just how much we wished to possess Duncan's image making skills.

In our Angles print competition last week, it was metal constructions which were the popular choice for members. The clean lines and gleaming surfaces made pleasing compositions. Searching for a particular theme gets us looking at familiar subjects with renewed eyes, which is always refreshing. A lot of interesting angles were also “well seen” in wooden and glass structures and in nature too. Several famous places, both here and across the waters were featured, and this common subject became uncommonly interesting.

In first place was Brian Ross with Geometric Flips and Turns. These items from a geometry box had the appearance of having been tossed skyward, forming an eyecatching array, as they flipped and turned in midair. Tony Kinder came second with Track Side, a simple arrangement of markings on the asphalt and was very highly commended for Making Waves. Third was a symmetrical shot of Point du Normandie by Babs Robinson. Babs really captured the majesty of this cable stayed road bridge spanning the river Seine. She was also commended for Milau Bridge in the south of France.

Alan and Linda Battersby were both very highly commended for Trolley Wheel and Gold Mining Machinery respectively. Highly commended were Kath Poole for Brooklyn Bridge, and Sonja Haig for both Angle Tools and Stitch Angles. Sonja was also commended for Groin and Pipe, earning honours for all of her maximum three entries.

Also commended were Doreen Graham with Modern Architecture, husband David Graham with Staircase on Water Tank, and Don Barker for The Impossible Window Frame and Empty Headed.

Report by Ann Sharratt

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