From Sally Phillips, Canon Online coordinator

We are well into the year now – it sure is flying by. Thank you to everyone who entered and for making Canon Online a success.

Our judge for this round is Ron Willems Hon PSNZ FPSNZ FAPS AFIAP ARPS from Christchurch, whom I had the pleasure of meeting a couple of weeks ago. Thank you Ron for agreeing to judge and giving your time and expertise. It is much appreciated as is the quick turn around.

Congratulations, goes to the winner Cheryl Muirson who as of January 2016 is a PSNZ member and member of Rangiora Photographic Society. So a new one to watch for in future awards. Her beautiful image ‘Abandoned’ has a lovely quality and she is a deserving winner.

Congratulations also to the others who placed (many were my favourites as well). There were many beautiful images in this round. I think everyone has really tried their best so keep sending those beautiful images and one day it could be your name on top.

From Ron

It was a pleasure to view over 100 images in the first of the online competitions for 2016. A sunny Christchurch day found me inside, in a darkened room, enjoying viewing images of great array for many hours.

The variety was a delight, flowers, birds, portraits, creative, monochrome and landscape, but an image needed something very special to make the final cut and technical excellence beyond reproach.

Very soon about 25 stood out as the masters of the collection – then came the hard job of selecting, in order, the top ten. The following are only my opinions on them, others may think otherwise, few improvements could be offered on the top ten images.

Abandoned – Cheryl Muirson: On first viewing of the complete set of works, this stood out, and remained in first slot on repeated viewing of all submitted entries. Won on lighting, composition and attention to detail with an excellent storyline engendering the intended feeling.
Oh Dear – Robin Short APSNZ: One of the best triptychs I have seen for a long time. Well thought out and well composed, great colour blur and storyline. Good feel of movement.
King Penguins South Georgia Island – Philippa Alexander: Nature at it’s best. Superb composition, with the background foil of the mountains well handled, leading to the main subject. A good variety of poses in the group of penguins.
Saving it for Later – Christopher Long: A great tabletop with good lighting. Story well thought out and executed with excellent composition.
Deluge – Melanie Middlemiss: Excellent photoshopping work here. Not a strong story line but offset by good execution in a semi-believable situation. Good lighting to give a sense of realism however the boarder does not suit this projected image, better left out.
Poppy – Irene Callaghan LPSNZ: Beautiful use of colour, subtle on both the flower and the background. Textures add to the feeling of a dying flower. Square composition works well.
Crashing Waves – Corrie Van Wyk: Moment caught very well, good composition lines in the water and hills. Toning range magnificently well managed creating a stormy feel.
High Country Snset – Rowena Richards: A classic landscape extremely well managed. Good lighting and composition shows clearly the photographers interpretation of the landscape and how they feel about it.
Captivating Beauty – Allan Fleischmann: A delightful child study, unpretentiously presented. Good use of depth of field and soft lighting makes it a feel good image.
Not Titled – Lyn Hedges: Well suited to monochrome and good use of the medium with subtle vignetting. Good composition and lighting.