THE closing date for the annual Marnie Yates Nature Photography competition, run by C.ex Coffs Camera Club, is quickly approaching (Friday 22 September).

News Of The Area asked the newly announced judges what they take into consideration when assessing images of nature.

Steve Young is a passionate and local commercial and fine art photographer.

One of his favourite subjects is the very specialised field of macro photography including moulds and fungi.

“When I judge my own images, I have four criteria that I consider in scoring the photographs,” he said.

“These are: technical aspects such as sharpness, focus, colour, tonality etc.

“Storytelling – is there an obvious story in the image?

“Composition – how easily can the image be read; does the eye flow easily around the image?

“Wow factor – does it hit me when I first see it or not?”

Mark Spencer is another passionate local who has devoted his life to ocean exploration and underwater photography.

Mark’s images have been published in National Geographic and Australian Geographic magazines.

“A good photograph captures for the viewer, the inherent artistry found in nature,” Mark told NOTA.

“We shouldn’t have to manipulate the image digitally to make it look like a painting or something abstract.

“That’s OK of course but in most cases I look at nature photography as documentary photography done in a way that adds impact, holds the attention of the viewer and evokes some emotion.”

This will be Steve and Mark’s third year judging the competition.

The third judge, Helen Rushton, is a Macksville local.

As a member of the Australian Photographic Society and Photographic Society of America, Helen has won many awards in both domestic and international competitions.

Helen engages in all forms of photography and enjoys sharing her knowledge.

“She is a very experienced photography judge, and we welcome her to our competition,” said Michael Woltschenko, the club’s Competition Coordinator.

Helen told News Of The Area, “As a judge, I look for the emotion in the photo, not necessarily the most technically correct photo, that brings a smile to my face, allows my heart to miss that beat.

“This may be because the author has been in the right place at the right time or maybe they have waited for their subject to shine their light in their own right.

“The subject must hold the photo.

“Whether it’s a beautiful landscape, the creative colours of sands as they drift into the ocean, the amazement of an animal in its full glory, just make sure it is a piece of work that you would proudly present to a friend to place on their wall.”

For entry details and enquiries visit cexcoffscameraclub.weebly.com.

By Andrea FERRARI