Stroud Camera Club held its third competition of the season this week, with judging by Aleks Gjika, an accomplished and highly respected photographer from Cheltenham. Aleks is no stranger to the club, and his return was very welcome. He has decades of experience, a long list of distinctions to his name, and a way of critiquing work that manages to be direct, thoughtful and genuinely encouraging. Members appreciate how he mixes humour with honesty, and how he takes the time to explain not just what he thinks, but why he thinks it.

From the start, it was clear the evening would be a strong one. The print entries alone showed just how varied members’ work has become. Wildlife made a bold appearance, with striking shots of humpback whales surfacing in perfect light. Documentary subjects sat comfortably alongside them, including a farmer wrestling with the earth at a ploughing match, and the energy and mud-spray of a point-to-point horse clearing a jump. The range of interpretations, techniques and styles gave Aleks plenty to get his teeth into, and he didn’t disappoint. He guided the room through each print with insight, picking up on the rhythm of a composition, the restraint of a colour palette, or the way a photographer had made smart use of light.

The digital section continued the standard. One standout was a superb drone image capturing boats scattered across an estuary, full of texture and pattern that rewarded a long look. Wildlife lovers were treated again, this time to a brown bear half-submerged in water, perfectly timed as it began to run. Another highlight was a lively trio of monkeys, full of character and humour. Aleks handled them all with care, pointing out both the strengths and the small tweaks that could lift each image even further.

It was also good to see several newer members putting work in again. Competitions can be daunting early on, and the club is always keen to see fresh names on the entry list.

Across both print and digital entries, the overall standard felt high. Even images that didn’t place sparked conversation in the room. Aleks’s judging played a big part in that. His comments were detailed without being heavy-handed, and his enthusiasm for the craft was obvious. The evening moved at a comfortable pace, with enough time spent on each image that members could learn something useful, whether their work was being discussed or not.

Congratulations to everyone who entered, and especially to those who came away with awards. The top results were:

Prints
1st – Leslie Holmes, Humpback Whales
2nd – Trish Bloodworth, Ploughing Match
3rd – Rene Cason, All Action Over the Jump

Digital
1st – Annie Blick, Textures of the Tide
2nd – Leslie Holmes, Brown Bear Fishing
3rd – Ian Peters, What’s Trump Done Now

A strong evening all round, with plenty of inspiration for members heading into the next competition.