On Wednesday 15 February, we reviewed the results of our latest location challenge – the second of this season.

The challenge was set this time by Tim Gould – the winner of our last challenge back in October. His chosen location was the Grand Union Canal.

This location and the scope of the challenge were further defined as follows.

“Pictures taken of and from the canal between the Grove Lock pub and bridge 111 by the Globe pub.

Scope includes the towpaths, bridges, locks, reservoirs, wharves and canal-related buildings; wildlife and nature; boats; people; landscape; details.

As usual, to allow as much creative freedom as possible, all types of images and processing styles are acceptable – including daytime, nighttime, colour, monochrome, texture, pattern, wide view, intimate landscape, and so forth.”

The purpose of a location challenge of course is to get us out and about with our cameras taking new pictures. This location was announced on 25 January and the deadline for submitting our three best images was 10 February. So, we had a relatively short time to visit the location, take, select and process our images, and get them in.

58 images were submitted. And Kathy Chantler, Chairman of ImageZ Camera Club in Weston Turville, an experienced CACC judge and a regular visitor to the Club, once again kindly provided a critique of all the images.

During her first pass, Kathy “held back” her preferred images to create a shortlist of eleven for further consideration. After a bit of a struggle, she managed to reduce this down to her final five favourite images.

“Iron Strip Worn From Tow Ropes” by Martin Wood
“Stern” by Mike Kitchenman
“Drifting Upstream” by Tim Gould
“Nice and Cosy Onboard” by Martin Wood
“Over 150 Years of Rope Wear on Brantoms Dock Bridge” by Martin Wood

Congratulations to all the authors – great images. Particular congratulations to Martin for getting all three of his submitted images into this group!

In addition, Tim Gould also revealed his final five favourite images.

“Private Mooring” by David Manning
“Tiddenfoot” by Paul Dimitriou
“Lone Leader” by Roger Gage
“Lock Gate” by Mike Kitchingman
“Last Stretch Before Nightfall” by Tricia Meers

Tim then selected his winning image of the evening and the author was rewarded in the usual fashion by being saddled with the enormous responsibility of selecting the site of our next Location Challenge. Tim’s winner was

“Lone Leader” by Roger Gage

Many congratulations to Roger. Super shot!

Our local canal proved to be a creative winner, stimulating images with a wide range of subjects – there were people and dogs, narrow boats and canoes, bridges, locks, pubs, ducks, swans and herons, frost and ice, reflections of all sorts, smoke and chimneys, rope, and even shoes. All these were presented as wide scenic views, impressions and abstracts, details and close-ups, ICM, and more. There was also colour, plenty of monochrome, an infrared, and even a 3×3 panel.

So, plenty of marvellous images to admire! All critiqued by Kathy in her usual thorough and empathetic way. Another most enjoyable location challenge.

And what delights might Roger have in store for us next time?!