Champion of Champions South Coast and Tablelands
1 Jun 11
If you recognize this headline from this time last year, you are absolutely right.
We’ve done it again…well,our brilliant photographic exhibitors have done it again!
In 2010 Kangaroo Valley Show photographic exhibitor, Kylie Garstang, amateur Nowra photographer, won both first prize in Class 13006 (any other subject) and then Champion ribbon for best black and white photograph for her wonderful photo of a peacock.
She then went on to win the “Group 5” South Coast and Southern Highlands Champion of Champions “Black and White” competition… a great tribute to her artistry and skill.
This year it was the turn of another talented local photographer Mandy Notley, who exhibited her magnificent landscape featuring Uluru, in the 2011 KV Show, to take out the Group 5 Black and White Champion of Champions honours!
Mandy’s photo won first prize in the black and white landscape/seascape section, then champion black and white, then the best photography exhibit of the Kangaroo Valley Show.
In addition she also won the fauna class and the champion colour photo at Kangaroo Valley, plus 1st volunteers in action, 1st sunrise sunset or night shot, 2nd sunrise sunset or night shot, 2nd person or child study, 2nd kangaroo valley scene, 2nd landscape.
What an achievement!
Mandy become involved in photography in October 2009 when she brought herself a Nikon D90 digital SLR camera.
Photography was something that she always wanted to do but it was only in 2009 that she finally decided to give it a go as a hobby. Mandy described her first foray into photography as follows…”when I first got my Nikon D90 camera I thought that having an expensive camera automatically meant good photos, but my first attempts at photography were pretty bad, so bad that I thought there was something wrong with the camera!
I found out that it was not the camera but the person using the camera!
I had to learn how to use it, how to get correct exposure, aperture, shutter speeds etc.
It was only when I started to learn the basics of the technical aspects of photography that my photos started to improve”
Mandy is a member of the Shoalhaven Photography Club, joining in October 2009 to learn how to use her new camera.
Mandy has found the club to be a great place
to learn photography in an affordable way, with other members being very helpful.
Mandy won the champion colour photo at Kangaroo Valley Show this year and Champion Photography Exhibit at Ulladulla.
She won the “best new member point score” in the Shoalhaven Photographic club 2010. Mandy says “I was really happy to win the Champion of Champions Black and White this year.
I was very surprised knowing that there would have been some really awesome photos there.”
When asked to pass on some of her wisdom regarding photography Mandy felt that the most important thing she has learnt from the photography club (“apart from some necessary technical skills, I still need to learn heaps more”) is to follow your own creative interests and to believe in your own work because if you like your photo than it is already a winner.
Also, that photography is subjective, not everyone will like the same photo.
She said, “I think the important skills and practices of a good photographer are to never give up, to learn as much as possible about the technical side of photography, and to follow your own unique point of view and interests.
In the future I would love to get paid to do what I love, to take photos of wildlife and landscapes! “
If her recent successes are anything to go by Mandy is well on the way to realising her dreams, congratulations Mandy and thank you for sharing your talents with us!
Cathy Gorman