Capturing that perfect moment

AS any photographer, amateur or professional, will tell you timing can be everything when it comes to capturing that perfect image.

That was the idea behind Fermoy Camera Club’s latest monthly challenge, with more than 20 members entering a stunning selection of photographs for their printed competition.

Over the last few weeks members had been out and about with their cameras hoping to catch that single, all-too-often elusive image for the club’s aptly entitled ‘Perfect Timing’ challenge.

Club PRO Helen Arnold said the internal judging panel were handed a particularly tough job in trying to select the winning entries.

“This was a competition that tested members’ skills behind the lens to the full and also their ability to capture that special moment in time,” said Helen.

“Once gain, the standard of the entries was exceptionally high, with the judges deliberating long and hard before selecting the winners.”

After much discussion the panel selected Karen Fleming’s perfectly timed black and white image of a sliotar dropping into water as both the overall and grade one winning entry.

Tom Quish came second overall with his shot of a handball player in full flight, with Finnbarr O’Hanlon’s photo of a canoeist, taken in Slovenia, taking third spot.

Sheena Hanrahan’s photo of a surfer being chased by a breaking wave

Donagh Cronin’s image of a tree creeper on the underside of a tree branch won the grade two category, and Sheena Hanrahan’s photo of a surfer surfing a breaking wave taking the grade three prize.

Members have been set another fascinating challenge for their next competition, with the deadline for submission of their ‘Disappearing Ireland’ photographs set for next Tuesday (October 23).

Meanwhile, two members of the club, Sinéad Hickey and Monica O’Brien, were recently awarded their Licentiateship Distinction by the Irish Photographic Federation (IPF).

“This is the first distinction of three that are awarded by the IPF and is a test of how a person not only understands the technical principles and aspects of photography but also how they can transfer that knowledge onto their submitted images,” said Helen.

“This is a wonderful achievement for Sinéad and Monica, and we congratulated them on their success,” she added.

Karen Fleming’s double prize-winning shot of a sliotar being dropped into water.

Finbarr O’Hanlon’s canoeist taking on the rapids in Slovenia.

Photo by Battie Arnold. Fermoy Camera Club monthly competition winners Tom Quish, Sheena Hanrahan, Karen Fleming, Donagh Cronin and Finbarr O’Hanlon.

Sheena Hanrahan’s image of a surfer chasing a breaking wave.

Donagh Cronin captured this image of a tree creeper on the underside of a branch.