Bury and its counterpart club in Tulle submitted 30 pictures each to be marked by an independent English judge, Dave Butler from Wigan and Jacky Chevrier from Tulle.

Judges scored out of 20 with 12 being the lowest mark they could give. Scores by both judges, working independently, were remarkably similar. On screening night, the judges comments and marks were read out to Bury members by the competition organisers, Martin Henfield and Kevin Hardman.

The final score was Bury 937 points, Tulle 921.

The only photograph to receive the full 20 marks from both judges was for “Friendship” by Sarah Davies of Bury. Bury’s, Barrie Kelly was awarded 19 marks from each judge for his “Wren with Crane Fly”.

The highest marked French entries were, “Le Pelerin” and “Regards”.

The club’s are now in discussion about future internationals with the possibility that Bury’s other French twin town of Angouleme could join in to make it a three town contest.

For 2011 Bury and Tulle agreed on an open competition with a limit on natural history pictures and no separate section for monochrome. Discussions will also include if this arrangement is to continue for further competitions

"Water Collision", Ciaran White

The March Digital Projection competition saw two images scoring 20 marks, this lovely wildlife picture from Barrie and this amazing water drop capture from Ciaran.

Left to right Diane Noles, Sarah Davies, L&CPU President Christine Widdall, Mayoress of Bury Mrs Brenda Byrne, Jane Miller, and Jean Neville.

13 of the top 20 prizes were won by the ladies

The 2011 Exhibition was displayed at Bury Art Gallery

Club Class
Club Class 1, Noles Diane (‘Winter reflections’)

Advanced Section
Monochrome 2, Crabtree David (‘Ardalanish Beach’)
Colour Pictorial 3-1, Swarbrick Eb (‘Black & Tan’)
Creative 3-2, Swarbrick Eb (‘Dream On’)
Natural History 3-3, Cadman Alan (‘Cheetah Namibia Sunset’)
Portrait 3-4, Kielecher Mike (‘Titania’)
Photojournalism, Cadman Alan (‘The Fire Eater’)

"Racing in the wet" by David Wilkinson CPAGB

First round of 2011 Digital Projected Image (DPI) saw David Wilkinson CPAGB pick up a top score of 20 with this excellent dynamic picture of Motorcycling in the wet.

Just One Click In It: Bury defeat Bolton by one point in a memorable print and digital image battle.

After a trouncing by Bury in the previous contest, Bolton put up their very best photographs and what a night it turned out to be. Judge Tillman Kleinhans told members of both clubs that he was not only very impressed by the high standard of all entries but that it was very hard to separate the top entries from either side.

The subject of horse driving trials has done very well for Bury’s James Hargreaves and he picked up a maximum 20 marks for his “Water Splash”- an pin sharp action shot with dramatic expressions on the faces of the riders and straining muscles standing out on the flanks of the horses. But Nigel Howard of Bolton was not to be outdone. His “Puffins Squabbling Over a Sand Eel” was also awarded a maximum 20. An angry confrontation between two puffins, so angry that they dropped the eel while other puffins arrived to see what they could pick up..

Bury’s Eb Swarbrick’s had the audience chortling with his “In A Previous Life”….a photograph reworked into a cartoon image of a drooping tulip in a vase looking sadly at a framed picture of a colourful and blooming tulip.George Steel’s “Gannets In Flight was a terrific composition of two huge birds flying below him and Dave Wilkinson again vividly captured Superbike action at Oulton Park.

Bolton fought back with a moodly skyline of Ilkley Moor and a delightfully happy shot of young girls in an Indian slum district but it was not enough. Bury won 180 points to 179 and Bolton promise the return will be a tough one.

(by: Martin Henfield)

Bury Photographic Society exhibited members prints in May as part of the first Bury and Ramsbottom Arts Week. Work in the 130 photographs at the Grant Arms in Ramsbottom included some of the prints from the club’s 2010 annual exhibition in Bury Art Gallery and some from members collections. The exhibition raised more than £100 for Bury Hospice. All the best Martin Henfield

Barrie Kelly’s wildlife portfolio was featured in the June issue of photographic magazine, DSLR User which went on sale from May 7th. The article showed some of Barrie ‘s best pictures and also tells the story of his British, European and Olympic achievements on the running track. A later issue of the magazine tells the story of the BPS project at Pike Fold Golf Club to produce six pictures to hang in the club house. Photographs taken by six BPS members last summer and autumn were chosen by the club to display on its web site and golf club members then voted for the photographs they wanted to see hung in the clubhouse. It’s thought to be the first venture of its kind where the golf club membership has made choices from pictures displayed on the web.

Bury BPS members Jean Neville, Eb Swarbrick and Martin Henfield line up with members of Pike Fold Golf Club for the official hand over of the photographs that will hang in the Pike Fold Clubhouse.