WELLINGTON AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY

EXHIBITION 1917

15th May 1917
Page 265 - Volume 24 Number 5 The Australasian Photographic Review

WELLINGTON AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
A Report by our Special Correspondent
The Wellington Amateur Photographic Society is now some six years old, and enjoys a membership of about fifty, and during its existence has never until now ventured to hold an exhibition. Of late it has gained a few members, who had had experience in exhibition matters in England and other parts.

The Exhibition Committee of the Wellington Amateur Photographic Society Exhibition.
Messrs. E.T. Robson, W.L. Edmanson (standing), J.W. Johnson and C. M. Turnbull (Hon.Secretary)

The matter was brought up, discussed at length, and finally an exhibition was agreed upon. This resulted in an entry of one hundred and thirty-four photographs, and some thirty-six in the loan collection. Prizes were offered in the following classes: 1, Landscape and Seascape (these were again subdivided by the judges); 2, Portraiture and Figure Study; 3, Animal and Still Life; 4, Architecture, interior or exterior; 5, Set of six Lantern Slides or Transparencies. Certificates were awarded to the first, second and third in each class, and a gold medal to the best picture in the exhibition, which was open from the 19th to the 24th March.

The following members formed the exhibition committee: Messrs. J.W. Johnson, E.T. Robson, W.L. Edmanson (chairman), and C.M. Turnbull, the last-named being the Hon.Secretary, upon whom, like all secretaries to Photographic Societies, the arduous detail work fell. We might say, however, that it fell on strong shoulders, and without in any way belittling the work of the committee and other members, the success of the exhibition was due to this gentleman’s untiring zeal. Mr. W.L. Edmanson, too, was deserving of special praise, for he lent the premises in which the exhibition was held rent free, and personally undertook charge throughout the week the show was open.

During the exhibition, a large number of the pictures were sold and realized good prices.

The awards were:
LANDSCAPES: J.W. Johnson (“Groote Kirk”), 1: J.S. Trevena (“Ploughing”), 2; E.T. Robson (“A Sunny Corner”) and J.W. Johnson (“On a Dusty Road, Evening”), 3. Hon. mention: R.A. Edwards, E.T. Robson (twice), J.S. Trevena.

SEASCAPES: J.H. Kinnear (“Barque Manurewa”), 1; J.H. Kinnear (“Running Before the Wind”), 2; E.C. Isaac (“Calm After the Stormy Seas”), 3. Hon. mention: J.H. Kinnear (twice) and R.A. Edwards.

FIGURE AND PORTRAITURE: J.W. Johnson (“Cobbler,” gold medal winner), 1; E. C. Isaac (“In Pensive Mood”) and R.A. Edwards (“Violet”), 2; J.W. Johnson (“The Smith”), 3. Hon, mention: J. W. Johnson, E.C. Isaac (twice).

STILL LIFE: J.W. Johnson (“Fruit Study”), 1; E.T. Robson (“Obnoxious Beauties”), 2: A, Thomson (“Single Roses”), 3. Hon. mention: A. Thomson.

ARCHITECTURE: J.W. Johnson (“Sun light”), 1; W.L. Edmanson (“The Library”), 2; A. Dickinson (“Night, Custom House Square, Dunedin”). 3. Hon. mention: J. Talford Weir and W.L. Edmanson.

The "Landscape and “Architecture” Classes at the Wellington Amateur Photographic Society Exhibition.

The judges were Messrs. H. Davidson, John Baillie, and J.M. Ellis. In giving judgment the judges said that it was one of the best shows ever seen in the Dominion, and was creditable to the Society. The work on the whole was of a very high order.

In the Seascape Class, J.H. Kinnear’s “Barque Manurewa” is a fine Black and White Bromide enlargement.

BARQUE MANUREWA

The barque is well placed, full of motion, the treatment of water is good, the sky has some fine half tones, but the heavy black frame fails to give them full value. The same worker’s “Running before the Wind” is a big blue toned print of a yacht with balloon sail full of wind, which is more peculiar than pictorial. It is a splendid record of an unusual spectacle.

“Calm After Stormy Seas” (E.C. Isaac) is a piece of rather ordinary shipping, showing five or six ships lying at a wharf, all in line. The ships are all alike, masts and funnels, etc., being repeated several times. The picture contains nothing definite.

“Twilight” (R.A. Edwards) is a similar subject, with very much the same shipping, but what a difference in the treatment. The lighting in this is much subdued; the hief highlight (the setting sun) is well placed and balanced by its reflection on the water.

J.H. Kinnear’s “Nissheri” would have been the best picture in this class had it not been ruined by having the clouds over printed. The ship is softly focused, while the clouds show critical definition, and being strong, bold and heavy, claim undue attention.

The yachting pictures in this class are big, massive and striking, but need careful printing and framing to make them artistic.

“Groote Kirk”, by J.W. Johnson, is a well composed picture, but is made up of too many items of interest, all sharply defined and clamoring for attention. The patch of clear sky, with its reflection in the water, does not help. With broader treatment, a more artistic result would follow. The print is a sepia-toned bromide enlargement, which is perfect.

“Ploughing” (J.S. Trevena), a Black and White Bromide enlargement, and a pleasing picture of straight photography, horses and ploughman being well placed. The hills in the distance fall back in soft planes to meet the cloudless sky.

In the Figure Study Class this picture might have deserved its award, but there is little in its landscape composition to warrant its award in a Landscape Class.

The “Animal” and “Still Life” Classes at the Wellington Amateur Photographic Society Exhibition.

“On a Dusty Road, Evening” (J.W. Johnson) and “A Sunny Corner” (E.T. Robson) were bracketed third.

In the former, the flock of sheep and the drover are in the right place behind the cloud of dust, which gives fine atmosphere. The evening sky is in keeping with the theme of the picture. The whole makes a successful effort.

“A Sunny Corner”, a charming piece of New Zealand landscape with sheep, strongly but well lit. This, by the way, was awarded First Prize in the A.P.-R. Competition for September, 1912.

“A Woodland Stream” and “A Yorkshire Pastoral” (E.T. Robson) both received H.M. The latter is a picture measuring only x 2 inches, and received much favorable comment by many art critics.

“A Woodland Study” (R.A. Edwards; H.M.) is a strong piece of work, which would have been improved by including more subject matter on the right side of the composition, the principal objects being two tree trunks on the left hand side, the rear one being well lit by sunshine; the other immediately behind, but more to the right, is subdued in tone. The rest of the picture is composed of bush, well handled without any niggling detail or distracting highlights.

“The Cobbler”, by J.W. Johnson (first and gold medal). The pictorial treatment of this picture leaves little room for criticism. The motif of the scheme is perfect. The hypercritical would perhaps suggest the subduing of a few points of light be neath the window and on the tool kit. Would-be picture makers would do well to give this picture a lot of attention; the lessons to be learned by studying such work are many. “The Cobbler” has the honor of having been hung at the Royal Photographic Society Exhibition, London.

“In Pensive* Mood” (E.C. Isaac) is a head and shoulder portrait of a youth. There is nothing particularly attractive in this, the blue toning of the print not being suitable for portraiture. The treatment of “Violet” (R.A. Edwards) is much better, the flesh tones being well rendered, but in portraiture concentration of light is essential, one chief highlight must dominate; the spacing of the head is important. The picture of “Violet” is all head, and the lighting too general. The same worker’s picture of “Blanche” is more successful in this respect.

In the Animal and Still Life Study, J.W. Johnson’s “Fruit Study” is a subject that was made a lot of a number of years ago, and it became quite hackneyed. The texture rendering is almost perfect, but an orange on the right comes very harsh, and is repeated by another on the left. The wineglass is fine indeed, and the composition on the whole good.

E.T. Robson was second with a spray of blackberry blossoms, entitled “Obnoxious Beauties”.

In a “Single Rose” (third), by A. Thomson. the grouping and lighting are good. This was a Black and White Bromide enlargement, and a warm toned print would have been better.

“A Play of Sunlight”, by J.W. Johnson, is an unusually good architectural subject, and W.L. Edmanson’s “The Library” is a fine rendering of an exterior, his careful handling of the subject leaving no room for criticism.

The “Portraiture" and “Figure" Classes at the Wellington Amateur Photographic Society Exhibition.

“Night, Custom-house Square” (third; A. Dickinson) is good for artificial light, but it falls far behind daylight in the rendering of Architecture.

The majority of the enlargements were on Kodak Bromide Papers.

Mr. Johnson presented his gold medal picture to the Society, and “Ploughing” was purchased by the Society, while “Obnoxious Beauties” was bought by Mr. W.L. Edmanson and presented to the Society.

During the exhibition no less than eleven new members were enrolled, and we almost omitted to mention how much indebted the Society was to the willing work of some of the lady members, who undertook the door keeping, etc.

AT THE FOUNTAIN
W.L. Edmanson
From the Wellington Amateur Photographic Society Exhibition.

THE COBBLER
J.W. Johnson
First Prize “Figure Study” Class and Gold Medal for best picture
Wellington Amateur Photographic Society Exhibition

A RAY OF SUNLIGHT
J.W. Johnson
First Prize “Architecture” Class
Wellington Amateur Photographic Society Exhibition

A SUNNY CORNER
E.T. Robson
Third Prize in “Landscape” Class
Wellington Amateur Photographic Society Exhibition

GROOTE KIRK, EDAM
J.W. Johnson
First Prize “Landscape” Class
Wellington Amateur Photographic Society Exhibition

FRUIT STUDY
J.W. Johnson
First Prize “Still Life” Class
Wellington Amateur Photographic Society Exhibition

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