Left, "Lyming" by Rory-Shane Watson, deemed "Best Print" in the exhibition. At right, "Caring Hands" by Winston Young in the figure study section.
Georgia Hemmings, Staff Reporter
APPROXIMATELY 215 photographs were displayed in the recently concluded exhibition by the University of the West Indies (UWI) Camera Club at the Phillip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts on the Mona campus. With this many prints, it became the second largest exhibition in the history of the 54-year-old club.
The exhibition showcased the artistry of amateur photographers within the university community, and all photographs in the show were black and white.
Titled The Road Less Travelled, the theme category in the exhibition had only four entries from Suzanne Cooke, (The Road Less Travelled); Lily Wong (Though I Walk through...) and Sadita Graham (Kevin's Journey and A photographer's Passion).
The winning print was Kevin's Journey, Graham's evocative image of a physically-challenged man facing the camera frontally, confronting the world daringly.
Miss Graham's talent was evident from the prizes she won in several other categories. Dewdrops on a Web was a winner in the nature category, while Costing a Pretty Penny emerged winner in the fashion and glamour section. In front of the Camera was her winning portraiture entry, while Luciano topped in onstage photography. In the alternative media category, Miss Graham shared second place with fellow photographer, Rory-Shane Watson, as no first prize was awarded. Their winning entries were After The Storm and Jagged Edge, respectively.
While Winston Young's Caring Hands was judged as overall winner in the figure study category, other interesting images were displayed by Tamika Valentine (Shadow of a Doubt) and Sadita Graham (Coming In and Out).
In the human interest category, Rory-Shane Watson offers Lyming a vivid portrayal of four youngsters lying on a wall down at the Kingston Harbour at the end of the day, with dark clouds in the background. A one of a kind shot, it earned him the "Best Print" title and the exhibition's top award. In architecture, the winner was Winston Young (Ties that Bind), who also won in the landscape and pictorial category with Leaving Linstead. Young is a former president of the Camera Club.
Most of the prints were displayed on a ceiling-to-floor backdrop in the amphitheatre area and, while designed to be creative, it created an impression of confusion. For full impact, black and white photographs need to be displayed on a solid background. An additional problem was created with the placement of the photos, which left viewers craning their necks see the highly placed prints.
This was not quite "viewer-friendly", but president, Tamika Valentine, told The Sunday Gleaner that the members were enthusiastic about creating the decor for the exhibition, and had "pooled ideas together for this final layout."
