Pix 2020 Judge
Click on image below to read the judges comments...
Lawrence Furzey
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Lawrence Furzey
Lawrence Furzey is a highly respected Commercial and Fine Art Travel Photographer based in Sydney with a studio in the heart of the city.
Lawrence has been shooting commercial, travel and lifestyle campaigns for the last 19 years. He finds that hidden element in places, objects and scenes, creating something visually alluring. His images are peaceful and engaging, with a favourite subject being the surf near his home on the northern beaches.
Lawrence also has a full portfolio of portraits where you will find some familiar faces amongst his collection of imaginative portrayals in which he is not afraid to push boundaries to create impactful and sensual representations of his subjects.
Lawrence has frequently travelled the globe in search of finding new ways to bring everyday vistas to new heights allowing you to travel away on your own journey through his images.
https://www.lawrencefurzey.com/
Overall Winner
What I was looking for....
I was looking for an image that just stood out. That “WOW” factor! And this image did just that! I would hang this on my wall in a heartbeat!!
Keeping things in your frame quite simple is often the key to great shots. You don’t need a thousand things or colours going on in the image. And this is just that! Such an amazing picture.
Absence of Colour
What I was looking for....
With this category, I was looking for a good use of tonal values. Images that really used a large range of tones within the grey scale spectrum. So to achieve this, it would be the entrants use of light and shade and how they applied it.
1st Prize. I loved this image’s application to light. Not only is it a beautiful landscape image, but also that great beam of light sweeping through the valley which brings the image to life in layers of light and shade. They truly have captured a great moment...
2nd Prize. This image is so engaging. With its perfect use of depth of field, you feel like you are right there with the girl... It’s composed well with the lines of the landscape all meeting into the middle of the image where the girl is positioned perfectly. The lightness of the wispy grass also leads your eyes into the dreamy landscape, helping create the scene...
Culture
What I was looking for....
With this I was looking for a story within the picture. Be it with the people, the history or the land itself. I wanted whatever the subject was to bring to life the situation the photographer was in...
1st Prize. I love the detail in this shot. The use of a long lens has truly captured both subjects in this image. As a city slicker myself, this image sets a real rural setting for me. The horse riders outfit, the detail in the muscles of the horse. And then then the ruggered landscape in the background. Theres a real rawness to this image that I love.
2nd Prize. This image brings so much joy! It also brings a POV visual of the scenario making you feel like you are there too. The little boy poised to join the other kids in their fun is helped greatly by the composItion of the shot. Being in a drought stricken country. Especially in rural Australia (where this has clearly been shot) you get a real sense of action & happiness with all the movement in the background. But the separation between them and the boy, gives that poised moment with the boy.Faces I have met
What I was looking for....
I took “faces I have met” as a portrait section. So naturally in a portrait you want to tell a story of that person, or a situation that the person may be in. As I always say to people the hardest part about portraiture is the not taking the picture itself, but actually breaking down the subject's vulnerability. Allowing them to let down their guard. So, I was looking for these traits also.
1st Prize. This little girl is having the time of her life! And the photographer was right there in the moment to capture this. The joy in her face, the leaves falling close to the camera which brings the scene to life. There is so much energy in this image. It can’t help but make you smile.
2nd Prize. The portrait of the RFS member has so much going on. The photographer has captured a timeless moment. The half-smile is almost a sign of exhaustion, heartache and fear. A time in our lives as Australians that we will never forget. A truly moving image.Junior
What I was looking for....
Creativity! As the world is getting smaller and more confined, especially as you age. I tend to look at the younger generations for inspiration. They are free and fearless, and not afraid to try things outside the boundaries that we are confined to in everyday life.
1st Prize. This could have just been a nice simple headshot. But the exploration of lighting techniques to create a GOBO like effect, has truly taken the creativeness of this shot to another level. It’s also worth noting the holding of the shadow and highlight detail in the image.
2nd Prize. The almost macro like zoom and tightness on this shot is fantastic. One standout for me is actually the stray out of focus hair coming in front of the eye. It adds another layer to the image and the little imperfection adds to the drama of the image.
High recommended. I love the contrast of this image. The strong orange from the butterfly standing out from the green is quite stunning. The leaves almost acting like a blank canvas for the butterflies. It really brings the image to life.
Man Made
What I was looking for....
Creativity. I didn’t want it to be about the subject so much, but more how it was shot.
1st Prize. I love the in particular the angle and framing of this shot! There is a lot going on with the rope, so the photographer really did well to show it, and also create an interesting shape. The backlighting has also helped in highlighting the ice on the rope which makes it look a lot more dramatic.
2nd Prize. Man made mountain set amongst the mountains in the background. That is exactly how I picture this image. Great composition to create this look and feel.
Natural Environment
What I was looking for....
Like ‘The Lie of the Land’ I was looking for nice images of natural environments with creative license to stand out from your everyday landscape..
1st Prize. This image is so captivating! So minimal and calming, yet so strong and emotive. It almost has this milky, water painting like feel to it. The soft subtle tones are just beautiful! And the sharp jaggered lines of the branches create a focal point which is just stunning with that soft side light.
2nd Prize. There is a lot of nice elements happening in this image. Starting with the obvious - the water trickling down the rocks and the use of a slow shutter which helps create the mood and slows the pace down. Thus, keeping us a relaxed and calm as we gaze into this beautiful setting. I like the framing in this image. With the rocks drawing in from the left and the hills drawing in on the right. It helps draw your eyes to the feature, which is the water coming over the rock.Not your normal Photo
What I was looking for....
I think the title of this category says it all.. I really just wanted to see images that were a bit different, fun and have some technical element.
1st Prize. This image has it all!! A beautiful landscape, in a lifestyle setting with some nice lighting and camera techniques. The shot would have been great even without the light writing. The slow shutter already creates a nice star trail. But the writing is the star in this image. It’s a well thought out image.
2nd Prize. Like a beautiful painting! I love the movement in this image. Creating paint like strokes, and making the image more of an abstract piece, rather than a landscape of some trees. The photographer has chosen a nice colour pallet here too. I find if there are often too many colours in this style of Photography, which can make it look quite busy and overwhelming.The Lie of the land
What I was looking for....
Not another postcard picture. I find if you look deeper into a landscape, there is a lot more going on in the situation than the greater, often wider picture. You want people to actually stop, and think about the image. Not just look at it, and think “Oh that’s a nice beach”.
1st Prize. This is just a stunning image. I love the use of colour in it. So much warmth in the sky, and yet the rolling hills that it sets itself upon looks so still and cold. Having the fencing in the foreground also helps create that coldness, and also adds a bit of drama to the scene so it’s not a perfectly clean composed shot.
2nd Prize. This has the element of light carrying the beauty of this shot. Sure, it’s a beautiful image of rolling hills. However, it’s the rays of light coming from the sky that creates such life and drama in this image. The low light flooding across the rolling hills that also creates that 3d effect with the shadows that are created.
Winners
Major prize winner
Absence of Colour - 1st Prize
Absence of Colour -2nd Prize
Culture - 1st Prize
Culture - 2nd Prize
Faces I have Met - 1st Prize
Faces I have Met - 2nd Prize
Junior - 1st Prize
Junior - 2nd Prize
Junior - Highly commended
Man Made - 1st Prize
Man Made - 2nd Prize
Natural Environment - 1st Prize
Natural Environment - 2nd Prize
Not your Normal Photo - 1st Prize
Not your Normal Photo - 2nd Prize
The Lie of the Land - 1st Prize
The Lie of the Land - 2nd Prize
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024
Major prize win ner
Serenity
Sarah-Jayne Eggins
I left home at 4.30 am and travelled to Salamander Bay, NSW in search of this tree. When I arrived it was still dark and it was quite an adventure trying to find the right tree. I started to feel a little disappointed when sunrise turned out to be very underwhelming and a sea mist began to roll in. I am glad that I stayed for a little bit longer and just took in the peacefulness of the place – hopefully I have managed to capture it in this photo.
DSLR capture
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014
1st Prize - Absence of Colour
Morning Flight
Dale Rabbett
Taken early morning at the Mograni lookout
Cannon 7d SLR
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080
2nd Prize - Absence of Colour
A Covid Adventure
Shannon Richmond
'We have taken many hikes through the pandemic and are so grateful to love where we live'. Taken in Clarence Town
DSLR Capture
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036
1st prize - Culture
Partners
Lisa Norrie
Bulliac
DSLR capture
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055
2nd Prize - Culture
Drought is Over
Tara Jennings
Rocky Crossing after Barrington River started running
Phone Capture
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058
1st prize - Faces I have Met
The Joy of Autumn
Lauren McRae
Raelands Farm, Barrington
Phone Capture
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039
2nd Prize - Faces I have Met
Resilience - Don't be Complacent
Deb Murrell
Chris Roelandts, Captain of the Hollisdale RFS brigade near Wauchope after a long day last summer.
DSLR capture
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049
1st Prize - Junior
15yrs
Byron
Olivia Dew
Portrait of Byron
Phone Capture
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063
2nd Prize - Junior
13yrs
Kind eye
Bree Norrie
Bulliac
DSLR capture
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064
Highly Commended - Junior
13yrs
The Butterfly Nest
Bree Norrie
Bulliac
DSLR capture
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010
1st prize - Man Made
Just A Twist
Dale Rabbett
Man made materials represent a harsh barrier combined with an equally harsh natural barrier…frost.
Canon 7d SLR
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069
2nd prize - Man made
Tip Top Installation
Julie Beck
Gloucester Waste & Recycling Centre
Phone Capture
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024
1st prize - Natural Environment
Serenity
Sarah-Jayne Eggins
I left home at 4.30 am and travelled to Salamander Bay, NSW in search of this tree. When I arrived it was still dark and it was quite an adventure trying to find the right tree. I started to feel a little disappointed when sunrise turned out to be very underwhelming and a sea mist began to roll in. I am glad that I stayed for a little bit longer and just took in the peacefulness of the place – hopefully I have managed to capture it in this photo.
DSLR capture
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062
2nd Prize - Natural Environment
Ocean Waterfall
Cassandra Weekes
Cloudy Sunrise at Burgess Beach Forster
DSLR capture
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082
1st Prize - Not your Normal Photo
Under the stars
Shannon Richmond
Clarence Town
SLR capture
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04
2nd prize - Not your Normal Photo
Treescape Blur
Cassandra Weekes
An opportunistic image taken from the side of the road on the Sunshine Coast QLD
DSLR capture
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053
1st Prize - The Lie of the Land
Smoky Valley
Tara Jennings
Looking over Gloucester from mograni lookout during the fires
Phone Capture
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051
2nd Prize - The Lie of the Land
Shadows over Kia Ora Lookout
Sandra Middlebrook
Kia Ora lookout
Phone Capture
Absence of Colour
060 The Stark Reality - Sheree Carson
020 Just Waiting - Steve Brazier
03 Reflections on the Dam - Cassandra Weekes
09 Bark - Rod Burrows
014 Morning Flight - Dale Rabbett
022 Bertie the baby Butcher Bird - Sarah-Jayne Eggins
028 Old Cattle Loader on Gloucester Tops Road - Peter Dicker
031 Reverie - Sarah Fulton
041 The River - Deb Murrell
054 Surveying The Land - Tara Jennings
071 Along the Road - Tina Clemens
072 Sunset on Mograni - Tina Clemens
080 A Covid Adventure - Shannon Richmond
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060
The Stark Reality
Sheree Carson
Morning at Stobo, Rawdon Vale
Phone Capture
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020
Just Waiting
Steve Brazier
Old Newcastle Train Station
DSLR capture
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03
Reflections on the Dam
Cassandra Weekes
Bootawa, between Burrell Creek and Tinonee, off the Bucketts Way
DSLR
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09
Bark
Rod Burrows
Faulkland, NSW
DSLR Capture
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014
Morning Flight
Dale Rabbett
Taken early morning at the Mograni lookout
Cannon 7d SLR
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022
Bertie the baby Butcher Bird
Sarah-Jayne Eggins
This is Bertie the baby Butcher Bird. Bertie likes to sit on the old fence posts and serenade me with his/her beautiful warbling in the morning while I enjoy a cup of tea.
DSLR capture
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028
Old Cattle Loader on Gloucester Tops Road
Peter Dicker
Scene taken on Gloucester Tops Road
Panasonic compact digital camera
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031
Reverie
Sarah Fulton
4 year old Amelia contemplating the day ahead, caught in the morning sunlight that fills her room. In return, she fills our hearts.
Phone Capture
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041
White Headed Stilts resting on the Hastings River at Wauchope
Deb Murrell
DSLR Capture
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054
Surveying The Land
Tara Jennings
Grandfather and grandson watching the crop at Grenfell NSW.
Phone Capture
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071
Along the Road
Tina Clemens
Jacks Road, Gloucester - looking east.
Phone capture
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072
Sunset on Mograni
Tina Clemens
Waukivory Road - looking east
Phone Capture
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080
A Covid Adventure
Shannon Richmond
'We have taken many hikes through the pandemic and are so grateful to love where we live'. Taken in Clarence Town
DSLR Capture
Culture
055 Drought is Over - Tara Jennings
036 Partners - Lisa Norrie
067 Togetherness - Shayne Kraal
074 We are the Future - Dom and Amie Jacobs
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036
Partners
Lisa Norrie
Bulliac
DSLR capture
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036
Partners
Lisa Norrie
Bulliac
DSLR capture
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067
Togetherness
Shayne Kraal
United in art at the Gloucester Gallery
Phone Capture
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074
We are the Future
Dom and Amie Jacobs
Gloucester. School strike for climate. Gloucester Meeting Place
Phone Capture
Faces I have met
039 Resilience - Don't be Complacent - Deb Murrell
073 Rednecked wallaby - Dom and Amie Jacobs
08 The Stargazer - Rod Burrows
023 When The Creek Ran Dry - Sarah-Jayne Eggins
040 Friends - Deb Murrell
046 Gloucester's Scottish Highlands Cows - Louise Elder
058 The Joy of Autumn - Lauren McRae
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039
Resilience - Don't be Complacent
Deb Murrell
Chris Roelandts, Captain of the Hollisdale RFS brigade near Wauchope after a long day last summer.
DSLR capture
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073
Rednecked wallaby
Dom and Amie Jacobs
Gloucester. Orphaned wallaby in care rehabilitating for release.
Phone Capture
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08
The Stargazer
Rod Burrows
Faulkland, NSW
DSLR capture
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023
When The Creek Ran Dry
Sarah-Jayne Eggins
This is a photo of my children Ryan and Olivia sitting in the middle of Mill Creek in Stroud, NSW during the drought. This creek runs through our property and has always been considered a permanent water source. It is usually full of fast flowing water but with no rain for a number of months it was reduced to a few scarce muddy puddles.
DSLR capture
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040
Friends
Deb Murrell
Two friends meet at Broken Hill
DSLR capture
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046
Gloucester's Scottish Highlands Cows
Louise Elder
First causeway, Gloucester Tops Road
Nikon Coolpix B500
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058
The Joy of Autumn
Lauren McRae
Raelands Farm, Barrington
Phone Capture
