Symphony of Senses Contest Winners

2024 Winter FOCUS Contest Winners

Symphony of the Senses

A note of special thanks to all the exhibitors and the judges who participated in Symphony of the Senses, the 2024 Winter Focus Contest.

Enjoy!

~Susan Van Tassel, L. Anna Forbes, Mary Haggerty, & Susie

Brewer

Anne-Marie Lamarche

Piedmont Garden Club Zone XII

A close-up of an eye-catching part of a plant. Class 1

Sight Color

The Garden Club of Cincinnati Zone X

Judges’ Comments:

Excellent focus and strong leading lines juxtaposed against the soft, muted background tell a magical story of seed parachutes ready to be launched.

Mary Jo Beck

Monadnock

Garden Club

Zone I

Judges’ Comments:

A creative perspective and use of light enhance the image’s elegant beauty. The yellow bubbles compete with the ethereal quality of the flower.

Robin Turnbaugh

Judges’ Comments:

The focal point’s scale, placement, and orientation are effective; the clematis is wellilluminated.

The dark line on the lower left where the petals separate is distracting.

Heidi Riggs Ridgefield Garden Club Zone II

The Lake Minnetonka

Garden Club Zone XI

Judges’ Comments:

Positioning the flower against the black background effectively highlights the undulating edges of the petals, moving the eye through the image.

The multiple competing elements of shapes, colors, and patterns detract from the overall impact.

Anne Kaufman

Judges’ Comments:

The skillful use of light and gradation of color provides contrast, highlighting the focal point. The lack of detail in the dark central portion diminishes the impact.

Liz Montanari Ridgefield Garden Club Zone II

Judges’ Comments:

The effectively captured stamen successfully contrasts the smooth texture and dark colors of the surrounding petals. The lack of detail in the foreground distracts.

Betsy Spang

Judges’ Comments:

The alluring combination of colors and use of light create depth in the radiating leaves. A tighter crop would emphasize the focal point and create a stronger composition.

Karen K. Brown

The French Broad River Garden Club Foundation Zone VII

Late Bloomers

Garden Club Zone VIII

Judges’ Comments:

The sharp focus of the dew is effectively captured. More judicious cropping would heighten the focal point.

Francy Robertson

An image of an animal in a natural setting. Class 2

This is a technically superb capture framed by a beautiful, soft background.

Karen McCormick Magnolia Garden Club Zone IX

Judges’ Comments:

The low perspective and bright blue sky enhance the sharply defined elk.

Nancy Huseby Piedmont Garden Club Zone XII

Judges’ Comments:

Judges’ Comments:

By photographing at eye level, the photographer has created a connection between the viewer and the direct gaze of the cheetah.

Georgiana Watt

Fauquier and Loudoun Garden Club Zone VII

Judges’ Comments:

The golden tonal range is appealing, and the slight vignette draws your eye to the subject. The image is dark and would benefit from some exposure adjustment.

Martha Goodman

Danna Dearborn

Piscataqua

Garden Club Zone I

Judges’ Comments:

The movement of the iguana and its colorful scales enrich this fascinating portrait. Bright highlights muddle the separation of the iguana’s head and background.

Piedmont Garden Club Zone XII

Judges’ Comments:

The intensity of the leopard’s gaze and the dynamic framing add drama to this capture. The leopard is a little small relative to the surrounding landscape.

AnneMarie Lamarche

Judges’ Comments:

This is a striking image of a polar bear exiting the water using dramatic lighting and sharp focus. With the polar bear at the bottom of the image, much of the focus is on the ice rather than on the bear.

Barbara Todd Garden Club of Somerset Hills Zone IV

Garden Club Zone V

Judges’ Comments:

The clarity of the feathers is striking in this action shot of a pair of turkeys. The road in the background divides the composition.

Kathleen Brugger

Carrie T. Watson

Judges’ Comments:

A whimsical and creative close-up of three goats and is well-focused. There is not enough of the natural setting in the image.

Martha Lombardo The Garden Workers Zone V

Flat lay of botanicals that suggests a fragrant “scent.” Class 3

Smell Color

Judges’ Comments:

Beautifully composed arrangement of scented herbs in hues of green gives this image a fresh impact. White border lessens the impact.

Debbie Laverell The Garden Workers

Anastazja Panek-Tobin

Stony Brook Garden Club Zone IV

Judges’ Comments:

A creative arrangement of colorful narcissus creates a threedimensional effect.

Tight cropping does not allow the viewer to enjoy the scent of the garden.

St. George’s Garden Club Zone VI

Judges’ Comments:

Classically chosen aromatic objects create a vintage style image. A more simplistic arrangement and less tight cropping would allow for movement and flow through the image.

Judges’ Comments:

Exploding arrangement of elements creates a colorful floral bouquet.

Over-saturation and sharpening lessen the photograph’s impact.

Alice Waegel

Ann Brookshire

Judges’ Comments:

Whimsical formation of tree shapes evokes the smells of the season.

The soft focus of the upper-most tree and shadowing throughout detract from the image.

Judges’ Comments:

Strong secondary colors pop in this image. More careful arrangement of material to establish a rhythm and flow would move the viewer through the composition.

Wanda Sullivan

Stonington Garden Club Zone II

Judges’ Comments:

A creative kaleidoscope of color enhances this geometric design. The overall soft focus lessens the impact.

Barbara Todd Garden Club of Somerset Hills Zone IV

The bounty of colorful dahlias bursts in this well-focused and well-lit image. This arrangement lacks a defined focal point.

Barbara Geltosky

Judges’ Comments:

A delicious, composed still life.

Judges’ Comments:

Luscious display of related elements is showcased with dramatic chiaroscuro lighting. A greater balance would be achieved with more detail in the fabric on the right.

Mary Queitzsch

Dolley Madison Garden Club

Zone VII

Judges’ Comments:

A rhythmic line up of colorful scoops dances across the image. Adding a delicious element would bring the image into a stronger conformance to the class.

Mary Elizabeth Smith

The Garden Club of Jackson Zone IX

Heather Ames

Monadnock

Garden Club Zone I

Judges’ Comments:

Playfully arranged composition evokes a sense of taste. A more visually appealing background would boost this somewhat static image.

Judges’ Comments:

Intriguing circular arrangement highlights the textures of the mushroom, which is enhanced by the dark background.

The tilted silver tray and tight cropping on left disrupt the overall balance.

Carol Chapin The Garden Club of the Halifax Country Zone VIII

Judges’ Comments:

Evocative image suggests an Old World still life enhanced by the soft lighting.

Foreground slices need to be in sharper focus, and the knife would benefit with more space on the right.

Mimi Kerr

Judges’ Comments:

In this close-up, the sharp focus of the front edge highlights the intricate form of the mushroom. A less-centered position and placement on an implied surface for visual stability would provide a more pleasing image.

Additional elements are needed to better conform to the class.

Carol Taylor

The Garden Club of Wilmington Zone V

Judges’ Comments:

The placement of fruits and leaves on the circular plate leads the viewer’s eye around the composition.

The out-of-focus foreground and blownout highlights detract.

Irene Brownlow Memphis Garden Club Zone

The Gertrude Windsor Garden Club Zone IX

Judges’ Comments:

Delightful display of confections creates a bountiful sweet array using an attractive color palette. Fewer elements would give the viewer’s eye a place to focus.

Jo Ann Grooms

Judges’ Comments:

Vibrant colors dance the night away. The elements fail to evoke a sense of deliciousness.

Robin Turnbaugh Monadnock Garden Club Zone 1

A composition with a variety of textures.

Judges’ Comments:

Modernist in its simplicity, this is a beautifully composed image.

Lucy Zhou Tacoma Garden Club Zone XII

Piedmont Garden Club

Zone XII

Judges’ Comments:

The reflection of the river water draws the viewer through the image. The details in the landscape are lost in the darkness.

Margaret Pengilly

Judges’ Comments:

By getting down low, the photographer has created an effective linear perspective that leads the viewer’s eye towards the focal point.

Some of the details in the natural elements lining the canyon are lost in the conversion to black and white.

Phyllis Russell

Paducah Garden Club

Zone VII

Chestnut Hill

Garden Club Zone I

Judges’ Comments:

The diagonal line of the driftwood creates compositional cohesion. Some of the detail is lost in the bright whites of this image.

Victoria Saltonstall

This is an interesting layered composition with diverse elements and textures. The central arrangement of the elements creates a rather static photo.

Nancy Dankof The Garden Club of Dayton Zone X Judges’ Comments:

Monadnock

Garden Club Zone I

Judges’ Comments:

This is a creative and effective use of negative space with distinct textures shown in the seed pods. The eye is drawn to the out-of-focus elements on the left side of the frame.

Susan Hilpert

The Garden Club of the Halifax Country Zone VIII

Judges’ Comments:

This photograph is a creative interpretation of the theme and is an effective use of black and white. Without an obvious focal point, the viewer’s eye does not know where to land.

Sherry Dargan

Judges’ Comments:

The piece of wood serves as a strong leading line to draw the eye through the photograph.

The soft focus on the top three ducks and the hidden faces of the middle two detract from the composition.

Carol Bayer Garden Club of Orange and Dutchess Counties Zone III

Class 6

Sixth Sense

Color

Creative Techniques

(Statement of Intent Required)

A photograph that channels infinite possibilities.

Yoni Mayeri

Statement of Intent: The real, unreal, and surreal combined create unlimited thoughts and possibilities.

Judges’ Comments:

A brilliant study of perspective and reflection resulting in a distinctive, creative, and technically superior composition.

Orinda Garden Club Zone XII

Statement of Intent: Creativity starts with chaos. A swirl of ideas present an infinite possibility.

Judges’ Comments:

This dynamic composition radiates energy and depth. The tight cropping, especially on the right side, constricts the balance of the composition.

Statement of Intent: “Gonna lift me up to the spirit in the sky.”

Judges’ Comments:

The colorful escalating lines carry the eye up and through the image creating a sense of infinity.

The bright yellow shape in the lower left-hand corner of the photograph detracts.

Beth Paisner

Lenox

Garden Club

Zone I

Statement of Intent: A composite photograph of the beach at Provincetown, Massachusetts evokes all senses.

Judges’ Comments:

The effective use of leading lines and contrasting pastel colors creates a visually rhythmic, soothing, and balanced composition. Stronger contrast within the compositional elements would enhance the image.

Janet Pumphrey

Statement of Intent: Who knows where the path will lead? Infinite possibilities await! Judges’ Comments: Following the path, the eye is led through this colorful and fanciful landscape. A clearer focal point would anchor the image.

Statement of Intent: Succulents captured over time with ICM reveal surprising colors and textures.

Judges’ Comments: Light, pattern, texture, and color create a vibrant composition with undulating movement. The lack of definition in the center weakens the composition.

Jean Jarvis Piedmont Garden Club Zone XII

Statement of Intent: Emily Dickinson said, “I dwell in possibility”. So why not freeze flowers?

Judges’ Comments:

The combination of vibrant colors, distinctive shapes, and diverse textures creates a bold picture. The focal point is unclear.

Suzy Titcomb

Statement of Intent: Sky meets ripples to reflect the universe.

Judges’ Comments:

The effective use of soft colors and focus, combined with the undulating ripples, creates a sense of bottomless depth and timelessness. The subtle vertical striping throughout the image is confusing.

Betsy Ridge North Shore Garden Club of Massachusetts Zone I

A water feature or scene with water that evokes a visceral feeling of cold or warm. Class 7

The forms, shapes, and sharp focus front to back illustrate the elements of a strong composition.

Karen Crete Founders Garden Club of Sarasota Zone VIII

Judges’ Comments:

Judges’ Comments:

The variety of colors, textures, and forms, along with the choice of subject, come together to create an ethereal scene. A high second place.

Michele Jameson The Gardeners Zone V

Alexandra

Judges’ Comments:

The shape and line of the stark shoreline and the strong contrast of white and black lead the viewer around the image.

The balance of the composition is slightly lessened because of the weight of the elements on the right.

X

Judges’ Comments:

The soft light on this massive glacier is appealing, and the focal point’s placement fills the frame, making a compelling composition. As the glacier tapers off on the right side of the image, there is a lack of focus.

Beth Brumbaugh Akron Garden Club Zone

Judges’ Comments:

The combination of blue ice and gray water successfully provides texture and simplicity. The white patch of snow on the left side of the image detracts from the glaciers.

Leslie Pierpont

Late Bloomers

Garden Club Zone VIII

Judges’ Comments:

The texture and contrast of the water with the gravelly hillside make for an interesting study. The overall image would benefit from sharper focus.

Teri Taylor The Garden Club of Santa Barbara Zone XII

Cohasset

Garden Club Zone I

Judges’ Comments:

The curving lines create rhythm and movement, while the shells on the shoreline add a tactile element. A tighter shot would give greater emphasis to the focal point.

Kimberley Majury

Judges’ Comments:

The amazing capture of ice surrounding the red berries makes for an interesting photograph. The fence in the background diverts the eye from the focal point.

Becky Simonds Milton Garden Club Zone I

The exhibitor’s interpretation of this innate sense. Class 8

Common Sense

Color

(Statement of Intent Required)

Statement of Intent: Darling, I think common sense comes with age, experience. Don’t you?

Judges’ Comments:

This is an exquisite image due to the subtle lighting and tonal contrasts. The simplicity and shading of the elements combine to create mystery and drama.

Stephanie Young Paducah Garden Club Zone

Judges’ Comments:

The lines and shapes of the cacti make for a visually pleasing rhythmic flow.

The image is a high second.

Debbie Laverell The Garden Workers Zone V

Statement of Intent: Common sense says: “Don't touch, it’s prickly and will hurt you.”

Statement of Intent: Another Day in the City, Traffic Lights are for Tourists.

Judges’ Comments:

The lines, diagonals, and spots of color create a strong image and a highly creative interpretation of the class. The viewer is drawn to the multitude of elements to study further. No constructive comment.

Kerry Valentine Tacoma Garden Club Zone XII

Susan Strawn

Gertrude Windsor

Garden Club

Zone IX

Statement of Intent: “The most admirable thing ever is a father protecting his daughter.” ~ Unknown

Judges’ Comments:

This well-proportioned and detailed composition evokes a sense of fatherly protection.

The upper portion of the image lessens the impact.

The Virginia Beach Garden Club Zone VII

Statement of Intent: Singing for your supper.

Judges’ Comments:

Use of side lighting highlights the focal point: the birds. The leaves in the front of the bird on the right are a bit distracting.

Constance Owen

Statement of Intent: I want the viewer to really see an orange sky.

Judges’ Comments:

This beautiful capture of the orange hues and the use of a silhouetting technique present an intriguing photograph.

Judicious cropping would increase the impact of the subjects.

Amy Murphy

Statement of Intent: Waiting for the rain.

Judges’ Comments: The lovely palette of colors and the soft focus of the sky and rainbow create interest. The light show in the sky is powerful. The dominance of the sky above the clouds (top third of image) diminishes the impact of the rainbow.

Zone XII

Statement of Intent: Cold Feet. Eating ice. Not a good idea.

Judges’ Comments:

The strengths of this image are the strong diagonals the clear ice and white head of the bird are in contrast to the dark grays on the right.

A different perspective might have provided better focus on all of the elements.

Charlee Reed Seattle Garden Club

Statement of Intent: An 80-year-old sentry on 5,000 acres of protected land in Jackson Hole.

Judges’ Comments:

The well-focused image features strong, contrasting colors. It is difficult to determine how this photograph reflects the innate interpretation of common sense.

SPECIAL AWARDS

Special Awards Judges’ Comments: The combination of technical excellence, richly captured colors, sophisticated composition, and very compelling subject elevate this image to Best in Show.

Karen McCormick Magnolia Garden Club Zone IX

The Garden Club of Jackson Zone IX

Special Awards Judges’ Comments: The viewer anticipates the sweet ending with this creative panorama of the ice cream scoop “Rockettes” . . . .

Mary Elizabeth Smith

Editor’s Choice Award

Kerry Valentine’s photograph rings the bell for each of GCA’s five judging criteria: Creativity, Composition, Technical Skill, Interpretation, and Distinction.

First, this creative photograph would be an effective black and white composition, but Kerry cleverly and playfully chose to selectively color the female figure and the stop and walk signals. This technique often fails because it can seem gimmicky, but not so here.

Second, the selective coloring holds and guides the viewer’s eye to the points of greatest visual interest, which is a core compositional principle. To succeed, near center-placement of a dominant focal points necessitates a compelling subject. We have that here. Additionally, the visual elements work together as a whole and tell a strong, city-scape narrative.

Third, the selective coloring technique requires some editing skill. More importantly, Kerry had the skill to see this scene in the instant before she immortalized it in a photograph. She had the skill to know it was something worth capturing.

Fourth, what a wickedly funny play on the class title, “Common Sense.” The female figure defiantly pauses in the middle of a city crosswalk, cell phone in hand, with the “Don’t Walk” signal blaring in the background. Kerry’s humorous statement of intent injects added meaning.

Finally, winning photographs are usually distinctive across multiple criteria. This photograph is distinctive in all four criteria. Well done!

~ L. Anna Forbes Editor Focus magazine

Kerry Valentine Tacoma Garden Club Zone XII

Susie’s Choice*

Kerry has taken a street scene and amplified it to a new level. Adding the few splashes of color is genius! The lines of the streets and buildings are perfectly placed, and the contrasts of light and dark define black and white technique!

~Susie Brewer

*Susie Brewer is the manager of the 2024 Winter FOCUS contest and the treasurer of the GCA Photography Committee. She is an approved GCA Photography Judge. She managed this contest with skill and good humor. We are so very grateful to her!

~Susan Van Tassel & L. Anna Forbes

Susie’s Choice

Kerry Valentine Tacoma Garden Club Zone XII

Anne-Marie Lamarche Piedmont Garden Club Zone XII