Something For Everyone At Camera Club’s Show —

Flagpole Photographers Earn Awards, Enjoy Exhibit

By Kendra Bobowick

Two wedding glasses sat alone in the center of a picture frame. Several feet away two wooden rowboats were canted against the rocks and shrubs on shore. Across the room and in a cubby were images of a bull and cow moose facing one another, noses nearly touching, as mist fell in a brush-filled field. Around the corner hung a spider in its dew-laced web.

Filling the walls in the downstairs meeting room in the Cyrenius H. Booth Library, Flagpole Photographers Camera Club members presented their entries for this year’s exhibition and competition. By the end of the weekend of April 5-6 judges Tom and Lisa Cuchara of New Haven Camera Club had selected their winners including Flagpole members Bob Berthier and Jim Talarino. The two Flagpole members greeted guests Sunday and hung winners’ ribbons from the prize-earning photos.

Proud of his own first prize for “Classic Morgan,” an electronically retouched image of a sports car in a field, which won the Bruce Allen Open Print Award, Mr Talarino later said, “I remember the first time I won, I couldn’t believe it, but now I have had a lot of awards through the years.” Has the Program and Judges Chairman learned a lot in his roughly 20 years in the club? “Oh gosh, yes,” he said.

Thinking of the 30-plus camera club members — a handful of whom entered artwork for the show — he explained, “We all have the intention of learning to take a better photograph and use our equipment. It’s a nice country camera club.”

This week as Mr Talarino mentioned the list of 2008 winners, he realized that Mr Berthier’s name also came up several times. He won the Dave Krieger Nature Award for “Getting To Know You,” the image depicting his moose nose-to-nose in the early morning. Mr Berthier also won first and second place for Black and White print with “Great Gray Owl In A Snow Storm” and “Frozen Cottonwoods and Fog.” The close-up of the puffy, white-feathered owl on a dark background was surrounded by swirling flakes. Regarding his friend’s work, Mr Talarino said, “He has always done well.”

“Monarch Butterfly”, by Micheline Williams, won recognition for two categories: Best Digital Print and Judges’ Best In Show. Catching Mr Talarino’s attention was Sue Walkers’s “Misty Morn,” which earned the coveted People’s Choice award.

“She’s a good part of our club,” he said.

Each year for at least the 20 or more years he has been involved, the club has held the competition. “It’s nice to exhibit work,” Mr Talarino said. “A lot of people come to look at it and the younger members really like it.” Sunday as the exhibit closed, Mr Talarino and Mr Berthier sat in a quiet room as residents came in, stepped to photos that grabbed their attention, and enjoyed a snack. With the judging completed, ribbons already hung beside the prized photographs.

In memory of Mr Talarino’s wife was the Jeannette Talarino Flower Award, which went to Don Brooks for “Iris.” Best color prints first through third place went to Don Brooks for “Championship Ride,” “Misty Morn” by Sue Walker, and “United We Stand” by Rina Bacchiocchi, respectively. Honorable mention goes to Rita Buonanno for “My Littlest Angel,” and also to Micheline Williams for “The Wedding.”

Earning the third place black and white print behind Mr Berthier’s first and second was “Christopher,” by Don Brooks. He also earned honorable mention for “Kent Falls,” and Donna White received honorable mention for “Temple of Doom.”

The club’s next meeting is April 17; the group meets in the library’s lower meeting room (the same location as last weekend’s competition and exhibition) the third Thursday of each month, September through June, at 7:30 pm. The subject for the members’s competition is “Doors” (prints), and guest speaker Bill Barnett will discuss black and white digital photography. Guests are always welcome, but residents must become members to enter club competitions.

Learn more about the Flagpole Photographers at FlagpolePhotographers.com.