At the OGA AGM in Gloucester, 11 January, 2025 the winners of the 2024 competition were announced. East Coast Gaffers were awarded several of the prizes amongst an excellent collection of over 60 high quality entries. Thanks go to Sandy Miller for judging the competition and providing citations for the winning photographs. Find a report of the Gloucester AGM weekend here.
Life at Sea Photographs focusing on a human story, situation or atmosphere.
The best or the worst: peace, excitement or misery!
Highly Commended ‘Lazing about’ by Alison Cable (Scotland) “Cleverly done. There are plenty of elements in this. The personal interest, of course, the jaunty hat, that lovely little lugger perfectly positioned behind and the beautiful surrounding loch and hills. It all works very well together.”
Third place ‘Leisurely Lunch’ by Gerard Brown (East Coast) “I am probably far too easily won over by beautiful surroundings but what a spot for lunch! It’s very well composed and those interesting shapes, combined with the colour of the water make for a compelling image.”
Second place ‘Ah haaaaa’ by Jo Masters (East Coast) “A fun, bright and colourful image. Full marks for imagination and execution!”
First place Summer Sailing Fun by Paul Masters (East Coast) “What a brilliant capture! This one stopped me in my tracks. I love the helm’s expression, posture and the way she is framed through the companionway hatch, which draws all your attention to her. No reason to think after all that the photographer simply doesn’t want to go out there! Just perfect. Hardly the summer sailing idyll and all the better for it!“
Sailing Gaffers Photographs of gaffers in any situation: at work, rest or in repair. The photograph can be of one or many boats; and of the whole boat, or of any detail. The photograph should convey the special qualities attached to sailing gaffers.
Highly Commended ‘Nearing the Mark’ by Mary Gibbs (North West) “A well composed and engaging picture that catches a moment of watchful concentration.”
Third place ‘Artist’s Eye’ by Mike Garlick (South West) “The photographer may need to share a little of the credit for this with the artist but it is nevertheless cleverly done and the soft, harmonious tones, and the atmospheric and slightly blurry (but not too much) background make this a very satisfying image.”
Second place ‘Boat Envy’ by Nick Gill (South West) “Wow! What a beauty. This stunning gaffer is perfectly caught, showing off her beautiful shapes. I love the angle of this, the curve of the flying jib and the twist of the mainsail. Conditions look lively and the boat seems perfectly at ease. Lovely light and colours too. What a fantastic sight!”
First place ‘Sweat the halyards’ by Charles Erb (Solent) “A great action shot that’s full of life. The bow splash, colours, the urgency of the chap on the halyard with his red shirt and the excellent, tight composition all come together perfectly to make this an outright winner for me. Nothing more to say!”
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