A BATTLE with New Zealand, but without the traditional Haka, was on offer at Knaresborough Camera Club on April 9, with the second annual photographic battle with Pukekohe - Franklin Camera Club.

The battle took the form of 25 images submitted by each club, each judged and scored out of 20 points by a local judge at each club. Our local judge was Michael Voice of Ripon City Photographic Society.

The submitted pictures could, and were, on any subject, and any location, not restricted necessarily to the locality of the club in question. Thus the KCC images included some shot in Paris, and even Humberside – no matter what else may be said about it, the Humber bridge is a fantastic photographic subject.

Given this potential diversity some interesting comparisons could be made, for example in the relative merits of Yorkshire lamb Larry, versus a New Zealand sheep having a Close Shave, on this occasion the Pukekohe livestock won by a single point.

Overall, on the night the full colour and sepia toned All Blacks could not prevail over the British Lions, with Knaresborough, gaining both the highest score for a single picture, a maximum 20 for Saltburn Pier (Mark Webster), and overall winning, 415 to 402.

It was amidst the wild celebrations over this victory, that our Competition Secretary, Mark Webster, brought us down to earth with the aggregate scores including the judging which had previously taken place in New Zealand.

It seems that the judge there had some very different criteria for judging pictures, apparently including distance of subject from club. This resulted in some pictures having been marked very low indeed, with marks as low as three out of 20, for pictures which here scored no less than 15!

As a result, the aggregate result was a narrow victory to Pukekohe – Franklin by 637 to 634, despite a re-count.

The evening closed with a short display of images of the Pukekohe area – some of which we were quite glad had not been entered in the competition, and some general commiserating over tea and biscuits.

If you would like to help us beat New Zealand next year, Knaresborough Camera Club usually meets on Wednesday at 7.45pm, at the Methodist Hall, Park Grove, Knaresborough, with a varied programme of lectures, practical photography and competitions.

Please note that we will shortly be switching to our summer programme of outdoor activities, subject to the unpredictability of the British summer.

For further details see the club website www.knaresborough.co.uk/cameraclub, or contact the club Secretary Steve Moull on 01423 542884.