You Can Do It – Charlie Moore
A Unique International Tradition
For more than twenty years, the friendly international competition between the Victoria Camera Club and Eastwood Photographic Society has brought photographers from both clubs together through shared creativity, learning, and a love of photography.
This year, members of Eastwood Photographic Society gathered once again to present and critique the images entered in the annual competition between the two clubs. The event featured judges from both sides of the Atlantic — one of the traditions that makes this competition especially unique.
Representing Scotland was experienced Scottish Photographic Federation judge Neil MacGregor of Milngavie and Bearsden Camera Club. Neil is well known for his outdoor photography, particularly landscapes and nature work. Representing Canada was award-winning photographer Leah Gray, whose work includes sports, nature, and macro photography.
Learning Through Two Perspectives
One of the most interesting aspects of this long-running competition is that every image receives commentary and scoring from both a Scottish and a Canadian judge. With entries from both Advanced and Intermediate photographers — and only one image permitted per photographer — the evening showcased the work of sixty photographers in total.
Neil opened the evening by praising the consistently high standard of images submitted by both clubs. His live commentary and scoring were presented to the audience, while Leah’s critiques and scores were projected onscreen. As always, it was fascinating to see where the judges agreed — and where artistic interpretation led to very different reactions.
For VCC members, the competition also offered an opportunity to hear how two experienced judges approach composition, storytelling, timing, light, and visual impact from slightly different perspectives — an educational aspect that continues to make this event especially valuable.
Intermediate Section Results
The competition began with the Intermediate (VCC) / Division Two (EPS) section. Eastwood won the Intermediate section by a score of 487 to 474.
Among the top-scoring images were Blue Leading to Red by Ian Clay and You Can Do It by Charlie Moore.
Standout Images in the Advanced Section
The Advanced section featured the two highest-scoring images of the entire competition.
Snack Attack by Paul Deacon received maximum points from Leah Gray, who praised the image as an excellent action photograph with strong composition.
Meanwhile, Night Geometry by Kim Passmore earned top marks from Neil MacGregor, who admired the abstract treatment of the architectural forms and even noted what he saw as a subtle hint of Scottish tartan patterns within the composition.
Both images achieved an impressive combined score of 39 out of 40.
Final Scores
In the Advanced section, Eastwood scored 516 points to Victoria’s 506. Combined with the Intermediate results, Eastwood claimed the overall win by 23 points.
Looking Ahead to 2027
Beyond the scores, the annual competition continues to be a wonderful opportunity for members of both clubs to learn from different judging perspectives, experience a wide range of photographic styles, and strengthen the longstanding connection between the two organizations.
Congratulations to all participating photographers from both clubs. We look forward to the next international competition in Spring 2027.
Written by Jim McCreery
Editor – “Thru the lens” monthly newsletter.
Eastwood Photographic Society, Scotland