STUNNING images of landscapes, townscapes and seascapes have featured in Otley Camera Club’s first competition of 2020.

Scapes was judged by local landscape photographer and tutor Jason Theaker on Thursday, October 15 and attracted more than 80 digital entries.

The submitted images included shots of landscapes, townscapes and seascapes around the world - from local beauty spots like Otley Chevin to parts of Scotland, America and Australia.

Otley Camera Club’s Co-Chair, Richard Sells, said: “We have just held our first competition of the year and, due to COVID-19 restrictions, there was just one category - Digital Images.

“We hope to bring back our Prints category as soon as possible.

“Jason spent the evening with us, via Zoom, providing comprehensive feedback on all the images.

“He highlighted the successes and then also used his wealth of experience to give constructive advice on how an image could be improved or adapted.

“He announced his winners at the end and huge congratulations must go to Keira Thorogood who took first place with her fabulous photograph, Wild and Free. “Congratulations too to our new member, Nicola Robson, who had two images placed in her first ever Otley Camera Club competition.”

Despite the challenges presented by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic the club has managed to enjoy 2020 during which it held its first ever Summer Season.

Adapting to meeting online has also brought some advantages including the ability to have speakers from all over the country contributing.

Membership numbers have gone up too and the club was in good shape when it began its 2020-2021 season at the beginning of September.

Richard added: “The start to our new season has been fantastic. In these tricky times we have attracted new members and sold tickets to non members for some of our speaker nights too.

“We have already had inspiring talks from photographers including Tesni Ward, Oliver Wright and Lee Sutton alongside a fun evening titled Play Your Digital Images Right.

“And we are using the opportunity of Zoom to create links with other camera clubs. Swavesey Camera Club joined us for an evening and at the end of the month we are having a competition with Hastings and Caernarfonshire Camera Clubs.”

The club welcomes new members and anyone interested can find out more by visiting www.otleycameraclub.net or sending an e-mail to otleycameraclubinfo@gmail.com.

Aireborough Camera Club, meanwhile, has used the coronavirus crisis as the inspiration behind its Open Photographic Competition 2021.

The annual event had to be cancelled this year but the club has decided to push ahead with next year’s competition.

Vice President Chris Owens said: “After careful consideration and in the light of the present, ever changing, situation we intend to run the competition again albeit with some relevant modifications.

“The subject will be Lockdown Yorkshire. This will focus on any image that shows any aspect of the lockdown since it began in March, 2020.

“The images may include the effects seen in cities, towns, villages, in family life, in the garden, with friends, communities, social distancing, work places, masks, loneliness, nature and so on.

“They could/would constitute a historical document featuring images of a county and its inhabitants during lockdown, which would be a record of this unique period in our history. Be part of it!”

Entries should be submitted by e-mail and each person can enter up to three images. There is no entry fee and only one class, for 16 years and older. Three prizes will be on offer and the finalists will also be offered one year’s free membership of Aireborough Camera Club.

Entries will be accepted between January 4 and April 30, 2021. Visit www.aireboroughcameraclub.co.uk for more.