I was impressed by the quality of this year's local photography. There were very few snapshots, and some of the images were of high quality. Colour, subject, theme and composition were, on the whole, very well chosen. It was not easy to choose the winners, but it was easy to choose images to frame because there were so many good ones! Entries could be made better by keeping in mind these simple rules: get close, crop carefully, keep in mind the rule of thirds and avoid putting your subject right in the centre of the photo. Simplify your image by keeping out all non-essential elements. In addition, next year's contestants should avoid using too much artificial Photoshop enhancement, and ensure all their photographs are well exposed and in focus where they need to be.

Michael Willems (Henry’s)

In general, I thought all the entries were quite good. There were also a few exceptional entries that I wouldn’t have hesitated to frame and hang at home. It was nice to see such a diverse range of subjects, even within individual categories. I would have liked to see a few more B&Ws, though. I hope B&Ws aren’t going back out of fashion; some of the entries would have look amazing in B&W.

Bill Hewitt (CPS Inkworks)

The wide range of subject matter for Capture Oakville 2008 proved extremely interesting. Simplicity in composition, detail of texture and patterning, coupled with thoughtful vantage points led the finalists to the winner's circle. Adhering to the basic principles of composition would have greatly improved many of the submissions. From a technical viewpoint, improper file handling reduced image quality of numerous entries eliminated as finalists. This is unfortunate, but easily preventable. Many images experienced high noise levels, perhaps due to high ISO. Many close-ups would benefit from additional or fill lighting to strengthen contrast and texture. Photographers should use focus selection, but proper depth of field usage proved to be a challenge to many. The printing quality of most images was better than expected. Post-processing, on the other hand, was misunderstood and misused by many. Proper colour management is a fundamental element to quality output. Pay attention to colour casts, saturation and contrast. The crop factor created some confusion. Since 11x14 is a standard size for printing and framing, a potentially interesting development would be photographers choosing to display their images creatively, such as employing Key Lines or an off-centered 8X10 image on an 11X14 canvas. For next year, this will give photographers more room to play with the dimensions of their images. A final suggestion would be for the club members to learn how to critique their own work with the help of others. Start with positive points and then move to specifics of composition, technical elements and post-processing. By doing this, you can help yourself and in the process help others become more satisfied with their images.

Dan Dionne (Vistek)