Tom Burden and Melanie Marts, co-VP’s of Competition, are pleased to host Peter Manzelli as competition judge. There is no theme for this month. Please upload your digital images by the deadline, as per the current instructions on the club website. Prints should be signed in by 7:15, so our judge can preview them. You must be a paid member to compete. You are invited to join Peter for dinner at On The Border Restaurant, at 5:30 p.m., on the 21st. The following is excerpted from his bio on the NVACC website:

Peter Manzelli has worked 33 years in the graphic arts field, and has been involved in computer graphics since 1985. His career path also took him into the world of photography and photojournalism. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from GWU in Fine Art. His photos have been exhibited at various local galleries. His current passion is painting on top of his photos. Other titles he holds include: Chef, Musician, Wine Aficionado, and Beach Bum.

Peter states “I prefer to think of myself as an appraiser rather than judge or critic because of the negative connotations of the latter two. The process of elimination that I will use to evaluate the images will be based on Joe Miller’s recommended criteria of the 4C’s (Composition, Creativity, Craftsmanship, and Communication). I also believe that the presentation and matting should be included in the total score.”

“I think it is especially important for the novice to realize that an appraisal is ultimately an opinion, and odds are that any group of judges will not be in total agreement on what stays in and what goes out. Having a reason is important to be classified as a good judge. I will make every effort to have a meaningful reason for all my decisions.”

Submitted by Melanie Marts