Pix from the Stix welcomes Peter Sedgwick as the judge for 2025.

Peter has been practicing professional photographer and photography teacher for 25 years. Peter's area of expertise has been the photography of landscapes and seascapes from around Australia, and he has travelled widely throughout the country to capture  images. His work has been purchased from around Australia and a number of pieces have sold overseas.

Peter has also enjoyed teaching the art of photography to a long list of private clients, with an emphasis on teaching a complete understanding of the functions on a digital camera, whether SLR or mirrorless, and then applying that knowledge to capturing beautiful images out in the field.

Great photography results from finding great subjects and photographing them in beautiful light.  Peter looks forward to seeing this put into practice with the entries submitted for this years competition.

Peters words on the winning entries

Major Prize Overall

Michael O'Hara - On the wing #2

One of the most interesting and difficult photography challenges is the photography of birds in flight. Mostly the photographer uses fast shutter speeds and sharp focus to give clarity to the moving subject. Its tough to get right. But…

Pix from the Stix welcomes Arthur Roy as the judge for 2024.

Arthur has been photographing for about the last 20 years after retiring from a career in Community services and currently is a long time member of The Entrance Camera Club on the Central Coast.

Arthur has won many awards in both national and international competition for his photography, the most significant being four Blue Badges at four different international competitions.Blue badges are awarded to the most successful exhibitor in each international exhibition, he has won 2 in Australia 1 in the Czech Republic and i in France.

He loves to photograph ballet, rodeos and other equine events such as camp drafting and ranch sorting ,egrets eagles and other birdlife.

He is a father of 3 children, has 7 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren and currently he enjoys kayaking on a regular basis the Central Coast waterways to photograph birdlife from his craft.

Shane Chalker is a national and international award winning photographer with a passion for capturing the moods of the ocean and the animals that live within it. He had a unique upbringing next to the sea, growing up with his father being a lighthouse keeper. This amazing experience is where his love for the ocean and all its surroundings began. He spent the early years of his childhood at the Seal Rocks Lighthouse before the family moved into the Forster/Tuncurry region.

“Photography first started as a hobby for me, mainly capturing images of dolphins, sunsets and waves,” Shane explained. “It soon became a huge passion for me and I turned it into a career in 1999.”

HIs work involves shooting most styles of photography including commercial, portraits, weddings and real estate. But capturing images of the local coastline and its conditions is what he enjoys most. With a lifelong love for bodyboarding and passion for fishing, it was a natural progression for him to take his photography into the ocean, purchasing a water housing for his camera. He has made a name for himself as a surf photographer capturing the ever changing waves and those who ride them, as well…

2022 Judge Scott Calvin.

Before returning to his hometown of Taree, Scott worked in portrait studios, photographed weddings and snapped many magazine shoots. Since returning to the Manning around 30 years ago, he's been working for the Manning River Times. This has seen him take on a whole new range of photography, adding race-paced events and sport to his repertoire, snapping everything from footy matches to high-speed boat racing. He has plenty of experience photographing festivals and parades in all kinds of weather and lighting conditions. And he's no stranger to judging photography competitions. His diverse experience is what drew the 2022 Pix from the Stix committee to look at inviting him to be a judge.

When it comes to judging photography, it’s all about what instantly catches his attention. Perhaps it is telling him a story or perhaps it just gives him a feeling. For Scott, it’s not always about the most technically correct photograph but more about what has been captured within it.

What he really liked about the 2022 Pix from the Stix format was his ability to judge the images digitally. It’s not about the quality of the printing or the size image, it purely about the…

2021 Judge Lawrence  Furzey is a highly respected Commercial and Fine Art Travel Photographer based in Sydney with a studio in the heart of the city.

Lawrence has been shooting commercial, travel and lifestyle campaigns for the last 20 years. He finds that hidden element in places, objects and scenes, creating something visually alluring. His images are peaceful and engaging,

with a favourite subject being the surf near his home on the northern beaches. 

Lawrence also has a full portfolio of portraits where you will find some familiar faces amongst his collection of imaginative portrayals in which he is not afraid to push boundaries to create impactful and sensual representations of hi subjects.

Lawrence has frequently travelled the globe in search of finding new ways to bring everyday vistas to new heights allowing you to travel away on your own journey through his images.

www.lawrencefurzey.com

2020 Judge Lawrence  Furzey is a highly respected Commercial and Fine Art Travel Photographer based in Sydney with a studio in the heart of the city.

Lawrence has been shooting commercial, travel and lifestyle campaigns forthe last 20 years. He finds that hidden element in places, objects and scenes, creating something visually alluring. His images are peaceful and engaging,

with a favourite subject being the surf near his home on the northern beaches.

Lawrence also has a full portfolio of portraits where you will find some familiar faces amongst his collection of imaginative portrayals in which he is not afraid to push boundaries to create impactful and sensual representations of his subjects.

Lawrence has frequently travelled the globe in search of finding new ways to bring everyday vistas to new heights allowing you to travel away on your own journey through his images.

www.lawrencefurzey.com

2019 Judge  Stephen Barry

Major Prize winner Ronnie Grammatica with his winning entry and his subject Samuele

We have had a fantastic response to this years (2017) Pix from the Stix photography competition and a crowd filled the Gallery for the exhibition opening and prize announcements on Friday evening 23rd June.

There were eight categories, including a Junior section each sponsored by local businesses. The difficult

task of judging and making selections for each category, from the 92 entries, was made by Ben Howland. Ben, originally from Gloucester, works as a professional photographer in Newcastle and was invited to

judge by the GACCI Pix from the Stix Committee.

Congratulations not only to the winners but to all the entrants for putting their work out there.

Major Prize Winner - Ronnie Grammatica - 'Samuele'

1. Lie of the Land - sponsored by The Gloucester Advocate with the photo being used on the cover of the 2018 Gloucester Directory.

1st Prize - Shayne Gardner - 'The Road Less Travelled"

2nd Prize - Manfred Koch - 'Trees in Flood Water'

2.Faces I have Met - sponsored by the Roundabout Inn

1st Prize - Ronnie Grammatica -'Samuele'

2nd Prize - Shayne Gardner - 'Klara and Oakley'

3.Natural Environment…

Pix from the Stix results

Major Prize: Jeff De Witte

Locals: 1st: Anne Webeck

2nd: Noel Monro

HC: Lynne Saywell

Lie

of

the

Land:

1st:

Jeff

De

Witte

2nd:

Anne

Andrews

HC:

Allan

Rose

Natural

Environment:

1st:

Jeff

De

Witte

2nd Sheree

Carson

HC

Wendy

Fraser

Man

Made:

1st:

Noel

Monro

2nd:

Patricia

McCalden

HC:

Wendy

Fraser

Not

Your

Normal

Photo:

1st:

Rachel

Pettit

2nd:

Sandra

Middlebrook

HC:

Wendy

Fraser

Absence

of

Colour:

1st:

Sharon

Benson

2nd:

Jeff

De

Witte

HC:

Sandra

Middlebrook

Cultural

Events:

1st:

Wendy

Fraser

2nd:

Lynne

Saywell

HC:

Barry

McGregor

Junior:

1st:

Iziss

Davies

2nd:

Kate

Wilson

HC:

Ellen

Starrett

Best Picture Of The Competition,

Major Prize$500,

Sponsored

by

GACCI:

Barn

Owl

at

Kia

Ora

Eve

Merfield

First

and

second

in

each

section

receive

$100

and

$50

respectively

and

the

‘Junior’

section

is

$75

and

$50

Locals:

sponsored

by

Paul

Hedditch

1st:

Santa's

Helpers,

Gloucester

Rotary

Club

Lyn

Saywell

2nd

:

Our

Church

St

Locals

Paula

Standen

HC:

A

Moment

In

Time

Sandy

McTaggart

Natural

environment:

sponsored

by

Gloucester

Advocate

1st:

Dragonfly

Resting

Ross

Pearson

2nd

:

Subliminal

Sunrise

Ian

Smith

HC:

Rare

&

Threatened

Brush

Tailed

Rock

Wallaby

Sean

Thompson

Absence

of

Colour: sponsored

by

Bowen,

Thomas

&

Barlow

1st:

Daddy's

Girl

Sandra

Middlebrook

2nd

:

Playmates

Noel

Monro

HC:

It's

My

Turn

Dearne

Tonks

Cultural

Events:

sponsored

by

De

Witte

Transport

1st:

Dakotas

Journey

Paula

Standen

2nd:

The

Cattle

Muster

Sheree

Carson

HC:

The

Real

Deal

Chris

Russell

Man

Made:

sponsored

by

The

Gloucester

Medical

Centre

1st:

The

Old

Fence

Wendy

Morris

2nd

:

Circus

in

Gloucester

Town

Louise

Oldfield

HC:

Classics

Not

Plastics

Mick

Standen

Not

Your

Normal

Photo:

sponsored

by

Birth

&

Baby

1st:

Playing

Your

Hand

Paula

Standen

2nd

:

Once

in

A

Blue

Moon

Stewart

Draper

HC: Their

Future

In

Our

Hands

Sharon

Benson

PIX FROM THE STIX 2009

Preparations are underway for the 2009 Pix From The Stix Photography competition. Entry forms and posters are currently being printed and will be available for distribution at selected locations in the Gloucester Shire early March.

This year sees the introduction of new Senior categories – ‘Cultural Events’ ,‘The Locals’, ‘This Natural Environment’, ‘Man Made’, Absence of Colour’, and ‘Not your normal photo’. The Junior section (Under 18) is an open ‘genre’ category. The challenge for this year’s competition is to expand the concept behind the photograph - trying to show the reason or meaning of why the photo was taken.

Competitors need to be aware that to enter the competition photographs need to have been taken in the last 2 years, and cannot have been previously shown in any gallery or exhibition within 200km of the Gloucester Shire. We must emphasise that photographs need to showcase the Gloucester area and the culture of our Shire.

All photographs need to be in suitably framed including a wire attached for hanging in the Gloucester Gallery. Photographs that do not meet the category or framing requirements will not be featured in the competition.

Entries for the 2009 Pix…

In it’s ninth year Pix once again has brought out the best in the local photography. Jeff De Witte has taken the title again with an exquisite photograph of Bulliac Rd., and it was a major production to put it together but it was well worth the effort. The exhibition is on until the 3rd August so get to the gallery and have a look you won’t be disappointed.

Following is the list of prize winners:

Major Prize: Jeff De Witte’s Bulliac Road.

Portrait:

1st – ‘Khya’ - M. Papalia

2nd – ‘Seasons’ – Sharon Benson

Highly Commended -  ‘Frog Prince’ – Noel Monro

Landscape

1st - ‘Halo Hill’ – Max Stewart

2nd – ‘Dreamtime’ – Linda Benson

HC – ‘Golden Day’ – Noel Monro

Still Life

1st – ‘Joe’s Rake n Hose’ – Ann Smith

2nd – ‘White Lipped Green Tree Frog’ – Lynne Saywell

Black n White

1st – ‘Rachel’ – Jeff De Witte

2nd – ‘Tales To Be Told’ – Vicki Sneddon

HC – ‘ Much Loved Freya’ – Louise Oldfield

Open

1st – ‘The Farmer’ – Jeff De Witte

2nd – ‘Identity Theft’ – Isaac Lewis

HC – ‘Antiquity’ – Noel Monro

Junior

1st – ‘Farmer’s…

Major Prize winner "Rogers Truck" by Jeff DeWitte

Pix From The Stix, Gloucester’s second annual photographic competition focussing on Gloucester, Stroud and the Barringtons, opened last Friday night.

Seventy five people attended the opening and subsequent judging, including many of the entrants. The level of quality was very high this year, providing a difficult task for the judge, Alan Chawner, Head of Photo Media studies at Newcastle University.

The subject matter was focussed on the Gloucester Shire, the Barringtons and Stroud and was divided into five categories in the Open section; those were Lanscape, Portrait, Still Life, Digital Imagery and Open. There was also a Junior Open section for entrants under eighteen.

Alan awarded first and second prizes in each category and an overall Grand Prize. The successful exhibitors were as follows:

Grand Prize. Jeff DeWitte  ‘Faith’

1st. Prize Landscape

Mark Banham  ‘Fall’

2nd. Prize Landscape

Jill Carter   ‘Rainbow Dragon’

Highly Commended

Noel Monro

1st. Prize Portrait

Chris Steele  ‘Turkish Delight’

2nd. Prize Portrait

Lynne Saywell   ‘Ashlee at home’

Highly Commended

Rod Burrows  ‘Doreen’

1st. Prize Still Life

Chris Steele  ‘Winter Sun’

2nd. Prize Still Life

David Whittaker  ‘Untitled’

Highly Commended

1st. Prize Open

Jeff de Witte  ‘Faith’

2nd. Prize Open

Garry Spokes  ‘Roundabout 7pm.’

Highly Commended

Linda…

Major prize winner

Jeff DeWitte "Gloucester Memorial Park Clock''