DECEMBER 2024: PETER DENCH
PHOTOGRAPH: HUMOUR
THE ASSIGNMENT BRIEF
From Peter Dench: “I think making a picture about humour is a challenge because it is difficult to get right. I don’t see humour as taking advantage of someone or something or sneering - so it’s trying to navigate that line of understanding when humour may become offensive. It’s a subtle shift, so I think it’s a worthy subject to challenge you with for this month.”
HOW TO ENTER. IMPORTANT NOTES ON FILE SIZE AND ENTRIES
Send your entry to stories@photowalk.show. Your picture should be 2,500 pixels wide, if possible, for online optimisation. Or send the full-resolution photo, which we will optimise. Feel free to provide text as well if you think it will help explain the location, context, etc. Please don’t add borders or watermarks, and be sure to send in all and any links to your work online so that we can link to your fabulous work on this assignment page. We’ll use a selection of photos you submit on our Photowalk Instagram to showcase your work to our community.
Entries are shown below. Good luck!
Neale
PETER DENCH
Photograph by Peter Dench. Photograph copyright. Not to be reproduced or used without express permission from the photographer.
JEAN-MAURICE CORMIER - FLASK WINNER FOR DECEMBER
DAVID WRIGHT
A fun moment as a king penguin and skua have a rather animated conversation. Captured on a beach in the sub-antarctic islands, south of New Zealand. We were helping guide an expedition trip and teaching photography on board a ship (which is just visible) The beaches are always a crazy adventure, over my shoulder were thousands more penguins, easy to find as there is a strong aroma. Be careful to rinse your boots before getting back on the ship! Figured a funny wildlife shot might be an interesting addition.
MICHAEL ASSMANN
While looking through my pictures from this year, I came across this one attached, which becomes my entry for the December assignment. Initially set as a study about symmetry in public places, this woman rushing by changed everything: She did not waste a second for a look at the sign which offers a rest on the long way out of the metro station! Humour showing up in places where you don't expect it.
See more of Michael’s work on Instagram.
MICHAEL MIXON
I had every intention of creating a new photo for this month's assignment but then I blinked and the month is almost over. I may still manage it, but in the event that I don't (feel free to bet against me...the odds are good), I'd like to contribute this older photo that I think not only fits the theme of the assignment but obviously also the time of year.
RYAN HELSEL
I'm always on the hunt for humorous juxtapositions. I came across this one at Mt. Rainier National Park in Washington state, USA. Captured with the FujiFilm X-T5 and the still spectacular XF18-55 lens.
See more of Ryan’s work on his Instagram.
CHARLES GOLDBLUM
The Great Blue Heron decided fishing was too hard, especially with the approach of winter. He outsourced fishing responsibilities to these fine gentlemen. I photograph at this location almost daily. This is Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis, Maryland. This Heron (I assume it was the same one) stalks fishermen daily beginning at sunrise until sunset.
See more of Charles’ work on his website.
PATRICK KAY
My entry to the December assignment – Humour. I hope you and your family had a great Christmas. Canon 6d mark 2, 85mm 1.2 prime. 200 shutter, 1.4, 1000 iso.
GRAHAM GOODWIN
Greetings from sunny Australia. This is my entry for Humour. The seagull eventually flew away very disappointed having not been given a single chip.
See more of Graham’s work on his Instagram.
JON DORSETT
A fortunately timed snapshot from a wander round Fort Santiago, Manila yesterday. (Monday 30th December)
JOSH SHAEVITZ
This is from Times Square in New York City in the fall. Cheers and happy new year.
MORRIS HAGGERTY
I thought I wasn't going to have anything to submit for this month's humour assignment. However, on Friday (27th) - I just happened upon a street performer setting up in Belfast city center. He had a torch set on fire, so naturally, I thought - this'll be good for a shot or two.
Logy began his act, and almost immediately pointed at me and said to the crowd - "oh, look! someone's taking pictures", and began to strike a pose as if to say - "paint me like one of your French girls Jack".
Of course I obliged (while chuckling behind the camera).
Within a few minutes, the crowd was laughing and fully engaged - and despite being heckled by one person, and two teenagers walking right through the middle of the makeshift stage, Logy didn't miss a beat, or any opportunity for a witty quip or response to his audience and environment.
See more of Morris’ work on his Instagram.
TIM CLARK
It was raining very hard and a demo was wrapping up so the traffic was coming back through slowly and this guy just decides to pretend swimming in the road….! And with matching colours to the buses..
VICKY ROBB
On December's assignment Humour theme, I remembered back to a walk I'm doing with friends that is a new 'from North to South London' route - starting in Cockfosters and finishing in Carshalton. On the second leg of it, it goes through Hampstead Heath and up to Parliament Hill, where we walked past this dog and owner. And I knew I had to get brave and go and try and get a picture of them without holding up my friends too much. The matching hat and tail colours tickled me then, and do now.
See more of Vicky’s work on Instagram.
CHRIS CANHAM
One of my weekend sports of choice is classic motorcycle trials, Pre-1965/70 motorcycles and Pre-1980'ish Twinshocks. A sport where you are observed riding short, off-road sections, through and/or over a series of obstacles, from a 'start' to an 'end,' without stopping, putting a foot down (a dab) to aid balance and without paddling (footing) with the feet to aid forward momentum towards the end of the section. Penalty points are given for anything short of an ideal performance, 5 for stopping, 3 for footing and 1 for a dab. A typical club Trial is usually ten or more sections marked out with blue markers (keep to riders left) and red markers (keep to riders right) 'gates'' set out over a 'circular' lap and you ride three or four laps depending upon the length of the lap. There are exceptions/variances to this format but they are to be found on the bigger National Trials and those catering for the modern bikes. But, essentially, in the end it's the rider with the least amount of points who is the winner.
Now, after all that pre-amble, when I'm not competing, I often take along my camera and being able to'read' a section I can find myself in the spot where I get the blame for the rider's failure in that particular section and sometimes I even manage to capture said rider falling off. In the main competitors are good humoured about it and might even play to the audience of spectators who will inevitably exclaim an 'Oooh!' with just enough of a hint of good old English sarcasm to bring a wry smile to faces. This picture is just post one of those moments, the rider waggling his blaming finger at me with a wry smile of humour.
See more of Chris’ work on Instagram.
ROBIN CHUN
Please consider my image 'Phhaarr, last night's curry is playing havoc!' for inclusion in December's assignment.. Humour. The image was captured in Broadmead, Bristol, and I think speaks for itself.. I would add that no photoshopping or adding of any colour has been introduced.
See more of Robin’s work on his website.
MICHAEL TENBRINK
I took this on a gloomy winter’s day in Italy. Yes, we really do have a clown festival in my neighborhood here in Milan, something I never cease to find amusing. (They often rehearse in the town square on Friday evenings, which is a sight to behold.)
I love the melancholic feel of this shot.
PAUL S. HENDREN
A little background. I'm a club photographer for the Ontario-based Third Division football club Master's Futbol Academy in League1 Ontario. Two years ago I resigned from my position as a contract League1 Ontario photographer to volunteer as a club photographer. My goal was to immerse myself in a club where my creative juices could be maximized. It is the best decision I have made in my photographic journey.
During the season MFA embarked on a five-hour bus ride to Southwestern Ontario from our perch in the Greater Toronto Area for a league match. The mood on the bus was initially tense as relegation was a distinct possibility. Two hours into the journey the bus became loud - very loud with laughter and light-hearted taunting filling the cabin. The exchange was in Italian and perpetrated by the Manager and his Lead Assistant. Both men are Italian - very Italian. A game of Scopa broke out between the two men. Scopa is a traditional Italian card game that requires strategy, memory and a bit of luck. In Italy, it is a pastime that is taken very seriously. I was sitting directly in front of this commotion as the bus transformed from a funeral to one of jocularity.
MFA escaped relegation - even climbing the table to 5th. I'm not sure who won the game of Scopa?
MARILYN DAVIES
Here's my submission for this month's assignment.
I took this photo when we were out on a very steamy evening on Saturday in South Brisbane. I was attracted to the condensation on the window and thought the motor scooter would make a nice touch in the image. The family dining were trying to clown around when they saw me composing the photo and it appears that the dad was the biggest comedian of the lot of them. The funny thing is that they possibly thought they were ruining my shot but in fact, their clowning helped make the shot.
AMANDA WOOD
A super hero? Or perhaps not so super. He looks like he was felled by a small boulder. Lying alone he made me chuckle on my morning’s photowalk.
KELLY MITCHELL
This month assignment is humour and when I shot this event I really didn’t have humour in mind. But after I got home and started to edit, every time I come across this image the made me giggle. She was such a sweet girl and was so happy with what she made during her time during the artist residency program. Is that a great smile!!!
See more of Kelly’s work on Instagram.
PAUL FRIDAY
This is my dad, clowning around to make my mum laugh. She bought him the hat as a joke, but he made it his own.
PETER MADDERN
I regularly go down to the seafront in Penzance and try to catch the silhouetted shapes of the joggers, dog walkers, cyclists etc as they pass by with the sun rising behind them. A lot of them are used to seeing me now and have no problem being included in my images.
On Christmas Eve these two girls brought a smile to my face as they waved and giggled while running past. I could hear them laughing all the way down the promenade. A great start to the day.
See more of Peter’s work on his website.
JOHN GRINDLE
“Peekaboo” a young lad looking for their lost ball at my local sports centre. Not great quality, as it was a quick grab with my aging phone.
See more of John’s work on Instagram.
JOHN KENNY
This photograph was taken at Danby show in September. I had seen the gentleman in the 'Dogs Body' t-shirt walking around the show. A 'dogs body' can often be a phrase used to refer to someone who is often given the worst or most menial jobs to complete. This image made me smile as there is the man with the humorous t-shirt with the phrase 'Dogs Body', an actual dog (body and all), and a young man wiping the back end of a cow, a task that would perhaps fit the description of a task given to the 'Dogs Body'. It made me smile anyway!
See more of John’s work on his website.
BILL MARRIOTT
I found this scene on the beach in the Aran Islands.
We are used to seeing these Photos of people's faces peering through some cartoon-like painted board on beaches around the world. But often the best show is what is happening on the backside of those boards. My rule for street photography is to never embarrass the people I photography. So, I asked our friend Valerie Jardin in she thought this picture was out of bounds. She said no, so, I thought I would submit it. I hope you can see the humor in this shot!
See more of Bill’s work on Instagram.
NEALE JAMES
At first glance, this may seem a little obvious when it comes to a picture about humour, but it’s the situation that for me makes this photograph. It was made during the portraits session of a wedding shoot. This is often the time a couple who’ve booked me for essentially a quieter more reportage style of coverage, find somewhat awkward. This picture came during a moment of irreverence. We were chatting between pictures when this unplanned moment happened. I don’t remember why, and perhaps there doesn’t need to be a reason. But humans, aren’t we wonderful?
