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JUDGING was underway at the Bendigo Agricultural Show on Wednesday.
Experts in fields such as photography and craft were at the Prince of Wales Showgrounds pavilions casting their eyes over the entries.
Some had travelled from throughout the state to be part of the event.
Judging continues on Thursday, when items entered in the cooking, jam and preserves and decorated cakes classes are scheduled to arrive at the venue.
The show runs from 9am to 9pm Friday to Saturday.
Admission costs $17 per adult, $8 for children up to 15 years, and free for those below the age of five.
The entry fee is reduced to $10 for pensioners, concession card holders and students.
A family ticket is available for $40.
How to pick a winning pic
SURROUNDED by display boards filled with photography, Phil Beer was pensive.
The photography judge had been trained to view the images with the eyes of a technician.
Mr Beer was careful in his consideration of the more than 1100 entries people had submitted in the Bendigo Agricultural Show to balance his appreciation for technical skill with public appeal.
He was among a number of judges charged with choosing the top works entered in the home craft section of the event.
“It’s a great honour to judge the Bendigo Show,” Mr Beer said.
Composition, exposure, focus, and framing were among the techniques he assessed, almost reflexively, whenever he was presented with an image.
The trained photojournalist devoted years to developing his own skills, in an era devoid of digital photography.
As the tools and technology have changed, so too have the images people are producing.
Mr Beer was of the opinion the constraints imposed by the medium of film made for thoughtful photographers.
“You only had one shot, and you had to get it right,” he said.
He also believed there was a trend towards prioritising the thoughts and feelings an image evoked over the technical skill involved in the shot.
However, the photographer was appreciative of the opportunities digital technology had created for people to capture a moment.
In another pavilion, among the junior crafts entries, Elaine Mitchell was presented with an insight into the artistic skills of the next generation of central Victorians.
Creativity and neatness of work were among the qualities she valued most in the pieces she judged.
About 4500 pieces were entered in the home industries, crafts and hobbies classes of the show.
Judging of other categories will take place throughout the week, including on the show days.
Highlights of the event program include the Brophy Bros Circus, the B-Ute ute competition, Monster Truck Madness and the carnival rides.
The Bendigo Show this year includes the national and local shearing and wool handling championships.