Newsletter October 2009

General Notes from the Chairman

The best way to start - welcome to our new members, we are glad you have joined us and hope you enjoy your time in the photography club. Clearly the two ‘New Members Evenings’ have borne fruit and for the first time the camera club has undertaken such a venture must be declared successful. No doubt there could be improvements if we choose to run them again in the future.

As I write this our next evening will be a trip to Antarctica with Paul – I hate the cold, but am looking forward to it immensely. Then Martin showing us how to produce High Dynamic Range images, another challenge until the other manufacturers follow the lead of Sony and produce cameras that do it for us, in the box, as it were.

Lots to look forward to.

Got your Sport and Action shots ready yet?

Have fun

Peter

Print Competition No 1

1/10/09 – Any Subject

Judge Tony Riley

When we ask a judge to give a range of marks, they rarely do. Boy, this one was different. Not a judge that we chose for this competition, Walter Benzie had been booked but was unable to make it, so had arranged for Tony Riley to be our judge for this competition. Tony is from the Reigate Photographic Society and usually judges in the Surrey area. Tony usually marks out of 10 with half marks allowed. With the range of marks for our prints ranging from 10 to 20, it would seem that 5 out of 10 sound better than 10 out of 20, although this is the same range.

He certainly did not pull any punches in critiquing our prints and his biggest complaint was that the majority were cropped in too tight.

There were a total of 55 prints entered with 8 attaining what we consider to be the top marks (18-20). This is 14% in this range, contrast that with the PI competition held 2 weeks later where 25% received this range.

Five prints scored 18 points, Field Flower by Di Walker, Minus Six Degrees by Martin Tomes, Paarl Monument South Africa by Clive Trusler, Antarctic Sunset by Ian MacWhirter and Coupling Emerald Damsel Flies by Derek Grieve.

Only one print managed to score 19 marks and this was Young Rabbit by Ian MacWhirter.

The three prints that scored 20 marks were Home from the Sea by Tim Hulbert , Hoar Frost by Daisy Kane and Chaffinch-we Have Lift Off by Derek Grieve which was also judged as best entry.

It remains to be seen whether the judges for the forthcoming competitions will spread the marks so wide. Until all judges mark within the same boundaries, competitions will be won or lost by the vagaries of a marking system that relies on the whims of the judge.

John Gauvin

Projected Image Competition No 1

15/10/09 - Any Subject

Judge Roger Bathard LRPS

What a difference a judge makes. Having asked Tony Riley, the judge for the First Print Competition to give a broad range of marks, we requested the same from our Judge, Roger Bathard for this competition. His interpretation was totally different. Obviously, we did not expand on what a good range was, perhaps we should have. His idea of a broad range, was to mark everything, with the exception of 2 images in the range 16 to 20. Looking back, Roger had previously judged our Best of the Year competition last season and exactly the same happened then.

I would hate to think what would have happened had we not asked him to range the marks; all entries would probably have received 19’s or 20’s. In which case we could have dispensed with judges all together. Now there’s a thought!

On to the competition itself, we had a total of 60 entries and it was gratifying to see images supplied by our new members. Roger fell into that old chestnut of describing the images, useful to those of us that are partially sighted. Having held back 15 images for further consideration, it comes as a bit of a surprise that 24 images were awarded 18 or more. This is far too many and we, as a photography club, will have to think how we determine the entries for external competitions. Normally, this is done by choosing the 5 or 6 images required from those that achieved 18 or more and usually have about 30 to choose from in a complete season. He certainly kept the projectionist on his toes by chopping and changing the order of viewing the held back images.

The following images were awarded 18 marks. Highland Busker and King Penguins at South Georgia by Jean MacWhirter, Run as fast as you can by Lee Collard, Sea & Sky and Tiring Work by James Heath, Crane and Amberley Poppies by Peter Michell, Wine bar and Can anyone hear me? by Paul Hayward, Franz Assissi Church Vienna by Peter Picthall, Rock flower by Di Walker and Autumn Hues by Daisy Kane.

19 marks were awarded to The Red Arrows by Martin Tomes, Four spotted Chaser and A Watchful Robin by Anne Nagel, Elephant rides, Jaipur and Women at Work, Jaipur by Daisy Kane, Wedding Beauty by Roy Powell, Misty sunset Wiggonholt by Jane Coward, Little Karoo, SA by Clive Trusler, Emma by Peter Michell and finally my Rudbeckia.

With so many images receiving 18 or above, it must come as a great surprise that Roger could only ward 2 images with 20 points. There were Raptor by Jane Coward and Mothers Meeting by Paul Hayward which was also judged best of the night.John Gauvin

The Regnum Shield Print Competition

This competition will be held on Thursday 12th November at Coombe Court, Steyning Centre, at 7.30pm - unfortunately this clashes with one of our camera club evenings.

The entries from SCC are as follows:

• Derek Grieve – Golden Eagle with kill
• Daisy Kane – Upper Cast Neighbourhood
• Ian MacWhirter – Grey Wagtail reflection
• Ian MacWhirter – Male Broad Bodied Chaser
• Peter Michell – The Body Shot
• John Gauvin - Snowdrop

The Sussex Photographic Federation Projected Image Competition

The following entries have been submitted to the Sussex Fed competition to be held on Sunday 29th November 2009 at Hailsham:

• Authentic Indian Cooking - Daisy Kane
• Katie - Peter Michell
• Misty Sunrise - Paul Hayward
• Gentoo Penguin Feeding Chicks - Ian MacWhirter
• Hammer and Anvil - Jane Coward

The selecting panel for both the above competitions were John Gauvin, Clive Trusler and Derek Grieve.

The entries were chosen from a total of 57 images that achieved between 18 and 20 in the photography club’s competitions during 2008-09.