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along together. Because most clubs close down between June and September the year is short, which compounds the problem. For example, having returned from three days away in Guernsey last week, we are off to the Awards Adjudication in Weymouth next weekend and the following weekend another Awards Adjudication in Dumfries. In between I try to stay in touch with our local clubs, either judging inter-club competitions or giving talks (my performances are not good enough to be called presentations). Incidentally I am rather surprised that I am, once again, receiving requests for my slide talks as many club members miss them. One of my predecessors, when making their acceptance speech, did declare that their sole intention was to visit each of the federations within their presidency. I too would like to do this, but only if I can be of some practical use. I much prefer to be hands-on (I’ll even dish out the teas and coffees) than be wheeled out at the appropriate moment just to say a few nice things. It is well known in the Southern Counties that I will go anywhere if there is a decent sausage roll waiting. I am not as competitive as some of my friends, but I do like to challenge myself. My wife Carolyn is the biggest critic of my work and I love to get an image that I like (but that she does not rate) into an exhibition. Entering competitions led me to a successful Associateship application to the Royal Photographic Society. I don’t have the discipline to try for a Fellowship. I did not think I could promote the Awards for Photographic Merit without having tried myself and was fortunate enough to achieve Distinction level. I had a crack at the Masters and have the failed T-shirt so I know I have reached my level. By sheer dogged perseverance over many years I have gained an EFIAP/g (gold). Once more I think this is as far as my ability will take me – at least until I finish as president and have time on my hands. This must be my greatest achievement yet due to the time span involved. It took eight years just to reach EFIAP level. One of the major issues in club photography for years has been communication. The PAGB can provide information to federations who then pass it on to their clubs only for it, somewhere along the line, to fail to get through. The PAGB used to publish a newsletter twice a year, but this always reflected what had passed, not what was about to happen. To overcome this, and at the instigation of Rod Wheelans, past president, an e-newsletter was introduced and has proved amazingly popular. Anyone can subscribe and keep up to date with events photographic. The e-newsletter will continue to be the major organ for distributing information for the future. We have close to a thousand clubs and societies within the PAGB of all different sizes, interests and all levels of ability. Some are more social than competitive and probably have little knowledge of their federation, let alone the PAGB. Our only service to them might be the provision of public liability insurance but the membership fee is worth this alone. However the large majority of clubs do have a very keen, active membership whose sole aim is to improve their photography and see the competitions and exhibitions organised by their federations and the PAGB as an ideal platform. I am very positive about the future of club photography in the UK. There are many more
π To find out more about the PAGB, go to www.thepagb.org.uk. Although originally mooted by the Photographic Society of Great Britain (now the Royal Photographic Society) as far back as the 1890s, it was not until 1930 that the PAGB was formed. It comprised five regional federations (which had already been established), the RPS and the Central Association of Photographic Societies (CAPS), which represented clubs in areas without an organised body of their own. CAPS gradually disappeared as more regional federations were formed and evolved into the 15 that now form the modern independent PAGB. The concept of the PAGB is to service (not control) the 15 regional federations – just as the federations provide service to their clubs but do not dictate how they run their own affairs. The most satisfying aspect of my role is meeting somany lovely people, all of whomare really wedded to this hobby of ours. One very pleasurable duty is presenting APAGB certificates to people who have given more than I ever have to their club, federation or the PAGB. For most clubs 95% of the membership just turn up each week for a few hours. The other 5% make sure it all happens and I dearly wish more of these could be identified and their efforts rewarded. Any downsides to the role? Very few. There are always going to be moaners and I have learned to live with them over the years, though they can prove rather frustrating. Normally these can be found in the 95% mentioned above – they do nothing for the club/federation themselves but criticise everything others try to do, failing to appreciate that we all do this voluntarily. I have seen very good federation people give up doing splendid jobs, because they got fed up with having brickbats thrown at them. My final thought: Some photographers do take life far too seriously. If I could wave a magic wand during my term, it would be to wish that everyone would remember this is a hobby – a great hobby – but it should also be fun. About thePAGB people discovering photography through modern communication facilities such as mobile telephones, iPads etc. and a proportion of these will wish to expand their own photographic horizons. With the ability to manipulate images in software, a whole new generation of photographers is emerging. It really is up to the clubs to prepare themselves for the new generation. Successful clubs do have ‘meet and greet’ members who go out of their way to make potential members feel at home when they first come along and this is to be encouraged. Similarly some clubs have a low profile in their local community and it is those who promote themselves that do see an increase in membership. Virtually every college seems to have a media studies department nowadays and most still teach the traditional darkroom skills. Speaking to students they seem to welcome this (even though on the face of it, it appears a little fuddy-duddy). And some colleges encourage their students to join local camera clubs, but few stay. More needs to be done to encourage them to stay.
I amvery positive about the future of club photography in theUK. There aremany more people discovering photography
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Issue 4 | Photography News
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