Competitions
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‘racing motorbike years’, the ‘Indian years’, the ‘Cuba years’, the ‘old cottage interior years’ etc… and many more country-orientated themes are there but not so prominent. How many entries did you receive this year, and how does this compare to previous years? One of the biggest leaps in entry numbers came in 2011 when we moved to online entry and we permitted unmounted prints from all countries, including the UK, with non-return of prints encouraged. The total soared from in the early thousands to 11,000. This year we had 7675 entries from an impressive 751 entrants. Which countries consistently come out on top in the competition? In terms of prints, UK entrants tend to do consistently well as do entrants from Hong Kong. In 2007 the exhibition expanded to include print categories, a move some would see as retrograde. What was the motivation behind it? In 2006, South Shields Photographic Society’s salon was unable to replace its retiring chairman. After more than 60 years, they were facing closure so I persuaded the Federation to take over the print exhibition in 2007. In our first year running the print exhibition, we doubled the entry. We eventually dropped slides in 2010 due to the decline in entries, leaving just print and DI categories. Prints are now very important as they have to be included in applications for an FIAP distinction along with DI entries. In 2013 the salon introduced two newcategories: Open traditional and Open creative. Why was that decision taken? I encouraged the committee to split the DI General section into two: Traditional and Creative. Many felt that the traditional in-camera photograph was losing out to the computer- generated image so we decided to give them a section each. The total entry for last year was 4000,
TOP LEFT Angy Ellis’s shot received a PSA Bronze medal for best Photojournalism image. TOP RIGHT Phil Barber won a judge’s medal in the Open Creative category. RIGHT Pia Jessen won best Geology image for this shot: Australia Mount Bromo Morning. BOTTOM Joao Taborda won a judge’s medal for this image, Funny Girls.
What kind of images would you like to see more of and which would you like to see less of? A dangerous question! I would have to say more landscape and fewer dark ugly images but this is very personal. Are there any mistakes that people make in their entries that really get your goat? Many – entrants think theirs is the only one and ask you to make adjustments when their work has already been processed. This is possible with DI but often impossible with prints. It can be especially frustrating after judging when entrants want their prints back quickly – finding four differently marked prints amongst more than 2000 is just not possible. What are your future plans for the exhibition? The salon has just completed several years of considerable change. I want a few years of stability.
split into approximately 2500 in the Traditional category and 1500 in Creative.
Tell us abit about the selectors for each category. We have six sections in total and then we break these down into open and creative projected digital image sections; nature projected digital images; photo travel projected images; and monochrome and colour print sections. Each trio of judges includes a selector from overseas, one from the NCPF and one from the UK. I was always adamant when I set the salon up that one of the judges would be from the NCPF to give them the experience of a salon. How are the selectors chosen? I collect knowledge from many sources: I’m an RPS organiser, have been in charge of PAGB competitions for 12 years and, including my friends, I make a list of names and put them to the committee who decide which selectors will make the final panel. How does the selection process work? The salon has always had silent press button judging, using a handset and giving scores from two to five. Medal and ribbon winners are chosen after a discussion amongst the three judges. In each section, a judge has a personal medal – this is an NCPF medal which is a copy of the medallion on the president’s chain of office. There are 30 NCPF medals presented each year. What makes a successful image? I think they’re after impact, good composition, colour and good technique.
π To find out more, go to www. northerncountiessalon.org.uk.
The winners from the 2014 exhibition have now been announced and you can see the winning DIs on the NCISP’s website. The print exhibition tours for four weeks around 19 salons within the Federation; again dates and further details can be found on the salon’s website. See thesalon
I was always adamant when I set the salonup that one of the judgeswould be fromtheNCPF to give themthe experience of a salon
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Issue 13 | Photography News
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