Advertisement feature Awinner on paper EPSON PRINTERS In the final stages of a photographic competition, the standard can be so high that often standing between an entrant and a goldmedal is just the quality of the print
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There aremany different types of photographer that makeupanygivencameraclub. You’ll haveeveryone from the amateur photographers fresh from buying their first compact system camera, to the naturally talented enthusiasts to the professionals who make their living out of photography. All have one thing in common though: apassion for photography. Gordon Jenkins’ dedication to photography goes above and beyond the average, having been involved with his local club, Chorley Photographic Society, for an astonishing 38 years. He’s been president, treasurer, member and is now about to take on the role of vice president. If there’s one person who knows about clubs, it’s Gordon. “Established in 1896, Chorley is a normal camera club of 92 members. We weren’t formed just for competitions but we do like to enter them throughout the year,” says Gordon. Chorley members particularly relish putting their skills to the test in print competitions. “Some of the top workers in our club feel that when they enter digital competitions, they cannever be certainof thequality of the projection that the competition organisers will afford their image,” he adds. By submitting prints,
Print quality isn’t important, it’s very important
competitors are able to take complete control over what the finished piece looks like, ensuring it aligns with their vision. “Although the projection is good, with a print you know exactly what the judges are going to be looking at,” explains Gordon. “They’re going to be looking at something you want them to look at, not a projected interpretation.” The majority of members at Chorley Photographic Society rely on Epson printers to produce their competition images because it’s a brand they’ve come to trust to deliver the results they require. “Epson printers are reliable and the quality is second to none. Epson is constantly improving its technology and inks and people are managing to achieve fine detail with their prints,” says Gordon. Fine detailing is crucial when competitors reach
the final stages of a competition. The quality of a print could go as far as to make or break the image for the judges. “The judges initially look at the images for impact, but when they get down to the final awards, they look closely at the print quality,” he says. “The judges actually look to see if there is detail in the highlights and whether the shadow areas are blocked as well as looking at the tonal range. Print quality isn’t important, it’s very important.” Epson’s Stylus Photo R2880 is a favourite among Chorley Photographic Society members and it’s also Gordon’s model of choice. It’s ideal for printing large- format photos up to A3+ size, but not only that, it can also produce prints that for some are a qualitative equivalent to darkroom prints. “It can be difficult for the monochrome worker to actually get a print that would simulate a very good darkroom print, but that has been made entirely possible with Epson printers,” says Gordon. “If two prints were made, one in the darkroom and one using a top-quality Epson printer, I defy you to be able to tell the difference – without getting the glass on it and seeing the structure of the image itself.” Chorley PS has been able to enjoy relative success at competitions throughout the UK, thanks in part to the quality of the prints submitted. They have also started branching out into digital international competitions achieving results that they were “quite chuffed at”. But print competitions will always be the pinnacle of their competition ventures. “Print competitions to a lot of the top photographers are really the endgame, that’s where they really like to win,” concludes Gordon.
BELOWStalwart club member, Gordon Jenkins relies on an Epson Stylus Photo R2880 to print his outstanding images for competitions.
To find out more about the entire Epson range of inkjet printers, go to www.epson.co.uk.
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Issue 7 | Photography News
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