Photography News 02

Competitions

PN: Howbig is the teaminvolved inadministering the SIE? GE: We have a wonderful committee of 12. PN: Which are the most successful countries, generally? GE: 47% of our entries come from the UK – most internationals get a disproportionate entry from their own country. PN: Who are the up-and-coming countries? GE: Only 16 of the 61 countries who entered this year exceeded 100 entries. China and Turkey are on the rise. PN: What are the current imaging trends – in terms of image style and content? GE: Heavily manipulated images – more graphic art than photography – and natural history are both very strong. PN: What, in your opinion, will be the next big trend in imaging style? GE: If I knew this and my crystal ball was a bit less cloudy I’d be a rich man. There is evidence of a backlash against the heavily manipulated images and some exhibitions now offer a ’traditional’ section for images straight out of the camera with minimal processing. It’s an interesting idea but a nightmare to police. PN: From your personal standpoint, what sort of imagery excites you most? GE: Black & white in general but street and figure are two of my favourite areas. My website is www.glynedmundsphotography.co.uk. There is evidence of a backlash against the heavilymanipulated images and some exhibitions nowoffer a ‘traditional’ section

PN: What are the biggest weaknesses you see in entries? GE: Quality. Sadly as the numbers go up the quality seems to come down. I suspect many entrants do little or nothing by way of post-processing and never project their entries before submitting them. In print sections we still receive lots of enprints. The entry fees are welcome but it is sad that some entrants literally have no idea of the high standard required of 21st century photographic exhibitions. PN: Do you have any advice for photographers wanting to enter and be successful? GE: Take a good look at the Southampton website – where all our award-winning images are shown – and other high end salons. Only send in the best images you can possibly produce and preferably show them to a fellow club member or someone who enters international exhibitions on a regular basis before hitting send. PN: What are your future ambitions for the SIE? GE: To retire! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my 16 years on the Southampton International Exhibition team and we have come a long way, but the balance between producing my own images and running an exhibition and doing lots of photographic admin has swung too far towards the latter. I have a very able successor so I will enjoy taking a back seat from next year.

ABOVE Waiting by Ann McDonald ARPS DPAGB won the PSA Silver Medal for Best Seascape. Ann is one of the judges for SIE 2014. BELOWDreaming of trees by Bryan Waddington LRPS won the FIAP Gold Medal.

PN: Is there anything else you want to add that hasn’t been mentioned? GE: It has been wonderful to be in charge of such a committed team and to see a venerable exhibition go from strength to strength. It is inevitable that the bouquets and brickbats are mostly aimed at the chairman, but last year I was nominated for and presented with an Associateship of the Photographic Society of America (APSA) for services to photography. I see this as a reward for the whole team. Still, I was really chuffed as I was only the 11th UK photographer to be so honoured since these awards were first presented back in 1940.

PN: Thank you for your time.

The SIE is run under the patronage of FIAP, the PSA and the RPS and offers over 25 awards in each class. The entrant with the highest overall acceptance total wins the FIAP Blue Badge for Best Author. Six entry classes are available: mono print, colour print, open digital, nature digital, photo travel digital and nature print. Entryfor the2014SouthamptonInternationalExhibition (SIE) isnowopenandtheclosingdate is2February2014

π To find out more, go to www.southamptoninternationalexhibition.co.uk.

Photography News | Issue 2