Ace of Prints Entry Reminder

The Closing Date for this Competition is 18th June 2023 with the Competition taking place on the 2nd July at the Briton Ferry Community Hall, Briton Ferry, SA11 2NS.

24th May – Change of instructions: please send your entries to Peter Young peterayoung@outlook.com

For completeness I have again attached the Rules (Word or PDF) and the Entry Form (Word or PDF) for your use. You’ll also need to arrange a payment of £10 entry fee to the WPF Treasurer David Condon.

The Competition is in two Rounds. Round 1 for 12 prints and Round 2 for 15 prints. You will need to have selected your first Round of 12 prints in time to Email me the completed form prior to midnight on the 18th June, you will need a printed copy to accompany the prints in the carrying box in the correct sequence– they need to be delivered at 9.00am on Saturday 2nd July 2023 to the Judging Venue in Briton Ferry. (Because choosing the Second Round only takes place after Round 1 is Judged there would be a need for attendance at the Event by one or more of your Committee members.

When the first round has been judged you will then make your selection of the 15 prints for Round 2 – you will need to fill out 3 copies of the Round 2 entry form – one to accompany the prints, in sequence, one to give to the team running the Judging and one for yourself. You should by now  have a better appreciation of what the Judges preferences and predilections are to better select your Round 2 entry – timing will be announced on the day.

The top two Clubs on the day will be invited to represent the WPF at the PAGB Inter Club Print Competition normally held in Blackburn in October.

Roy Thomas Roy17@btinternet.com 01639644757 / 07880710908

Invitation to enter the 2023 Ace of Prints

Your Club’s is invited to compete in the annual WPF Ace of Prints competition on 2nd July, 2023.

The location is yet to be confirmed but will probably be in Talbot Green or Briton Ferry, unless there is a Club out there that would host the event for us. If you have a hall available and are interested contact Roy Thomas (details below).

Closing date for entries will be 18th June 2023. Please notified Roy Thomas of your intention to enter as soon as possible.

The competition is in two rounds. Round one is for 12 prints and the list of prints for must be given to Roy Thomas by the closing date. Round two is for 15 prints and this list is to be prepared on the day, after seeing the first round judging.

Each club may bring an unlimited ‘bank’ of prints but please read the  conditions of entry relating to their use.

Prints can be delivered to Roy Thomas or brought to the venue by 9.00am on the day of the competition. The competition would then start following sorting and interleaving of all Club prints. (Note, all prints need to be labelled with Club name, photographer’s name and title).

The top two Clubs in the competition will be invited to represent us at the PAGB Inter Club Print event held every year in Blackburn.

Roy Thomas
Roy17@btinternet.com
01639 644757 / 07880 710908

2021 Ace of Prints Results

Here are the results of the 2021 Ace of Prints – the Scoresheet gives a summary and the Overall Result the other has the entry forms which will show by Club – Title; Photographer and Scores. You will need tobe able to read an excel file for this.

The Club Result was: –

First:- Afan Nedd 178
Second:- Bridgend 172
Third:- Tenby 171
Fourth:- Baglan Bay 165
Fifth:- Gwent 164
Sixth:- Port Talbot 160
Seventh:- Swansea 159

It was a very close competition and congratulations go to Afan Nedd in first place and Bridgend in second who are invited to represent the WPF in the PAGB Event to be held at Smethwick on Sunday 24 October 2021.

Awards by the Judges jointly:-

Best Colour Print:- FIGHTING HORSES – ROGER DANIEL – BRIDGEND CC
Best Mono Print:- GRAZING IN THE MIST – JAYNE LIBBY – AFAN NEDD CC
Best Nature:- CUCKOO ROBIN CONFRONTATION – CHARLIE KIDD – TENBY CC

Highly Commended Prints:-
RIDER 74 – DAVID HOPES – BRIDGEND CC
RETURNING HOME – ROGER DANIEL – BRIDGEND CC
EMERGING DRAGONFLY (On scoresheet as damselfly!) – ALUN THOMAS – BAGLAN BAY CC

My congratulations to each of those individual photographers that the Judges selected for recognition – well done!

My personal thanks must go to all the WPF Executive that helped today but particularly Del Jones & Susan Surridge who kept Zoom going and tried to explain to those viewing the issues they were experiencing – thanks Guys! Also to the invaluable Cliff Emery who as well as collecting and organising the hardware – got intimately involved in the software as well – couldn’t have done it without you Cliff!!

Now if you are sitting comforabley, I’ll tell you a story: We realised that for this first Print Event across Zoom – without PDIs – that Cliff and I needed to organise something extra. Working in his studio we decided to try Live View on the new WPF PC and set it up using Cliff’s Canon RF camera – installed Zoom, downloaded Canon Utilities connected and tested with Del & Susan’s help – went well! Coming to Talbot Green we realised that Cliff only had a short RF Lens – we would need a longer lens to be able to get back from the Judges. David Lewis volunteered his Canon 5D as he had longer lenses. Then found Canon Utilities had to be downloaded again to match the 5D – decided to use the other WPF PC – downloaded Zoom – then downloaded Canon Utilities – went to install – it asked for CD – This PC was Windows 8! Back to the new WPF PC – downloaded Canon Utilities again for the Canon 5D – installed and set up David’s camera on Live View – looked good! Then the tripod started slowly sinking!! Find the Gaffer Tape! Got it running again and we thought the Live View was good and started the competition! We were unaware that as Jenny was 20 feet off in one direction and Brian was 20 feet off in the other direction and we were relying on the New PC microphone but our Zoom audience couldn’t hear! So I started repeating the score & photographer – thinking that the scoresheet was easy to follow – all the first images per Club followed by all the second images per Club in the sequence on the sheet. If I had explained that it might have worked – but unfortunately I hadn’t!

The last 6 lines of explanation above were carried out by Cliff and the team starting 15 minutes before the Off and continued for 15 after – so that’s why there was a delay!

The god news is that we probably won’t have to do that again as we’ll all be there together in the future – we all hope! If we do we’ll utilise microphones. So sorry if we spoiled your morning – but I am sure that the prints you saw were of the highest quality and I’m sure that our 2 winning Clubs will do us proud at Smethwick against the other 35 PAGB Clubs. Wish them well!

If you have any comments – send them to me!

Roy Thomas
Roy17@btinternet.com
01639644757/07880710908

Results 2018 Ace of Prints

Inn Focus – 210 – 1st
Tenby – 191 – 2nd
Western Valley – 182 – 3rd
Afan Nedd – 181 – 4th
Bridgend – 168 – 5th
The Vale – 165 – 6th
Neath – 162 – 7th
Swansea – 159 – 8th

Congratulations to all who entered.

Ace of Prints Entry Deadline

Hi Folks,

It has been decided to move the Ace of Prints Competition from Briton Ferry to Talbot Green Community Centre. As this venue has a market there on Saturdays it is also necessary to change the date to Sunday 7th July 2019 with the closing date remaining at 16th June 2019.

I would be grateful if those Clubs considering entering could contact me to let me know their intentions by April – Thanks!

Because there are a few new Clubs and there have been changes of Secretaries in 2019 I have decided to circulate the Rules etc., again.

Rules     Round One Form (Word version)    Round One Form (PDF version)

I do believe that any of our Clubs who have 5 print workers can compete successfully in this competition – and it will expose their members work to a wider audience, the entry must consist of Colour and Monochrome prints with no more than 3 Nature prints. So although the rules say a Club is allowed “Unlimited” numbers of prints this is just to remove any artificial limits. A Club needs 12 prints in round one and if you go through to the second or Plate round you would only need 3 more prints – making a total of 15 prints. Obviously any prints that scored lowly in the first round a Club may want to replace – say 5 more prints making 20 prints a comfortable quantity to compete with.

Now obviously a Club could come along with 40+ prints as it may decide to see what the Judges’ peccadillos or dislikes are in the First Round so that they can choose effectively for the final. I have to say I think that would be overkill as print quality is what counts.

So to summarise:– 5 print workers with 4 prints each would enable a Club to partake and enjoy the Competition. For a small £10 entry fee you could enjoy a feast of Welsh Photography and measure yourself against your Federation Clubs. I’ve even attached the First Round Entry Form so that you can start listing the great work you see in your Club right now!

Remember the Olympics motto: Taking part is what it’s all about – not just winning!

Looking forward to hearing from you before or during April – any queries contact me as below!

Roy Thomas
Roy17@btinternet.com
01639644757/07880710908

2017 A Pair of Aces – Results

A Pair of Aces took place on 19th February, 2017. The results can be seen here.

Inn Focus Group have already qualified to compete in the PAGB Print and PDI Club Championships.  As a result of this year’s Pair of Aces Competitions, Tenby & District CC and Gwynfa CC will be invited to compete at the PAGB PDI Club Championship.  Western Valley CC and The Vale CC will be invited to compete at the PAGB Print Club Championship.  Bridgend & District CC won the Plate in both the Ace of Clubs and the Ace of Prints.  The WPF congratulates those clubs on their success.

The WPF thanks the clubs for entering, the judges, Bob Moore Hon.FRPS MPAGB Hon.PAGB, Sue Moore FRPS MPAGB and Peter Siviter DPAGB EFIAP, all those who helped in however great or small a way and for all the club members who attended the competitions.  It was a good day with some great photography and is something to plan to attend and participate in 12 months’ time.