Oakdale PS has now changed its name to Sirhowy Valley Photography Club.
Amman Valley club activities on hold
We’ve received this sad news from Jackie Domingo at Amman Valley.
It is with great regret I have to announce that the Amman Valley Camera Club have suspended all Club activities for the remainder of this Season as from 13th January 2016. We dramatically lost most of our Membership and do not feel we can advertise or promote ourselves in order attract new members until we have safe and proper storage facilities on-site for our equipment at the Community Centre.
We have not finished as a Club, but hope this major issue can be resolved and we can start back in early September, picking up where we left off.
John Gray FRPS
Fellow photographers will be saddened to hear that John Gray FRPS has died in Cardiff at the age of 83. During 2015 he learnt that he had terminal cancer but faced the inevitable outcome with great bravery and he was keen to talk about photographic issues right to the very end.
Most of his working life was spent at Rolls Royce as a compressor designer, first in Cardiff and then at Filton near Bristol. He was a member at one time of Bristol PS before he became a long standing and highly respected member of Cam and Dursley CC. On retirement he returned to Cardiff where he became a member of the local club.
John’s talents were many ( in his early years he was a racing cyclist ) but he will be best remembered in the photographic world for his highly creative images which enjoyed huge success in the 1980’s and 90’s. and for which he has awarded the Fellowship of the RPS. He won award after award for his high impact creations which were technically perfect. He developed his own techniques of copying slides through textured plastic to create ‘impressions’ and of projecting slide images into puddles of water which led to their distortion and the creation of many unusual effects. He was rightly proud of an exhibition of his prints displayed at the RPS in Bath in 2012. In his retirement he enjoyed travelling and produced many fine images on these journeys.
John was an eloquent speaker and delivered many absorbing talks to local clubs where he was in great demand. He always explained in detail how he had achieved his images and listeners were left in awe of his technical expertise. John also turned his design skills to making many beautiful objects in wood where his patience and skill again shone through.
Above all, John will be remembered as a highly respected man of great charm and courtesy who had a wonderful creative mind which was particularly expressed in his photography. He will be sorely missed by his wife and family but also by his many photographic friends and acquaintances who were truly privileged to have known him.
John Chamberlin FRPS
Trevor Owen
Pyle & Porthcawl PS have informed us of the death of Trevor Owen.
He was Vice Chairman of the club, the current holder of their Photographer of the Year trophy and known to many in the camera club scene. Trevor was 71, a keen (and very good) wildlife photographer.
He became ill on the 28th December at a family wedding, was rushed into hospital for an emergency operation but sadly passed away on New Year’s Eve.
Gower calls it a day!
It is with regret we have to inform you that Gower Photographic Society has sadly decided to close down after well over 30 years.
The club is currently selling off its club assets, including the club’s custom made exhibition print display stands. The club hopes that they will find a good home with other WPF Clubs or members. (Full details are in the For Sale section of the news WPF Newsflash letter).
Success for Mike Cullis
‘Mike Cullis ARPS has been named a finalist in the wildlife section of the Wanderlust Travel Photography Competition. Ten finalist prints selected from an entry in thousands will be on display at the 3 day Adventure Travel Show at Olympia and on 5 February  the results will be announced in the theatre at 4pm. The first prize is a commission for photography in Western Australia including a partner.  The competition is sponsored by Nikon, Independent and London Evening Standard newspapers and the Australian Travel Board ; so good luck Mike! Here’s the successful image:
Police Guidelines
The Metropolitan Police have issued guidelines regarding photography in these troubled times. Whilst the information is perhaps more relevant to members of the media, it is well worth reading if you are an amateur photographer. Full information here.
Change to Feedback Star Ratings
A couple of things have been brought to my attention and I thought it would be a good idea to clarify. Firstly I have altered the Star Rating System slightly. I have altered four stars from VERY GOOD  to GOOD, as it was felt by one club that this made more sense between COMPETENT and EXCELLENT. Also it is clear from a response I had recently that the rules are not being read on the WPF website. Would all those involved in feedback and on club committees PLEASE take a few minutes to read ALL the documentation on ‘Guidelines to Judges’ and ‘The Role of the Club’. Also the paragraphs at the top of the Judges List which explains the star rating system. There is NO rating for speakers as they are nearly always top class. Any complaints can be emailed to me directly by clubs or presenters.
STAR RATING:
* Poor
** Below average
*** Competent
**** Good
***** Excellent
The other matter is the suggested AWARDS system rather that giving MARKS. I am pleased to have heard that some clubs are trying out the system, but may not have understood the marking. I stated that the marking for the end of year total could still be achieved by awarding marks in the following way:
GOLD (20), SILVER (19), BRONZE (18), HIGHLY COMMENDED (17), COMMENDED (16) and the rest 15. The CLUB may decide the number of awards that may be given in each category, so if they want to allow more than one GOLD, SILVER, BRONZE award etc., they only have to make it clear to the judge. It is highly likely that there would be more than one silver or bronze in any case if the standard was high on the night.
The clubs that already use this system are a pleasure to judge, and members go away remembering the critique rather than a low mark. There is also less reason for complaints to appear about judges on the Social Media!
If there are any queries you can always contact me on judgepresent@thewpf.co.uk
Ed Cloutman (WPF Judges and Presenters Secretary).
Tony Leadbitter
We have received this sad news from the Vale.
It is with great sadness that I must inform you of the death yesterday of our most senior member, Tony Leadbitter. Tony has been a keen and active supporter of the club for longer than I have recollection. His devotion to photography has been clear for all to see. He gave great encouragement to all members no matter what their ability and areas of interest. I was one of many who benefited from that when I first joined. His devotion endured despite failing faculties in recent years.
Mike Baker has asked me to pass on these words:- “In the thirty odd years that I have lived in the area, Tony has been a constant photographic friend through much of that time and I am grateful for his introduction to the group of like minded individuals in the Vale Photographic Club, through which I have made many new friends.
He also worked as photographer for the Gem during his retirement, happy to use his skills for the good of the community.
Tony shared our passion for photography as long as was humanly possible as members will be well aware. In his time, he was also a judge and I remember his comments on my early work within the Club giving pointers for improving my work which I appreciated and valued as a bit of a camera ‘Rookie’ at the time.
He will be missed by all who knew him. Tony, R.I.P. ”
Gerald Harbour (Chairman, The Vale Photographic Club).
His funeral will be held at Bridgend Crematorium on Friday Dec 4th at 1.45pm. Friends are invited to attend.
AWPF Results, 8th November 2015
We in the WPF thought that 2014 had been a good year for our Distinction day, but it was surpassed by this year’s tremendous turnout and fabulous result.
Some excellent work was presented at Talbot Green Community Centre, which resulted in a higher pass rate than previous years. There were 24 entries, 22 in prints and 2 in PDIs. 19 AWPF awards were made all of these were print panels, resulting in a 79% success rate. Many congratulations to the successful candidates, who were:
- John Bell – Mold CC – Capture The Moment, Oulton Park
- Philip Chadwick – Llandudno PS – 36 Hours In Madurai India
- Matthew Jones – Ebbw Vale CC – Creative Portraits
- Susan Clark – Conway CC – Along and Around Route 66
- Moira Evans – Swansea CC – Dragonflies & Damselflies
- Gary Shinner – Trostre CC – The Science Park (Valencia)
- Jennifer Ellis – Swansea CC – Portraits of Children
- Derek Terry – Western Valley CC – A Day In The Life Of A Farrier
- Adrian Lant – Gwynfa CC – Motor Sport Action
- Angela Deroy-Jones – Gwent PS – Cathedral Interiors
- Linda Bell – Mold CC – Floral Mosaic
- David Bathard – Frome Selwood PS – Everyday People of Northern India
- John Clark – Conway CC – Finding Clues To A Lifestyle
- Johnnie Rogers – Gwent PS – Dyffryn House And Gardens
- Terry Mills – Deudraeth CC – My Generation
- Gareth Jenkins – Dwyfor – Welsh International Rugby
- John Goff – Ar Agor PC – Sections of Abstract Buildings
- Lynne Morris – Wigan 10 PA – Creative Visual Interpretation of Popular Music
- Bill Grey – Morriston CC – Photographing Things of Little Consequence
Those who did not make it on this occasion missed by a very narrow margin and were strongly urged to try again next year.
Several successful candidates commented that the help and advice that they had received at the AWPF Workshop had made all the difference and recommended that anyone considering submitting a panel should attend a workshop first.
I should like to thank everyone who helped to make the day such a success, in particular, Vince Penticost & Eric Williams (Presentation) Guy Butler-Madden & Cliff Emery (Display), Mike Lewis (Catering), Ed Cloutman (Projection)and, of course, our judges, Nick Jenkins (Chairman), Margaret Collis, Jenny Hibbert, David Lingham and Brian Coleman.
I would add that the critique that was given by Nick as the Chairman representing the judges was very constructive, and a great help to anyone who was thinking of applying in the future.
Information on future WPF events relating to distinctions will be released in the New Year.
Many congratulations to all participants.
John Cooke ARPS AWPF DPAGB EFIAP/b (Distinctions Secretary).