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2016 Memorial Trophy Results

Thanks to Rob Beynon of Gwynfa for this information.

Another successful day out for Gwynfa, this time at the WPF Memorial trophy in Kidwelly. They finished joint 1st with Tenby (72 points) but Gwynfa won the trophy due to two 20’s being scored.

‘Brown Eyed Girl’ by Margot Rowlands of Gwynfa won the trophy for Best Colour Print. The trophy for Best Monochrome Print was won by Brian Merry of the Rhondda for ‘Be Very Afraid’.

Results

Final Scores for all prints

Great hospitality from Kidwelly camera club made for an entertaining day with some outstanding prints being shown from 24 clubs. The competition was expertly judged by Leo Rich ARPS, DPAGB, EFIAP/g, APAGB.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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).

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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:

Masai-Mara,-Kenya--2011-14-6260

 

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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.

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Gwynfa Grab 2015 Stanley Chell

For the third time in four years Gwynfa Camera Club has won the Stanley Chell Cup.

It was a very tense affair with the result in doubt until the very end. Both Gwynfa & Tenby scored a maximum of 40 in the first two rounds. Both clubs were still level (on 58 points) after three rounds. The final round provided a tense finish with Gwynfa scoring 19 and holding their collective breath until the Tenby score of 18 was announced. The final top three places were:

1st place – Gwynfa – 77 points (20 – 20 – 18 – 19)
2nd place – Tenby – 76 points (20 – 20 – 18 – 18)
3rd place – Inn Focus – 72 points (18 – 17 – 17 – 20)

The complete final score-sheet and final placings can be seen if you click the links.

The other awards were:
Hans Hover Trophy (Best Monochrome Print) – The Orphanage by Dave Bolton (Tenby).
Glyn John Trophy (Best Colour Print) – Halfpenny Penalty by Gareth Jenkins (Inn Focus).
Glan and Mair Trophy (Best Landscape) – Grasses & Dunes by Leigh Woolford (Gwynfa).
Doris Chell Memorial Trophy (Best Image) – Brown Eyed Girl by Margot Rowlands (Gwynfa).

Thanks to the judge Peter McCloskey FRPS APAGB who did a fantastic job and also to Aberdare Camera Club for putting on an excellent and very successful event and lovely buffet, as they always do.

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PAGB APM Successes for WPF Members

The PAGB Awards for Photographic Merit were recently hosted by the WPF in Neath. 116 applications from all over the UK were received and 65 were successful. Ten of those successes were for WPF photographers. Details below:-

Of 29 applications at DISTINCTION (DPAGB) PRINT level 11 were successful.
The sole WPF success was: Leigh Woolford AWPF EFIAP, Gwynfa CC

Of 15 applications at DISTINCTION (DPAGB) PDI level, 5 were successful.
The sole WPF success was: Matthew Jones, Ebbw Vale CC

Of 63 applications at CREDIT (CPAGB) PRINT level, 42 were successful.
The WPF successes were:
Moira Evans LRPS, Swansea CC
Gwynfryn Jones AFIAP, Gwynfa CC
Norman Lemon, Neath & District PS
Anthony Llewellyn, Morriston CC
David Norton AWPF, Rhondda CC
Peter Stickler ARPS AWPF, Swansea CC

Of 9 applications at CREDIT (CPAGB) PDI level, 7 were successful.
The WPF successes were:
Jason Chapman, Swansea CC
Gary Jenkins, Tenby & District CC

Congratulations to everyone who was successul and commiserations to those who were not.

For those interested in pursuing the same awards, full explanations can be found here.

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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).

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