PSA – The Story of an Image

“And They’re Off!!” – PSA Gold – Rhodri Phillips EPSA – Triumph Circuit – 2024-1397.

I had set myself a goal way back in BC (Before Covid) and that was to get my QPSA. Thanks to the support of Gary and Mike I managed it…. but was bitten by the bug. This meant that I went on, through 4 and 5 Stars to PPSA and finally my EPSA.

Having reached these milestones, and the AFIAP along the way, I fell into a bit of a lull, not entering any Competitions and in truth not taking many photographs at all. However earlier this summer I caught the bug again and started to get out and about again. In August I even started entering Salons and Circuits again, using mostly new images, I had no great hopes but thought that maybe I would eventually enter the rarified atmosphere of the Galaxies!!

One of the competitions I entered was the Triumph Circuit, PSA 2024-1397, finding myself short of recent images for the Journalism section I decided to look back at images I had never used. One such was, “And they’re Off” which was one of a series I took at the Richard Burton 10K event in 2023. I had been taking images at this even regularly and had managed to get many acceptances with some.

The winning image was taken on my Nikon Z6-2 with my Z27-70 Nikkor lens. I shot at 1/1000, f16 with a high ISO, as it was a dull day. This was then processed in LR and resized in PS.

I was looking to capture that first second as the gun went off and they were all setting their watches! I was also trying to capture the two previous race winners, Dewi and Olivia as they set off to defend their titles.

I was pleasantly surprised and very happy for the image to gain a PSA gold, on its first outing! As a side note in that particular Circuit, it gained a PSA Gold in one salon and was not even accepted in another!

Rhodri

AWPF Applications Invited

The Welsh Photographic Federation is delighted to invite applications for the 2025 Associate of the Welsh Photographic Federation (AWPF) distinction.

This prestigious award is open to a maximum of 25 applicants annually and welcomes photographers from around the world. Achieving the AWPF requires submitting a cohesive panel of 12 images that will be assessed by five highly regarded, experienced photographers.

The WPF is one of the few Federations within the PAGB to offer this highly sought-after distinction. Successful candidates earn the lifelong privilege of using the letters AWPF after their name, a testament to their photographic excellence.

The workshop is on May 17th at Cynon Valley Museum 10 am – 4pm

The assessment will be held on the 16th November.

For more information, please visit the WPF website:
https://mywpf.org/category/awpf-assessments

2025 Memorial Trophies – Results

The 2025 Memorial Trophy Competitions took place on the 25th January at The Bridges, Monmouth and a very big thank you goes to Monmouth PC for hosting the event. The co-ordinators Keith and Lyn Sharples with the team of Monmouth members did a splendid job in doing all the background tasks involved in putting on the event. It was a major factor in having such a good time. The Bridges was a very comfortable venue to be in and thank you to their staff for the welcome and assistance on the day.

John Tilsley ARPS DPAGB APAGB was the judge for the day, and his communication on the work that he saw was spot on. You did not make it easy for him because, as he said, the quality of the images was clear to see. So thank you John for such a great commentary.

Bringing the competition together is a complex series of tasks and I thank Gerry O’Neill for shadowing me, Del Jones for fronting the day, Gareth Martin for the photos and David Lewis for transporting the equipment.

Another very big thank you to all the clubs that entered and to all the people attended.  Seeing you all there makes the effort worthwhile.

Congratulations to the winners of the competitions who were:
The Walter Morgan Trophy for PDIs – Bridgend and District CC
The Past Presidents Trophy for Colour Prints – Tenby and District CC
Gwyn Morgan Trophy for Monochrome Prints – Monmouth PC

All the scores can be seen by clicking the links below:
The Walter Morgan Trophy for PDIs
The Past Presidents Trophy for Colour Prints
Gwyn Morgan Trophy for Monochrome Prints

I hope you will all join us next year for the Memorial Day competitions, every club and member is welcome.

Dave Condon

WPF Newsflash

Are you aware that the WPF produces a newsletter knows as ‘Newsflash’? It is sent out by email when we have news to share. To be added to the circulation list, please email newsflash@thewpf.co.uk

Send your news, information, events, for sale items etc., to newsflash@thewpf.co.uk giving full information and as much notice as possible. Please format your text it so it is easy to copy & paste and  include a photo if you wish. We prefer one photo per item but that is not cast in stone.

Roy Thomas Hon.PAGB, Hon.FWPF

The WPF Executive are very saddened to inform you of the sudden and sad passing of Roy Thomas in Morriston Hospital, on the afternoon of 3rd January 2025.  As a Past President of the WPF and a very well-respected Life Member of Neath & District PS, he will be sadly missed.

Our thoughts and sincere condolences are with his wife Margaret and his family at this time.  May he rest in peace.

Roy’s funeral will be held at St. Matthew’s Church, Dyffryn, Bryncoch, Neath, SA10 7AZ ar 2pm on 23rd January, 2025.

Pat Hollis (Hon.General Secretary)

Roy in March 2024 being presented with a gift for 40 years of service to the Welsh Photographic Federation.

The 2025 Welsh Salon of Photography

The 2025 Welsh Salon of Photography is Open for Entry

Entry Now Closed!

How to Enter: For 2025 we will be utilising an email entry system and an on-line catalogue. Information on how to enter can be found in the documents below. Please ensure to read the entry form in conjunction with the supplementary information and conditions of entry.

Entry form (Word document)               Entry Form (PDF document)

Supplementary Information                 Conditions of Entry

Categories: There will be 3 ‘open’ categories: Colour Prints, Monochrome Prints and PDIs.

Fees: The basic charge per image entered will £2 but with a minimum charge of £6 which will cover up to 3 entries, and a maximum charge of £24 which covers 4 entries in each of the 3 Categories.

Entry Deadline: The date and time of the last (on-line) entry and delivery of Prints to the WPF AGM at Talbot Green at 10am Sunday 2nd March 2025.

Selection: At Talbot Green Community Centre, 93 Clos Springfield, Talbot Green, Pontyclun, CF72 8FE from 10am on Sunday 23rd March 2025. Free parking is available.

Selectors: For 2025 the selectors will be: Colin Trow-Poole FRPS FIPF MAPGB, Julie Morgan AWPF and Leigh Woolford AWPF EFIAP DPAGB BPE4 Hon. FWPF

Exhibition Venue:  Cynon Valley Museum, Depot Rd, Gadlys, Aberdare. CF44 8DL.

Exhibition Official Opening: 11am on Saturday 3rd May.

Exhibition Opening Dates & Times – The exhibition opens on Saturday 3rd May 2025 and the last full viewing day will be Thursday 29th May. Please note, the museum is open to the public from 9.30am to 3.30pm Tuesday to Saturday. It is closed on Sunday & Monday.  Please be sure to double-check opening/closing details before visiting.

Exhibition parking: You can park for up to two hours free in the adjacent Tesco car park.

Attendance: There is no entry fee to attend either the selection at Talbot Green Community Centre or the exhibition at the Cynon Valley Museum. However, visitors will need to provide their own refreshments. There is a Tesco nearby at both sites.

AWPF Distinction Workshop: This will be held during the exhibition at the Cynon Valley Museum on Saturday 17th May. Contact David Lewis by emailing distinctions@thewpf.co.uk if you wish to be involved.

Please note, due to space limitations and other factors, not all accepted images can be displayed at the exhibition. However, they will all be included and displayed in an eCatalogue which will be published on the WPF website.

Examples of previous eCatalogues can be viewed here.

PSA News from Gary Shinner

Here is the list of people whom have had continued successes from September to the end of November.

  • Paul James 1 Gold Medal / 1 Ribbon / 2 Jury choice awards & 6 HM’s
  • Angela Bonner 1 Silver Medal
  • Kev Robertson I gold Medal
  • Ian Ledgard 1 Gold Medal / 1 Silver Medal / 1 Diploma / 2 Ribbons and 2 HM’s
  • Mike Bray 1 HM
  • David Edwards – Has gained his MPSA
  • Rhodri Phillips Has gained his EPSA certificate and pin in November.

Congratulations to all members listed above, who reported back to me with their recent awards, medals and other successes in the PSA affiliated salons. If there are any other members of the PSA have some successes – then please e-mail me directly – gary_shinnerlrps@sky.com (Note the underscore)

Anyone out there wants to find out any more about the PSA, please again contact me, I’ll do my best to help you. However you can go to their website: https://psa-photo.org/

Good luck to everyone with their photographic journeys.

Gary Shinner MPSA2 BPSA
CMD  for Wales

AWPF E-books

A series of e-books showing the recent succesful AWPF panels can now be seen here.

The same panels and those from previous years can also be seen in traditional gallery format here.

Congratulations once more to all the succesful applicants.