Longer evening light, warmer weather, all makes us believe that we can take better pictures?????
I recently visited Thailand, an amazing country with wonderful people, but they’re at a constant 36c, it was hardly the temperature for action photography!!!! more like still life!!! .... What has been happening since the last newsletter?

The Slide Championship held in the North of the region was held at NEWDIGs meeting place, successfully run and I hope we can continue to get support for the next few years.
The Federations new Chamionship came in the form of Digital Images - this was jointly hosted by Newbury and NEWDIG Camera Clubs, at Newbury’s home, a very comfortable one it is to, complete with bar and good seating, plenty of car parking as well. Some 360 images were displayed for the judges approval or otherwise. Colin Harrison, Betty Billingham and the PAGB President Rod Wheelans, were our eminent judges, and they, like everyone present, thoroughly enjoyed the competition. One club in my mind was the winner, and that was Fareham & Portchester CC, they submitted 20 images from 20 members, knew they wouldn’t win, but they wanted to enter. Eight of their members made the 1hr 20min journey to Newbury, and at half time they were bottom in the marking zone and by the end of the day they had hung on grimly to their position and went home smiling, with the thoughtb they had had a great time, and it was all worth the trouble. - now this brings another problem, where were the other Clubs who meet in the north?? It was at their request that we arranged for the 2 Championships to take place and not to have to make a 1.5 hour journey - perhaps we should go back to our old haunt at Romsey in future. I would love to hear your thoughts on that!

Most Clubs close for the summer recess, is your club arranging a Summer programme? This is the time to socialise and get out and about with your own club on those evening strolls, perhaps a boat trip to the Isle of Wight, something that my own Club of Highcliffe and Infinity are doing. How about a day trip to Guernsey, £20 return for a day - can’t be bad. If you don’t live near the sea then how about a Steam Train happening? It only needs someone with an idea and some peruasion to organise a successful photo day. And if you cannot afford the trip to Afirca to go on safari, then Marwell is an option perhaps???

More seriously, the Southern Federation is hosting the PAGB annual Slide Competition this year and to make it a special one, we are looking for your best slides. As I am the organising Officer for this prestigious event, your help in the form of that super slide can be sent to me for assessment, not forgetting that the accepted images will travel around the Federations. The slides will of course be copied so you will get back your own work shortly after the judging in October.

This brings me to the end of my first year in office as President, an enjoyable and sometimes stressful time, visiting lots of Clubs and met lots of new faces and if I am re-elected then I will carry out my next year in office with more knowledge behind me and the hope thatb there will be a great Council backing me.- and my final words must be - Please can you look for new persons to sit on the Council, it’s fun and offers good experience in the running of Clubs.

Ian Bigg, LRPS CPAGB.
President Southern Photographic Federation.