Presidents' Message

Now I’m in the 2nd half of my year as President, it’s time for reflection. Digital projection is having a greater impact on club life, so how do you feel about inter-club digital competitions ? I know some clubs have already taken this step forward. Later this year, I would like to suggest that we venture into Inter- Federation competitions with our neighbouring Feds.
I have had the pleasure of presenting Roll of Honour certificates to Tony Cook of Southampton CC and recently to Pat Verge of Woolston CC. Pat was for more than 20 years involved with Solent for the Handicapped Camera Club. This club was a way of life for Pat. In addition to her photographic skills, she held many positions on their club committee. Those of us who judged or lectured at the club were able to appreciate the special needs of the severely disabled, where Pat gave her time and help to those less fortunate.
We still need a Treasurer, a Competition Secretary, and an Exhibition Secretary. Geoff Kelland is willing to continue as Assistant Exhibition Secretary by preparing layouts, producing catalogues etc. Help will be given with all jobs from existing position holders and other Council members.
The Exhibition was judged by Ann Smith. ARPS of the Surrey Fed. Our judge took her time in reaching her decisions to select the winning panels and individual awards, and I think she made the right choices. I would like to thank the Council members and the club members from all over the Federation who arrived on ‘Hanging Day’ to assist. Preplanning helps to make the hanging so much easier, thanks to Geoff Kelland and his willing assistants, who started the preparation on judging day in December.
By the time this is published, we will have had our 2nd SPF Print Championship. 19 Clubs will have participated.
Six PAGB Distinctions have been awarded following the Assessment Day at Harrow. I had the privilege of presenting three of them at the opening of the Exhibition…..CPAGB’s to Mary Stallard of Woolston CC. and Gillian Thatcher of Havant CC., and DPAGB to Alex Fyfe, ARPS of Winchester PS. In addition other SPF members gaining awards were …..CPAGB in prints to Patricia Platt of OSPS, and Sheila Birch of Jersey PC. and to Steve Le Provost of Prism PC of Guernsey, the DPAGB.
Finally, I’m looking forward to the Judging Workshop which will be held in March. Don’t miss it.

Editors Notes

A happy and prosperous New Year to you all. Probably by the time you read this those few words will have faded away for another year. The hustle and bustle of Christmas will be but a distant memory, well they would be if it wasn’t for those bills that are now coming in.
Why do we do it? We splash out on all that food, all that liquid refreshment, all those presents and for what? a couple of days off work and a hangover (for some). However, some of you will have now acquired that new piece of ‘kit’ for your camera bag or your computer - that one little piece that is going to make all the difference to your images. There have been some wonderful images in the past few years, many of which have been digital - some produced by photographers who were ‘going to have nothing to do with digital imaging!’. Does this mean that digital imaging is now being accepted more readily as the quality of the images improves? Of course, we all know that to produce an image in the darkroom, labouring for hours over various chemicals is very satisfying when the image slowly appears in the way that you intended, but the same can be said for a digital image.
In between producing this newsletter and the one for my own camera club, I am also helping to build the new Southern Photographic Federation Website. Peter Read and I hope that you will use it and get your members to use it. If you think there is something that should be in it, but isn’t, please let us know. I would hope that all of the forms, usually sent out by the Federation will be available from the website as well as results, notices and of course Exposure. All being well, by the time you read this, parts of the new site will be up and running. Visit http://www.southphotographicfed.org.uk and see what is there.
If you have anything that you consider would be suitable for inclusion in the newsletter, please send it to me by the 12th of January for February, 12th April for May, 12th August for September and this year 12th October for November. Under normal circumstances that would be 12th November for December, but the venue is not available for December this year.
Please remind your members that the Council is looking for ‘new blood’ or even ‘old hands’ to take roles on the Council from May this year. Without the Council, there is no Federation. No Federation, no benefits! It is down to you.
Great snapping. Trevor

PLEASE BRING THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF ALL YOUR CLUB MEMBERS

At a recent Council Meeting it was decided that from September 2006 for all SPF Competitions/Exhibitions print measurements will be shown metrically.
i.e. 40 x 50cm.
As this is fractionally smaller that 16 x 20 inches, it was decided to advise all clubs now, so that any print worker can mount to this size, if they don’t already, in anticipation of their work being used by their club next season for these events.
This change will also be publicised at the Febraury Quarterly meeting and in the February issue of Exposure.
WILL YOU ALSO PLEASE REMIND YOUR SPF DELEGATES THAT THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE ON FEBRUARY 15TH and NOT a week earlier as published in the Newsletters.

PUBLICITY PAYS

Those club members who visited the annual exhibition in Salisbury in January, were undoubtedly glad to receive a free copy of the exhibition catalogue. It was also helpful for visiting members of the general public to be able to see full details of the clubs and member photographers whose work was on display. However, I am sure that federation members will be pleased to learn that there have been no expenses in producing the catalogues to offset against membership fees.
We were able to meet the costs of producing the catalogue by persuading sponsors that publicity pays. Their advert fees have more than met production costs, and have actually added to our bank balance, to help subsidize further projects.
PUBLICITY PAYS is, however, a two-way process, in fact this article’s headline plays on its double meaning. If we do not convince our sponsors that they too will benefit, by gaining our custom, then publicity will not pay for our catalogues.
One sponsor has laid down a challenge – is his fee just a kind donation to SPF? Is he right in not expecting additional trade? Can we convince our sponsors that publicity pays for them too?
The answer lies with us all. Please support our sponsors, and please let them know that you are a customer from SPF. For the smaller firms, this information may well be vital in helping me to continue to produce a catalogue that does not hit SPF finances & your affiliation fees.
Thank you for your support.
David Kessel, BA, LRPS, Publicity

THE SOUTHERN PHOTOGRAPHIC FEDERATION
BE FEDERATION AWARE!!

Why is your club affiliated to the S.P.F.? If you know the answer, can the same be said about all your club members? How many photographers realise the benefits/advantages of having our own local federation, organising our league competitions, running federation exhibitions, training judges for our club competitions, or even obtaining good club and individual insurance terms for us?

But, the S.P.F. is itself affiliated to The Photographic Alliance of Great Britain (PAGB), bringing us even further advantages…the opportunity to enter PAGB competitions/exhibitions through your federation, as well as enjoying the larger umbrella coverage of the PAGB.
So, the question is, how does your club, and how do you, tap into all these advantages that you pay for?
To help communicate with you, both your federation and the PAGB produce a handbook, listing clubs, judges, speakers etc., valuable material for any club’s Programme Secretary. Did you know that the SPF publish a handbook every September and that three copies are issued to every club? Who holds these copies? Would you know whom to ask if needing to refer to one? But, does your club rely on handbooks alone? How vital is it for your club to be represented at the four ‘quarterly’meetings held each year?
Vital is, indeed, the key word! Too many clubs/members are unaware of important decisions or receive crucial advice when needed. Athough minutes are sent out to all club secretaries after each quarterly meeting, decisions/advice contained in them is ofter not brought to members’ attention. Should any club miss important decisions affecting competitions, or crucial advice on how to manage the club’s finances … what then?
We have produced the questions. We hope that your club is one which regularly sends representatives to the SPF quarterly meetings. We can only help you if you help us….. communication is a two-way affair…. please ensure that your club is taking part and that your club is receiving maximum benefit for your money!
PLEASE CHECK IF THIS NOTICE HAS BEEN PROMINENTLY DISPLAYED FOR ALL MEMBERS TO SEE IN YOUR CLUB.
IF NOT, PLEASE LET A COUNCIL MEMBER KNOW!!

Southern Photographic Federation

PRINT BOXES
Standard Model – 21” x 17” x 1 5/8ths”.
Rolled top edges, black plastic corners,
two straps.
PRICE - £14-75
Orders in writing and with cheques payable to J. PEARSON
to
Mrs. Jennie Pearson,
6, Inhams Road, Holybourne, ALTON, Hants. GU34 4EU.
BEFORE 31st MARCH 2006
Boxes to be collected at the SPF Quarterly Meeting
IN MAY 2006
Details of other sizes and costs:
21” x 17” x 2” £16-25
21” x 17” x 2.5” £16-50
21” x 17” x 3” £16-75
21” x 17” x 3.5” £17-25
21” x 17” x 4” £17-50
21” x 17” x 5” £18-00
21” x 17” x 6” £18-25
Jennie Pearson. Alton Camera Club. Tel:- 01420 88743

PAGB SLIDE Exhibition visits

The PAGB Slide exhibition will be in the Southern region from 23rd April 2007 until 6th May 2007.
Anne Mahany is taking bookings for evenings during that time.
Please contact her on 01425 651234 or spinney@bigfoot.com

GEMS.P.S.

This season sees the inaugural session of the P.S.A. International Electronic Imaging Club League. There are 15 clubs in our league and is multi national,
The 1st Round in September we came a very close 2nd, we are awaiting the results from round 2. There have been some complaints from clubs not only in our league that Judges (3) have not given highly manipulated images a very high score.
Our exploits in other Inter Club Digital Competitions has been varied and have also come upon the same reluctance of Judges to award high marks to highly manipulated images. We do agree though that some are over manipulated.
We ourselves have hosted these Inter Club Battles and it has helpt the visiting clubs see what others are doing rather than their own in house entries. One also has the chance to see in operation the various programmes used. We would recommend to other clubs to go along this road as it does open one’s eyes to what is going on.
We are once again hosting a FREE Individual Digital Projection Challenge. The entry per Author had been reduced this year even so we have had a higher entry.
There is a total of 61 Authors ( 11 foreign) submitting 198 Images. It seems that the Digital members in our Federation are at last coming to terms with this new medium. Our organiser Tristram Reed has had to help many out though as they have failed to send in their entries to the required specification. He has taken it upon himself to contact those and has corrected their entries. Our thanks must go to Tristram as the correlation can only be done by one person and to ensure it is correctly done it takes time.
We at GEMS would like to see the COUNCIL take onboard a Club Digital Championship, as we believe that there are enough clubs to make it viable.
Sitting on the fence is only putting off the inevitable as other Federations have already gone along this route and the PAGB are looking into a National Championship.
Ernie.