Forthcoming exhibition:-

The club has been given a slot in the Willis museum’s exhibition programme for 2009.

The exhibition space is being completely revamped and until such time this work has been completed we are unsure as to the type of boards that will be used for the hanging of exhibits, and therefore are faced with the usual problem of how we attach the prints to the boards.

I was recently viewing an art exhibition in the library. All the exhibits were framed and displayed to thier greatest advantage by not being to crowded in the space available. I would like your thoughts as to whether we should display fewer prints but all framed and displayed to greater advantage in this forthcoming exhibition.This would entail every entrant framing, say, two prints.The frames would have to be made of wood to enable the relevant brackets to be attached to them.

Suitable frames are available from Homebase,Cargo and other outlets with prices ranging from ten to twenty pounds for 20x16 size. The frames would of course be reusable for other exhibitions in the future. Please give some thought to the above and let me know over the next couple of months, so that plans for the exhibition can be made.

Brian Burwood

Who listens to judges anyway?

Whilst trawling through some old newsletter articles I came across the one below. It’s quite old, but not outdated at all. Newer members may find some comfort to find their post-competiton feelings on the parentage of judges is nothing new ....

20 MODEL REMARKS USEFUL FOR JUDGES OF CLUB PHOTOGRAPHY (WITH NOTES ON APPROPRIATE CONTEXTS & JUDICIOUS USE OF THE WORD “BUT”).

1. “I ALWAYS START WITH A ‘7’”- this is a really useful opening gambit especially if you have arrived late and/or have not had time to consider the entire work entered for judging.
2. “I JUST WONDER IF YOU HAD MOVED A LITTLE BIT UP/DOWN/RIGHT/LEFT/THROUGH 180 DEGREES” - This is a useful ploy for not awarding full marks and can be used if you can’t find anything else wrong.
3. “A GOOD LITTLE ‘UN IS AS GOOD AS A GOOD BIG ‘UN” - A stalling technique if youare faced with a small print in the advanced class.
4. “OF COURSE I’M A SLIDE MAN MYSELF”(WHEN JUDGING PRINTS)- useful for hinting to the audience that you havn’t a clue about printing and you are only here because the other 2/3/4 judges cried off between 4pm and 6pm today and you rushed out without your tea.
5. “WHEN I WAS JUDGING THE ...XYZ.. COMPETITION...”- This lets ‘em know you will judge anything for money.
6. “I THINK THERE ARE AT LEAST 3 SEPARATE PICTURES IN THIS PHOTOGRAPH”- Grab another print and use it to mask the print being judged - if done well you can cover the photograph/mount with fingerprints or even drop it.
7. “I NORMALLY SPREAD MY MARKS” - this will put the fear of God into them!
8. “OF COURSE THE ADVANCED WORKERS SHOULD KNOW BETTER” - useful device for marking the intermediate class with disproportionately high marks.
9. “I JUDGED AT SO’N’SO CLUB ON MONDAYAND SO’N’SO’S LAST NIGHT”- tells the audience that you are so busy judging that you probably haven’t had time to do any serious practical photograph for years.
10. “THIS IS REALLY CREATIVE”- A really useful remark to use if you can’t be ablutely sure that its really intended to be out of focus/blurred.
11. I EXPECT THIS ONE WAS TAKEN AT A CLUB PORTRAIT EVENING”- lets the audience know that you recognise at least 5 other pictures of the same girl.
12. “I WON’T DWELL TOO LONG ON THE ADVANCED CLASS”- Whoops, must have pent too long blathering on about the beginners.
13. “I JUST WONDER WHETHER THE TREATMENT ENHANCES THE PICTURE”- useful one - especially if you personally can’t stand tinted/toned photos (use, with advantage.with No.10 - just add a ‘but’).
14. “THIS IS A PICTURE OF A MAN STANDING BY A PILLAR BOX WITH A BLACK CAR IN THE BACKGROUND - A RANGE OF HILLS BLENDS IN WITH THE SCOTTISH LOCH AND THE REFLECTION OF THE CLOUDS IS REFLECTED IN THE WATER ...... (OR WHATEVER)” - If you can’t think of anything to say just describe the picture in detail, give a quick mark and move on to the next.
15. “RULES ARE MEANT TO BE BROKEN”- This is useful for giving high marks, especially if (i) the horizon slopes erratically, (ii) the composition is 99% featureless sky, (iii) the photo is coming off the mount, or (iv) its upside down and nobody else has noticed. (Can be used with No. 2 - just add the ‘but’.
16. “I CAN’T THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY” - useful if you really don’t have a clue what it’s about or its so bad (useful to use with No.4 & No.6).
17. “OF COURSE KNOWING THAT ITS TRADE PROCESSED WON’T AFFECT MY DECISION” - Shows them that you don’t care about the hours spent in the darkroom.
18. “AM I ALLOWED TO GIVE HALF MARKS” - just say this to wind up the Competition Secretary.
19. “AM I ALLOWED TO GIVE MORE THAN ONE ‘TEN’?” - use this one when you have about 15-20 slides/prints put aside for marking - it really gets ‘em going!
20. “THE ‘AUTHOR’ HERE HAS .......”- lets ‘em knw you don’t like the picture.

Hope that brought at least a modicum of understanding - don’t forget that without Judges there could be no competitions!!! 

Programme dates

20^th 2^nd Round Digital Image League

Judge: Ted Clarke SPA

27^th Pete Bamforth ARPS

 What I Found Under the Bed A print presentation by a member of Chichester Camera Club

DECEMBER

4^th     2^nd Round Print League

Judge: Chris Hutchinson, Yateley CC

11^th President’s Evening

 (11^th SPF Round Away)  Farnborough v Alton v Basingstoke

18th Christmas Dinner

25th Christmas Day – no meeting!

Supplies of print labels will be available for the next two Thursdays, or download them from the “Downloads” page.

COMPETITION SECRETARY POST - (again!)

This job is becoming busier these days, partly due to the success of the club in attracting some new members, but there are times when Len could do with a bit of help. This has been ok on a sort of ad-hoc basis, but the Committee feel that it would be better if Len had an official deputy.

So if any member feels that he or she can assist, either with competition nights, or by supporting our “away” competitions please let either Len or Wyn, our President, know, or email one of the committee from the “Contact Us” page on the web site.

We could also use someone who is prepared to learn how to use the digital projector, which would help relieve some of the pressure on Len on Digital Comp evenings, so anyone willing to help out please make themselves known.