Competition Changes Reminder

Just a friendly reminder about our competition changes which will be implemented starting with our March competition.

Note: These changes are being trialled in response to feedback we have had from both members and judges.

Schedule for the night.

The below schedule will need to be strictly adhered to so as the fit everything into our time frame. Any announcements will need to be made during the break.

• 6:30 PM prints will be on the stands for judges to have time for a preliminary viewing.
• 7 pm our competition night will begin. There will usually be a few announcements before the print judging commences.
• 8 pm our print judging will be completed and we will have a 15 minute tea/coffee break with a chance to discuss any questions arising after the print judging.
• 8:15 pm our digital slideshow and announcement of our digital awards and comments will begin. 
• 9 pm we will need to be finished and commence packing up. Unfortunately the club requires us to leave by 9:30 pm as they close then. It is a shame that we have these time restrictions as often we feel we need more time, but we have to follow the directive of the club.

Print Changes

The only changes to the print part of our competition is that we will not be putting the names of the images on the front of our image.

As previously explained this is to ensure that the images are always judged on their photographic merit rather than the judging being influenced by the name of the image which has occasionally happened.
Names will still be on the back of the images and there is no problem with letting our fellow members know the names of our images.

Digital Changes

• Our judge will make verbal comments and announce awards during the slide show on comp night.
• Our judges will no longer write comments on the website.
• We always hope most of our members will be able to attend on competition night but of course we understand that members who live far away, or members who are unwell or members who are travelling are not able to attend.
  We suggest that our members who are not able to attend on the night can ask another member to make a note of comments made by the judge and pass these comments onto them.

As previously explained theses changes have been made in response to feedback from numerous members that they feel the judging of the digitals has been quite different from the judging of the prints even though it is the same judge.
Many members believe that judges are favouring the prints when making awards and not giving the digitals as much merit.
One reason for this may be that the judges might see our digital competition as separate from our print competition as is the case with some other clubs. 
As we all know, in our club they are both just two different formats for the one competition.
As we are now asking the judges to deliver their comments verbally on comp night they will no longer be providing written comments.

Thank you everyone for your cooperation. Hopefully everything will go smoothly.

by Sue Winsley, March 9, 2024

PSA Interclub Rd 2 Results Colour & Mono

Results were disappointing for both of these section apart from Tim Kemp’s 14 Point Merit in Mono for his self portrait. Congratulations Tim !!

by Ian English, March 9, 2024

Invite from The Entrance Club

Preparing Competition Images by Nilmini De Silva

The presentation will be given via Zoom starting at 7.30pm on Friday 5th April. Mark this in your diary. Anthony will send out the Zoom invitation with the link on Monday 1st April.

Here is a precis of Nilmini’s presentation:
Preparing Competition Images – You be the Judge
If you are interested in participating in photography competitions and obtaining honours nationally and internationally, then you may benefit from this presentation.

Successful images always create a connection with the viewer. Images that create connection have certain characteristics that range from technical qualities, lighting and presentation, good composition, creativity, narrative and most importantly, impact.  Nilmini has not only obtained national and international honours through competition, she has also engaged in the Photographic Society of America’s Portfolio Distinction Program, obtaining her Silver. She will share some of her strategies, her struggles and how learning post processing took her photography to the next level.

(more…)

by Colleen Price, March 8, 2024

FCC Newsletter February 2024

The FCC newsletter has been published and can be found at this link.

FCC F-Stop-Feb-2024

by Rita England, March 8, 2024

Re-Sending post about competition changes.

Hi All,
It has been pointed out to me that some members have not seen the post outlining the changes that are being implemented, therefore I’m re-sending it. See below.

IMPORTANT CHANGES TO COMPETITION JUDGING

At our committee meeting on Monday we had extensive discussions about our competitions and how we have been instructing the judges in regards to the judging. We made a decision to make changes to this process that we believe will be for the better for both the judges and the members.

We will be implementing the changes starting with our March competition

These changes and the reasons for them are outlined below.

Digital.

For some time now we have been receiving feedback from numerous members that they feel the judging of the digitals has been quite different from the judging of the prints even though it is the same judge.

Many members believe that the judges are favouring the prints when awarding awards and not giving the digitals as much merit.

One reason for this that has been suggested is that the judges might see our digital competition as separate from our print competition as is the case with some other clubs. 
As we all know, in our club they are both just two different formats for the one competition

Changes being implemented:

• Firstly, what won’t change is that you’ll still upload your digitals two weeks prior to competition night. The judge will still have access to view the digitals two weeks prior to the competition night so they’ll have time to decide on any comments and awards in advance.

• The biggest change will be that we will no longer require the judge to enter the awards on the website. Rather, they will just make a note of which images they wish to give awards to and they will announce these awards during the slideshow on competition night. 
  It’ll be my job to make note of these awards and enter them on the website after the meeting as I do for the print awards.
  The slideshow will be presented in the same order that we get our prints judged (colour, then mono and then set subject), and the awards in each category will be announced as we go through, just like we do for the prints.
  As with the print judging we will be asking our judges to announce any Judges Choice awards at the end of each section.

• Written comments by the judge will no longer be required. As all our judges still make comments verbally on the night during the slideshow, we have made the decision that we will not require the judges to do the extra work of making written comments as well as this is really doubling their workload.  Rather, judge’s comments will be made verbally on the night.  
  Taking this extra workload away from the judges will make it a lot easier to recruit judges in the future.
  Members who are not able to attend on the night for various reasons can ask another member to make a note of comments made by the judge and pass these comments onto them.

Print.

There will also be a slight change with our print competitions on the night.

We will no longer be displaying the title of the image on the front of the print.
We have made this decision to be consistent with many other clubs and international competitions.
It will also ensure that the images are always judged on their photographic merit rather than the name of the images which has occasionally happened.

The schedule on our comp night will run as follows:

To ensure that we fit all of this in smoothly in the time frame that the club gives us we will be instructing the judges of the following schedule.

• 6:30 PM prints will be on the stands for judges to have time for a preliminary viewing.
• 7 pm our competition night will begin. There will usually be a few announcements before the print judging commences.
• 8 pm our print judging will be completed and we will have a 15 minute tea/coffee break with a chance to discuss any questions arising after the print judging.
• 8:15 pm our digital slideshow and announcement of our digital awards will begin. 
• 9 pm we will need to be finished and commence packing up. Unfortunately the club requires us to leave by 9:30 pm as they close then. It is a shame that we have these time restrictions as often we feel we need more time, but we have to follow the directive of the club.

by Sue Winsley, March 4, 2024

Photo Opportunity Saturday 23rd March

Event – The Wattagan Mountain Campdraft 
Location Kings Rd Cooranbong

Time -all day starting 10 am casual event , come & go as you please. 
Gate entry – free
Canteen -available
Action Photography, horses, people. etc

Comment – limited seating & shade
Marie & Bob will be to the left of canteen to help if needed.

by Colleen Price, February 29, 2024

Yearly Schedule Update

The Yearly Schedule has been updated on the website.

One date change in March to correct an error in the 5 week month PLUS the addition of judges names for the comps. Please print or download the new version.

The document can be found under Club Rules and documents/ club calendars.

by Rita England, February 29, 2024

HOCUS FOCUS – FEBRUARY 2024

HOCUS FOCUS – FEBRUARY 2024 is now available on the website under the NEWSLETTERS Button or directly on this link https://wangi.myphotoclub.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2024/02/HOCUS-FOCUS-FEBRUARY-2024.pdf

by David Price, February 28, 2024

IMPORTANT CHANGES TO COMPETITION JUDGING – Please read

At our committee meeting on Monday we had extensive discussions about our competitions and how we have been instructing the judges in regards to the judging. We made a decision to make changes to this process that we believe will be for the better for both the judges and the members.

We will be implementing the changes starting with our March competition

These changes and the reasons for them are outlined below.

Digital.

For some time now we have been receiving feedback from numerous members that they feel the judging of the digitals has been quite different from the judging of the prints even though it is the same judge.

Many members believe that the judges are favouring the prints when awarding awards and not giving the digitals as much merit.

One reason for this that has been suggested is that the judges might see our digital competition as separate from our print competition as is the case with some other clubs. 
As we all know, in our club they are both just two different formats for the one competition

Changes being implemented:

• Firstly, what won’t change is that you’ll still upload your digitals two weeks prior to competition night. The judge will still have access to view the digitals two weeks prior to the competition night so they’ll have time to decide on any comments and awards in advance.

• The biggest change will be that we will no longer require the judge to enter the awards on the website. Rather, they will just make a note of which images they wish to give awards to and they will announce these awards during the slideshow on competition night. 
  It’ll be my job to make note of these awards and enter them on the website after the meeting as I do for the print awards.
  The slideshow will be presented in the same order that we get our prints judged (colour, then mono and then set subject), and the awards in each category will be announced as we go through, just like we do for the prints.
  As with the print judging we will be asking our judges to announce any Judges Choice awards at the end of each section.

• Written comments by the judge will no longer be required. As all our judges still make comments verbally on the night during the slideshow, we have made the decision that we will not require the judges to do the extra work of making written comments as well as this is really doubling their workload.  Rather, judge’s comments will be made verbally on the night.  
  Taking this extra workload away from the judges will make it a lot easier to recruit judges in the future.
  Members who are not able to attend on the night for various reasons can ask another member to make a note of comments made by the judge and pass these comments onto them.

Print.

There will also be a slight change with our print competitions on the night.

We will no longer be displaying the title of the image on the front of the print.
We have made this decision to be consistent with many other clubs and international competitions.
It will also ensure that the images are always judged on their photographic merit rather than the name of the images which has occasionally happened.

The schedule on our comp night will run as follows:

To ensure that we fit all of this in smoothly in the time frame that the club gives us we will be instructing the judges of the following schedule.

• 6:30 PM prints will be on the stands for judges to have time for a preliminary viewing.
• 7 pm our competition night will begin. There will usually be a few announcements before the print judging commences.
• 8 pm our print judging will be completed and we will have a 15 minute tea/coffee break with a chance to discuss any questions arising after the print judging.
• 8:15 pm our digital slideshow and announcement of our digital awards will begin. 
• 9 pm we will need to be finished and commence packing up. Unfortunately the club requires us to leave by 9:30 pm as they close then. It is a shame that we have these time restrictions as often we feel we need more time, but we have to follow the directive of the club.

I hope all these changes are clearly outlined and that everyone will be able to appreciate the need for the changes.

by Sue Winsley, February 22, 2024

March Tutorial – Adventure Photography

For the March tutorial (25th) David Whyte will be giving a talk on Adventure Photography. He will be talking about the gear, dealing with weather and showing images on beautiful and remote parts of Australia and New Zealand.

by David Whyte, February 14, 2024