Mallow Camera Club

The 2008 Irish photographic finals took place over the weekend, Thurles Camera Club hosted the event at the Tipperary Institute which proved to be a very good venue. Mallow Camera Club qualified for the event earlier this year by winning the SACC competion. The club displayed two panels, a monochrome and a colour print panel which was made up of ten images in each panel.
Of the 19 finalist Mallow Camera Club finished in fifth place overall behind the winners Dundalk Photographic Society. Mallow’s Monochrome panel finished in third place, while the colour panel finished in a disappointing ninth place. This result came as a surprise to many as Mallow have always been very strong in the colour print section.

The highlight of the final day was Sean Murphy’s silver medal in the Monochrome print section. The three distinguished judges from Northern Ireland, the UK & Turkey spoke highly of Sean’s image which portrayed difficult rural living conditions in Ireland.
All panels will be displayed at the next club meeting on 28 April 2008.

The club got off to a great start at this weekends IPF National Club Finals when club members John Hogan, Bríd Coakley and Morgan O’Neill all achieved photographic distinctions in the Saturday sitting.

John Hogan gained his Licentiateship of the Irish Photographic Federation (LIPF) with a panel of ten colour images, representing a variety of themes and styles.

Bríd Coakley presented a panel of fifteen superb seascapes, for which she was awarded an Associateship (AIPF), the second level grade of distinction awarded by the IPF.

Morgan O’Neill’s panel of fifteen shots of old and decaying cottage interiors, giving a glimpse into forgotten Ireland, was also awarded an Associateship (AIPF). All awards were unanimous, voted on by a panel of expert judges who already hold IPF distinctions.

All three panels will be shown in the club on Monday night, 28 April.

Congratulations and well done to all.

On Monday 21st of April John Hogan will demonstrate with fellow members what is involved in the selection process of a panel for distinction accreditation. John will be looking for opinions from fellow members on his selection of prints. Fellow members with images for selection are also welcome to show there work.

Mallow Camera Club Photographer of the Year 2008
COMPETITION RULES

1. The Photographer of the Year competition will be held on 19 May 2008, and is open to all Mallow Camera Club members of good standing.
2. The competition consists two levels – Advanced and Non-Advanced.
3. Images may be entered in the following four categories
   1. Black & White (Monochrome) Print
   2. Colour Print
   3. Slide
   4. Digital Projected Image
4. Each club member may enter up to 15 (fifteen) images. There is no entry fee.
5. Images may be in one category or a mixture of categories.
6. Images may be any subject matter.
7. Images used in previous Photographer of the Year competitions may not be entered. Images used in club competitions since September 2007 may be entered.
8. Images may originate on film or digital media, and must be the original work of the member (third party/commercial printing of images is allowable).
9. Prints may be mounted or unmounted, and must include the author’s name on the back.
10. Maximum print size, including mount, is 400 mm X 500 mm (16” X 20”). Minimum print size is 125 mm X 175 mm (5” X 7”).
11. Slides must be standard 50 mm X 50 mm (2” X 2”) size, in glassless mounts, and include the author’s name. Slides must be spotted on the bottom left hand corner, as viewed.
12. Print and slide entries will not be taken on the night. Entries must be with the Competition Secretary, David Lavery (087 6259311 , 022 50098 ) on or before Tuesday 13 May. Late entries (received after this date) are not guaranteed inclusion in the final judging.
13. Digital images (for projection) must be in JPG, TIFF, or PSD format and be with the Competition Secretary, David Lavery on or before Tuesday 13 May 2007, to facilitate preparation for projection on the night. Images must be written to a suitable digital media – CD, Compact Flash Card, Memory Stick, or USB device. Please include your name with the images.
14. Judges (maximum three) will be appointed from an adjoining club and will be required to judge and mark each image individually on the night.
15. Each judge will award marks out of ten (10) for each image. The total aggregate marks for each image will be noted by the Competition Secretary.
16. The member with the highest aggregate marks for their best five images will be deemed Photographer of the Year 2008 or Non-Advanced Photographer of the Year 2008.
17. In the event of a tie after aggregating the marks for the best five images, the next highest marked image (image six) will determine the result. If there is still a tie the next highest image will be checked, and so on, until a result is achieved.
18. If the marks allocated to the Non-Advanced Photographer of the Year 2008 exceed the marks allocated to the highest Advanced member, the Non-Advanced member will also be awarded the title Mallow Camera Club Photographer of the Year 2008.
19. The Black & White Print Photographer of the Year Trophy will be awarded to the photographer with the highest aggregate marks for her/his best three Monochrome prints. In the event of a tie, the next highest marked mono print (image four) will determine the result. If there is still a tie the next highest mono print will be checked, and so on, until a result is achieved.
20. Entry to the competition is deemed to be acceptance of these rules. Any issues that arise on the night concerning the running of the competition, or the interpretation of these rules, will be resolved by the Club Chairperson, Secretary and Competition Secretary jointly.
21. Commissioned images are not allowed. ( images that the photographer has been paid to carryout)

Some of these web sites may stretch the definition of “education” slightly but even looking at photos is an education if they inspire you. Here are the links I talked about at last night’s club meeting:

• Google Reader is a feed reader where you can subscribe to websites that have a feed. See the video below for an explanation of what an RSS feed is and what you can do with it.
• Photonotes
• Boards.ie Photography forum
• Photo.net
• Photography Ireland forums
• Photodoto
• Photojojo
• Strobist
• DIY Photography
• Photosig
• Digital Photography School
• 2 minute Photoshop tricks
• Alkos
• George Barr
• Chromasia
• Camera Porn
• Flak Photo
• JMG Galleries
• Photo Attorney
• Mark Hancock
• Digital Journalist
• Online Photographer
• Fine art photo blog
• Rymus
• Pana Vision
• Inphotos dot org
• Latchiko
• Flickr is a huge photography site with social aspects to it. I’m a member there.
• Redbubble where you can sell your photos. Here’s my gallery there.

And of course, Luminous Landscape.

On Monday April 14th Donncha O Caoimh will present a educational Tutorial evening. Donncha will inform fellow club members of useful websites that will help many photographers.

Reminder for all club members, the upcoming Photographer of the year is fast approaching. This is the first year that the club has introduced a closing date. All mono prints, colour prints, digital files and slides must be delivered to David Lavery competition secretary by Tuesday 13th may. Please note images accepted after this date may not be guaranteed a place in the final. Images accepted on the night of the competition (May 19) will not be accepted.

Max Print size is 16inx12in
Max mount size is 16inx20in
Smallest size print is 5inx7in

Please note it is not compulsory to have images mounted. Images used in previous photographer of the year competitions are not allowed. Images that have been commissioned (been paid to carry out) are also exempt from the competition.

The next big event is the National Photographic Finals Thurles Co.Tiopperary april 26/27th