Several DAPA Group photographers took time out from their Christmas shopping to upload their entry before the 24^th December deadline closed.

We then had to endure the obligatory wait until the results were published on their website: www.pabonline.info Award winners would be notified personally, via e-mail, within 48 hours.

Initially, three members had work accepted, Angela Adams BPE1*, Keith Naylor DPAGB BPE3* and Robert Powell BPE2*. It was later confirmed that Robert had won Best Fungus picture.

Glistening Ink Caps (Best Fungus) © Robert Powell BPE2*

Robert, having gained a total of seven acceptances, including Best Fungus, is well on the way to fulfilling his ambition of claiming his AFIAP distinction in 2011. Congratulations and well done Rob.

Despite the awful bad weather we have been experiencing here in the UK, both the GB-Cup for small clubs and the GB-Cup for larger clubs went ahead as planed. Originally nine judges were booked, but due to the extremely bad weather only three judges made it up to Scotland where competition is judged. These were, Russell and Barbie Lindsey, plus Anne Greiner. Although the organisers tried to enlist the help of two other PAGB listed judges from nearby Cumbria, they too where snowed in and couldn’t get there!

In the end Libby Smith, who was there to operate the projector was drafted in as judge number four.

Despite everything the organisers now had their judging teams. For the GB-Cup (Small Clubs) the judges were: Anne Greiner MPAGB, Barbie Lindsey MPAGB EFIAP and Libby Smith MPAGB EFIAP. Judges for the GB-Cup Open were: Anne Greiner MPAGB, Russell Lindsey MPAGB EFIAP and Libby Smith MPAGB EFIAP.

Although DAPA Group only has a very small membership base, we elected to participate in the GB-Cup Open class again this year, having shared 6^th place with Carluke Camera Club last. Our initial thoughts were, if we could retain our 6^th place position this year we should consider ourselves lucky.

The results of the GB-Cup (Small Clubs) came through on Saturday 9^th January, 2010 the top five winning clubs are as follows:

1^st Tamworth PC – 147pts, 2^nd Bridgend – 140pts, =3^rd Ashford (Kent), Clay Cross Photo Society both sharing – 136 pts. 5^th place went to Epsom Camera Club – 134pts.

Urban Existence (Russell Lindsey/Selector’s Medal) © John Powell BPE3*

We didn’t have long to wait for the GB-Cup Open results, these came in just before 1.30pm on Sunday 10^th January, 2010.

As was expected, Wigan 10 dominated this competition winning by a clear 15pts over second place DAPA Group, DAPA Group! Did I just read DAPA Group – Bloody Hell!

You have to believe me when I say, that result had me jumping for joy! DAPA Group second in the GB-Cup, what an achievement!

We Can Make It (Russell Lindsey/Selector’s Medal) © John Powell BPE3*

Top five results are as follows:

1^st Wigan 10 – 232pts

2^nd DAPA Group – 217pts

3^rd Smethwick Photographic Society – 215pts

4^th Arden Photo Group – 207pts

5^th Cambridge Camera Club – 202pts

Best Image in the Open Cup went to Windswept by Gwen Charnock FRPS EFIAP (Wigan 10).

Best Image in the Small Cup went to Angel in the Rear View by Dave Bowen (Tamworth).

This years International attracted around 3000 images from just over 450 photographers, three of which were DAPA Group members, Cherry Larcombe, Keith Naylor and John Powell. All three members are eagerly awaiting their AFIAP distinctions in March, 2010 and are well on the road to meeting the minimum criteria for their EFIAP distinctions in 2011.

Cherry receiving here Gold Medal from David Hillock the Salon Chairman

Part of the EFIAP criteria is that the photographer must gain 5 International Awards. Gaining any kind of photographic award is difficult enough, let along at International level. Nonetheless, that didn’t stop Cherry from winning Gold in Toronto for Best Wild Flower with Silene Latifolia and an HM for Comfrey Symphytum.

Silene Latifolia (Best Wildflower) © Cherry Larcombe BPE2*

Keith also received two HM’s one for Herring Fleet Mist and the second for Spurn Defences, taking his International award total to five.

Herringfleet Mist (HM) © Keith Naylor DPAGB BPE3*

Spurn Defences  (HM) © Keith Naylor DPAGB BPE3*

John, after some confusion gained three acceptances, taking his International acceptance score too 120.

The Mersin International is supported by the Fédération Internationale de l’Art Photographique and the Photographic Arts Federation of Turkey.

When writing this blog I sometimes struggle to find the right words to say, after all, I’m a photographer, not a writer; all though I do try my best! Nonetheless, when it comes to describing this, so called International exhibition, only one word springs to mind, Cheated!

I’m not alone when I say that, many more photographers felt after seeing the published results.

Of the several thousand entries they received the final acceptance count was: 99 acceptances (open section), 66 acceptances (creative section) and 33 acceptances (nature section). A total of 198 acceptances for the entire exhibition (less than 5% of the total entries submitted).

Now if this were a print only exhibition I could understand the low acceptance count, due to possible shortage of hanging space, but for a projected digital exhibition I think someone should explain themselves.

If all three sections were projected back to back, ten seconds per image, the complete show would be over in 33 minuets! It’s safe to say I shall be giving this exhibition a very wide birth in future!

For many years Smethwick Photographic Society has been staging possible the best International exhibition in the UK. They operate an open door policy when it comes to judging and for the second year running I’ve been privileged to witness the judging of the colour prints. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see the monochrome prints being judged due to a prior engagement.

Kingfisher with Catch (FIAP Ribbon) © Paul Ashton

The whole judging process for this exhibition takes three days, Projected Travel & Nature on day one, General Digital on day two, with Mono and Colour prints on day three. Entries are invited from around the world, the quality of which is second to none. In all, a total of 95 awards are made, which includes 53 Gold, Silver & Bronze medals, plus an additional 12 FIAP, 18 PSA and 12 RPS Ribbons. Gaining anyone of these awards is something to be proud of.

In fact, the judges had three DAPA Group members jumping for joy when they received their report cards just one day after the judging had taken place (how quick was that?).

Aaarrgh! (HM) © Belinda Buxton

Belinda Buxton and Paul Ashton, both International virgins, gained awards. Belinda in the Open Digital section with her image entitled, Aaaghh!! And Paul, in the Nature Print section with, Kingfisher with Catch, both image shown here. DAPA Groups third award winner was John Powell, John was awarded a Royal Photographic Society (RPS) Gold Medal for his monochrome tough guy image, “We Can Make It”. This takes John’s International awards total for 2009 to nine.

We Can Make It (PSA Gold) © John Powell BPE3*

DAPA Group members gaining acceptances were:

Angela Adams BPE1* (8), Belinda Buxton (1 HC), Cherry Larcombe BPE2* (5), Joe Brennan LRPS BPE1* (1), John Powell BPE3* (9, including RPS Gold), Keith Naylor DPAGB BPE3* (5) Paul Ashton (1 HC) and Robert Powell BPE2* (4).  All in all another great set of results.

Well, I feel quite shell-shocked – mainly after spending over 6 hours in my car yesterday with Michelle and Belinda, but seriously, the evening was very worthwhile for DAPA.

The evening kicked off with a short speach from Canon’s marketing manager, a lovely German man who had a quick wit and a lovley image of his daughter ballet dancing!  This was followed by a speaker Ben Osbourne (http://www.benosbornephotography.co.uk/live/index.htm)  Shell Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2007.  Ben, a scientist by trade, turned photographer many years back and has a collection of wildlife images from across the globe to die for!  Do take a look at his website.

Girls Night Out © Angela Adams BPE1

Then… drum roll… Magazine Ed, Adam Scorey (who lives in Norfolk too) and Publisher, forget his name (but he’s a Cambridge man) announced the awards.  Halstead came third, Wigan 10 came second and we won by a 15 clear points.  Cherry kept nudging me throughout and turned various shades of pink as the tension mounted, Belinda was a complete nightmare and almost squashed my foot – I could feel her palpitations emanating through the chair next to me.  Michelle and I were of course calm, composed and ready for anything!  There was a photoshoot with a 3ft cheque for £3K (JP, we need to move quickly on discussing this), a tasteful glass trophy and mounted certificate (all of which I dumped on Cherry, sorry lovey, as it wouldn’t fit in my car).

Spring, © Robert Powell BPE2

As Cherry mentioned there were A1 sized boards of Sophie’s Soles, John’s Crawling man and his bee and Cherry’s chair and I think it was Gary’s Pier hanging from on high.  I have an A1 poster of Cromer Pier (need that like a hole in the head), which didn’t manage to get mounted, plus we should have posters of all 30 of our entries, but the printer got caught in M25 traffic and didn’t make it to the event.  However, they may be available for Cherry to collect along with the boards.  There were also pull-up banners swathed in DAPA photos and more than a few envious glances from other camera club members.

No Rest at Rest Bay © Michael J. Stokes AWPF

On chatting to the Ed and Publisher I discovered that they were quite astonished by the quality of our work (the cynic in me did say, please be honest, you don’t HAVE to say that), but they seemed genuine and were keen for us to enter next year’s competition and raise the bar with regards standard even higher.  They also loved the fact that we are an Internet-based group and felt it was the way forward.  Interestingly as we made our way back to our seats after collecting the award, one man shouted from the auditorium, ‘where are they from then?’, to which Cherry shouted back, ‘The Internet’ and gave him some details.  There was no doubt a high level of chuntering from some cam-club die-hards, but we’ve all been there, done that and have the T-shirt as evidence, so I won’t bore you with details.

Penarth Dusk © Gary Newman

On par, a wonderful night for DAPA.  There were many who were interested and asked if they could join, but I made it quite clear that our ethos was ’show your best and only best work’, and a few scuttled off once informed of the selection process and the quality of photography expected.

Images should appear here soon via Cherry, Michelle and Belinda. None of us won the raffle, but by that time, we’d been almost papped (papparazzied) to death by a thousand flashes, so weren’t too bothered.

Now what mountain can we conquer next?

Words – Copyright © Angela Adams, 2009

Entries were invited from all over the UK with no fewer than six sections to submit your work to.

Fourteen DAPA Group members sent work, including our latest member, Keith Naylor DPAGB BPE3*. Keith lives in Sheffield and is also a member of Worksop Photographic Society, but has decided to support BPE exhibitions as a DAPA Group member for the 2010 exhibition season.

Paul Ashton – Barn Owl in Flight

As always, DAPA Group put forward a very strong entry with everyone gaining at least one acceptance, they were; Angela Adams BPE1 (4), Belinda Buxton (2), Charlotte Nadin (1), Cherry Larcombe BPE2 (3), David Meredith (1), Joe Brennan LRPS (4), John Powell BPE3 (8), Mark Evans (1), Michelle Workman (1), Paul Ashton (4), Philip Higgins (1), Robert Powell BPE1 (4) and Sophie Matthews-Paul BPE1(1)

Keith Naylor DPAGB BPE3* Look for Gold

The following members were fortunate in gaining awards:

David Meredith (Isabella) – Commended Mono PDI, Sophie Matthews-Paul (The Telephone Call) – David Venables Selectors Medal in the Colour PDI section. Paul Ashton (Barn Owl) – Silver Medal in the Nature Projected Image section and Keith Naylor (Look for Gold)  – David Venables Selectors Medal in the Monochrome projected section.

David Meredith – Isabella

Robert Powell, having gained four more acceptances in this exhibition brings his BPE points total up to 53, which allows him to claim his second BPE Crown Award (BPE2). Joe Brennan also gained 4 acceptances bringing his BPE points tally up to 26, allowing him to claim his first BPE Crown Award (BPE1). Congratulations to both, well done.

Sophie Matthews-Paul BPE1 – The Telephone Call

The exhibition, held at Stoke Heath Community Arts Centre, Stoke Heath, Bromsgrove was very well attended. Don Langford LRPS DPAGB APAGB, (President of the PAGB), along with his wife Christine were the guests of honour. Don gave a most enjoyable opening speech and later presented awards to those fortunate to have gained them. There in person to collect theirs were Paul Ashton, Sophie Matthews-Paul and Keith Naylor. In all, six members made the trip and were rewarded in seeing a very enjoyable and varied exhibition.

The Shrewsbury Open is organised by the Shropshire Photographic Society, whose home is at the Gateway Arts Centre, Chester Street, Shrewsbury. Shropshire Photographic Society is a member of the Midland Counties Photographic Federation (MCPF), with affiliation to the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain (PAGB) and a participating member of the British Photographic Exhibitions (BPE).

Mud Bath, Robert Powell BPE2* – Barbie Lindsey (Selectors) Silver Medal.

The Shrewsbury exhibition is divided three sections, Open Slide, Open Digital and Nature Digital under the guidance of Roger Cable (Exhibition Chairman) and judged, this year, by Russell Lindsey AFIAP MPAGB ABPE, Barbie Lindsey EFIAP MPAGB FBPE and Ralph Duckett AFIAP MPAGB APAGB. Entries were invited from all UK resident photographers, amateur and professional alike. A total 2200 images were submitted, with around 450 images finally being accepted by the judges.

Robert receives his silver medal from exhibition chairman Mr. Roger Cable.

Since DAPA Group joined the MCPF in 2008, the group has been a very keen supporter of BPE exhibitions. So much so, several DAPA Group members now hold several BPE Crown Awards, with more members poised to gain their first crown awards in the very near future.

John receives his PAGB Ribbon from Exhibition Chairman Mr. Roger Cable.

Fourteen DAPA Group members sent a total of seventy two images to this exhibition, which, after a whole day of judging we managed to gain twenty one acceptances, which equates to around a 30% success rate. Of those twenty one images, Robert Powell BPE1 bagged a Silver Medal for his image, Mud Bath and a Highly Commend (PAGB Ribbon) for a mono portrait entitled, MP. Brother John (Powell) also managed to gain a Highly Commend (PAGB Ribbon) with a gritty monochrome image; Urban Existence. Recent new member, David Meredith picked up the groups third highly commend (PAGB Ribbon) for his captivating image of Isabella and last, but by no means least, Phil Barrett was awarded his commend for, A Little Bit of Me.

Phil receives his PAGB Ribbon from Exhibition Chairman Mr. Roger Cable.

The presentation of awards and showing of the accepted entries were shown at The Gateway Arts Centre, Chester Street, Shrewsbury on Monday 2nd November, 2009.

PAGB Ribbon Winners

Left to Right: MP, Robert Powell BPE2*. Urban Existence, John Powell BPE3*. A Little Bit of Me, Phil Barrett and Isabella, David Meredith.

The Northern Counties Photographic Federation is one of 15 federations that make up the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain (PAGB). It is the only UK federation that hosts its own annual International exhibition. The salon is conducted under the approved rules and patronage of Photographic Society of America (PSA), Federation International de l’Art photographique (FIAP) and Royal Photographic Society (RPS), photographers from all around the world are invited to submit their work.

Mud, Sweat & Glee (NCPF Certificate of Merit) © John Powell BPE3

Selecting the images that make up this exhibition was staged over 2 weekends, 9^th/17^th October. Prints, both mono and colour were chosen on the 9^th with the projected images, which is made of Nature Images, Photo Travel and General (Pictorial) Images, selected on the 17^th.

Normally, photographers have an agonising wait for their results sometimes days, sometimes weeks after the judging has taken place. Not here! This salon, under the chair of Mrs Jane Black ARPS, APSA, Hon.PAGB, is so organised, each participating photographer was in possession of their results less than 36 hours after the judging had taken place.

Days of Despair (PSA Ribbon) © John Powell BPE3

The first set of results to be sent out was for prints, Monochrome and Colour, judged by: Margaret Salisbury FRPS FIPF EFIAP APAGB, Peter Gennard MFIAP EFIAP/p and Roy Elwood FRPS EFIAP MPAGB.

Although DAPA Group has several photographers working their way towards FIAP distinctions, on this occasion only two group members sent prints, Cherry Larcombe BPE2 and John Powell BPE3. I am pleased to report that both photographers were successful in having prints accepted. Cherry had two prints accepted, one from each section; Cathedral d’Amiens (mono) and Pomodoro Ciliegia (colour print).

Living in the Past (PSA Ribbon) © John Powell BPE3

John, on the other hand, was in the unprecedented position of have five of his eight prints accepted, four of which gained awards! Days of Despair (PSA Ribbon), Urban Existence (NCPF Ribbon), Living in the Past (PSA Ribbon) and Mud, Sweat & Glee (NCPF Certificate of Merit), We Can Make It scored a respectable 12 points from the judges and was also accepted.

The following weekend bought forth the projected image results, in which the following images were accepted: Angela Adams BPE1, Girls Night Out, David Meridith, Home, Isabella, Chesterton Mill and Dandelion, John Powell BPE3, Bad Boy and Robert Powell BPE1, MP and Mud Bath.

Urban Existence (NCPF Ribbon) © John Powell BPE3

The 30^th Northern Counties International Salon of Photography goes on a tour throughout October and November at several venues across Northern England and Scotland. Details can be found on the NCPF website: http://www.ncpf.org.uk

Photographers from around the UK are invited to take part in their annual National Projected Image Exhibition held in October. Dingwall happens to be one of only a hand full of exhibitions still actively promoting a slide section on the BPE circuit.

DAPA Group, as always, put forward a healthy entry totalling no less than 68 images. The judges for this year’s exhibition were, Sandy Cleland FRPS AFIAP, David Hay and Keith Suddaby FRPS MPAGB EFIAP ABPE. Between them they selected 17 of our images for final exhibition.

Successful authors were: Belinda Buxton (1), Charlotte Nadin (1), Cherry Larcombe BPE2 (1), Joe Brennan LRPS (2), John Powell BPE3 (6), Phil Barrett (3), Phil Dodd CPAGB (1) and Robert Powell BPE1 (2) acceptances.