AV News 175 - February 2009
The Bridgend 5 to 8 competition
Paul Green
We at Bridgend Camera Club had long wanted to host a large nationwide
photography competition. To this end we researched what other clubs and
organisations were offering in the way of competitions. We found that whilst the
number of print competitions remained fairly constant the changeover to digital
had greatly reduced the number of slideworkers. Slide competitions were
therefore being phased out and were being replaced by Digitally Projected
Image competitions. Most camera clubs have now acquired digital projectors,
computers and sound systems, and we see that these systems, albeit with
improving quality, will remain the way of viewing pictures for the coming years.
It was at this time the Royal Photographic Society issued their definition for a
new type of slide show using digitally projected images, which they called
PHOTOHARMONY. We at Bridgend have taken the basic rules and added a few
of our own, such as titles and credits and of course the timing. We felt it was
important that we had a memorable title, hence " 5 to 8 " ( referring of course to
the timing of the slide show to be between 5 and 8 minutes ).
We received help and advice from Maureen and Robert Albright who had
helped to define the category PHOTOHARMONY for the RPS. They both
attended our first competition and Robert was pleased to inform us that the
Bridgend 5 to 8 was the worlds first PHOTOHARMONY competition. Robert also
said that many of the entries were up to the standards required to obtain an
LRPS qualification. We also received help and advice from our judge, Ian
Bateman.
Our rules suggest the use of PicturesToExe or Proshow Gold software
because the executable files produced make access to individual photographs
impossible, thereby reducing copyright problems. Our first competition attracted
fifteen entries on a variety of subjects and was won by David Neil of The Eryri
Photo Group (North Wales Photographic Association), with his entry entitled
"Celtic Desires". All people who attended seem to enjoy the competition.
All entries to the 2008 competition together with the judges notes, were copied
to 50 DVD Rs and distributed to all clubs in the Welsh Photographic Federation.
The reason for this was twofold, firstly to provide an evenings entertainment for
all clubs and secondly to encourage entries to future competitions. Our aim is to
increase the numbers of entries and thereby improve the standard. We have
concentrated on promoting this competition initially within the Welsh
Photographic Federation, but it is an OPEN competition and entries are
welcome from both clubs and individuals anywhere.
The Bridgend 5 to 8 competition is therefore a slideshow competition on a
theme, set to suitable music. Entries are to be with us by the 28th February
2009 and the event to be held later with the date and venue yet to be decided.
Ian Bateman will once again be the Judge.
Entry Forms & Rules can be downloaded from www.avnews.org.uk
or see www.bridgendcameraclub.co.uk for more information. Eds
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