Halstead and District Photographic Society Press Report
In January 2009 Digital SLR User Magazine launched a national competition for camera clubs which Halstead decided to take part in. Gill Beckett our external competitions secretary coordinated our ten monthly entries of three pictures. Each picture was to be marked out of 15. Up to 5 points awarded for picture impact, up to 5 for technical quality and another possible 5 for composition. On Wednesday evening all her hard work came to fruition at Canons UK head quarters in Reigate when the final results were announced. Out of more than one hundred clubs from around the country who took part in the competition Halstead finished an incredible third behind Wigan 10 in second place who were World Club Photographic Champions in an international competition in 2007 and included several of those pictures again. The winners DAPA (Digital Artists & Photography Associates) which according to the dslruser web site was founded in 2002 for the more experienced proletarian photographer, is an internet group with hundreds of members.
This is the members of the club collecting the award at Canon's headquarters.
From left to right (as we view the image):
Ben Osborne (blue shirt), Guido Jacobs (Marketing Director Canon Consumer Imaging), Ruth Wiseman, Keith Rose, Jacqueline Wisby (Chairman HDPS) Brian Fleming, Gill Beckett, Christine Collis, Derek Collis, Terry Hope (Editor-in-Chief of Digital SLR User Magazine), Adam Scorey (Editor of Digital SLR User Magazine).
Each round of the competition had a different theme and was scored out of 45:
Round 1 - Monochrome (our score 44)
A Room with a View by Phil Wiseman
Frosty Morning by Gill Beckett
Reeds and Boats by Brian Fleming
Round 2 - Colour (our score 42)
Dawn, Isola di St Giorgio Maggiore by Keith Rose
Elephant Sunset by John Smith
Playing with Fire by Ruth Wiseman
Round 3 - Spring (our score 38)
Cottage with Wisteria by Gill Beckett
Easter Cross by Ruth Wiseman
The Bluebell Woods by Keith Rose
Round 4 - Landscapes (our score 39)
Llandudno by Brian Fleming
Photographer at Horseshoe Bend by John Smith
The Skyline of Burma by Jacqueline Wisby
Round 5 - Portraits (our score 42)
I'm Really Enjoying This by Jacqueline Wisby
Nieme is Missing his Mum by Derek Collis
Prima Ballerina by Brian Fleming
Round 6 - Animals (our score 36)
A Head Above the Rest by Derek Collis
Goldcrest by John Smith
I Really Don't like Rain by Brain Fleming
Round 7 - Macro (our score 37)
Broad Bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa) by Phil Wiseman
European Garden Spider by Phil Wiseman
Velvet rose by Ruth Wiseman
Round 8 - Photoshop (our score 35)
All Round Nice Guy by Phil Wiseman
London Scene 1 by Gill Beckett
Thinking Ahead by Gill Beckett
Round 9 - Abstract (our score 40)
London's Eyes by Gill Beckett
Out of this World by Brian Fleming
Yellow by Keith Rose
Round 10 - Architecture (score not known)
National Museum of Australia by Brian Fleming
Skyscraper by Gill Beckett
The Bean by Ray Hooper
On Thursday evening our last meeting before Christmas at our Christmas social and fun competition evening, President Derek Collis presented Gill with a bouquet of flowers to thank her for all the hard work in achieving such a creditable result.
Our next meeting at the Methodist Church and Schoolroom New Street Halstead on the 7th January 2010 is a digitally projected look at the 2008 EAF photographic exhibition.
Full details of this and our forth coming events can be found on our website at www.halsteadphoto.org.uk guests welcome.