PAN & TILT
June 2011
Finals Night
This is the night when all the best of the year’s work from members is put together to select the best of the best. And what better person could we have to Judge this final selection than Jack Bates FRPS, MPAGB. The evening began with the Monochrome Prints and Jack, knowing this was the Society’s best work, cast his critical eye over each image. He made many favourable comments, noting the difficulty of some of the shots due to lighting or subject setting. He made constructive comments on how, in his view, some images might have been improved. Some prints he had to comment on the lack of sharpness or insufficient use of depth of field. In one or two instances, he made comments on very minor defects in the printing. From the fifteen prints submitted, five prints were held back and from these five Jack selected the winner and awarded two Hon Men Certificates. Next the Colour Prints received the same treatment and from the sixteen entries, six prints were held back allowing Jack to select the winner and award three Hon Men Certificates. After the tea break, the DPI images were projected and again Jack held back six pictures from which he selected the winner plus three Hon Men Certificates.
Jack was then invited to present the Trophies as follows:
Monochrome Prints – Kimber Cup
| Place | Title | Photographer |
| Winner | Lincoln Cathedral | Tony Deller |
| HM | Seen Better Days | Mike Spurway |
| HM | The Dancer | John Hill |
Colour Prints – Harlequin Trophy
| Place | Title | Photographer |
| Winner | Rainy Day on Lake Lucerne | Mike Spurway |
| HM | Lotus 78 | Mike Spurway |
| HM | McLaren MP4-23 | Mike Spurway |
| HM | Silhouette | John Hill |
Digital Projected Images – Frank Taylor Trophy
| Place | Title | Photographer |
| Winner | Honey Bee | Hilary Walker |
| HM | Many Mouths to Feed | Hilary Walker |
| HM | Sinking Mud | Bob Zwolinsky |
| HM | Setting Sun on Field Track | Tony Deller |
Graham Beale Trophy for Print Points to Mike Spurway with 52 points.
Londinium Trophy for DPI Points to Martin Ridout with 17 points.
10th May
PAGB Recorded Lecture
This recorded Lecture was given in two parts as a DPI Presentation and showed the entries for the 2009 Great British Cup. Some 89 clubs competed and were divided between ‘large’ and ‘small’ clubs. During the first half we saw the work of the large clubs and as would be expected, subject material ranged over a wide choice. There were all the usual wild life and landscape type pictures which might be described as ‘straight’ images. That is, very little changes from the original as taken photograph. However, there was also a good selection of images that had clearly been subjected to extensive manipulation. All the work was to a high standard. The first half ended with our being shown the judges’ top choices and individual winners. The second half showed the work of the smaller clubs though the standard was just as high. If anything, the smaller clubs had presented a larger selection of monochrome images. All who were present enjoyed the evening and agreed what they had seen would give them something to think about for their next photographic subjects.
17th May
The Gambia, a talk by Hilary Walker
Hilary Walker is a relatively new member to the Society but had already impressed members with the quality of her wild life photographs. So the audience was looking forward to a good evening. Hilary’s presentation was done by means of Audio Visual with her commentary over the images interspersed with some pleasant music. Hilary began by saying how she and her husband had been going to Gambia for around eleven years and the pictures we were to see were taken during this time. We were then given a brief history of the country and by means of maps shown where in Africa it is located and, for Africa, how small a country it was. Arriving by air has changed and we were shown pictures of the old airport buildings and those now in use. Some pictures of the town taken from the taxi en-route to the Hotel gave an idea of the local colour. Then we were into the main subject of the evening, the wild life of Gambia. For the next thirty or so minutes we were treated to some excellent pictures of birds, spiders, insects, bees, frogs, lizards, monkeys, giant rats, hyenas many close up. The first half ended with some beach shots, local forest country and the work of a local artist.
After tea, Hilary said the second half was based largely on pictures she had taken earlier this year. Whilst this sequence had a fair sprinkling of wild life it also showed a lot more of local life. One sequence showed how the fishermen worked their nets from the beach; another took us into a local school. Hilary was able to capture some of the local soldiers and dignitaries when the President of Gambia visited the Hotel at which she was staying. In contrast we were shown how the Gambians disposed of their rubbish along with the pigs living on the tip. Along the way to a beach we passed the docks. At the beach we were shown tourists being given rides on camels. Hilary commented on how the bird life around the Hotel grounds had lessened since the arrival of some cats. The show ended with some local dancing and tribal music. This reporter felt the second half showed more of Gambia than the first. An excellent evening enjoyed by all who attended.
Saturday 21st May
Outing to Ightham Mote
Six members of the Society met in the Restaurant at Ightham Mote on a glorious sunny morning. After tea members did the tour of the house. The changed policy of the National Trust now allowed photography inside this very interesting building so long as ‘flash’ was not used. There are many things to photograph in a building that has features ranging from medieval to relatively modern themes. After lunch time was spent touring the gardens and adjacent woodland then partaking of tea to end what had been a very rewarding day.
Thanks to Brenda Campkin for notes and Martin Ridout for the pictures.
24th May
Record Competition for the ‘Stoke Mandeville Trophy’
Mick White LRPS came to judge the 51 entries for this competition. On the initial run through of the images it was clear that some entrants had not fully understood the rules for this competition. Several images would be better described as landscapes or of a more artistic nature. Our Judge passed comment on how at some clubs he visited there was always a debate on the difference between a ‘Still Life’ and a ‘Record’ picture. None the less, there were some excellent record images for our judge to ponder over. Some used more than one image within a single frame of the same object. At the end of the first run through, seventeen images were held back. From these, five were given Honourable Mention plus of course the Winner. Mick had whittled his selection down to two images and spent much time over deciding which should be the winner. Both images were awarded ten points but Tony Deller’s ‘Middlesborough Station Original Ironwork’ had to be content with a Hon. Men. The results were:
| Place | Title | Photographer |
| Winner | Family of Man, Barbara Hepworth sculpture at Snape Maltings | Alec Mahood |
| HM | Middlesborough Station Original Ironwork | Tony Deller |
| HM | No3A Autographic Kodak Camera | Andrew Herbert |
| HM | Interior of the Smokebox of Steam Locomotive No 34059 | Tony Deller |
| HM | Bulova Accutron Wristwatch in Boudoir Case 3 in High | Martin Ridout |
| HM | Close-up of Frieze of the ‘Meeting Place’ Statue, St Pancras | Martin Ridout |
31st May
Annual General Meeting
The meeting opened on time with Bob in the Chair. Apologies for absence were received followed by the reading of the last AGM minutes which were taken without comment. Although the Society had run the year without a Chairman, Bob had often found himself acting in that position and so presented a report. Despite not having an appointed Chairman, the Society had had a good year, particularly in DPI competitions. Bob thanked his fellow Committee members for their work and support through the year but particularly mentioned Alec for his help with the programme, Tony for the Website, Jennifer for social and outings, Joyce for doing the Committee Minutes and sending out reminders and thanks to speakers and judges and Eddie and Sandra for ensuring we had tea and biscuits. Bob found it disappointing that some of our competitions had to be judged by the members because of the difficulties of getting external judges. He would like to see more focus on what members want from the Society which means the members must tell the Committee what they would like to see changed. Members must take a more active part in running the Society. Bob closed by saying he will not do two jobs in the coming year but indicated he is willing to continue as Programme Sec or as Chairman but not both.
The meeting then received the Treasurer’s Report in which it was shown on the year there was a short fall of £232. The Treasurer then proposed that the £50 sub be increased to £60 and the ‘partners’ sub from £65 to £85 and where both partners to the joint subscription partake actively in Society Competitions, to £90. This increase was thought to be necessary to rebuild the Society’s surplus to provide for a new projector which will be required in the next few years. One member, who said he had considerable experience in running clubs through the allotment society of which he was chairman, suggested that rather than targeting members’ subscriptions, the Society should examine alternative ways of either reducing expenditure or alternative forms of income. There then followed a lengthy discussion on topics such as re-introducing a charge for tea, making and charge per meeting attended, running a raffles, not inscribing trophies with winners’ names and so on. Since no one was willing to do the alternatives, the subscription increases were agreed.
The Print Sec., in his Report, expressed concern over the falling numbers of prints being entered for competitions as a result we had not done very well in the inter club print competitions. Andrew then suggested the Members’ Competition should be dropped and replaced with something that was more directly challenging. A number of suggestions were made but the consensus was that members were reluctant to produce specialist prints which could not be used in general competitions. It was finally agreed to add an additional Heat in the Prints Competition and reduce the number going to the finals from five to four. It was also agreed to discontinue the Members’ Competition.
The DPI Sec’s. Report recounted how well the Society had done in inter club competitions and how well supported the competitions were. The Sec. thanked members for their support and help in achieving these good results with the Society, for the first time in many years, being Finalists in the FSLPS Competitions. The FSLPS Trophy for runners up was shown and Joyce received her Trophy for best Slide in the FSLPS Competitions.
The Election of Officers and Committee resulted in:
| Chairman | Bob Zwolinsky |
| Treasurer | Tony Warran |
| Secretary | Norman Bernard |
| Print Secretary | Andrew Herbert |
| DPI Secretary | Joint-Hilary Walker and Martin Ridout |
| Members’ Representative | Joyce Bernard |
| Programme Secretary | Vacant |
Non Executive Members
| Webmaster | Tony Deller |
| Socials and Outings | Jennifer Deller |
| Teas | Norman Bernard |
Resolutions:
That the Meeting Programme should finish at the end of May. Carried
Rule governing size of DPI entries to change from 768x768 pixels to 1024x768 pixels, this to comply with changing inter club competition rules. Carried.
Accounts to be audited by one Auditor instead of two. Carried
Visitors to meetings to pay £3 entry fee per visit. Refused.
A member commented on the recent Record Competition in which he felt many entries could not be regarded as Record Pictures within the Society’s Rules. After discussion, it was felt the Rules made the requirements clear and that Competition Secretaries should reject any image which does not comply. When in doubt they can seek an alternative opinion. Members entering these specialist competitions should read the rules carefully.
Set Subject Competition. Some ten subject titles were suggested by the members and by a process of voting the final choice was ‘Walkways and Pavement’.
Finally, Alec Mahood said he wished to stand down as Society President and proposed Tony Deller as his successor. The meeting agreed and voted Tony Deller as the new Society President.
The meeting closed at 22:10 hrs.