MANAWATU CAMERA CLUB 2007 PROGRAMME
Changes to the programme are notified in the monthly newsletter at club meetings and on this website.

Here is the list of subjects for 2008, so you all can get a head start thinking about your entries for
the competitions.

B-Graders and newcomers, you can shoot for any of the competition subjects at any time. Don’t
wait till the last moment before shooting for a given subject. Thinking ahead allows you to plan
your shots, and will give you time to get your image printed to your liking. You also need time to
choose the mount size and colour, and get it cut. A last-minute print in a make-do mount is not
conducive to winning a Merit or Honours award, and won’t help to improve your photographic skills
in presenting your work.

Of course, the A-graders already know all this (grin!). I have to confess I often haven’t followed
my own advice - but I think I will make a New Year resolution to mend my ways and submit some
prints to next year’s competitions.
While on the subject, A-graders will have to watch out for the promoted B-graders in the ranks
next year. This club has the reputation of B-grade members pushing A-graders hard, and next
year they will have some really good ex-B-graders in direct competition.

Now for the subjects.
These have been chosen from an international list of subjects, and most are deliberately broad, to encourage original approaches.

Collecting Dates
February 11 : Humour - Make me laugh. This is self-explanatory, any image showing a
humorous moment.

March 10th: Creative - Out of focus. This will take some thought!

April 14th: Close-up. Preferably of a more difficult subject than an inanimate object, and the closer the better, providing the subject is recognisable. Watch your depth of field, always a problem with close-up shots.
If close-up is your thing, there is a computer program that accepts a number of nearly identical images, where each image has been focused slightly further away than the previous one, and then it isolates the sharpest parts of each image and outputs a composite image, sharp from front to back. If this interests you, see this website:
http://www.broadhurst-family.co.uk/lefteye/MainPages/combinez.htm

May 12th: Motion - to convey the impression of movement. If your camera sports secondcurtain
flash, you have a tool to do some fab motion shots.

June 9th: Silhouette or Chiaroscuro. Silhouettes are images of backlit subjects, often with no detail in the subject. Chiaroscuro (pronounced ‘ke-ara-skooro’) is more or less the opposite of silhouette, It’s an Italian word meaning ‘Light against dark’. Google for examples.

July 14th: Reflections. Might seem easy. Care with composition is needed with images of
reflections.

August 11: Symmetry. Mirror images, repetitive shapes or lines. Symmetry images can be
very subtle. Try to avoid the obvious.

September 8th: Dereliction. Try to convey not only an image of something derelict, but a sense,
a feeling, of dereliction and abandonment as well.

October 13th: Abstract. A part of something, an image ‘abstracted’ from a larger subject, to
show line or form or texture. Or use your own definition if you like.

November 10th: Entries for Print of the Year. No A- or B-grade division here, all are in together;
and there is no ‘Open’ category for this competition. The subject will be announced early in the New Year, so you will have about nine months to turn out a masterpiece. Also, entries for the Best Image taken on a Club outing and for the Best Print exhibited in a competition during the year will be collected as well at this meeting.

Keep in mind that the underlying purpose of competitions is to exercise and strengthen your photographic skills and repertoire, and to gain confidence in your photography by exhibiting your work. Just as an athlete trains continually, so should a photographer, if he or she wants to improve their skills. Push your limits, attempt new ideas, hone your basic skills, exhibit your work, learn from others. The sky is the limit. Competitions - and not just Club competitions, but national, PSNZ and others, even international, are your exercise ground. The Club has three members who attained PSNZ honours this year, two LPSNZs and an APSNZ.
I’m sure that some of you could put a set of prints together and have a shot at getting letters after your names, along with national recognition of your photographic expertise. You will need to be a member of PSNZ if you shoot for an APSNZ, but LPSNZ is available for persons who are members of an affiliated club without being an individual PSNZ member. I encourage anyone, yes, you included, to have a go. You’ve got a bit over two whole months to get your set together. Entries for these honours are due by February 28th 2008. Have a go!
More information is available from the PSNZ website, http://www.photography.org.nz including fees, rules and conditions.
Lastly, I am available if you want to ask a question, or just to have a chat about the club activities, photographic topics, whatever is on your mind.
You are welcome to ring, (06) 358 3640, or email me at cjdonoghue@xtra.co.nz over the holidays, and later through the year.
Kind Regards to all,
Colin
(MCC President)