— by Bob Morrison, IPF Distinction Secretary
Saturday 4th March – Dunamaise Arts Centre, Portlaoise
This session will be for Associate and Licentiate panels only. The session is fully booked and no more applications will be taken.
Applicants should bring their panels to Dunamaise Arts Centre for registration between 9.00am and 9.30am on 4th March. Assessing will begin at 10.00am, starting with Associate panels and then Licentiate panels.
If you are booked to put forward an Associate or Licentiate panel in May, attending the March session is an excellent way of getting a sense of what is required for successful panels.
Saturday 13th May – Mullingar Arts Centre
As for the past several years this will take place in conjunction with the IPF National Club Championships, which will be held next door to the Arts Centre in County Buildings’ excellent Atrium. Once again, the session is booked out for all applications, Fellowship, Associate and Licentiate applications. More details of the schedule closer to the date.
Saturday 30th September – Venue to be confirmed
The third sitting in 2017 will take place on Saturday 30th of September. We will confirm the venue closer to the date. This session will cater for all levels and we will open for applications at noon on January 10th 2017.
Saturday 25th November – LIT Thurles
The final sitting of 2017 is scheduled for Saturday 25th of November at LIT Thurles, Co.Tipperary. This session will cater for all levels and we will open for applications at noon on January 10th 2017.
Annual Fees
For those who have already successfully gained an IPF Distinction, did you know that payment is due on an annual basis in order to allow you to use your distinction letters i.e. LIPF, AIPF, FIPF? Without making this annual payment, which is due on the 1st of January each year, you do not have permission to use them. Your annual fee helps the Irish Photographic Federation to continue to expand and to provide a great service for photographers to learn, grow, compete and enjoy socialising with other photographers at events throughout the year. Due to an investment in technology, from 2017 onwards, automated reminder emails will be sent at the start of each year. Please note, regardless of when you pay your renewal fee, our year runs from Jan 1st to December 31st. Those who gained their distinction at the November 2016 sitting are exempt from the 2017 fee.
Courtesy
Information on future assessment dates will be published in the months IPF newsletter and posted on our website. While we are very happy to deal with your queries, please bear in mind that we are volunteers, and ask that you respect the time we give by first checking for the information you need on our website.
Waiting Lists
The team of assessors engaged for any session is planned well in advance based on the subjects to be presented in Fellowship, Associateship and in many cases Licentiateship applications. Given this, and the added administrative burden to maintain a waiting list, please be advised that there are no waiting lists, no standby lists etc.
Deferrals
Applicants must proceed with the assessment date they applied for and changes of date are no longer allowed. If an applicant does not fulfil the date applied for, the application is regarded as cancelled and the application fee will not be refunded.
All of this means that prospective applicants should give careful consideration to whether or not their panels are at least substantially ready before applying for assessment. If in doubt seek advice from others, particularly those who have been successful in getting distinctions. Better still, go to a distinctions advisory day when one is organised by your Region.
And Finally..
On behalf of everyone involved with Distinctions, congratulations to all our new 2016 Licentiates, Associates and Fellows. The Assessors have said it was a pleasure viewing the huge variety of images presented in the successful panels, amounting to 100 Fellowship prints, 75 Associate prints and 940 Licentiate prints – and that does not include the very many good and excellent images in the panels that were not successful in 2016, but will succeed in 2017.
We are very much looking forward to seeing just as many images in 2017.
— by Bob Morrison, IPF Distinction Secretary
