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Oscailt
IPF Newsletter - June - 2018
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Welcome to the June 2018 newsletter of the Irish Photographic Federation. It’s amazing how quickly the year seems to be passing by. One of the great consolations about this time of year is the long evenings and we have been lucky with the generous weather that we have had for the past couple of weeks.
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As predicted in last month’s newsletter May was a very busy but exciting few weeks for the IPF. On May 19th we had the second Distinction Sitting of the year in Mullingar and it was another great event and once again my thanks to the Distinction Chairman and Secretary Des Clinton & Bob Morrison for their work behind the scenes. Also, I would like to acknowledge the support of the Mullingar Camera Club and the support from members of the Kilkenny camera club who assisted in no small way all weekend. That event was followed by the IPF Annual Dinner. This year was very special being the 40th Anniversary. We had a great evening with most of the ex-presidents and some of the founding members in attendance to celebrate this historic date. There was also the presentation to the IPF Vice President Sheamus O’ Donohue of the Seamus Scullane Medal for his many years service to the Federation and also his contribution to supporting photography in the SACC region over the years. It was a great honor for him to receive proposed & seconded by fellow IPF members Bill Power & Denis Whelahan.
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Following the AGM on Sunday, May 20th the National Club Finals were a great success and my congratulations to Catchlight Camera Club who were overall winners for a second year running. The event was coordinated by Sheamus O’ Donoghue with assistance from Gerry Kerr, Ita Martin, Frank Condra, and Deirdre Watson who must be congratulated on all their work. Recording and photographing the events of the weekend was IPF Public Relations Officer Liam Beattie who did tremendous work throughout.
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The Federation was established to promote amateur photography and work on behalf of all the clubs affiliated to it, after 40 years it was great to see the voluntary commitment of the elected council members still carrying out this practice all these years later.
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Irish Photographic Federation.
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Upcoming Events in the IPF Calendar
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What's Inside this Month?
- A Very Successful Club Championships 2017/2018
- Catchlight Camera Club - Overall Winners
- Distinctions - May 2018
- IPF Distinctions Service Update
- Sheamus O'Donoghue Awarded The Seamus Scallane Award
- Spotlight on Brian McNamee
- Focus on Solas Photographic Club
- Congratulations to Palmerstown Camera Club
- IPF Audio Visual on Tour
- FIAP Distinctions Holders
- Silk Road Youth International Photography Competition
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A Very Successful Club Championship 2017/2018
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The National Club Championships 2018
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The IPF club competitions came to an end for 2017 / 2018 on the weekend of May 19th and 20th in the Atrium of the County Buildings in Mullingar with the National Club Championships. The consensus of opinion among the participants and the audience was that the weekend was a resounding success.
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I think it is a great pity that a photographic competitions or other photographic events such as this one get hardly any media attention. When one picks up the paper any day or listens to the radio or looks at television and notes the massive attention that is given to all kinds of sports both amateur and professional whether it's hurling or Gaelic football or soccer and at this time of year, tennis, or anything else I think it is lamentable that no correspondent even those whose speciality is the arts ever visits or reports on photographic events.
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Twenty-four of the possible seventy-five clubs affiliated to the Federation competed in the National Club Championships this time, but while more entrants would have been very welcome the quality of the images on display, the Monochrome on Saturday and the Colour on Sunday was, by any standards, extraordinarily high. Going around the panels I could only marvel at the huge effort that was put into creating, photographing, post-processing and superbly printing the four hundred and seventy images on display. (One club did not have a Monochrome panel)
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The judges for the event were Tom Dodd, FRPS, FIPF, DPAGB, Russell Lindsey, FPBE, EFIAP, MPAGB from England and Bjarne Hyldgaard Pedersen, EFIAP/p MSDF/b NMiFM from Denmark. Speaking to them privately and in their public remarks, they stated that in their opinion there was not a bad photo in any of the panels and that the standard of photography was as good as anything they had seen anywhere.
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In every competition, there are Winners with a capital W and non-winners but in an event such as the National Club Finals, everyone is a winner because to be there representing your club is a success in its own right. The winning clubs in the Monochrome were 1st Place Catchlight Camera Club, Belfast, in 2nd Place, Dundalk Photographic Society and in 3rd Place, Drogheda Photographic Club. In the Individual placings, Joe Vize and Laurie Campbell of Catchlight Camera Club got Honourable Mentions as did Dave Martin of Dundalk P. S. The Gold Medal was won by Keith Elgin, the Silver, and Bronze by Ross McKelvey all of Catchlight Camera Club.
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The winning clubs in the Colour were 1st Place, Catchlight Camera Club, 2nd Place, Dundalk P.S. and in joint 3rd Place Drogheda Photographic Club and Blarney Photography Club. In the colour Individual Awards, Ross McKelvey received two Honourable Mentions. Joe Carberry also got an Honourable Mention, all from Catchlight Camera Club. The Gold Medal went to Mark English, Dundalk Photographic Society, the Silver was won by Gregory McStraw of Catchlight Camera Club and the Bronze was taken by Hugh Wilkinson also a Catchlight Camera Club member.
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The Sean Casey Memorial Trophy was won for the second year in a row by Catchlight Camera Club, Belfast with Dundalk Photographic Society in second place and Drogheda Photographic Club placed third.
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Heartiest congratulations to the clear winners Catchight Camera Club and to Dundalk and Drogheda and to all the other participating clubs also.
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The National Club Finals happen every year, but this was no ordinary year because the Irish Photographic Federation had reached a very important milestone having been founded forty years ago in 1978 and to celebrate the fortieth anniversary all the founding members and all the former Presidents were invited guests at the annual Saturday night dinner hosted by our current President, Dominic Reddin. The former Presidents who attended on the night were Des Clinton, Cliff Hutchinson, Podge Kelly, Paul Stanley, Eamonn McCarthy, Mark Sedgwick, and John Cuddihy. James Finn, Ciaran O'Keefe, and Michael O'Sullivan were unable to attend. Dominic Reddin having introduced each of them spoke about the progress of the Federation from it's beginning to the present and then all of the former Presidents entertained all present with their recollections and anecdotes of their time in the hot seat. Des Clinton spoke especially about Sean Casey RIP who as President and in many other ways over the years played a major role in building up of the IPF from small beginnings to what it is today. Michael O'Sullivan (Mayo) a former long-standing hard-working member of Council and well known for many years as the Distinctions secretary was also a guest on the night as was Sean Cannon originally of Monaghan now living in Achill. Sean along with Sean Casey, Des Clinton, and others were involved from the very beginning in the formation of the IPF and Sean regaled us with his stories from that time.
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To mark the occasion all Presidents, Michael O'Sullivan and Sean Cannon were presented with IPF commemorative medals.
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Finally,as the co-ordinator of the Championships this year I would like to thank Dominic Reddin for putting his trust in me to run the event. Organising something like this could never be done without the cooperation of others and in that regard I thank Liam Beattie, Brian Deering, Gerry Kerr, Denis Whelehan, Ita Martin & Des Clinton for meeting the judges Russell Lindsay his wife Barbie, the speaker on Sunday morning, and Tom Dodd at Dublin Airport & delivering them to Mullingar, Bill Power who Liaised with Bjarne Pedersen. Thanks also to Helen McQuillan the competition referee Lilian Webb & Frank Condra, and to all for making the weekend a pleasant one.
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A very special thank you to Bob Morrison and his team in Mullingar for the work they put in setting up and taking down the boards on Saturday morning and Sunday evening and particularly to Bob himself for all he did locally in Mullingar making the accommodation arrangements with the Mullingar Park Hotel and for the very special fortieth anniversary dinner.
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Sean Cannon (One of the founder members of the IPF)
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Let us Not Forget Sean Casey RIP (Also a founder member)
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Overall Winner - Catchlight
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Overall Winners Trophy and The Sean Casey Memorial Trophy were won for the second year in a row by Catchlight Camera Club, Congratulations.
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Distinctions - May 2018
Thanks as usual to our Distinctions Secretary Bob Morrison for his work both on the day and dealing with all the applications, to our adjudicators chaired by Des Clinton and to the entire team who work behind the scenes before, during and after each session.
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The full list of successful distinctions will be published in our July edition.
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IPF Distinction Service Update
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BOOKING FOR SEPTEMBER AND NOVEMBER 2018
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March 2019 will open for applications on May 26th, 2018.(Noon)
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There will be a limited number of Fellowship places.
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Sheamus O Donahue Awarded
The Seamus Scullane Medal
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A surprised IPF Vice President Sheamus O’ Donohue was presented with the Seamus Scullane Medal for his many years service to the Federation and also his contribution to supporting photography in the SACC region over the years. It was a great honor for him to receive proposed & seconded by fellow IPF members Bill Power & Denis Whelahan.
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Congratulations to Palmerstown Camera Club
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Congratulations to Palmerstown Camera Club in achieving first place in Group C in the PSA Projected Image Interclub Competition 2017 - 2018.
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PSA Liaison Officer for Ireland.
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Spotlight on
Brian McNamee
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Brian McNamee, a founder member of Clones Photography Group who is interested in many genres and having a lot of success at the moment with portraiture.
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Q: When did you take up photography?
A: I have always been interested in photography from an early age, but film and processing were expensive back then so that curtailed that significantly. But I started getting serious in 2011.
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Q: Which club are you a member of?
A: I am one of the founder members of Clones Photography Group based in Clones, Co. Monaghan.
Q: Do you have any IPF/FIAP/RPS etc. distinctions?
A: Yes, I am proud to say I obtained my LIPF in September 2017. I also have just completed my AFIAP & EFAIP criteria but due to the FIAP rule on applications, I will have to wait until February 2019 (I started entering salons in July 17) and February 2020 to submit. So, while I’m waiting on that I am applying to the PSA for distinction.
Q: First camera? First DSLR?
A: It was a Panasonic Lumix, my wife bought me, so I now blame her for all the expense.
Q: What was the background to your most successful image?
A: My most successful image to date is one I’m very proud of as it’s of my daughter, Brianna. I have a lot of portraits of her and most have done well, but “One Last Shot” has won me 6 Medals including 3 Golds in less than a year. It is a simple portrait of her as we were ending a summer’s day water fight in the back garden. The title says it all, the most interesting fact is that it was taken on a Bronica GS-1 Medium-format Film camera with out of date Fuji film. Who says you need all the bells and whistles?!
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Q: Your own favourite image?
A: My favourite image is not what you might expect. It’s a family selfie taken with my iPhone. It features my 3 kids, Brianna, Corin and Cormac, along with my wife, Bernie. The reason this is so special to me is because Cormac (Bottom Left) is Autistic and non-verbal
To get Cormac to look at the camera is a very difficult procedure and one that needs to be taken with speed! Using a big camera simple doesn’t work. This photograph is not technically perfect, but it’s perfect to me.
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Q: What genre of photography best describes your photography or are you a general interest photographer?
A: I dabble in all genres of photography, landscape, seascapes and street to name a few, but at present I’m working hard on my portraiture work.
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Q: Canon or Nikon or Fuji or Sony?
A: Canon 6D is my go to digital camera, although I have over 200 film cameras in my collection and regularly use medium format for portraiture.
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Q: Would you recommend joining a camera club? Why? What have you got out of it?
A: Definitely, in a progressive camera club you will get knowledge, opportunity, and success if you want it. Also, I have made a lot of friends on my photographic journey and look forward to making many more.
Q: What does photography mean to you?
A: Being able to capture an emotion or scene/event that will be a physical record of the present day for the generations to come. I also promote printing as much as possible! This quote sums it up for me:
'People are taking more pictures now than ever before, billions of them, but there are no slides, no prints. Just data. Electronic dust. Years from now when they dig us up there won't be any pictures to find, no record of who we were or how we lived'.
Q: What is your photographic dream?
A: I don’t have a dream really. I just want to progress and most of all enjoy what I produce.
Q: Do you have a website/Flickr/Facebook photo page?
A: https://www.flickr.com/photos/celtboy1888/
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Focus On Solas Camera Club
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Q: When was Solas Photography Club founded?
A: The Club was founded in June 2017.
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Q: How many members do you have?
A: We currently have 24 members.
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Q: When and where do you meet?
A: We meet twice a month on the first and third Wednesday of each month in “Ard na Mara”, Oranmore, Co. Galway.
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Q: Any notable events? (exhibitions/workshops etc.)
A: As our club is less than a year old we are still finding our feet, but so far we have held 2 successful and very enjoyable Studio lighting Portrait workshops and visits from 3 great guest speakers with more to come.
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Q: When was the club started and by whom?
A: The first meeting was held on the 21 st June 2017 amongst the attendance were Des Glynn, Mick Bourke, Sigita Playdon, Andreas Riemenschneider, Anne Francis-Nee, Aoife O’Brien and Damien Burke. A committee was set up and some of the first members included were Martin Kalvaster, Lukasz Kazmierski, Michael Gough and Markus Voetter
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Q: What was the best outing/talk/club night in last 12 months?
A: We have had excellent guest speakers. It would be hard to just to pick one out, but our most recent guest was Anthony Demion who gave us a wonderful talk about his Astrophotography.
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Q: If another camera club came to your town where are the best-kept secrets that they should photograph?
A: We are extremely lucky here as we are on the Gateway to Connemara with an abundance of photographic opportunities
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Q: What is the aspect of your group that makes it so special?
A: Our members are what makes our Club special, with enthusiastic beginners and advanced members willing to share their knowledge. There is a great social aspect to the club, making it both fun and educational for everyone.
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Q: If you could ask the IPF to improve on one thing, what would that be?
A: Maybe it would be to more workshops, lectures, and exhibitions around the country and keep up the doing good work of promoting Photography in Ireland.
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Audio Visual On Tour
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Alan Lyons, Brendan O’Sullivan and Lilian Webb travelled to the Riverside Park Hotel, Enniscorthy on Saturday, 14th April to present “A Workshop On Getting Started With Audio Visual”. All three have their “A”IPF in Audio Visual!
Lilian provided administrative assistance while Brendan and Alan worked together as a team for the day. They showed a couple of their Audio Visuals, but most of the day was on how to get started in AV. They gave an introduction to Pictures to Exe (P2E) in the morning and how to get your images into P2E. After lunch, there was an introduction to working with sound and using Audacity. Finally, Brendan and Alan demonstrated how to get sound into P2E.
As well as Brendan and Alan working with the participants on a one to one basis, it was great to see all helping each other. Many thanks to Brendan & Alan who put a lot of preparation into the workshop.
As this year, the IPF AV National Championships, which will be held on 20th & 21st October, will include a Photo Harmony competition, the IPF AV Group Committee of which Alan, Brendan & Lilian are part of, are looking forward to seeing some entries from those who participated. There is also a Best First Time Entrant award in the IPF AV National Championships, so we expect healthy rivalry from new entrants!
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FIAP NEWS
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FIAP Distinctions Holders.
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The International Federation of Photographic Art is the representative body of Photographic Art. It is active worldwide. Its purpose is the promotion of photographic art in all its aspects and through all kinds of photographic events. It is the only such body recognised by UNESCO.
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One way that this the promotion of photographic art is achieved is by the awarding of distinctions to photographers. These are highly appreciated and sought after by photographers.
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FIAP awards its distinctions to photographers whose work shows faultless and excellent technique and displays a high artistic level.
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This exhibition shows images from each photographer who has been awarded a distinction this year. These range for Artist (AFIAP), through Excellence (EFIAP) and the different levels of EFIAP – from Bronze through to Diamond/1.
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This is the first exhibition of its type to be held in Ireland. It has been arranged by the Irish Photographic Federation. The Dublin Camera Club (which is a FIAP Exhibition Centre) is honored to host it in the Eddie Chandler Gallery.
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The Irish Photographic Federation - in association with the Eddie Chandler Gallery, a FIAP Exhibition Center - will host an exhibition of images by successful FIAP Distinction Holders.
It will open at 3pm on Saturday 09 June in the Eddie Chandler Gallery (a FIAP Exhibition Centre).
The exhibition will run until Saturday 30 June.
It will be open each Saturday from 11am to 5pm.
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Silk Road Youth International Photography Competition (Accredited by FIAP)
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In August 2017, Silk Road Photographic Organization International Alliance was officially founded after a signing ceremony joined by Belt and Road countries (hereinafter referred to as B&R countries) in China. In order to conform to the alliance’s tenet of “inherit the Silk Road spirit, focus on the Belt and Road development, enhance innovation, cooperation and development, adhere to reciprocity and win-win strategy”, and with the aim of practicing the photography exchanges among B&R countries, promoting cross-boundary integration and innovation development of diverse cultures, and strengthening youth photography education and communication in the world, Silk Road Photographic Organization International Alliance specially initiated the Silk Road Youth International Photography Competition in cooperation with Beijing China Millennium Monument World Art Center, Beijing International Art and Photography Foundation, Shandong International Cultural Exchange Center. This competition has been formally accredited by the international federation of photography(FIAP).
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IPF Awards
Did you know that the IPF have an honorary award system available?
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IPF Awards should not be confused with IPF Distinctions. Awards are made to individuals who have served above and beyond at club or higher level over a significant period. To preserve the integrity and high standing of these honorary awards, the number granted each year will be strictly limited. The final decision on granting each Award will be made by the IPF Awards Committee, which shall be comprised of six members of the IPF Council including a secretary elected by the Awards Committee and chaired by the IPF President.
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Got News?
Have news for us?! Great! Send it in!
Suggestions for future editions also most welcome!
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Get in touch via Contact Page on our website and select "Newsletter" to send your message!
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