Annual Themed Competition 2008-09 - Sustainable Transport

In the ‘feedback’ from members we have had a number of requests and suggestions around the concept of ‘themed’ meetings and competitions. Some of the Sainsbury Gallery Exhibitions will be themed in one way or another in 2009, starting with ‘Winter’ in January.

The Competition:

Then on Tuesday 19th May 2009 there will be an Annual Competition based on the theme of ‘Sustainable Transport’. It will be a normal Annual Competition for both Projected Images and Prints, subject to the usual limit of two submissions per member. Pictures should not have been entered in a previous Maidenhead Camera Club Annual Competition.

The theme could include, for example, images showing walkers, cyclists, mules, camels, canal barges and public transport where this is ‘sustainable’. It can refer to both recreational and functional transport – walking holidays, cycle to school, or train to work all both fit in. The criterion is that the pictures should be of ways of travel that minimise the use of non-replaceable resources, and that we could reasonable expect to be still around in twenty years’ time. Here are a few random images:

References:

If anyone wants to pursue the theme in depth, there are many sources on line. In April 2007, Sustrans published their guideline paper FF44 entitled Low Carbon Travel: reducing the climate change impact of road travel available from http://www.sustrans.org.uk/webfiles/Info%20sheets/ff44.pdf which is a readable account of what this established engineering charity thinks about the subject. Then in November 2008, The Department for Transport published Delivering a Sustainable Transport System ISBN 978 1 906581 66 4 but probably better to download from http://www.dft.gov.uk/about/strategy/transportstrategy/dasts/dastsreport.pdf. This provides a (much longer) central government view of what matters and what should – at least in principle – be done about it.

Judging:

The committee has for some time wanted to experiment with alternative forms of judging in competitions, and this Annual Themed Competition will be judged in a new way, including audience participation.

The same procedure will apply for both prints and projected images as separate competitions. In each case two members will act as 'selectors' and a third as 'commentator'.

The images will be viewed , and assessed (fairly briefly) for 'compliance & competence' by the commentator. The selectors will then decide whether to short-list or discard the image. If they disagree, the commentator will decide. This should result in a short list of about seven or eight images, which will be brought back more slowly, for constructive comment from the floor and by the assessors. Finally, members will have the opportunity to vote, secretly & silently, on score sheets which will be added up to give first, second, third and 'commended.'

Prize: An Annual Trophy in each class

-- JohnAshford – 29th April 2009