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The 17th Great Northern Festival
Was held at Wilmslow Guild Adult Education Centre
2nd to 4th December 2011
The Jury for this event were:-
- Martin Fry Chairman of the Jury
- Henk Tulp
- Jill K. Bunting
The top Awards went to:-
| Gold Medal | Special | Howard Bagshaw/Jeff Mansell |
| Silver Medal | Thomas | Linda & Edgar Gibbs |
| Bronze Medal | Inspired By The Landscape | Suzanne Walker |
| George & Doreen Pollock Medal - Restricted Category Award | ||
| Lord Hunt | Ian & Hilary Templeton | |
Top of Page »» See Full Results & Pictures »»
RPS Distinctions - Multimedia and Narrative
On 18th October, Additional Guidelines were issued
The first assessment will take place in Bath on the 4th April 2012
You can apply from the 28th October 2011
Additional Guidance
1. Currently there is no minimum time requirement for a submission in Audio Visual and Moving Image,
only a maximum time limit. This is to ensure as much flexibility as possible for candidates working in the new media.
However, it is anticipated that many submissions will be close to the maximum limit.
In making a decision about an application, the Panel will be primarily concerned with the quality of the submission
rather than the length of it.
2. Candidates may wish to consider submitting two or more shorter pieces within the time limit
in order to show their versatility.
3. As this is a completely new panel working to new criteria, there will be a two tier process.
All applications recommended for a distinction will be reviewed by the Fellowship Board on the 23rd May
and candidates notified of their results by the 25th May.
Where a candidate is not successful, a feedback letter giving the reasons will be sent within 14 days of the assessment.
4. Candidates should be aware that the current criteria and arrangements will be reviewed
in the light of experience and changing technology. Adequate notice will be given of any changes.
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On 22nd September, the new distinctions panel met for the first time.
The guidance notes they produced are available to download
PDF(7.23mb)
At this stage (24th Sept), we know that the first distinctions panel will be held on 4th April 2012,
for LRPS and ARPS. The requirements for AV submissions are similar to previously. Some changes, however,
include the possibility of including video and ‘third party’ images and the need at ‘A’ and ‘F’
for a detailed written statement of intent.
The AV group will occasionally email its members to keep us up to date on important developments.
If you did not receive an email from the RPS on 1st September about the new distinctions, you might want to notify the
membership department of your current email address.
Email your name, membership number and email address to
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7th September 2011 Michael Hallett FRPS, Chair of the RPS Distinctions and Advisory Board,
introduces the new Multimedia and Narrative Distinction Panel
The new Multimedia and Narrative Panel will be operational from early 2012,
with provisional meetings scheduled for early April. Its Chair for the first two years is John Chamberlin FRPS.
The remaining members comprise:-
Ian Bateman FRPS, Keith Brown FRPS, Richard Brown FRPS, Peter Hayes ARPS, Jonathan Shaw FRPS and Graham Sergeant FRPS
Read the Full Article (PDF)
A Quick Guide to the new Multimedia and Narrative Distinction
Why have we got a new distinction?
Audio Visual, as well as video and other multimedia techniques, have recently changed quite rapidly.
The RPS has taken the initiative, to review these technologies, so that it can fairly assess contemporary work,
as well as what might come in the future. Bringing these areas together under Multimedia and Narrative
means that an applicant, now or in the future, won't be constrained by outdated rules.
Does that mean that the RPS AV group is dead?
Definitely not! While the possibilities for distinctions are wider,
Audio Visual is still a discrete form of presentation and the RPS AV group will continue to support AV workers,
through meetings, competitions and the regular AV News magazine.
From an AV perspective, what is different?
The new distinction has opened up the possibilities. It will still be perfectly possible to submit Traditional AV´s,
but equally we will be able to include animation, video and some 'third party' images if we want to
and if they are appropriate. What all 'A' and 'F' applicants will have to do, which is new,
is provide a structured statement of intent, which will include the outline/script/storyboard,
how the applicant developed their work and the intended audience for the work.
Who will be assessing the new distinction?
Because the breadth of the distinction is wider, the panel's expertise has to be wider,
but among the six panel members are three well known and experienced AV workers,
Richard Brown, Keith Brown and Ian Bateman.
I want more specific detail, where do I get that?
Firstly, read the Full Article
by Mike Hallett to help understand the rationale behind the distinction.
More specific guidance for the distinction will be produced by the panel members.
They meet for the first time on September 22nd 2011, so we hope that we will get guidance soon after that.
We will link to this as soon as it is available.
Can I get advice about my sequences?
In the past the Chairman of the AV Panel offered advice to individuals about their sequences.
We hope that a mechanism will be put in place for potential applicants to get specific advice about their work.
We are also exploring whether we can run an RPS distinctions advisory day, as happens with other aspects of photography.
So when can I apply for a distinction?
There is no fixed date yet, but the aspiration is to have the first assessment panel sometime early in April 2012.
This will probably be for 'L' and 'A' submissions only in the first instance. Do please consider applying.
How do I keep up to date with developments?
Keep an eye on the website, articles will also appear in AV News and if you are an RPS AV Group Member
make sure that the RPS has your current email address.
Top of Page »» Full Article (PDF) »» Panel Guidelines (PDF 7.23mb) »»
17th National Audio Visual Championships
Saturday 17th & Sunday 18th September 2011
Held at Sutton Bonington Campus, Nottingham University, Leicestershire
The Jury for this event were:-
- Ian Bateman Chairman of the Jury
- Maureen Albright
- Howard Bagshaw
The top Awards went to:-
| Gold Medal | The Man Who Saw the Future | Richard Brown |
| Silver Medal | Thomas | Linda & Edgar Gibbs |
| Bronze Medal | Inspired by the Landscape | Suzanne Walker |
| George & Doreen Pollock Medal - Best First Time Entrant | ||
| The Inquisitive Mind of a Child | David Moorland | |
The RPS AV Group awarded a Dobson Henry Medal at the National Championships.
This medal is given for services to AV and was presented by Keith Scott AV Group Chairman.
The recipient was Peter Brown
Citation for Peter Brown (PDF)
Qualifications for Receiving and Previous Recipients (PDF)
Top of Page »» See Full Results & Pictures »»
PicturesToExe Deluxe 7.0 Released
Adds Embeded Video Files, Advanced Sharpness Management and Improved User Interface
September 9th 2011
WnSoft has announced the release of PicturesToExe Deluxe 7.0
Along with the improved user interface the new major version offers advanced sharpness management options
and allows embedding video files in slideshows. Version 7.0 comes with a number of enhancements aimed to boost usability
and provide users with more tools for their creative ideas.
What’s New in PicturesToExe Deluxe 7.0
Besides images, PicturesToExe now allows adding video files to a slideshow.
Not only can you add a video - you can also spice it up with the whole range of effects offered by the program
(which includes zooming, rotating, 3D, and more).
Sharpness management options to bring the focus to the most important details.
With a couple of clicks you can adjust sharpness, emphasizing every detail.
If you are looking for the opposite, apply unsharp mask. The mask works even for animated slides.
Improved user interface to streamline slideshow making and editing.
While being powerful, PicturesToExe Deluxe is surprisingly easy to use, much due to its intuitive interface.
Striving to further improve the usability, the developers have added a few tweaks.
For users' convenience, information on the time of a slide and duration of transition effects
is now available in the slide list. The Main window of the program has also been updated to provide smoother experience.
The Extensive functionality of PicturesToExe Deluxe has already been appreciated all around the world.
This is especially true for the UK and France, where the software has become users' first choice
for creating audio and visual shows.
Key Features
- Video Clips in Slideshows
- Unsharp Mask for Sharp Picture
- Improved Quality of Picture on DVD
- Improved Graphical Interface of PicturesToExe
- New Navigation Bar in Slideshows
- Recording of Voice Comments
- Slide list displays times of slides and duration of transition effects
- File list now displays audio files. You can drag and drop to the Slide list
See the PTE website What’s new in version 7.0
for a full and detailed list of changes
Top of Page »» Pictures-to-Exe User Guide
3rd MFFC AV Salon
Magalies Foto Fun Club - South Africa
The International Jury for this event were:-
Judges from the UK
- Edward Spence FRPS AV-AFIAP
- Linda Gibbs DPAGB AV-AFIAP
- Edgar Gibbs FRPS DPAGB AV-AFIAP
Judges from Australia
- Barbara Butler AAPS
- Graham Hawkins SSAPS
- John Guthrie LRPS
Judge from South Africa
- Johann van der Walt APSSA
The PSSA Gold Medals went to:-
| A - Documentary and tourism | Special | Jeff Mansell & Howard Bagshaw |
| B - Theme and Fiction | The Colour Thief | Jill K. Bunting |
| C - Music, poetry and song | The Red Shoes | Carol & Dave Gillow |
| D - Humour | The Messiah | John Smith |
Top of Page »» Full Results (PDF) »» List of Entries (PDF) »»
Peter Coles BSc Dip Ed FRPS FIPF EFIAP FACI(M) (1935-2011)
It is with great sadness that we heard of the death of Peter Coles.
He had not been well for a while and had been in hospital for the last two and a half weeks.
On Wednesday 30th March he suffered a big heart attack and did not recover, passing away on 31st March.
The funeral was held at 2.0 pm on Friday 8th April 2011
at St. James the Great, Church Lane, Hebden Bridge, HX7 6DS, with burial afterwards.
Anyone wishing to make Donations in Peter's memory should send them to the preferred charity of
The British Heart Foundation
For those of you who were unable to make it, we attempted to record the Service despite the sound system
in the Church being rather low volume. There is also available a short AV made by Howard Bagshaw.
Top of Page »» Full Service (MP3 8MB) »» AV by Howard Bagshaw (zip file)»»
Adelaide AVFest 2011
The 10th Adelaide International Audio Visual (Diaporama) Festival was held on 25, 26 and 27 March 2011
The International Jury for this event were:-
- Richard Venus BTech, BA Chairman of the Jury
- Ron Willems AFIAP ARPS FPSNZ AAPS
- Keith Seidel AAPS
The top Awards went to:-
| FIAP Gold Medal | The Final Cut | Ian Bateman |
| FIAP Silver Medal | If You Leave Me Now | Piet Huijgens |
| FIAP Bronze Medal | Bulerias | Antonio Mangiarotti & Pier Franco Aiho |
Top of Page »» Full Results (PDF) »»
IAC Geoffrey Round AV Competition 2011
Was held on Saturday & Sunday 12th & 13th March 2011
at The Community Centre, Capel Curig, North Wales LL24 0EE
Organised by the North Wales & Wirral AV Group
This Year's Jury were :-
- Ron Davies
- Malcolm Imhoff
- Maggie Imhoff
The top Awards went to:-
| Gold Medal | Portrait of The Author | Colin Balls, Walter Jones & Iain Lang | UK |
| Silver Medal | Special | Jeff Mansell & Howard Bagshaw | UK |
| Bronze Medal | The Golden Plan | David Pickford | UK |
| George & Doreen Pollock Medal - Best First Time Entrant | |||
| Cwmorthin Requiem | Peter Wylde | UK | |
A Selection of the award winning entries will be shown at BIAFF 2011
(British International Amateur Film Festival) on Friday 8th April 2011
at the Cairn Hotel Harrogate HG1 2JD
Top of Page »» See Full results & Pictures »»
New AV Groups
Two new AV Groups are being formed
FADE is the new AV Group of Fentham PS in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands
See websitefor more details.
Also Abergele Camera Club
in North Wales is forming an AV Group.
They will meet on the 3rd Monday of each month.
New members will be very welcome to join either club
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Competition Results 2011
Competition Results from 2011. Results are listed below.
Detailed reports are in the Magazine
- Midland Counties Photographic Federation - MidPhot
29th January 2011 - Results - Lancashire and Cheshire Photographic Union - L&CPU
19th February 2011 - Results
