Woolf Photography

The results are now out for PSNZ’s National Exhibition, and there will be both pleased, and disappointed photographers around the country as a consequence. A big congratulations to those who did do well in our countries premier photographic exhibition.

When you get to be an experienced campaigner, you become both phlegmatic, and philosophical re selections and competitions ( Oh, and both selections and competitions should be different!) When you open up that results email, or envelope, you get that adrenalin rush, which either stays with you for a while in the case of a good set of results, or instantly deflates if the reverse happens!

Luckily, and since 1981 I don’t think I ‘ve had the bad luck, or poor management, to not have been represented in The PSNZ National Exhibition, unless I have been a selector.

This year, however would not have been one of my better years, as I only gained two works selected to go on exhibit. Putting things into perspective though, I did attempt to push the envelope a bit, and three of my four non selections in the open section, had a degree of interpretation within. I obviously did not communicate that interpretaition well enough to the selectors! Mind you I do not know what was selected overall! This may have been a great year, where a lot of very good imagery did not make the grade because the standard was exceedingly high. Mind you, entering a Hospital Operating Theatre, (which I am really proud of ) and consider to be an art piece, would be pushing it a bit for all three judges to understand!

Probabably at about this time many would be fuming at the standard of the selectors! It’s a yearly emotion, and being a selector in the current environment is almost a no win situation.

With the digital transition in full swing, the width and diversity of imagery entered is huge. PSNZ really hasn’t addressed selection and selector education for a lengthy period. There is a review that has been going on for nearly two years now, which I have been proud to have been contributing to. The recommendations of that review, and what is implemented as a result, will form a good base for some solid national guidelines. I am hopeful PSNZ will place into effect weekend selection/ judging education seminars. By having some of PSNZ’s best judging selection experts team up with a few luminaries from outside PSNZ would be great thing, in respect of educating our selectors and judges for the future. To do this properly, a whole weekend is necessary, and not just a session or two at a National Convention, which has tended to happen in the past.

Just back on this years National Exhibition, one of my successful entries was a non selection last year! When it did not get selected last year I was not too disappointed, as I knew it was a goody. In the intervening year it became the Champion Print at The Wellington Photographic Societies Annual Selection! By the work being selected this year at The National Exhibition of Photography I feel somewhat vindicated.

I am very proud of the images that weren’t selected this year, and will be forwarding them again in a variety of arena’s, including next years National Exhibition.

As a word or two of encouragement. If you believe your photo is good, and it has not been selected, give it another go down the track. You maybe pleasantly surprised that another set of circumstances confirm your confidence. If all else fails, competitions and selections are not the be all and end all! There are many other avenues for getting you fantastic imagery out to the world!

Crikey I nearly forgot. The National Exhibition is being held to coincide with The PSNZ National Convention, in Nelson April 7 - 11th
It will be a great showcase, and is always great value. This is not just a PSNZ member thing and any photographic enthusiast can register to attend. For details go to www.simplynelson.co.nz

Keep an eye on our Workshops and Seminars Blog as later in the year we will in all liklihood be running a Judging Selection Workshop.

For more info on our Workshops and Seminars ring Simon on 04 917 6861