I only agree to 3 presentations per year and the last one for this year is on the 1st September in Maidstone, Kent. There is a workshop the day before but it is fully booked…. sorry.

So, to anyone who would like to attend one of my talks and lives in the South East of the U.K. this could be your opportunity (if you don’t have anything better to do !).

More information an how to purchase tickets is below and I hope to see you there.

More info  on the Royal Photographic Society website,    EVENTS, SOUTH EAST DIG GROUP

rps.org/events/2019/september/01/dig-south-east–bad-start-great-finish

NOTES FROM THE CONCERT

(yes I know its been a while since my last blog – I’ve been away !)

It seems that almost every time I go to a concert/play/film the person who has booked the seat in front of me is the tallest man mountain in the place. Not only that, he will be a head scratcher or buttock shifter who can’t sit still. So last night when we went to watch a tribute band John (my Husband) ordered tickets at the front of the balcony to avoid the “massive head” issue….. thank you, your a star !

With an uninterrupted view of the stage I enjoyed the first half of the first half and then….. it began.

A row behind me and about 5 people away was a couple who managed to conduct a constant conversation at the top their voices for the whole of the second part of the first set. How on earth they managed to drown out the band I don’t know and I use to be an audiologist so you would think I would know these things! They shouted inane drivel to each other which, more often than not, ended in hysterical laughter.

The people around them looked at each other in dismay, but as this guy – who wore a t-shirt with the name of an aggressive punk band and an expression of “mess with me at you peril mate” continued to scream his chat up lines to his heavily made up girlfriend. She in turn had an equally good set of lungs and vocal chords and thus the conversation continued for about 25 mins.

Thank goodness the band announced a 20 min break …. John and I made our way to the bar and decided to sit downstairs far away from the human megaphones.

We could see that the last couple of rows at the back of the hall were unoccupied so we settled down to enjoy the band. However, the band’s manager and the 2 roadies decided to stand next to our aisle and have a loud conversation about venues and dates …. So we moved to the other side of the hall away from them.

Ah….. we finally found the quiet area and settled back for the first song, oh joy ! This joy however didn’t last because there, striding towards us, was the punk t shirted gob on a stick and his equally annoying date. And where did they deiced to sit…… yep, right in front of us !

Now, unbelievably with lots of crap still to talk about they were now loved up and decided that their mouths could also be deployed as snogging devises ……. With heavy sighs and loud tuts (not that they could be heard over the slurping lip smacking noises) we moved to the other side of the hall.

Please…. can we just listen and watch the band in peace?? No was the resounding answer. Two rows in front were a couple of couples who also had decided to not watch the band but instead sit and chat about goodness knows what. Unbelievable !!

After 2 more songs that they shouted their conversations to, they decided it was time to stand up and throw themselves around to the music. Now obscuring the stage and obliterating the music John and I looked at each other …. and left.

A good night ruined by spectacularly ignorantly selfish people.

My question is……. Why do you pay good money to see a band and then talk through the whole performance. Answers on a postcard….

This is a VERY long post (apologies) but please get your favourite beverage and read to the end.

LETS START WITH THE THANKS 

Firstly, I would like to thank all of the people who entered the Charity Print Competition in support of St. Rocco’s Hospice. The kindness of those who sent in an entry or donation was very heartwarming especially when I had no idea who some of those people were – didn’t even recognise the name. In some ways you already know the people who will support you and they come through for you every time and those people will always have my heartfelt thanks.  The major surprise, as I say, were the people who I don’t know and who took the time, trouble and expense to enter – thank you so much.

AN UNSELFISH GESTURE

This wasn’t a competition where you gained personal points or even an opportunity to see your picture hanging in a prestigious gallery…… it was an opportunity to give something selflessly of yourself. This print competition was in support of  people who are in great need of care and comfort in life limiting circumstances and the generosity of those that entered made a difference. If you are one of the people who entered the competition and  I have described above, please give yourself a pat on the back for being so kind.

Some people sent a donation of £10 but only entered one picture, most people entered 4 prints and a few very kind people “just” sent a donation (they apologised for not being able to send prints).   All donations and prints were obviously very welcome.

GOOD AND NOT SO GOOD

It was interesting to hear (on the grapevine) that the charity print competition was somewhat  “sneered “ at with the hope that it wouldn’t be too successful. Apparently the question was also raised as to “why is she doing it?” and “what is she going to personally get out of it?”. But fortunately not everyone thought along those lines and due to people’s generosity it was a success and raised just over £700. ALL of the money raised went to the hospice. I did not take a penny from the competition and I was supported by friends and family (who do not want to be mentioned here ) who personally bought  the medals, mounts etc. At this point I would also like to thank Mr. Chris Roberts and Paper Spectrum for their generosity too.

WHY PRINTS?

I could have organised a digital comp but thought that a print comp would encourage the ever plummeting numbers of people who enter prints in the various salons/exhibitions. This subject is regularly brought up on Facebook etc with a number of people continually appealing for us to “keep prints alive”.  Unfortunately, only one person who regularly beats the drum for keeping prints alive was kind enough to enter – you know who you are and thank you.

THANKS TO THE JUDGES

Thank you to the judges who gave up their time and without wanting or expecting a fee/travelling expenses. They therefore  gave freely of their time and expertise and took the task given to them very seriously – but also with good humour, we really did have a fab time. Therefore, it was a very pleasant experience and I can confirm that each picture was given plenty of time to be assessed for its merits…. not the usual 3/5 seconds given to them  in most competitions. 

The images were varied in genre  – as you would expect from an open theme and it seems that people entered more A4 prints than A3 prints with square prints being very popular.

The judges looked initially at all off the prints and then whittled the numbers down and made their final cut from those. There was a unanimous decision for the overall winner and then a  each of the judges chose  a picture that appealed to them personally . I had no say in any of this – I just made them drinks and fed them copious amounts of  biscuits to keep them going . I was glad I wasn’t judging and it was interesting to see how a none photographic judge (a conventional painter and lecturer) assessed the pictures. I would advise other salons to think along those lines too.

The final selection came out at 20 images  (approx 10% of the total submission) from which the overall winner and 3 judges selections were chosen. There will be 2 more medals awarded St. Rocco’a Admin’s choice and the people’s choice (voted for on the day of the fair) and those people will be notified after the spring fair on May 11th at St. Rocco’s Hospice. 

….. And so to the results, I bet you scrolled down to this bit straight away !

MEDAL WINNERS 

OVERALL WINNER

DID YOU SAY TREAT – ROSS MCKELVEY

CHRISTINE JOHNSON JUDGES AWARD

COURAGE – LYNNE MORRIS 

ROBERT MILLIN JUDGES AWARD

JUST THE TWO OF US  – JIM HILL

MARC TURNER JUDGES AWARD

RELEASE – PENNY PIDDOCK

THE WINNERS OF THE ST. ROCCO’S HOSPICE AWARD AND THE PEOPLE CHOICE AWARD WILL BE ANNOUNCED AFTER THE 11TH MAY 2019

SELECTED IMAGES (ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

PHIL BARKER – TIME FOR A CUDDLE

PAUL BULLOCK – LAUGHING DUCK

ELIZABETH BROWN – SCABIOUS

LAURIE CAMPBELL – FLY HIGH

GAILLE GRAY – RESPLENDENT IN RED

GAILLE GRAY – LIGHT AS A FEATHER

GIALLE GRAY -PINK COLUMBINE

LYNDA HANEY – PONY IN SNOW

LYNDA HANEY – DROPPING IN

EILEEN JONES – FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH

ROSS MCKELVEY – REACH FOR THE SKY

ROSS MCKELVEY – CIRCULAR BALLET

MALGORZATA KRASNIEWSKA – MOTHER TO BE

LYNNE MORRIS – BETTER TOGETHER

WHO IS THE VISITOR WITH THE CAMERA – PENNY PIDDOCK

DANCE LIFT – BILL PRESTON

If your name doesn’t appear above then I am sorry to say your print wasn’t selected but you have my personal vote of gratitude for entering the competition. 

I have been asked would I do it agaIn and the answer is, I don’t know …… watch this space.  

Thank you to everyone who supported this wonderful cause – you may have had a friend or loved one in a hospice and know how much good work these places do, that’s why I chose this cause.

It WAS a different print competition and YOU did make a difference x

Only 17 days to the closing date of the CHARITY PRINT COMPETITION

ALL proceeds will go to the charity

People have asked me what my expectations are for this charity print competition…….. I have to say that I don’t think its going to break any records LOL.

If 50 people enter then it will raise £500 for the charity – which runs, in the main, on donations given by extremely kind and caring people and I am sure that any amount of money will be gratefully received.