1.     Welsh Salon 2008 – Entry Form Attached

     The Welsh Salon paperwork should be with your secretary this week, this is a competition open to individuals that are members of WPF Clubs and as such your entry must come to us via your Secretary – closing date is the AGM 2nd March 2008. There are sections for Monochrome Prints, Colour Prints and Projected Images (Slides or DPIs) so every taste is catered for. There are two new Awards one for the most Creative entry from an original image and another for photographers under 25. I’ve seen some great work as I go around the Clubs let us see them in this year’s event.

2.     Welsh International Projected Image Salon – WIPIS – Entry Form Attached

     This International salon is recognised world wide by FIAP and PSA and regularly attracts entry from dozens of countries, I’m sure that many of your images measure up to and beyond the work from the outsiders so I look forward to seeing you compete in this event. There is still time to get your DPIs or Slides together and post to Linda Baldwin by the closing date of 2nd February; this could also be the event to start earning your qualifications for a FIAP award – similar to Ian Ledgard from Towy Valley.

3.     Heretik Exhibition at the Oriel Barker Gallery - Pontypool

     An Exhibition of work by a number of locals including Kevin Rowland this is open 10.00 a.m. – 4.30 p.m. Mon- Fri and 2.00 p.m. – 5.00 p.m. Sat – Sun until 12th March; Idwal Williams tells me it’s worth a look at something different!

4.     VIDI Exhibition at St Donats College

     How often have you heard us banging on about exposing yourselves to the work of photographers outside the traditional club circuit? Well, get yourselves down to the Art Centre at St Donats as soon as possible - bearing in mind they aren't open at weekends!
A group of 2nd year BA students from Bridgend College have got together an independent body of work that is creative, inspiring and innovative Though much of the work is taken digitally, only basic post production work has been carried out, the emphasis being on seeing the photograph and capturing the moment or the illusion of a moment in the camera
The work will challenge you to think about the statements being made by the group in their often powerful images. Though some of the panels work as groups there are some fine single images that deserve a closer look.
The name of the group is VIDI - appropriate I felt - they can certainly see! Kevin Thomas MA FRPS (Gwynfa Camera Club)

5.     Bristol Salon of Photography

     Long time friends of ours have sent the following invite to WPF Photographers to enter their work: -
“For my sins I’m Chairman of the Bristol Salon of Photograph and wondered if you might be able to include details of the 2008 Salon on your Federation’s web site.
The Salon is open to all photographers and this year will comprise four classes, General & Nature slides and Open & Nature digital. The closing date is 5th April with the judging on 19/20th April.
Full details can be downloaded from the Bristol Photographic Society web page at www.bristolphoto.org.uk and clicking on the Bristol Salon link.

Many thanks Pete Howell Bristol Salon Chairman”

6.     Camera Equipment All Risks Insurance

     We are asked from time to time where to get the above Insurance from, the Brokers who provide our Club’s Liability Insurance offer this at apparently competitive rates – if you contact them and explain that you are a member of a WPF Club you will get a quotation: -
Darwin Clayton (UK) Ltd. Darwin House, 20 Mount Ephraim Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 1ED
 Tel:  01892 511144, email:  info@dcuk.co.uk, www.darwinclayton.co.uk, Robert Barden is the WPF client adviser   email: robert.barden@dcuk.co.uk – hope this helps.

7.     Abergavenny 4 Seasons Competition
Received from their Secretary Sue Eley: -
We regret that we have to suspend the 4 Seasons competition this year.  We would like to give warm thanks to everyone who has supported us in the past and hope to be able to run the competition again in the future.  We apologise for any inconvenience caused to people who may already have embarked on panels; however, work of the quality we have seen in the past will never be work wasted!

8.     WPF Portfolio Service
The proposed Members International Acceptances Portfolio is almost complete, but there is room for a few more images.

Have you had success in Internationals other than the Swansea, The Welsh and the Welsh Salon? Why not share your images as part of this new portfolio which is being made available to all clubs - full details of this and other freebies for your club soon.

Send your images for this Pictures to Exe presentation to portfolio@thewpf.co.uk along with a note of  your name and photo honours, your club and the exhibitions they have been accepted. Gwynfa's Dave Gould is busy preparing new portfolios for the Service which will be announced for the new season.

9.     Invite from The Vale Camera Club

Hello to all our friends throughout the WPF Photography clubs. Just to let you all know that The Vale Photography Club has three wonderful nights coming up................ 
Friday February 15th..........A new night of entertainment with the wonderful Clive Minnitt - we have been entertained by Clive before and I think that lots of you came along so you know how good an evening it’s going to be.  
Friday March 14th ............A night with Guy Edwards who is a world famous Travel and Wildlife photographer. 
There will be a small charge of £2.00 each on these nights to include a raffle ticket and there will be some refreshments available during the break. 

We also have an evening with the very well known photographer Bob Moore Hon FRPS Hon PAGB DPAGB FIPF FBIPP on Friday March 7th.  Bob is a frequent judge on the PAGB distinction panel. The evening will be entitled 'Ever Decreasing Circles'.