May 072013
 

 

North Cheshire Photographic Society is delighted to announce that arrangements for next year’s big inter-club competitions, the North Cheshire Challenges, are now finalised. 

 

They will take place, as usual, in the Main Hall at Poynton Civic Centre as part of the Society’s Annual Exhibition week. The dates for your diary are as follows: 

 

Wednesday, 12th February 2014- The Inter-club Print Competition for the Alan Adshead Trophy

 

Thursday, 13th February 2014 – The Inter-club DPI Knock-out for the North Cheshire Challenge Trophy 

 

We are pleased to welcome back to Poynton, by popular demand, two highly respected and well-loved judges – and both have expressed their enthusiasm for taking on these major events. 

 

On the Wednesday, Mike McNamee FBPPA  joins us to score over 100 top prints, to be displayed in turn on the light box and projected simultaneously for the benefit of the audience. 

 

On the Thursday, Malcolm Kus ARPS, DPAGB,EFIAP/B  will be over from Northumberland to knock-out, round by round, well in excess of 100 DPIs., which have to be different images to those shown as prints on the previous evening. 

 

So, over the two events, we are guaranteed to witness something approaching 250 different highly-competitive images submitted by some 25 or so leading clubs from throughout the Northwest and beyond. 

 

Explore the links on this dedicated website to reveal results dating back to1981 including many previous winning images, as well as information concerning our precise location and contact details. 

 

As so many of you will have seen in previous years, North Cheshire’s own exhibition of over 100 new prints will be displayed on illuminated stands around the hall and our DPIs shown on large monitors by the stage. This adds to the warm and friendly atmosphere that always enhances these great social, if extremely competitive, occasions. And of course the enthusiastic audience of fellow photographers, usually numbering about 200, adds the icing on the cake! 

 

So, book the dates in your diary NOW, and watch out for further announcements when the new season commences in September. We look forward to welcoming an even greater crowd to Poynton in February 2014.

 

Feb 172013
 

Thanks to another great team effort the 2013 Annual Exhibition was again successful.

Wednesday was a bad weather day for the east of the country; particularly the Pennines. By 5.00pm on that day it became apparent that Print Competition judge, Keith Brown, was not going to make it. We told Keith not to worry and Tony had the brainwave of asking Chris Widdall if she was available and willing. She was, and a little over two hours later Christine and husband John arrived at the hall. Sheffield PS was the only club unable to get their prints to us so the competition became a 16 Club event. Christine’s judging was as sharp as ever and not unexpectedly Wigan 10 again came out the winners with 95 points. Chorley PS were a close second with 92 points whilst Leek PS, Chapel PS and North Cheshire PS tied for third place with 87 points.

Thursday was a much better day weather-wise and apart from the heavy traffic, judge Tony Dudley had no great difficulty in getting to us. Tony is a well known and well liked judge and though he had 135 images from 27 clubs to deal with in the Digitally Projected Image knock-out competition, he completed his task on time and with humour. Wigan 10 came top with 24 points. Warrington PS were second with 20 points and North Cheshire PS third with 17 points.

A feature of our Annual Exhibitions is the great Raffle which has become an event in itself during the second half of the interval of each competition. Members again did themselves proud by providing over 60 raffle prizes. With so many prizes on view the audience is persuaded to buy a ticket strip with such phrases as “Almost everyone a winner” ringing in their ears. On a serious note the Hall is expensive to hire and we need all the income we can get to offset the hire costs. The Raffle makes a large contribution towards offsetting these costs.

Though the bad weather reduced numbers a little on the Wednesday we had a full house on the Thursday.

Feb 162013
 

It’s great to report that the Inter-club DPI Knock-out competition on Thursday went without a hitch. A full house of close on 200 visitors witnessed 135 great images being whittled down expertly by our judge, Tony Dudley from the Midlands. He’d had no snow to contend with but the M6 provided a couple of interesting tail-backs at the usual black spots. Despite this, the evening got off to a prompt 8.00pm start and despite an extended break, accommodating the distribution of our typically over-generous raffle prizes, the final results were announced by 9.45pm. They can be found at:

http://www.northcheshirechallenges.info/years/2013/ncctresults2013.html

Once again, Wigan 10 are to be congratulated on their success, but I should also like to congratulate EVERY participating club for making the considerable effort to submit their entries, all in good order, to reach me by the due dates. The obvious enthusiasm and support which we enjoy on the competition nights makes the effort on our part to “get it right” very worthwhile.

Feb 152013
 

Here are the winning images and the full entries of the winning clubs. (Published with permission). See also:


Alan Adshead Trophy (digital prints competition)

KT Allen - Evacuee Triplets
Best Print: KT Allen – Evacuee Triplets

Wigan 10′s winning club entry
Austin Thomas -
Swallows Shouting
Maurice Jones -
Breakaway
KT Allen -
Evacuee Triplets
Roy Rimmer -
Jay and Woodpecker
Kathryn Scorah -
A Troubled Past
Austin Thomas - Swallows Shouting Maurice Jones - Breakaway KT Allen - Evacuee Triplets Roy Rimmer - Jay and Woodpecker Kathryn Scorah - A Troubled Past

North Cheshire Challenge Trophy (PDI Knock Out)

Austin Thomas - Little Owl Running
Best PDI: Austin Thomas – Little Owl Running

Wigan 10′s winning club entry
Roy Rimmer -
Buzzard
KT Allen -
Triton
Austin Thomas -
Little Owl Running
Maurice Jones -
Proper Rugby
Kathryn Scorah -
Aged Anarchist
Roy Rimmer - Buzzard KT Allen - Triton Austin Thomas - Little Owl Running Maurice Jones - Proper Rugby Kathryn Scorah - Aged Anarchist
Feb 152013
 

14 February – North Cheshire Challenge Trophy (projected digital images KO)

Judge: Tony Dudley

Results2013 Exhibition: North Cheshire Challenge Trophy (projected digital images knock-out)

Winning club: Wigan 10 Foto Club

Best image: “Little Owl Running” by Austin Thomas of Wigan 10 Foto Club



Tony Dudley (right) presents the
North Cheshire Challenge Trophy to
Wigan 10 Foto Club (John Jerstice)

Photograph supplied by Jon Allanson

Feb 142013
 

13 February – Alan Adshead Trophy (digital prints competition)

Judge: Christine Widdall MPAGB EFIAP BPE3*

Results2013 Digital Prints Competition for the Alan Adshead Memorial Trophy

Winning club: Wigan 10 Foto Club

Best print: “Evacuee Triplets” by KT Allen of Wigan 10 Foto Club



President of L&CPU Henry Mullarkey opening the Exhibition


Henry Mullarkey presenting Alan Adshead Trophy to
Wigan 10 Foto Club (David Butler)


Christine Widdall presenting prize for
winning print “Evacuee Triplets” to
JT Allen of Wigan 10 Foto Club

Photographs supplied by Jon Allanson

Feb 142013
 

Despite a serious blip in the weather, the Inter-club Print Competition for the Alan Adshead Memorial Trophy was very well attended as usual.

The last minute withdrawal of the Sheffield P.S. club was almost expected, having heard of the snow across the Pennines, but a further potential setback occurred with a call from Keith Brown, the judge for the competition, also reporting that he was unable to get to Poynton.

Fortunately, a late call to the Widdall household in Uppermill, found Christine and John ready, willing and able to drive over. Of course, Christine Widdall with her great experience of judging major events, proved to be an excellent stand-in.

Wigan 10 Foto Club once again have to be congratulated as the winning club and also providing the Best Image. Full results can be found at:

http://www.northcheshirechallenges.info/years/2013/digitalprints2013.html

Pictures and full report to follow.

Feb 122013
 

The two major inter-club competitions, held as part or our Exhibition, are upon us!

Wednesday 13th February – Inter-club Print Competition for the Alan Adshead Trophy
Thursday 14th February – Inter-club DPI KO Competition for the North Cheshire Challenge Trophy

We have 85 cracking prints to be judged on Wednesday by Keith Brown from Yorkshire and ….

On Thursday there are 135 top DPIs to be eliminated, round by round, by Tony Dudley from the Midlands.

Print-outs of the results are available immediately following the competitions. Representatives from the winning clubs will collect their trophies and individual awards are presented to the authors of the best image in each event, as selected by the judge.

Refreshments are included in the very modest admission fee of £3.00, and the NCPS Exhibition of well over 100 prints, displayed around the hall on illuminated stands, as well as our display of DPIs, should provide every encouragement for visitors to arrive early.

Doors to the Main Hall at Poynton Civic Centre are open at 7.00pm. Competition prints for Wednesday must be handed in by 7.30pm latest on the night. The “Battles” commence at 8.00pm.

We look forward to seeing the usual great crowd of supporters from every club on both competition nights.

Good Luck!

Feb 072013
 

We are looking forward to welcoming a good crowd to Poynton Civic Hall on both Wednesday and Thursday next week. Both events have been traditionally well supported and this year will be no exception. All club entries have now been received and the competitions will be very hard-fought judging from the high standard of all images submitted.

Please remember that doors are open from 7.00pm which gives visitors time to view our own exhibition of prints and DPIs prior to commencement of the “battles” at 8.00pm. Early arrivals are also able to reserve the best seats of course! Prints for the Wednesday competition must be submitted by 7.30pm (as stated on the entry form)

There are no traffic complications in Poynton, and the large on-site car park is easily accessible off Park Lane, taking a left turn alongside the Waitrose Supermarket. We wish you a safe journey, and every success in the competitions.

Jan 012013
 

HAPPY NEW YEAR. Hope your results in the upcoming North Cheshire Challenges will be the first of many satisfying performances for your club in 2013!

The promised Rules and Entry Forms have now been e-mailed to our inter-club contacts. We look forward to receiving, by the end of this month, a great selection of images from you all.

We also look forward to entertaining a full house at Poynton Civic Hall on both competition nights, Wednesday and Thursday 13th &14th February, and hope to see a large contingency of supporters from all participating clubs. As a different set of pictures is required for each competition, we are assured of over 200 winning images to view over both events – a real Festival of Photography in prospect – and of course our own North Cheshire Exhibition prints and DPIs will be there to view.

Browsing through this dedicated website should answer most of the questions you may have, but please contact us if you have any outstanding queries.