Dams Photographic Competitions update for 2022 

                         Dams Active Mens Social.

Believe it or not we are starting our 8th season with our Dams Photography Competitions which I think is good achievement in the current climate. While the past 2 years have been badly disrupted---- we managed to keep things ticking over. Not having the judging at the centre took away the personnel touches and in turn took away from the competition overall. We hope in 2022 we can resume monthly competitions and judging at the centre. The quality of the images continues to improve and hopefully that will lead to some new members joining us in the coming year.

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                            New Members & Fresh Ideas.

 We hope we can make our competitions interesting and varied and enjoyable for all members.

Since we started our photography activity we’ve had 2 members who have sadly passed away and there’s others due to illness that are not involved. So some fresh blood will be appreciated.

You don’t have to a great photographer, we have 2 sections and at the end of the day it’s a bit of fun and it’s one of the activities that makes our society tick. Please give it some consideration and let’s go snapping with increased numbers please.

Extra help will be provided to anybody wishing to enter our monthly competitions for the 1st time or anyone who hasn’t participated recently.

The 1st step is always the hardest to make. Be brave and let us help you get started.

If anyone would like a few start off lessons I would be only too delighted to do a few “one on one” sessions with them. You may wish to keep it confidential and that’s ok too.

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                               Purchasing a Camera

You may be thinking of purchasing a Camera well we can provide guidance in that area also.  The 1st bit of advice is to -----go and get a decent 2nd hand one. Would a 1st time driver buy a new car--------I don’t think so. If you need more assistance talk to either Dermot or Myself. But remember you can use your mobile phone starting off in these Competitions and they are fine especially for the Novice section.

                           Advanced & Novice sections.

With 2 sections (Advanced & Novice) we cater for all types of photographers and Cameras. Some of our members could hardly turn on their cameras when they 1st joined us but have made steady progress even since. We don’t judge cameras it’s all about your images.

 Some of the recent images taken in the Novice section are doing well and were taken on mobile phone cameras so you don’t need an expensive Camera to enter our competitions to do well.

I know the judge is a bit of a hard task master but at the end of the day his only objective is to drive our standards up. This year we have a new member in the novice section 2021 who will be pushing for “Photographer of the Year”. He doesn’t have an expensive camera either. Everybody is welcome.

 

 Taking Photo’s is good for exercising, good for the mind, and for the club to have as many members as possible participating. By taking family photos you are preserving memories that will last forever. Images grow in importance over the years.

If any member has any suggestions on ways to improve our competitions please put forward your ideas and they will be seriously considered.

                               Our Web Site Pages

Liam Kenny is going to update our “Dams Photography” on our web site covering monthly competition winners/ Images and the scores for the Photographer of the Year in both categories. Won’t it be nice to see you photo’s on our web site. This page is there and is not being looked at which is a terrible pity. A new year’s resolution should be to look at this page monthly. By the way there are other pages that cover other important activities within our Dams. So well worth watching on a regular basis.

We also have a Dams Dropbox where we have thousands of photos taken by members covering trips, events, and anything of importance  since  our beginning . These are Dams member’s photos and well worth looking at. You may need to get a link from Liam Kenny to see these. That’s for the protection of these images.

 Having 2 categories the winner of the novice section has the option of moving to the advanced section or staying put in the novice.

The winners of both categories (Photographers of the Year) will receive a nice trophy with the runners up receiving “Certificate of Achievement”. The main thing about the competition is to enjoy using your camera.  We will also have an “Image of the Year” recognition. I bet many of your cameras have flat batteries and need a recharge due to Covid.

Make the 1st move and the 2nd one will come much easier.

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                                   For Beginners

The novice section is ideal for anyone starting off. The type of camera doesn’t matter it’s all about the image. We all have to start somewhere. Best of Luck to all our competitors.

Most members know the rules for entering our competitions so I’m just going through the essentials. But if anyone wants any more information you can talk to Dermot Halligan, Robert Forde or myself at any time and we will be delighted to assist.

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                              Going forward for 2022

We would hope to resume with monthly competitions at the end of January 2022 but Covid 19 will have the last say in that.

           

                         Competitions for 2021/2022          

 1st Competition

So for December ’21 & January 2022 will be our 1st competition for the coming new year. You can take anything you like within these dates. The idea being you have to use your camera. 3 Images.

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2nd Competition

Hopefully will be February 2022 and again any 2 images taken in the calendar month. No set subjects.

 

3rd Competition

 March this time we will ask you to take an animal or a pet as one of your images again taken in March (2 Images)

 

4th Competition

April to include a flower or a shrub as 1 of your 2 Images.

 

5th Competition

May just 2 good images taken this calendar month.

The Photographers of the Year should be starting to take shape, how are you doing in the competitions? Would you like a little guidance/help. Why not talk to someone if you feel a little help will keep you on track.

 

6th Competition

June 3 good images ANYTIME in 2022 can be entered. We are going on a 3 months break after this so 3 images required.  A good time of the year for taking good images. I bet many of you have only to go to the garden to come up with good shots. We are surrounded by good places to take nice photos.

July, August and back for the end of September (Holiday time but a good time to take good photographs.

 

7th Competition

3 good images taken anytime in July, August, or September. No special subject. No competitions in July or August but judging at the end of September.

 

8th Competition

October 2 images 1 to include a portrait of a person again must be taken in October.

 

9th Competition

November It’s our final month of the year for our competitions and I hope many of you are in the running for “Photographers of the year” and don’t forget your certs are also worth challenging for as well. 2 Images of anything taken in November.

Guys a lot of work goes the running of our competitions and I would like to thank Robert Forde and Dermot Halligan and now Liam Kenny for their support. John Mc Gourty is also so important by way of keeping the communication going, so a big thanks to all for your support.

I would also like to thank Dams for their support by way of frames, prints and trophies for our winners throughout the year.

 

                        Prizes for our monthly competitions

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Monthly or Two Monthly prizes---the winning entries will receive their image in a 10” x 8” frame. Dermot Halligan does the hard work here. I see some of these Images on the walls of member’s houses and they look great which is great for the person and Dams Photographic section.

As judge I may look at the history of the images presented and it should provide me with details like (a) when the Image was taken (date) (b) is it a photo of a photo ? If so that image could end up with no marks or the maximum 38 marks---the same as the year gone. It’s at the discretion of the judge.

I don’t like having a whole pile of rules please use you common sense and enjoy participating in our competitions. After all it’s a bit of fun for the enjoyment of all our members.

 I will look at running a photography course early in the New Year when dates are available and Covid has moved further away.

Here are a few tips which I promise if you can remember them they will help improve your photography.

GOOD COMPOSITION-----means taking a little extra time before you take your image. Ask yourself could I have moved backwards/forward or move to the left or right and would it help my photo. No bits of any items which if left in would reduce your marks.

CORRECT EXPOSURE------which means not too dark or not too bright some cameras have light meters use them.

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SHARP IMAGES----- are essential for your competition images. Now that doesn’t mean all in the photo is sharp. It may mean your main feature is sharp and the background is out of focus. That maybe exactly the way it should be.

If you are taking Portraits or anything with eyes they must be the focal point (sharp) if they are not sharp it will be reflected in the marking.

If you think about these 3 things when taking your photographs I know it will push our standards upwards.

Where and when do I send my images?

 As usual at the beginning of the month after the closure of each competition. Send to robertforde111@gmail.com Thank you Robert.

Throughout the year we hope to do some night shots and day trips with photography in mind.

We hope to run a fun event where we give you 12 items to be photographed. Fun but some marks maybe carried forward to our main competitions.

We want to create as much fun as possible with photography but drive our standards up at the same time so as to encourage new members.

Kind Regards Liam Hennessy    0862552492 or liamjhennessy@hotmail.com

Do remember our DAMS Social has lots of activity to keep all our members occupied.

 

Here’s wishing you all continued good heath and a Happy Christmas. Maybe Santa might bring you a new Camera.

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Liam Hennessy