Every year, the Atlanta Photographic Society participates in a very popular Photographic Society of America’s interclub competition - the Projected Image Division (or PID for short). For 2021 this competition encompassed over 130 camera clubs worldwide divided into six (6) groups, with 25 clubs competing in our group - Group D. APS Master Photographer Marc McElhaney has served as coordinator of this process for APS over the past three (3) years. Marc reports that our club has not only been very competitive, but we are getting better! Last year we progressed from Group E to Group D, and based on our strong 2021 results, it looks like we will be moving up again for next year.
Best of the Best!
Every year, PSA also judges all of the year's winning photographs to select the "Best of the Best." In our group seven (7) awards were given: gold, silver, bronze and four (4) Honorable Mentions (HM's). Huge congratulations go to Michael Amos - HM for Feeding Time, and to Jenn Cardinell - HM for Under Mom's Watchful Eye. Click the thumbnails (on the right) to view both. Outstanding!!
3rd Round Results
For the 3rd and final round of this year’s competition we also had two award winners. Fish Out of Water by Michelle Simmons took an Honors Award (Blue Ribbon).
Fish Out of Water by Michelle Simmons
And Perfect Landing by Mike Shaefer received an Honorable Mention (HM).
Perfect Landing by Mike Shaefer
The photos that Marc selects to submit are generally from the winners of our prior year’s Masters Competition, but he also includes some from the present year’s monthly competitions to make sure that our newer members get represented.
2021 Final Results
This past year, we have done exceptionally well, tying for a 2nd place finish among the 25 clubs in our group. Note that we are competing with clubs from across the US and around the world! The 1st place club in our group (Group D) was the Wangi Workers Camera Club from Australia, and we tied for 2nd with the An Tain Photographic Group from Ireland. Groups A through F in this competition encompass over 130 camera clubs worldwide.
Of the 18 images we submitted over the 3 rounds of competition, we received 4 Merit Awards (Blue Ribbons) and 3 Honorable Mentions. (Merit Awards go to the top 10% and Honorable Mentions go to the next 10%.)
Merit Awards this year went to Vincent Huynh (Chinese Lantern Chestnut Coronet), Michelle Simmons (Fish Out of Water), Jenn Cardinell (Under Mom’s Watchful Eye), and Michael Amos (Feeding Time). Michael Shaefer snagged Honorable Mentions in all 3 rounds (Winter’s Ride, Audubon Pose and Perfect Landing). Please click on the thumbnails (upper right) to view all of these outstanding images.
Being Creative
Most significantly, notice that many of these awards have gone to our relatively new members. This emphasizes how important it is for us to continually attract new talent with new ideas. Our newest members help keep us competitive (as us veterans will inevitably fall into creative slumps periodically) and challenge us with innovative, creative approaches that encourage the rest of us to “up our game.”
