On Saturday November 26th many of the Catchlight members were hoping for success in the PAGB Awards for Photographic Merit (APM) Adjudication that was being held in Northern Ireland for the 1st time in 10 years.
The event organised in NI on behalf of the PAGB by NIPA was held at the Parkhall Integrated College in Antrim.
There were quite a few members who had entered in the various award levels -
CPAGB (Credit) described as Good Club Photography
DPAGB (Distinction), described as Open Exhibition Photography
MPAGB (Master), the highest standard of UK Amateur Photography
This day was the culmination of many, many hours of taking pictures, selecting those that were deemed at the required level, editing, printing (in some cases reprinting), mounting and submitting. That one sentence can be read quickly but believe me, the effort required from each of the participants should not be underestimated.
Thankfully at Catchlight, we have a tremendous ethos of "all for one and one for all", and in the lead up to the judging day, we had held several advice evenings and additionally provided mentoring and support from a wide range of experienced members to those entering the APM process. Indeed, we opened this service to other photographers from NIPA affiliated clubs, and it was great to see some of those who had availed of this voluntary advice be successful with their entries.
As someone who had entered on the day, I can attest to the level of both excitement and stress leading up to and on the morning of the adjudication. For pretty much all of our participating members our prints were handed over on the day of the adjudication and then the wait began. Judging takes place at the CPAGB level first, followed by the DPAGB and then the creme de la creme, the MPAGB is held to the end.
On the day we had a tremendous number of Catchlight members in attendance, and it was great to see members with no entry on the day, also being there to encourage, support and as it turned out for some, console. It was a fantastic day for Catchlight and we had multiple successes at the CPAGB level, the DPAGB and capping off a tremendous couple of months for our own Jennifer Willis, the only MPAGB awarded on the day and one of a very small number that will have been awarded in 2022 and the only female MPAGB in Northern Ireland. Congratulations on your achievements and once again flying the banner high for Catchlight Camera Club on the local and national photography scene.
For my own part, I was one of the people needing that consoling arm after being unsuccessful in my DPAGB submission and as disappointed as I was, I will take it as an opportunity to learn, improve and go again. Commiserations to our other CCC members who just fell short on this occasion.
Thanks also to the panel of judges on the day, including our own President, Ross McKelvey, a stalwart of photography at home, nationally and across the world, and a major driving force behind our small clubs success - thank you Ross.
A big thanks also to the PAGB for their excellent running of the event and to the NIPA volunteers who ensured everything ran smoothly on the day. Thanks also to our host location Parkhall Integrated College (hopefully I didn't leave anyone out in our thanks but apologies if I missed anyone).
Our successful APM members across the various categories are as follows:
CPAGB
Jill Crocket
Roger Eager
Leo Mc Court
Darren Walker
DPAGB
Kenny Gibson
Dean Irvine
William Strain
Joe Vize
MPAGB
Jennifer Willis
