News

President's Report - December 2007 /January 2008

We are excited to be negotiating with a new partner for the 151st International Print Exhibition. Full details will be announced on The Society¹s website, with a download facility for the entry form in early 2008. A copy of this form, including the rules, will be enclosed with the February issue of The Society¹s Journal. Overseas members will receive a copy under separate cover.
Also this issue, we are most pleased to thank Pentax, which has agreed to sponsor our popular Membership Matters diary supplement for another year, for its continuing support.

Portfolio One is proving to be every bit as popular as we had hoped, and our thanks are due to its Editor Roger Reynolds HonFRPS, and the Editorial Team of Harry Ricketts HonFRPS, Jane Fletcher, Michael Hallett FRPS, Peter Noble ARPS, Monica Weller ARPS, and Rosemary Wilman ARPS, for producing a high quality book of which we all can be proud.

My congratulations go to Linda Wride LRPS on her success in the International Color Awards 2007 Masters of Photography Cup Competition. Her image Pool Ball, one of the series that gained Linda her Licentiate in July 2007, was awarded first place in the Abstract category (Amateurs).

I¹m also pleased to be able to report a major increase in the number of Distinctions applications, in particular the Licentiateship in still photography. Those of you applying for assessments may however have noted an increase in the waiting period for assessment. I¹m sorry to say that part of the reason for this delay lies with applicants who book an assessment and then withdraw at a point when it is too late for another applicant to be called in their place. You will gather this both increases the administrative workload and creates an unfair delay for those on the waiting list. From now on therefore, to encourage applicants only to book when they are ready for assessment, those withdrawing within two weeks of their assessment date will forfeit their application fee.

Nominations for the 2008 RPS Awards are due in as soon as possible, but no later than 31 Jan. Nomination forms are available from the website as a download, or from Jo McDonald at Fenton House (jo@rps.org) to whom completed forms should be sent. My special thanks go to Jo for the efficient way she organises this event behind the scenes.

Finally this month, I¹m delighted to report that The Society received over 2000 responses to the membership survey sent out earlier in the year. My thanks go to everyone who took the time to reply to this relatively detailed questionnaire. The fact that nearly 20% of membership responded indicates a healthy level of participation in our Society, and is very gratifying for all our staff and volunteers who work so hard on The Society¹s behalf. The results gathered will be invaluable in informing Council¹s decisions over the next two years. Analysis of the responses is now underway, and I hope to be in a position to report results from the survey in the February Journal.

Every good wish for the festive season, and a happy and prosperous 2008!

Dr Barry Senior HonFRPS, President