Competitions for

2024-25

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• Due Oct 1- Storms
• Due Nov 1- PSA Round 1
• Due Dec 1- Trails
• Due Jan 1- PSA Round 2
• Due Feb 1- Roads
• Due Mar 1- PSA Round 3
• Due April 1- Solitude

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Intra-Club competitions:

Each of the intra-club competitions will be judged in two categories: Contest images and Critique Only. Your choice. 

 A member can enter 1 or 2 images in each contest. In addition, you can enter 1 or 2 images in Critique Only by itself or in addition to the images to be judged. Images in Critique Only should fit the same topic.

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PSA PID Competitions:

The Photographic Society of America Projected Image Division inter-club competition, Open. Any subject, any processing or editing. 

There are two divisions: Color and Monochrome. You may enter the same photo in both divisions (i.e., one in color and a duplicate edited to monochrome), but they need to have the same title/file name.

In order to compete, you must have a permission form on file with the PSA. See message from Fran Nunn, Secretary.

This is a competition between PSA member clubs from around the US and the world. We will vote to choose 6 images to send as our club's entry. PSA will give each image a numerical score, and each club's total score is tabulated over the year to assign its relative place within its group. 

Member clubs are divided into 6 groups, A through F, according to their cumulative score over the year. Currently we are in Group B, next to highest. BCC stands 11th in Color and 5th in Monochrome. Our images did very well and advanced the Club's standing.

Meeting was called to order at 6:08 pm by Bob Ruble.  The meeting was attended by 15 members in person at the Billings Public Library and 4 members online via Zoom. 

Announcements:

• Call for officer nominations for next year- there were no volunteers.
• This will the last meeting for the year- the Club will meet again in September.
• There were suggestions made for group outings to consider-
• Sunday May 19 at Nana's Bloomers
•  Birds at Big Lake near Molt- late May/early June for migrating waterfowl.
• Riverfront Park or Shiloh Conservation Area.
• Porcupine Falls in Big Horn Mountains- moose before July 1, wildflowers
• Wild horses and wildflowers in Pryor Mountains.

Program:

• Beyond the Rule Thirds competition results and images were reviewed by the judge, Greg Holden from Colorado. He discussed what worked and what didn't for each image. The top images were photographed by Bob Ruble (Indian Sunset); Sheila Ruble (Seen it All); Ross Magnuson (Low Tide). Honorable mentions were given to Diane Browder, Fran Nunn and Bob Ruble.

• The meeting was adjourned at 7:15 pm. The next meeting is scheduled for September 3, 2024,  at the Billings Public Library.

Submitted by Fran Nunn Sec/Treas

The meeting was called to order at 6:00 pm by Diane Erhart, president.  The meeting was attended by 18 members in person at the Billings Public Library and 4 members online via Zoom. 

Announcements:

Members introduced themselves to the group as a welcome back and welcome to new members.

Dues were discussed-payable on line or in person. The money has been used to pay for PSA dues (Photographic Society of America) for the Club, payments to judges and the purchase of the microphone used at meetings for Zoom participants.

Ideas for this year were discussed. Members are very supportive of contests because they like the themes (something to focus on for shooting) and the comments received.  These will be continued.  Additionally, there will be a monthly theme to be voted on at each meeting. This will be in addition to the monthly galleries.  The Monthly Theme/Challenge for October is RED.  Members are encouraged to submit 2 images and to comment on each others images.  There is no external judge or placements for these theme challenges. Images can be from your archives or new.

Discussion of presentation topics - suggestions were Post Processing, Flash Photography, presentation of images including matting and framing.  A group edit on one image was also discussed- each member could edit an assigned image and submit back to a gallery.

There was also discussion of having a presentation by a professional photographer on Winter Photography- how to handle the unique challenges of light, exposure, how to protect equipment etc. This could be followed by a winter outing for members. More info to come.

Remember to submit your STORM images by October 1- to be judged as part of the contest or for comments only.

Program: 

Images from the My Favorite Photos of Summer 2024 were presented and discussed by each photographer.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:20 pm. The next meeting is scheduled for October 1, 2024, at the Billings Public Library.  The November meeting will need to be rescheduled to a different date as the first Tuesday is Election Day and the Library will be closed. We will let you know about change in date or venue.

• Submitted by Fran Nunn Sec/Treas