Re: PSA Competitions and postal circuits

[P3D Dr. George A. Themelis <fj834@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>>The Photographic Society of America (PSA) sponsors International 
>>Stereo Slide Competitions through the year.  Anyone (PSA member or 
>>not) can enter these competitions. 
>
>Is the PSA Stereo Nature Circuit part of this? I received an email from Dave
>Thayer, a PSA member inviting me to join this circuit. But he insisted that
>you have to be a PSA member to join, and that it was exclusive to only
>Realist format.

The PSA Stereo Nature Circuit is something entirely different.  There
are serveral PSA circuits, the Nature one specializes in nature stereo
photography while the others are open to any subject.  To join these
postal circuits you have to be a PSA member.  SSA, which is part of NSA,
also has its own postal circuits.  I belong to both PSA and SSA circuits. 
The idea here is that a box of slides circulates in the mail and goes from
member to member.  Members add new slide(s), write comments on other
people's slides and vote for the best ones.  They do that in the comfort of
their home using slide viewers.  Both SSA and PSA circuits accept Canadian
members in US circuits.  There are also a few international circuits.

The PSA International Slide Competitions is something different. You send
slides to a specific address, the slides are judged all together in
projection by a panel of experienced judges and you then receive back a
report card telling you which slides (if any) got accepted.  These
competitions are open to anyone in the world, PSA member or not.

These are two ways to share your work with others.  The postal circuits
give you more feedback and operate in a very friendly (like a family)
manner.  The slide competitions give you little feedback but you are
competing with some of the best stereo photographers in the world and even
an acceptance is an honor.  PSA slide competitions are judged in projection
and the accepted slides are projected in public showings.

Most slide competitions and postal circuits work in the "Realist format",
meaning the 101 mm by 40 mm frames.  You can mount Nimslo or full frame
pairs in these mounts.  Entries are restricted to this format so that
similar viewing/projecting equipment are used for judging.  There are PSA
competitions that accept 2x2 slides or print cards.  Also, there are SSA
postal folios for cards (very popular) and at least one SSA circuit for 2x2
35 mm slides and one for medium format.  There was some talk about a SSA VM
circuit.  I don't know what the status of that is...

Many of us (including myself) have worked in isolation for years keeping
our precious slides locked in a storage case.  Sharing slides is a lot of
fun.  You lean a lot by seeing what others are doing and have others judge
and comment on your own work.  Well worth the expense and *very slight*
risk in doing so, IMO.  Give it a try!

George Themelis


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