P3D Judging of Stereo Cards

[bill3dbw3d@xxxxxxxx (Bill C Walton)]

George Themelis wrote that he was a judge in a competition where the
stereo cards suffered from lack of sharpness.  I don't know what
directions the competition director/chairman gave the judges on this
issue, but to my way of thinking any stereo image that suffers from lack
of sharpness, either slide or stereo card, should receive such a low
score that it would "not make the cut"  

In the rules of the SSA International exhibition the first paragraph
reads ********Judges will be looking for original and artistic
interpretations in a variety of subject matter.  Consideration will also
be given to accuracy of stereo mounting and appearance of card mount,    
So we allow the judges to make their own calls on some things and I would
think that this is a good idea for other exhibitions to follow.

In regards to viewing devices- That is a tough call as there are so many
variables.  In the 1st SSA we used Keystone N50 Training Stereoscopes.  I
say used, but I should say the judges had them available.  The Three
judges were Stan White,Paul  Wing and Larry Moor  and all of them judged
by free viewing the stereo cards.  In the 2d SSA we used Red Wing
Viewers, which have hoods big enough to be able to be used by those who
wear glasses.  In the upcoming 3rd SSA, closing date 11 July, we plan on
using Keystone 46b Visual Survey Telebinocular stereoscopes.  George
Themelis has reported on the quality instrument several times and I would
think that most of the P3D group know what it is.  But to cut to the
chase, use whatever viewing device you have as long as all the images are
viewed using the same type viewing device. 

To put in the regulations what sort of viewer your judges will use is
sort of wasting space in the regulations, I THINK.  Who cares, as long as
all the images are viewed by the same type device.  A good parallel would
be to put in a stereo slide exhibition what kind of polarized glasses the
judges will wear, so you can decide what type  of slide to enter.   The
main thing about this whole operation is to have FUN and once you start
trying to overegulate it then the fun disappears..

If anyone feels strongly about how a stereo exhibition should be
organized and what rules should be in the entry form I invite them to
sponsor and run an exhibition.  We never seem to have enough.  Then there
is the guy who says "we don't have enough people to run an exhibtion"  My
answer to that is the SSA International Stereo Card Exhibition Committee
is P3D Richard Twichell and I.  We get some help on judging, but the rest
of it is done by Dick & I.  Sure it is a little bit of work, but time
passes fast when you are having fun.


There is going to be a lot of discussion in the PSA circles,in the not to
distant future, about computer generated images in stereo competitions, I
believe.  I am not sure what the answer is as the folks who do these
images need a place to display them and the exhibitions always need more
entries, but there is a strong feeling that computer generated images
should be  either judged separately or have their own exhibitions.  Any
one have a thought on this matter?.

BILL C WALTON, ISC

_____________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com
Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]


------------------------------