P3D Re: PSA Salon judging

[Derek Gee <73157.2172@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Andrea writes:
>I would encourage Billy to consider one "newbie" to be on his panel. 
>Since there is usually three or more judges at PSA exhibitions, this is 
>an excellent opportunity to train new judges!

Andrea, I do not know if you are a PSA member or how long you have been
involved in stereo, but it is not appropriate for "newbie" judges to be
used at a PSA International Exhibition.  Let me explain why.  At the
Detroit Stereographic Society we use experienced judges because it is
often a difficult job to select the winners from such an excellent field
of entries.  Experienced judges know how to make the critical distinctions
between first and second place entries in a field crowded with distinction.
Also, entrants need to be assured that their work will be judged by people
qualified to do so.  All DSS members have ample opportunity to gain
experience in judging at our monthly competitions.  When judging the
monthly competitions we try to pair two experienced judges with a less
experienced one.

>Plus, new ideas, points of view and interpretations are needed to keep
>things interesting.

At the DSS, we like new ideas, we just don't believe that a prestigious
International Salon is the place to be debating them.  These things need
to be decided well ahead of time.

>As 
>Co-Chairperson of the Potomac International Stereo Slide Exhibition, I 
>have included persons new at judging in our exhibition with pleasing 
>results (Boris judged this year). I would, however, recommend that the 
>new judge watch at least one exhibition judging before jumping in, just 
>to get an idea of things and to ask questions later. Go for it, George!

Since you didn't indicate how much Boris judged in your club this year
prior to judging your Exhibition, it is hard for me to comment.  If he
had judged a few competitions prior and done well, then you had no
cause for concern.  If this was his very first judging ever, then I believe
you need to rethink your policy for the reasons outlined above.  George
was questioned by Bill Turner because he had only judged one competition at
the DSS ever, and after thinking about it, George agreed that he was
inexperienced.

The Detroit International Stereo Salon judging is open to all, and I heartily
recommend that people attend because there are so many terrific slides that
will not be among the winners shown to the club in the final program that it is
well worth coming to see them.  Also, learning how and why the judges score
something as they do is certainly a very educational part of this event.
  
>I would also like to encourage exhibition chairpersons to open their 
>exhibition judging to the public (or at least to camera club members). 
>Seeing all of the entries and watching the scores is a great learning 
>experience. You get to see examples of poor mounting, pseudo(sp?), 
>composition errors, etc. This is not to put anyone down who competes; 
>but, like it or not, these things happen to us all at some point. To 
>only see the best (winners) on display does not give you the full 
>picture of what goes on in an exhibition. (snip)

Do you see a lot of poorly mounted and psuedoscopic images at your
exhibition?  I have seen very few in the several Salon judgings I've
attended.  Not that people aren't allowed to make a mistake or two,
but if you are unable to consistantly mount your slides correctly,
you should not be entering International competitions.  The judges tend
not to be as forgiving at the Salon level as they are in your local
competition.  Here's where the local clubs can help.  Last meeting we
held a mounting seminar conducted by Bill Turner, Dennis Hanser, and
me.  I was surprised at the large number of questions we received and
hopefully answered.  Here's to better mounting in '99!  ;)

                               Derek Gee
                               President
                               Detroit Stereographic Society


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End of PHOTO-3D Digest 3132
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