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Photo travel connections

Mary Ellen Brucker

The Photo Travel Division (PTD) gives traveling photographers multiple opportunities to combine their love of travel with their skills as photographers. While travel subjects can be and are accepted in international color slide or photojournalism exhibitions, a specific set of criteria applies in Photo Travel sections of PSA-recognized exhibitions. The Photographic Society of America (PSA) defines photo travel as follows:

"A Photo Travel slide or print expresses the feeling of a time and place, portrays a land, its people, or a culture in its natural state, and has no geographical limitations. Ultra close-ups which lose their identity, studio-type model shots or photographic manipulations which misrepresent the true situation or alter the content of the image are unacceptable in Photo Travel competition."

Whether you're a veteran or a novice travel photographer, the services of PSA's PTD can lead you to greater enjoyment of the fruits of your travel photography. Check the Services and Activities section of this issue (page 31), as well as April, July, and October issues of the Journal, for contact information.

Slide and Travelette Evaluations

The Director of the PTD Evaluation service will critique your travel slides and suggest possible improvements (i.e., through cropping) to increase their potential for competition and/ or use in travel story sequences. Many travel photographers put their creative talents and slides to work with travel documentaries or "travelettes." Send a short, 10 to 20-slide sequence with script for evaluation (Free to individual members).

Travelette Competition

The annual Travelette Competition entry is limited to 30 slides with typewritten commentary--ideal for beginners and experienced travel sequence makers. Entry fee is just $4.50, plus return postage. Check the Opportunities file on the Website or the competition Director.

Interclub Slide Competitions

Here's an ideal way for a PSA-member camera club to help its members increase their photo travel awareness and to see the work in other clubs. Three competitions per season, with enrolled clubs entering six photo travel slides, are judged by photo travel experts from outside or participating clubs. After each judging, ribbons are awarded to winning slides: at year's end, the three highest scoring clubs receive certificates. Annual registration fee is $6.50 per club. Enroll your club by September for the 2005-06 competition.

Slide Study Groups for Individuals

Individual study groups are as old as PSA, and many of our most distinguished members are long-time study group participants who credit such groups for invaluable critiquing and instruction and for nurturing cherished photographic friendships. The PTD's Slide Study Groups can do the same for you. Each group is made up of five or six members who enter four slides which are then sent around the group in "round robin" style for comments and scores on the other slides in the circuit. The comments help the entrant polish his or her photo travel skills and test his or her slides for future club or international exhibition entry. The fee is $5.00, and entrants must be individual PSA members.

TOPS in Travel

The TOPS Director collects slides by invitation only from leading PSA-member Photo Travel exhibitors and forms them into sets which become part of PSA's TOPS in Photography programs. Each program has about 75 slides with a taped commentary and can be borrowed from PSA Headquarters.

PTD Library

The PTD library contains a great assortment of programs for clubs and individuals to borrow for an invaluable learning experience. Winning travelettes and travel sets, instructional programs, TOPS programs, and accepted slides from various Photo Travel international exhibitions. Fee: $5.00 fee plus postage.

The PTD invites PSA members to use and enjoy PTD services. For information, contact the Directors or First Vice Chairman, Marie Williams, 405 W. Vernon, #2, Normal, IL 61761; (309) 452-5631, mlauher@earthlink.net. To volunteer, contact Division Chairman, Mary Ellen Brucker, FPSA, 4 Clayprice Ct., St. Louis, MO 63124-1506; (314) 991-5845: mellonb@earthlink.net.

This is the sixth of a bimonthly Journal article featuring each PSA Division and its activities. The Connections feature is intended to provide a quick overview of division opportunities. For more information, contact the Division Chairman. This month, in Connections, we feature the Photo Travel Division (PTD) and its activities that are available to all PSA members.

Mary Ellen Brucker, FPSA Photo Travel Division Chairman mellonb@earthlink.net

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