The B.P.E. stands for British Photographic Exhibitor, and the number (actually a Crown) reflects the number of images that you have had accepted in salons. The BPE circuit runs all year and includes 15 camera clubs such as Solihull, Southport & Dingwall, each acceptance equals 1 point. the table below outlines the number of acceptances required for each “Crown”.
1 Crown = 25
2 Crown’s = 50
3 Crown’s = 100
4 Crown’s = 200
5 Crown’s = 300

When you reach each target you then apply and upon acceptance you then get a certificate with the appropriate ribbon and the initials which are recognised by all salon exhibitors in the UK. For more info and a list of all the salons with entry forms to download click the link below:-
B.P.E website Click Here!

As well as salons for UK only based exhibitors you can also venture out into the Rest of the World, the best way to find these is to go to the F.I.A.P ( Federation International Art Photography) & P.S.A (Photographic Society America) web-site’s which have listings on all affiliated salons.
The PSA is a club which you can join annually and work towards your star ratings in any chosen area, my PSA3 was in Natural History. As for F.I.A.P this is an association which affiliates as operational members, the national associations of photography. The FIAP distinctions are highly regarded and can only be applied for once you have reached a certain level of acceptance’s in salons around the word and won awards in these. AFIAP & EFIAP are the prized initials.
Click here for the FIAP website!
Click here for the PSA website!

There’s also the PAGB (photographic Alliance of Great Britain) Which coordinates specific activities for Camera clubs & Societies around the country by 15 regional federations. There’s merits up for grabs here as well:-
CPAGB (Credit)
DPAGB (Distinction)
MPAGB (Master)
All are bound by certain entry conditions which you have to meet…..But they cost nothing and stay with you for life.

Click here for the PAGB website!

I hope this has helped you understand a little about salons and the benefits from entering them, it can become very addictive, the more you get accepted the more you want…..

Good luck
Jon.

Last week Dave took me through this alternative method for converting an image to Mono….I like it but the jury’s still out on whether its better than my current method or not.I like the way it converts the dark end but you still have to adjust your levels etc before you start.

So i thought id see what you lot think!

Here’s the step by step guide:-
1) Open the image you want to convert.
2) Create a duplicate layer
3) Then De saturate the duplicate layer (shift+Ctrl+U)
4) Go into the channels (RGB) bottom right hand corner & then do a Ctrl+left mouse click (this highlights the 50%greys.
5) Select Inverse (the select tab in the top tabs)
6) Then click “new fill layer” (7th selection down the layer tab) & select solid colour
7) Select the darkest area of black in the bottom LH corner.

8) Then go back to the RGB Layers tab in the right hand corner and change the mode from normal to either Overlay or softlight. You might want to play around with the opacity if you think the blacks are to dark………

That’s about it but you still need to adjust your levels and colour balance and mid tones in the curves if required…….

I like it and think it might work well with certain images….

What do you think??? Ive added two copies of the same image below with each method for guidance….

Cheers
Jon.

This image has had my normal mono conversion applied.....

This image has had Daves alternative conversion applied.........as described above.

Daves method ceratinly makes the blacks very black and creates a mono with more mood, but maybe theres trade off in foreground & shadow detail?? i hope some of you will give it a try and let me know what you think. As ever if you get stuck give me a bell and we can go through it in more detail……

Cheers

Jon Bowcutt.