Open to overseas members?

[davidc]

I've joined the Singaporean equivalent of the RPS, the PSS, and I'm working closely with some of the guys out here.

They're acitve, a nice bunch and seriously into their photography! As well as entering loads of international exhibitions they are pursuing a range of worldwide distinctions. A number have expressed interesting in joining a UK club and one of their drivers is to try for PAGB distinctions also.

I thought it would be a nice idea - sort of like a photography exchange student thing! - and wondered what people would think about a few of the Singaporean guys joining the club as corresponding members (like I currently am)?

[Mike Farley]

I've joined the Singaporean equivalent of the RPS, the PSS, and I'm working closely with some of the guys out here.

They're acitve, a nice bunch and seriously into their photography! As well as entering loads of international exhibitions they are pursuing a range of worldwide distinctions. A number have expressed interesting in joining a UK club and one of their drivers is to try for PAGB distinctions also.

I thought it would be a nice idea - sort of like a photography exchange student thing! - and wondered what people would think about a few of the Singaporean guys joining the club as corresponding members (like I currently am)?

In principle, there is no reason that your colleagues in Singapore would not be welcome to join the club. In fact we already have one overseas member living in Spain who regularly takes part in competitions and who has just won the Eileen Wadley Trophy for the best image by a Standard Class member in the annual exhibition. In this instance, the situation is slightly different to your colleagues in Singapore as the person involved used to live in Croydon and regularly attended meetings before relocating abroad. We still occasionally see him when he returns to this country for a visit and last time he was here he even gave us a presentation about his work.

If the main reason for your friends in Singapore to join is to gain a PAGB distinction, they would have to become full members. The PAGB website is very clear about the qualifications to hold its distinctions:

"All applicants must qualify in accordance with their Federation's criteria as an active member of an affiliated club. This support must have been given for a minimum of 2 years for CPAGB, 3 years for DPAGB and 5 years for MPAGB from current active photographers. A retrospective period of 10 years may be considered."

Croydon Camera Club is affiliated to the PAGB through its membership of the Surrey Photographic Association (SPA) and I have checked their website to see if there is any definition of "active member", but there is no statement to that effect. I believe that what happens when a submission is made for a PAGB distinction is that it has to be done through the club which is expected to confirm that the applicant is an active member.

The arrangement which you propose is unusual in that most photographic clubs predate the Internet era and are geared towards holding regular meetings where members are present in person. I doubt if anyone has thought about what happens when someone is not resident in the club's locality and is unable to attend on a regular basis. If we were to consider establishing a Singapore chapter, I would like to see a number of things happen before the arrangement was put in place.

• To avoid any potential issues when an application for a distinction is made by an overseas member, we should be upfront with both SPA and the PAGB about what we are doing. I would not want someone to go to the effort of preparing a panel only for the application to be refused on the grounds that the person does not qualify.
• The club will need to define what constitutes actiivity on the part of an overseas member. As opportunities will be limited, as a minimum this could well be regular participation on this forum and in the club's competitions. DPI entries would be straightforward, but there would be obvious although not insurmountable complications for prints.
• The admission of non visiting members should be approved by Council and confirmed by the membership either at the AGM or an EGM. The main reason for the latter is that existing members might not be happy seeing major awards being won by people whom they do not personally know.

In terms of practicalties, the next Council meeting is in mid April and the club's AGM is at the end of May. If you think that your friends would still be interested based on what I have said, we can make preliminary investigations with SPA to see if the proposal is viable and take it from there. If SPA is in agreement, there will be a number of issues to resolve, but we can handle those offline.

[Mike Farley]

As an addendum, I wrote the previous post giving my views in my position as Chairman. Whilst that gives them a certain official status, it does not constitute general approval by the the club as a whole. My personal view is that as it currently stands I have no objection to the idea subject to resolution of the caveats I have expressed, but I would welcome comments submitted to this thread by other members so that there is a full spread of opinion. There might be other matters to consider which I have not taken into account.

Everyone should also be aware that by the time of the forthcoming AGM I will have completed the maximum three year term as Chairman which is allowed by the club rules and I will be standing down from the post. While I would hope that the transition will be seamless, it will down to my successor to establish their own approach.

[davidb]

As treasurer, I would not object to a boost in our annual income (particularly for full membership!).

[davidc]

I'll contact the PAGB and ask about the overseas members joining UK clubs for eligibility reasons. I can't see any reasons to say no - at worst it's just more funds for the UK clubs from overseas but at best it could be more international collaboration & photo sharing!

[Mike Farley]

I'll contact the PAGB and ask about the overseas members joining UK clubs for eligibility reasons. I can't see any reasons to say no - at worst it's just more funds for the UK clubs from overseas but at best it could be more international collaboration & photo sharing!

I would expect the PAGB to say that it is up to individual clubs to decide whether they admit overseas members and determine whether they consider such members to be active. It would be interesting know whether there are any criteria which specify what "activity" means.