Guildford Photographic Society Member Wins Prestigious Award

Published on: 9 Jun, 2019
Updated on: 12 Jun, 2019

Twisting into the light – © Marilyn Turner

A keen Surrey photographer has been awarded the Distinction from the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain (DPAGB).

Marilyn Taylor is a prominent member of the Guildford Photographic Society and Windlesham & Camberley Camera Club; an associate of the Royal Photographic Society and a fellow of the Society of Wedding and Portrait photographers. She won the DPAGB award after submitting 15 images.

“The DPAGB is highly regarded among club photographers,” she said. “You can apply for entry if you have been an active member of a photographic club for four years.”

Baby elephant wants to play – © Marilyn Turner

The images are reviewed by a panel of six experienced, accredited judges from the UK who mark each image out of five. The images are presented in a mixed sequence alongside all the images of other entrants and an average of 20 points each must be received.

The images would normally be of a standard expected to achieve a high level of acceptance in international salons and exhibitions. A variety of subjects, including sport, portraits, landscapes, natural history and creative images are allowed. Judging is at a very fast pace, so images with impact always score best.

Marilyn said she passed the PAGB Credit level at her first attempt so foolishly expected to have no problems with her D level but it turned out to be much more of a challenge. “I had started to enter international salons and did quite well with those, routinely getting acceptances, so I thought I’d take the best of those images and get my Distinction but It was not so easy. I didn’t reach the required standard.”

She tried again a couple of years later when the PAGB assessment came to Croydon, but still didn’t pass. “I thought I’d try one more time,” Marilyn said. “I had valuable help from a couple of Surrey Photographic Association judges and finally went to an appraisal one-to-one session at the NEC. Finally, I passed.

I’m extremely happy to have finally made the grade. I feel I have become a much better photographer for having made the effort, although it is a bit stressful.”