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Best of Delaware Annual Competition

The Best of Delaware large print competition was established in memory of Dr. Erik Kissa, FPSA, MPSA to bring photographers together to share the best in photographic printing and to promote the advantages of PSA membership.  The first one took place in 2018, sponsored by PSA and hosted by Coastal Camera Club. This is an annual free event open to all PSA members in Delaware to share their large prints and to vie for the Kissa Award, a PSA Gold medal, followed by an interactive critique session with the jury to provide a learning opportunity for the participants and interested observers, and to encourage appreciation of fine prints.  
Erik Kissa, FPSA, MPSA
April 7, 1923-July 11, 2017

However, the third annual Best of Delaware competition could not be held as planned during the Day of Photography on March 28 in Lewes, due to a covid-19 lockdown.  That event, rescheduled for August 29, could not be held in person either, so the speaker was hosted as a zoom webinar, and the Best of DE was converted to a digital contest judged remotely. To see the winners of the PSA Gold and three honor ribbons, as well as results from previous years, click on the links at the bottom of this page. 
 
The Photo Travel and Photojournalism small prints, which were to be judged that same day, had already been received from entrants throughout the US, Europe and Asia.  Since a jury could not be convened, those prints were organized, boxed and shipped to the individual judges for scoring, and the results posted at  http://www.forster-services.com/DelawarePrintExhibition2020_Catalog.pdf 
Please select the link, below, to reveal past photos and winners from the competition
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  • 2020 Best of Delaware
    The 2020 Erik Kissa Memorial Medal, a PSA Gold, was awarded to Dee Langevin, MPSA2 for "Explosive Humpback Breach" in the third annual Best of Delaware competition.  The PSA honor ribbons went to Jerry am Ende for "Red Fox Backward Glance," Robert McCaffrey for "Day Lily" and Doug Strande for "Just a Speck." 

    Explosive Humpback Breach
    PSA Gold
    Dee Langevin, MPSA2

    Red Fox Backward Glance
    Honor Ribbon
    Jerry am Ende
    Day Lily
    Honor Ribbon
    Robert McCaffrey
    Just a Speck
    Honor Ribbon
    Doug Strande


    Traditionally for large prints, this annual free event was established for all PSA members in Delaware to come together to share their work and to benefit from an interactive critique with the jury.  But after the annual spring gathering was postponed due to the virus, and four more months passed with no opportunity to meet, it was converted to a virtual judging instead.



    Elena McTighe,
    HonPSA, MPSA
    Judge
    Valentina Sokolskaya,
    EPSA
    Judge
    Richard Sprott,
    APSA
    Judge
    Peter Forster
    Computer Support

    Thanks to Peter Forster for managing the entries, to the jury Elena McTighe, HonPSA, MPSA, Delray Beach FL; Valentina Sokolskaya, EPSA, Philadelphia PA and Richard Sprott, APSA, Potomac MD, all of whom are successful exhibitors and experienced judges, and to PSA for donating the awards in memory of the late Dr. Kissa, FPSA, MPSA, previous State Membership Director, 49-year member of PSA, Journal columnist, and active exhibitor and teacher over many years.
     
    The Photo Travel and Photojournalism small prints, scheduled to be judged at the same spring event, were eventually circulated to three judges for scoring, and those results posted at  http://www.forster-services.com/DelawarePrintExhibition2020_Catalog.pdf 


  • 2019 Best of Delaware Print Competition - Awards and Photos from the Event

    The 2019 Erik Kissa Memorial Medal, a PSA Gold, was awarded to Jerry am Ende in the second annual Best of Delaware print competition.  Open to all PSA members living in the state of Delaware, the free event was held on April 27 in Lewes DE. The winning print of a snowy egret displaying full breeding plumage is entitled "Marilyn Monroe," a humorous reference to an iconic photo of MM.  PSA Honor Ribbons were awarded to "Red Fox Kits Play" also by Jerry, "Look At Us!" by Tom Lovatt, and "The Matriarch’s Gaze" by Peggy Udinski.  

    The late Dr. Kissa, MPSA, the previous State Membership Director, was a 49-year member of PSA, a Journal columnist and active as an exhibitor and teacher for many years.  To honor his belief that the real value of competition is as a learning tool, the judging was followed by an interactive critique involving the the observers and the participants,  The jurors, Dianne Carnegie, Elkton MD; Robin Harrison, Ocean City MD and Tom Tauber, MPSA, Lansdowne PA, brought valued perspectives as successful photographers and experienced printers.

    To familiarize attendees with the category of Photo Travel and to encourage future participation, the results of the First Delaware Print Exhibition judged by Dee Langevin, MPSA, Valentina Sokolskaya, PPSA, and Tom Tauber, MPSA were also on display.  Hosted by Coastal Camera Club and coordinated by Leslie Sinclair and Tom Lovatt, the day also featured an optional dinner and morning and evening photo trips into nearby Cape Henlopen State Park. 


    The 2019 Winning Images

    Marilyn Monroe
    Jerry am Ende
    Gold Medal Winner
    Red Fox Kits Play
    Jerry am Ende
    Honor Ribbon    		 Look at Us!
    Tom Lovatt
    Honor Ribbon    		 The Matriarch's Gaze
    Peggy Udinski
    Honor Ribbon



    Photo from the Competition


    Photos courtesy of Sam Z. Markman. (click photos to enlarge)


    State Membership director Lynn Maniscalco presents the PSA Gold to Jerry am Ende.


    Tom Lovatt, Jerry am Ende and Peggy Udinski (L to R) show their winning prints.


    Assistant Membership Director Leslie Sinclair introduces the judges.


    Tom Tauber, Dianne Carnegie and Robin Harrison (L to R) judge the prints displayed by Debbie Woods, Marta Nammack and Mardi Thompson (L to R).

    Successful Photo Travel prints on display during the event.


    Staffing the check-in table: Tish Brey (left) and Deb Payette 
  • 2018 Best of Delaware Print Competition - Awards and Photos from the Event
    The 2018 Erik Kissa Memorial Medal, a PSA Gold, was awarded to Susan Peter in the first annual Best of Delaware print competition, hosted by Coastal Camera Club, on Saturday, April 28 in Lewes DE. The late Dr. Kissa was the previous State Membership Director and the competition was open to all PSA members living in DE. To honor his belief that the real value of competition is as a learning tool, the judging was followed by an interactive critique among the 120 observers and participants, with the jurors Andy Gordon, Lynn Maniscalco,HonPSA, EPSA and Tom Tauber, EPSA. Gordon also presented "Embarking on Your Creative Journey," and he and David Neff, a fellow RIT graduate, gave a workshop on focus stacking. The free all-day event, "A Day of Photography Inspiration and Education," was open to everyone, and included a photo flea market and PSA information for the benefit of non-members as well as members who are not taking full advantage of their membership. Partial support was provided by the Delaware Division of the Arts.

    The 2018 Winning Images

    Katmai Grizzly with Cub
    Susan Peter
    Gold Medal Winner
    Clouds over the Alaska Range
    Bob McCaffrey
    Honor Ribbon    		 Blue-Footed Booby with Chicks
    Susan Peter
    Honor Ribbon    		 Need a Ride to Church
    Paul Hammesfahr
    Honor Ribbon



    Photo from the Competition


    Photos courtesy of Sam Z. Markman.

    Lynn Troy Maniscalco, HonPSA, EPSA, (R) presents the Erik Kissa Memorial Award, a PSA Gold Medal, to Susan Peter (L) for her print, "Katmai Grizzly with Cub," named "2018 Best of Delaware." PSA honor ribbons went to (L to R) Bob McCaffrey for "Clouds Over the Alaska Range," Susan Peter for "Blue Footed Booby with Chicks," and Paul Hammesfahr for "Need a Ride to Church?"
    Jurors Lynn Troy Maniscalco,  Andy Gordon, and Tom Tauber provide commentary Paul Hammesfahr drawing for PSA item with Lynn Troy Maniscalco Competition in progress. The people in the front of the room are Gene Tadlock, Leslie Sinclair, Pat Powell, Joe Radcliffe, and Marta Nammack