Interviews of the JudgesⅡ- Mr.John Davis

Mr. John Davis: PSA intends to continue to lead through its volunteers, and use from time to time an appropriate blend of employees, contracted services and volunteers, depending upon membership growth and member needs and desires. PSA will continue to employ technology and to encourage professionalism at all levels. Strategic planning is under way to insure consistency and continuation of those things that work well, and developing in those areas where new ideas, initiatives, and services are called for. PSA will continue a path toward improvement in administration, operations and services to achieve the goals it sets for itself. PSA’s volunteers come from many walks of life and many countries, each person   brings skills and experience to the PSA jobs they select. They should be recognized and   appreciated for their efforts.                                                                  

PSA China: Can you evaluate on the status of PSA in the international photography?

Mr. John Davis: PSA has long been an international organization, although most of its members come from North America. It is a thrill to see membership grow worldwide and to know that PSA can serve so many photographers wherever they are. PSA respects the work of similar organizations and looks forward to work with them to serve photographers. PSA hopes to   have constructive and mutually beneficial relationships with national photographic societies, clubs and other such organizations, in addition to individual photographers.
   
PSA China: The exhibition regulation of PSA has been regarded as the standard of the photographic exhibitions by numerous international photographic organizations since its formulation in 1941. Can you review the history?

Mr. John Davis: PSA has attracted top worldwide photographers for more than 75 pears. Exhibition regulations have evolved to insure quality events which are fair, objective, run and judged by trained and qualified people, and providing a long-standing opportunity to earn distinctions and who’s who recognition. Step by step, the exhibitions have grown in number worldwide and in entries. PSA realizes the benefits to other organizations that learn to conduct exhibitions which are of high quality but inexpensive for the club and for participants.                                                                       

PSA China: On the new version of PSA website, there is highlight with “Educating and Connecting People through Photography”. Can you make a further explanation about the meaning of the sentence?

Mr. John Davis: PSA has a primary mission of education.  It is important to help members by providing education opportunities in photography, including classes, individual instruction, study groups, exhibitions, publications, and other activities and programs. Encouraging these, and helping to establish clubs, brings photographers together who come from many cultures, countries, and circumstances, to learn together. This leads to understanding and friendships. The experience of the First PSA China International Exhibition of Photography is a good example of how important international exhibitions are in educating and connecting people.

PSA China: The development of the photography, especially the photographers extended from the minority with professional skills to the common people, brings the change of photographic pattern and photographic group. As a photographic organization, how was PSA developed to follow the trend? What and how shall PSA do for the mass who are interested in photography? 

Mr. John Davis: PSA tries to reach less experienced photographers through photography clubs, the website, the PSA Journal, youth programs, exhibitions open to all photographers, online classes, and study groups. And PSA is studying a presence in the social media. New photographers of all cultures, ages and circumstances are important to PSA. Education activities are the cornerstone for reaching out to people who do not have professional photographic skills. An effort is made to provide low-cost activities and programs so that all can afford to participate.        

PSA China: As a lawyer, when did you begin to love photography and what has photography brought to you?

Mr. John Davis: I helped my parents to make family cards and pictures when I was very young. I took many pictures during my life, but only seriously in the last 15 years. Photography has brought balance in my life as my children are now raised and educated. My professional career as a lawyer in private general practice ends in the next few years, and I expect photography will be a good use of some extra time. My photography takes me outdoors, to places I long to be, and see and experience the national world.                                                                           

PSA China: Is it necessary to participate in photographic exhibitions for professional or amateur photographers?

Mr. John Davis: It is not necessary. Some people don’t like to do enter exhibitions, but many do. I remember more than 7000 images entered in your exhibition. Digital photography allows that to happen because it is so inexpensive to send it by email or submit on line, from photographers around the world. Then, it is possible to provide results and see images from the exhibition electronically.                                                            

Exhibitions have been important to me as a way to continually improve my photography, either as an entrant or a judge. Entrants are graded by impartial judges, which is educational for the entrant. Judges learn by studying and quickly making judgments about images, and they become better photographers as a result.                                                                            

PSA China: As a judge in Nature and Photo Travel Sections, do you have any good suggestions for the organizations and preparations in our exhibition, which will be considered for the next time?

Mr. John Davis: First, it’s important for people and entrants to read and understand the definitions, not only the definitions of what a photo travel image or a nature image is, but also what they can do or cannot do with the computer to edit the image. For the photo journalism, photo travel and nature, the amount of editing is restricted. You cannot do everything. You have to leave the images as a truthful photographic statement.  In nature, if the photographer does not find many wild animals, they can take nature images about the geography including beautiful rock formation of mountains, rivers and lakes, or insects or natural (not cultivated) plants. It is said that PSA China has many programs for his members. Learning about nature photography would be a good subject for training programs. Next time there will be fewer images to be disqualified. Photo travel images also have to be truthful and the rules limit editing as well. This is another area where PSA China could provide educational programs.                                                                 
  
PSA China: Can you share your unforgettable photographic experience with us? What do you think of your most favorite and most regretted images?

Mr. John Davis: My favorite images come from places I enjoy the most, such as in the mountains, in the U.S. national parks and other wild places. The southwestern U.S. and the state of Washington (My home state) are special to me. My time in China for the last 3 weeks will certainly be a top photographic experience for me, making me hungry for more! I regret not doing a better job of photographing my family in the early years, to capture them at their best enjoying life and family experiences. Consequently, I would like to be sure young people learn good photographic skills before they grow up and start families and experience life.   

PSA China: What’s your expectation on PSA China?

Mr. John Davis:  I hope all of you enjoy photography as much as you can and you can use it as a means of connecting with each other, and connecting the other people around the world. Through connecting comes understanding, friendship, trust and good relationships at all levels. PSA can give everybody an opportunity to grow and learn to make good images. 
PSA China can attract all levels of photographers, help them learn and teach the skills, and encourage them to follow their heart and learn to express themselves through their images.