With Money on the Line, Photo Club Gears Up for New Competition

The stage has been set for members of the Photographic Federation of Long Island (PFLI) to try to snap - and submit the best photos of Long Island, all for the chance to win cash prizes.

Meeting Friday in the Plainview-Old Bethpage Public Library, the group called for photographers to submit their works to galleries around the island. The long-running event, sponsored by wantagh.li, a website operated by the Town of Wantagh, asks participants to take compelling photos of the island, specifically sites in the Plainview, Old Bethpage or Wantagh regions. Winning images will be displayed around Long Island, as an effort to bolster interest - and membership in the club. 

Being a voluntary, non-profit organization, the Photographic Federation of Long Island prides itself in being Long Island’s premiere camera club, one uniting not only Nassau and Suffolk County, but also all five boroughs of New York City. A member of the Photographic Society of America, the club finds that competitions among neighboring photographic clubs (as well as competitions between members of PFLI) helps not only spark interest in photography, but also garners greater interest in supporting non-profit clubs around Long Island.

This year, the club is seeking to strengthen its long-standing events. “During this season, we’ll not create any new programs, but will strengthen those we already have in place,” Dorothy Gist, President of PFLI said in a recorded statement.

Meeting last week at the library, the focus was on the presentation of award-winning art. Each October, PFLI coordinates an annual competition where members compile their best works of art. Though there are many competitions for club members, the competitions in October, January and June are the largest – and most widely recognized.  

 “Each year, we’ll try to have photographs go up in October (and remain displayed until the new year)…last year’s competition had the highest number of entries in any year,” explained Gist. “In fact, we had a 54 percent increase [in] entries; digital entries have contributed to this increase.”

Thanks in part to digital photography, not only has membership increased, but the quality of images submitted has as well. Members have submitted amazing pieces, from whimsical images of country cottages to birds in flight, where they’ve often showcased skills playing with the color and contrast of the images shot.