89th Wilmington International Exhibition of Photography (PSA2022-XXXX)

1934 - 1st Wilmington Salon of Photography is held at Wilmington Library under the auspices of the Wilmington Society of the Fine Arts.  N.C. Wyeth is one of nine Directors.  Frank E. Schoonover serves as one of the five jurors viewing 182 prints that are entered from all over the U.S. and Hawaii.

1935 - 2nd Salon is named, the 1st International Salon and receives prints from U.S., Spain, Canada, Hungary, India, South Africa, Austria, England, Czechoslovakia, and The Netherlands.

1936 - 3rd Salon – Jurors use individual “electrical scoring devices” to score each print, “after having the opportunity to discuss each print with his fellow jurors.”  The same panel of 5 jurors judges the first three salons.  No prizes are awarded, and the prints are for sale.

1937 - 4th Salon includes 2 “tricolor photographs” by Cornelia Weston.  Prints this year are judged on a point basis.  An ad in the salon catalog introduces Kodak’s “new Kodachrome film.”

1938 - 5th Salon is composed of 230 prints selected from 1300 entries.  Salon ranks twelfth in the listing of American Annual of Photography.

1939 - 6th Salon jurors, Frank E. Schoonover, Fred R. Peel, and Adolf Fassbender select 236 prints for display in the newly-constructed Delaware Art Center (later the Delaware Art Museum on Kentmere Parkway).

1940 - 7th Salon jury, comprised of three eminent pictorialists, Edward Alenius, John P. Mudd, and Thomas O. Sheckel, select 271 prints “possessing a combination of technical skill and pleasing artistry.”

1941 - 8th Salon entry fee is $1.  Hand-colored prints are not eligible.  All acceptances are hung under glass.  Salon catalog is the first to list statistics, showing 1051 entries from 8 foreign countries, including Hawaii.

1942 - 9th Salon – Awards are given for the first time, and 33 prints are designated “honor prints.”  Due to the war, the only foreign prints are from Cuba, China, and Mexico.

1943 - 10th Salon venue is the YMCA lounge.  Due to the war, the only foreign prints are from Canada.

1944 - 11th Salon catalog is the first to have a glossy cover with reproduced photo.  “Several colored prints were also submitted. . . and the jury is instructed to give their full consideration to these prints.”

1947 - 14th Salon entry form states, “Four prints, in any photographic medium, may be entered by a contributor. . . .  We are heartened to see the return to our walls the pictures from our exhibitors in Europe, Asia, and many other regions foreign to this land.  Realizing the difficulties these people must have encountered in producing such beautiful prints, we extend our hand and wish them continued success.”  The Salon does not address the eligibility of hand coloring.

1948 - 15th Salon catalog makes first mention of the Photographic Society of America (PSA).  Entry form states, “Hand-colored prints not eligible.”  Entry fees are waived for entrants from countries not permitting the transfer of money.

1949 - 16th Salon catalog price is ten cents.

1950 - 17th Salon Associates number 79; those entrants who have received at least 10 monochrome acceptances in 10 years.

1952 - 19th WIEP Color Slide section is added.  The Salon name is changed from Wilmington International Salon of Photography to Wilmington International Exhibition of Photography (WIEP).

1954 - 21st WIEP – Color Slide section is recognized by PSA.

1955 - 22nd WIEP – Award-winning color slides are reproduced in a B&W catalog.

1956 - 23rd WIEP awards the first medals.  The entry form states, “The PSA has provided 2 silver medals to be presented to the 2 Color Slides judged as best in the 23rd WIEP.”

1958 - 25th WIEP – A tape-recorded narrative with background music is added to the slide programs. “Color Matter” designation disappears from the entry form. Two silver PSA medals are now presented, one for “Best Color Harmony,” and one for “Originality.”

1959 - 26th WIEP adds the Color Print Section to the exhibition. PSA now gives one gold medal for best slide, in addition to one for color print and one for monochrome print.

1960 - 27th WIEP – International Reply Coupons (IRCs) are required from entrants unable to send cash.

1961 - 28th WIEP – Entry fee is $2 per print section and $1.50 per slide section.  Entries from countries not permitting monetary transfers now accepted but are not returned without fees or IRCs.

1965 - 32nd WIEP Exhibition is held from May 22 to June 13.  Scheduling at this time was decided by the Delaware Art Center.

1966 - 33rd WIEP is held from April 17 to May 8.

1967 - 34th WIEP is held from March 26 to April 16.

1968 - 35th WIEP Exhibition is held from January 21 to February 4.  The date is subsequently determined unacceptable as it requires volunteers to work over the holidays.

1969 - 36th WIEP is held from February 8-23.

1970 - 37th WIEP – The Margaret Hartig Memorial Award is created and endowed for ten years by Margaret’s husband Karl, a Fellow of the DCC.  The Hartig Medal, the DCC Gold in each category, follows the PSA Gold in importance.

1953 - 20th WIEP – Cumulative statistics for 20 years are provided:  4,670 prints have been exhibited from 19,226 submissions from 4,454 entrants.  Thirteen of 29 special color print entries are accepted.  Processes include Dye Transfer, Flexichrome, Carbo and Carbon, as well as hand-colored with oil or watercolor.

1946 - 13th Salon judging is conducted by voice vote with the opportunity for discussion at any point. Each print is given two showings.

1962 - 29th WIEP – Average price to return prints is 79 cents; slides, 18 cents.  A loss of $111.40 on WIEP is attributed to the increase in postal rates, the decline in the number of domestic entries, and the cost of the banquet.

1963 - 30th WIEP is the first exhibition in which Delaware Camera Club (DCC) medals are awarded; in part to address declining number of entries.

1971 - 38th WIEP – Print entry fees are raised to $2.50 for 1 section, $4.50 for 2 sections, and slide fees are raised to $1.50. The Exhibition is moved to Brandywine College during renovations at the Delaware Art Center.

1972 - 39th WIEP fees are raised to $2.50 per section for prints and $1.75 per section for slides.  DCC members no longer enter for free and a banquet subsidy previously provided is also reduced. The Exhibition returns to Delaware Art Center. Carousel trays are used for the first time in exhibition slide show.  Margaret and Ed Bramble prepare the first fully-automated show of exhibition slides.

1973 - 40th WIEP – Although photojournalism (PJ) is not yet a part of the WIEP, one Honorable Mention is published in the catalog showing a Vietnamese soldier performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on a fallen comrade, a stark departure from typical subject matter.

1990 - 57th WIEP entries total 4017, second only to 1981.

1991 - 58th WIEP – Ektagraphic projector is used for the first time to replace single slide manual feed Leitz projector, which helps to speed up the judging and reduces handling errors. Rooms are rented at Claymont Community Center for processing and judging.  Previously, these tasks were completed in members’ homes.

1996 - 63rd WIEP – Peoples’ Choice Awards are increased to 2 medals, one for a local maker and one for non-local. Catalog cover is a duotone; PSA Gold monochrome print of leaves on a plaza has the leaves selectively toned gold.

1997 - 64th WIEP – Photographic Alliance of the USA Medal is added to be awarded to a “. . .DCC member for outstanding competition in the WIEP. Entries are received from 40 countries. PSA Silver and PJ Medals are awarded for “Best Human Interest.”

1998 - 65th WIEP catalog produced entirely by computer, with results transferred digitally to catalog editor.  Complete catalog is delivered to the printer as digital files; Bob Coffey, Catalog Chair. Interessengemeinschaft Internationaler WettbewerbsFotographen (IIWF), an association of German-speaking photographers, donates 3 medals for Color Slides, Monochrome Prints, and Color Prints, and five ribbons, one for each section.

1999 - 66th WIEP – Commercially Produced Print category is added. WIEP judging is held at Cokesbury Village for the first time. Computer hardware and software are upgraded, especially pertaining to WIEP.

2007 - 74th WIEP – “Small Print” category may be printed by any process and replaces Commercial Print category. PSA Mid-Atlantic medals are added.  Together with three print medals donated by judge Klaus Strehlike on behalf of FCC-Bayer (German Camera Club) brings the total number of medals awarded to 78, the highest ever. Improvements in data processing allow for score reports to be sent electronically to entrants who have provided email addresses.  This greatly reduces cost and effort of postcard reports, and provides faster results for the entrants.

2008 - 75th WIEP anniversary is highlighted by the creation of the Projected Image category in which digital entries and slide entries are judged together.  The digital images entered electronically score well.  43% of Projected Image entries are color slides. The urgent need for a new processing facility results in space provided by Pettinaro Relocation in Greenville, Delaware.

2009 - 76th WIEP – Only 19% of Projected Image entries are color slides.  422 photographers from 37 countries entered 3,110 images.

2010 - 77th WIEP – Color slides are no longer accepted as projected image entries.  80% of all entries made online, with barcode packing slips, expedite print entry processing.  Exhibition attendance increases substantially due to extensive publicity.  439 photographers from 34 countries entered 3,407 images.

2011 - 78th WIEP – No more slides. Moved to new digital projectors allowing an increase in the resolution limits from 1024x768 up to 1050x1050. The new resolution was chosen specifically so that vertical vs. horizontal images were on a level playing field – previously horizontal images had more pixels to play with. 473 photographers from 36 countries entered 3,563 images

2012 - 79th WIEP – Last catalog by editors Sharon and Bob Coffey, editors since 1998.  Nearly 95% (94.6% to be precise) of non-group entries are now online. Banquet venue moved to Hartefeld National.  478 photographers from 39 countries entered 3,787 images.

2013 - 80th WIEP – The first catalog done by Theresa Yanick.  Those members hosting judges dine free of charge at the Judges Banquet at Hartefeld.  433 photographers from 37 countries entered 3,474 images.

2018 - 85th WIEP – In addition to the WIEP Exhibit in Arsht Hall at the University of Delaware, WIEP prints were displayed in an exhibit at The Grand in Wilmington DE for the first time.  The first Erik Kissa Memorial Award for the PSA member with the most acceptances was bestowed (to Susan Peter from Delaware, USA)

2019 - 86th WIEP – The Grand Exhibit extended to two months. The Second Erik Kissa award was bestowed (to Pamela Alexia Callista Jarvan from Indonesia)

2020 - 87th WIEP – With the judging completed and the prints ready to hang, it was not possible to have the actual Print Exhibition at the University of Delaware Arsht Hall due to the pandemic. Hopefully the exhibit can be shown in 2021. There will only be Projected Images next year for the first time in the history of WIEP. The Third Erik Kissa Award was bestowed (to Henry Ng from Maryland, USA)

1988 Winner

2001 Winner

2003 Winner

1992 - 59th WIEP – The number of DCC Gold Medals awarded is adjusted to correspond to the number of entries. Print docents are established to discuss prints at WIEP exhibitions.

1993 - 60th WIEP Photojournalism Print section is dropped.

2001 - 68th WIEP – The size of PJ Prints is changed from 16”x20” to 8”x12” max.

2002 - 69th WIEP –  South Jersey Camera Club donates a medal for “Outstanding Nature Slide.”

2003 - 70th WIEP software improvements to WIEP greatly improve efficiency.

2004 - 71st WIEP – Martin Bruce and Arland Hammon become the sixth and seventh SFWIEP.

2006 - 73rd WIEP – A committee studies the feasibility of accepting digital images. A PayPal account is established, allowing payment of fees through the Internet.

2014 - 81st WIEP – First WIEP to have its own logo.  WIEP logo designed by Theresa Yanick.  DPS volunteers wear Logo buttons so attendees know who can answer their exhibition-related questions.  Rose Gillen, DPS IT Director designs a new WIEP website.

2015 - 82nd WIEP - First WIEP to invite youths under 19 years to enter at no cost.  First time that the printed catalog had an insert with top winning images in color.  436 photographs from 37 countries entered 3400 images.  Banquet venue moved to the Ed Oliver Country Club.

2016 - 83rd WIEP - First WIEP to sell prints donated by entrants to the public to help defray WIEP costs.  395 photographs from 33 countries entered 3.328 images.

2017 - 84th WIEP - First WIEP to be held in April.  The first time the WIEP catalog will be digital only.  A digital catalog and the projected image show on a DVD were sold at the exhibition and for purchase international via the WIEP website.

2016 winner

2005 - 72nd WIEP Slide Show is produced digitally allowing permanent retention of the show, permitting more opportunities to present it, and also providing more capability to identify previously-accepted images in the future.

1985 - 52nd WIEP – Themed DCC Gold Medals are discontinued.  Four DCC Gold Medals are given in each section, Color Slides, Monochrome Prints and Color Prints, regardless of number of entries in each section.

1986 - 53rd WIEP – Photojournalism Slide and Print Sections are added. First Delaware Valley Council of Camera Clubs (DVCCC) Medals are awarded at the judges’ discretion. Entries are received from 36 countries. Computerized recordkeeping is “. . .in a state of development.”

1987 - 54th WIEP – Previous Senior Associates catalog listings had been limited to those who had an acceptance within the past five years.  Beginning this year, they are limited to those who entered this year.

1988 - 55th WIEP – Bill Eppridge, international photojournalist for Life and Sports Illustrated, serves as juror.

1989 - 56th WIEP – Wilmington International Exhibition of Photography Fellow (FWIEP) and Senior Fellow (SFWIEP) designations are created.

1994 - 61st WIEP – Themed DCC Gold Medals return with one in each section for:  An Unusual Viewpoint, An Original Subject, and Best by DCC Member.  Also, in Color Slides, for Manipulated, and for figure Study in Monochrome and Color Prints for Manipulated, and Photojournalism, and in PJ Slides for Documentary, Special News Event.  DCC joins Federation Internationale de L’Art Photgraphique (FIAP) to attract more European entries.

1995 - 62nd WIEP – For the first time, the majority of entrants are foreign, with an increase by 33% of the number of prints and 12% in slides from 39 countries. Photojournalism print section is resumed. A catalog ad for Donahue Color Services offers digital restoration and retouching, the first mention of digital technology in connection with WIEP. Peoples’ Choice Award is introduced to WIEP as a single medal for favorite print of the attendees decided by ballot.

2000 - 67th WIEP venue is moved from the Univ. of Delaware, Clayton Hall, Newark to the Univ. of Delaware, Arsht Hall, Wilmington. The first full-color catalog cover is printed. FIAP affiliation is dropped. PSA Silver medals for Most Creative are added to pictorial print sections, and a second PSA Gold is added to color slides, also for the Most Creative.