Hong Kong Tiger Standard – Sunday, November 13, 1949

The Fourth Hong Kong International Exhibition Of Photography
By Francis Wu, F.R.P.S., F.P.S.A.

The Hong Kong Photographic Society will present, for the fourth time, an International Salon of Photographic Exhibition. This salon, which is one of the greatest functions of the Society, is held annually at about the same time.

It is generally known that salons receiving entries from countries all over the world are considered as famous whereas those having fewer entries are thought of as less prominent. Large salons such as the Royal or the London Salon of photography, have receive entries up to a few thousand prints, while on the other hand, the lesser ones’ receipts average to only a few hundred.

In order to form an International Salon, a photography society must first have a locality, which the salon is to be held; it is not advisable to have two or more salons in any one community and at the same time, although a salon is not a competitive organization of camera clubs.

Another necessity in the formation of an International Salon is the enacting of certain rules, for example, the methods of judging and of exhibiting.

A set amount depicted as an entry fee, is also a requisite for the success of a salon.

The limitation of the amount of prints to be entered by any one person is also an expedient factor in the constitution of an International Salon. The restriction of the number of prints from any exhibitor is usually four though the amount may vary according to the rules of the salon.

The fifth essential rule is that the size of prints must be so that the regularity and uniformity of prints on exhibition may prove relaxing and pleasing to the public. The maximum size of all entries is usually 16” by 20”

That plain mounts are preferable is another indispensable item in the recipe of entries. Light colored mounts are always held in greater flavor than a photograph being gaudy or bright mounts.

Prints are always returned to their respective exhibitors two weeks after the exhibition. Notice cards are sent to each entrant after the judging Salon catalogues are usually forwarded at a later date.

Amateurs as well as professionals who are interested in photography take active parts all over the world. Photographic monthly journals usually publish a calendar of the International Salon schedules so that the exhibitors may know in advance what salon they may send their prints to and where and when it is to be held.

Hand-colored prints are never accepted because all photographic work must be done exclusively by the entrant himself photographically.

To have four prints accepted out of four is considered outstanding; to have one accepted is regarded as good. On the average, only about ten to twenty percent of the prints submitted for selection can be accepted for hanging. Certain salons offer prizes such as medals and plaques for exceedingly good prints – their salons offer “honor labels” All prints accepted for hanging receive a salon lable. The American Photography’s prints static’s on “Who’s Who” in photography ranking prominent photographers of the world according to the number of their salon acceptances and merit. As seen by the above samples, entering in a salon is very beneficial to all photographers whether they may be amateurs or professionals. The International salons act as a guiding yardstick of photographic standard.

The Hong Kong International Salon may truly be called an International Salon, as prints are sent in by photographers from the United Kingdom, Czechoslovakia, Sweden, Hungry, America, Canada, India, Malay, Japan, Australia, Cuba and China. Besides the support from foreign exhibitions, The Hong Kong International Salon receives much promotion from Hong Kong itself. More than 600 prints will be placed in a panel before judges, between who will be artists, photographers and art critics. Out of the 600, only 125 prints will be selected for the exhibition. The judging will be a silent one, with red and green lights only to signify whether the prints are accepted or rejected. The prints receiving more votes have the firs chance to be “in”. Any print that has been voted for by all of the judges is unanimously considered as an “honor” or outstanding print.

The Fourth Hong Kong International Salon will be opened to the public on November 22-26 at St. John’s Cathedral from 10am to 6pm,

Honolulu Advertiser – Sunday, October 9, 1949

Photo Show At Library

Old Butt Delicious By Francis Wu

Library of Hawaii presents a one-man photographic exhibition of the distinguished Chinese photographer, Francis Wu of Hong Kong, China.

Fifty prints, through the great artist’s viewfinder, reflect his personality and taste. Using imagination he has chosen simple subjects and interesting compositions.

In explaining his work, Mr. Wu writes: “The lighting is set accordingly to each individual picture. Usually I throw a few highlights on the main part of the picture to emphasize my point of interest. Each of these pictures was composed with one idea and that idea is carried throughout the picture according to the mood, scene or character study, which must correspond with the title. The subject in which I choose for indoor portraits studies in simple in outline with flashes of strong highlights to add brilliancy and sparkle in the prints and with a motive of creating a story behind it.”

Francis Wu’s work has appeared in Photogram of the Year in England and in American Annual of Photography in the United States.

China Mail - Hong Kong – March 1947

Francis Wu Picture Awarded

Old Butt Delicious By Francis Wu

One of the four Bronze Plaques awarded at the Sixth Lucknow International Salon of Photographic Arts, sponsored by the United Provinces Amateur Photographic Association in Lucknow and Allahabad, India has come to Hong Kong.

The recipient is Mr. Francis Wu, one of Hong Kong’s leading photographers, whose entry was among more than 3,000 others displayed at Lucknow in March.

Mr. Wu, who ahs more than 15 years’ photographic experience behind him and who started with a box camera, sent in an entry titled “Old Butt Delicious” depicting a wrinkled Chinese coolie puffing at a foreign cigarette butt picked up from the street.

The photograph is now on display at Mr. Wu’s studio in the Gloucester Arcade.

Lucknow has always been a multicultural city, and flourished as cultural and artistic capital of North India in the 18th and 19th centuries. Lucknow has developed as a metro city of Uttar Pradesh and second largest in the state.

The British Journal Of Photography – Friday, November 20, 1953

 China and Photography

Looking through our cuttings of notices of the London exhibitions we are reminded that The times poses a question of more than passing interest. The reviewer opens by saying that saying that the most interesting works at the London Salon of Photography re by Chinese contributors. He goes on to say, “One wonders why it is that at present Hong Kong should be producing so many talented photographers.” In the August number of Photography Journal (1953, 93A, 239, 240), Mr. Francis Wu F.P.S.A., F.R.P.S., F.I.B.P., in his very interest account of “Photography In Hong Kong” goes a very long way in providing a reasonable complete answer and explanation of the pre-eminence of Hong Kong photographers. What Mr. Wu has to say is so apposite and of such wide application that we shall not scruple to quote from his article, for it is of first class importance to photographers the world over.

It is particularly interesting to note the points that Mr. Wu highlights. He tells us that since the end of the Second World War more and more people in Hong Kong become photography minded. That is an important point. Next he says  “The business part is only a minor part of photography” Major credits must be given to enthusiastic amateurs who devote themselves solely to the advancement of pictorial photography. They organize camera clubs activities and sponsor salons, competitions and exhibitions.” A significant corollary to these last remarks is the following.” There are more and more exhibitors in international exhibitions and much of the work, in comparison with other nations, can be said to be outstanding. In quality as well in quantity, we are improving, and many of the world’s major awards have been won by Hong Kong photographers.”

We are told that there are two good schools of photography and both appear to be very successful. And that in addition there are many smaller schools where the Chinese language is the medium for teaching, also that tough a few years ago text books in Chinese are scarce, today a number f new books in photography in Chinese can be found in bookstall. Also in the last two years no fewer than four periodicals dealing with photography in Chinese have appeared. Finally we are told that camera club activities seem to have been successful beyond expectation.

A Very Live Society – Such is certainly the record of the Hong Kong Photographic Society, which we are told is the largest and best. Last year its members reached 250, which included no less than 104 new members in 1952. Of all these members, forty are actually life members. Meetings are held each month and are preceded by a dinner at the Café where the meetings take place. Competition prints are displayed in a large hall. The competitions are monthly and the usual lectures, demonstrations, and print criticisms are part of the general program. In November or December of each year the Hong Kong International Salon is held. It lasts a week and is looked upon as a big local event opened each year by the Governor of Hong Kong who is its patron. As many as 50,000 visitors have been counted during a week. This year will be the eighth exhibition. There is much more than it could be quoted and commented upon, but what has already been said should prove that in Hong Kong Photographic Society there is a very live organization, and one that can offer ideas to other clubs or societies either large or small. In assessing its importance photographically it is pertinent to revert again to the Times notice of the London Salon, for there can be little doubt that many of the exhibitors that are so highly spoken of are members of the Hong Kong Society. The Times critic says “one wonders why it is that at present Hong Kong should be producing so many talented photographers.”  He hazards a couple of suggestions, namely that climate is one reason, and that living perpetually in an unquiet settlement engenders a desire for the calm and life of nature. For our part we should not think that either these has any important effect on Hong Kong photographers in other parts of the world. What does appear, as pointed out by the critic, is the certainty with which the photographers have caught the mood of either subject and registered it unerringly. That is something we do not conceive of as being dependent upon either climate or political stability. It is the result of acute artistic perception allied to a real technical mastery of material and technique. These attributes are an integral part of the make up of Chinese. From the earliest times landscape art has predominated in China. It is  accounted the most important of subjects because it includes man and all living things.