Friday 28 February

 A small group of us went to Pensthorpe. The weather was great and ideal for walking. The gulls and geese were in abundance. The surroundings presented opportunities for photographing reflections, colourful sculptures, textures and of course wildlife. 

Midday we stopped for a spot of lunch.  Then some of us did another circuit of the grounds and the Flamingos and the Cranes graced us with their presence.

It was a lovely day to be out with like minded colleagues for a walk and a chat.

Here are some images from the visit.

                                                    

SPREADING MY WINGS by Andrew Stringer

 

LOOKING DOWN by Andrew Stringer

I AM THE BOSS by Andrew Stringer

LOOKING AT YOU by Andrew Stringer

CORMARANT by Andrew Stringer

STANDING ON ONE LEG by Andrew Stringer

                                                                        

PURPLE GLASS by Pam Rutty

                                                                    

HAVING A STRETCH by Pam Rutty

                                                                     

                                          CRAIN PORTRAIT by Francesca Shearcroft

LICHEN by Francesca Shearcroft

THE BRIDGE by Georgie McCall

                                                                   

GREYLAG GOOSE by John Kerr

REFLECTION OF CRANES by John Kerr

  

                                   

Tuesday 25 February Competition. Theme Macro/Close up

OnTuesday we held our second digital competition on the theme of "macro/close up". We welcomed back Simon Ciappara not as a speaker but as a judge. There was a wide variety of subjects varying from flowers, sculpture, insects and animals.

Simon started out by commenting on all the positive aspect of all the images.  He then commented on ways that they could be improved before the image was taken, either by adjusting the aperture or trying a different angle and in post production by adjusting the tones and possibly the shadows to enhance the texture.

Judging the advance group he gave several images top scores of twenty and nineteen. For some of the images there was no hesitation in giving the top score.

During the coffee break Simon showed some of his images and explained how he had taken them using a lens reverser. He also suggested that members could try extension tubes or macro bellows. 

Below are the top scoring images.

                                              ADVANCE MEMBERS TOP SCORING IMAGES

                                                     AUSCHWITZ by Andrew Stringer 20

                                                                              

BANDED DEMOISELLE by Carol Martin 20

TARNISHED PLANT BUG by Francesca Shearcroft 20

  

BUBBLES ON THE BEACH by Roy Scrivener 20 

                                                                 

BLUE IGUANA by Jan Murphy 20

                                                                   

HEART OF THE TULIP by Roy Scrivener 20

                                                                                     

SOLDIER BEETLE by Geoff Lingwood   
                     
                                                                 

THE COMMON CRICKET by Jack Mitchell 20

                                                              

SOAPSUDS BUBBLE WORLDS by Jan Murphy 19

                                                                   

SHIELDBUG by Geoff Lingwood 19

                                                                     

NIGELLA by Pam Rutty 19

                                                                    

RESTING SWAN by Diana Graham 19

                                                              

VIBURNHAM LEAF BEETLE by Francesca Shearcroft 19

                                                 

                                                    
                                                    MEMBERS GROUP TOP SCORING IMAGES 
                                                              

BEE ON MUSCARI by Graham Jackson 20

                                                                    

MACRO by Tom Thurston 20

                                                          

DRAGONFLY by Daphne Lingwood 19

                                                         

                                                   CURVED EYE VIEW by Pat Weir 19

Tuesday 11 February Sands of Time by James Kerwin

On Tuesday evening we welcomed back James Kerwin.  This time to give a talk on Sands of Time.

James is passionate about architecture especially ruins and abandon structures, which he refers to as hidden gems, and ghost towns and villages.  Through his photography he aims to enhance the interior of the buildings.

He carries out extensive research into these types of buildings world wide and will travel for miles to locate them. In some places whole villages have been abandon with the houses still furnished. Churches with light fittings and organs left behind but secured to avoid theft.

He seeks out the intricate details, colours, texture and shapes.  In his images he uses windows and doors to create frames within a frame, giving greater of depth of field. 

James showed us some amazing images which help the viewer to recreate in their minds what the building might have looked like in its past life. He also shared some tips and tools that he uses. The time of day, available light and how you position your self and equipment is very important and he uses every angle available.

A visit to his YouTube channel is highly recommended, especially for those interested in architecture.

Tuesday 4 February How to cut mounts and mount your images

 On Tuesday evening we had a practical session on mounting and reusing mounts. There were several tables set up where some members showed each other how they mount their images. 

There were a variety of methods used. And members had the opportunity to try them out. By the end of the evening members went home with two images they had successfully mounted and feeling more confident about the task.

An image is perhaps only complete when it is printed and mounted.  And this also adds to the photographer's enjoyment when sharing their work with others, displaying them or entering them in competitions.

Tuesday 28 January Choosing The Best Paper For Your Print

 On Tuesday evening we welcomed Simon Ciappara to talk about paper and printing. Despite the weather we had a reasonable turnout. And members were not disappointed.

As photographers we all know the importance of choosing the right paper for an image. Simon has taken this to another level. He started started making his own paper during lockdown and is still doing it.  Most of the material is grown in his garden or sourced locally.

He creates his paper with an image in mind and each sheet is unique; be it the texture or colour.  Simon is very creative and thinks outside the box. He uses his photos to create three dimensional books which give the appearance of puzzles and can be viewed from various angles. He urged the group to step out of their comfort zone and experiment with other genres and release their creativity.

Simon explained that a picture does not exist until it's printed. When you hold the print, memories come flooding back to the time and place when it was taken. And if it's shared with others there is an emotional connection.  One is also able to feel the texture of the paper and its smell.  It is like reading a book.

Tuesday 14 January Altered Reality by Barry Mead

 On Tuesday evening we welcomed Barry Mead to talk about his project Altered Reality.

Barry has won many awards in the UK and various other countries, and has many letters after his name. 

Barry's presentation on altered reality was all about creativity and how to inspire others. He is a collector of artefacts, a film addict and regularly attends reenactments. His collection includes clocks, figures from Harry Potter, Lord Of the Rings and Star Wars, and these are all used in his images in a variety of ways. He photographs anything that is available. He also believes in taking images from different angles.

Barry gave a few demonstrations to show how he creates his images which was very helpful. They can take from a few hours to several days. Each image is made up of multiple layers and pay particular attention to detail, which he says is crucial. His motto is to 'never give up'.  He advised us to take time out and revisit, even if you have to start again, and never throw away anything.

Barry's website is worth visiting to inspire the creativity within you.

www.barrymead-photography.com

Tuesday 7 January Focus on internal judging theme Patterns

Despite the cold and icy roads our first meeting back for 2025 was well attended for a Focus On...Patterns. There were 40 images submitted. The audience were the judges who each scored their top 5 images. Images were wide ranging and members had gone to a considerable effort to think out of the box. Thanks to all those who entered and made the evening so enjoyable.

Top 10 images are shown below.

                                        1st GLASS AND WATER REFRACTION by Jan Murphy

                                                      

                                                2nd INSIDE YORK MINSTER by Pam Rutty                                                                 

                                                    3rd PORTLAND TOWN by Danny Berta                                                                       

                                                 4th RESTING MONARCHS by Dawn Osborn

                                                  5th ZEBRA STRIPES by Robin Orrow

                                                  6th GOING DOWN by Sue Baldwin

                                                                             

6th PETALS by Liz Blake

                                                         8th TURKISH RUG by Carol Martin

                                                                           

                                                             9th TULIP ORB by Jan Murphy

                                                                                 

                                             10th REFLECTED IN THE FORUM by Pat Weir