March 2022: ‘Composition for the Viewer – John Lewis LRPS
John Lewis, LRPS, the photographer not the shop, asked us to concentrate on composition in our photography, a huge complex topic. The subjective issue of taking an image for the viewer to emit emotion and communicate an idea has many facets. A better composed picture will be more effective and make a stronger impression. The example of a portrait of Igor Stravinsky by Arnold Newman demonstrated this idea; the sitter is in a corner, but the image is dominated by shapes created by the piano. Art can give many examples of composition that can be replicated by the photographer.
John felt that there must be an intense curiosity rather than a passing visual interest in a subject to ensure better composition. The subject matter can be shocking, sad, amusing, gentle or dramatic to get the viewer’s attention. Using diagonal lines, leading lines, and shapes especially in black and white can result in a satisfying image that gives a sense of movement. The idea of colour to create a mood generated lots of conversation. John highlighted the colour wheel as an effective tool to produce an experience that affects a mood, emotion or behaviour for example letting one colour dominate creates drama.
I would encourage you to look at John’s website, www.johnalewis.co.uk to see his images. We followed our talk with a look at members’ images based around the topic of ‘Shadows’. Our comments were more focused on the idea of composition after listening to John.
Anne Hunsley, ADDPS
February 2022: ‘British Wildlife Adventures’ – Will Gray
What an inspiring evening the club had listening to Will Gray talk about British Wildlife Adventures. Will has been an award-winning photographer for over 30 years who also leads workshops for any skill level.
The talk gave us a pictorial tour of Scotland, where we met Sammy the harbour seal with all the problems of dealing with salt spray on the camera and exposure issues to the Wood of Cree, set up with hides, to photograph red deer up close. Will emphasised that practise and taking considered images is the way to hone your craft. Firing off hundreds of shots without being patient and moving up, down and around to find that pleasing composition will prove fruitless especially when wildlife do not do what you expect. Will passed on lots of tips and did present some of his less successful shots to show how he worked to improve to find that ideal whilst out in the field.
There are so many nature reserves and wildlife areas in the UK that can be found just a few miles from a major motorway or city that any photographer should find time to try to capture these great native creatures. However, do remember to respect the animal or creature’s habitat.
Will has a fantastic website that I recommend you visit https://www.william-gray.co.uk where you will find not only his great images but also details of his book Family Wildlife Adventures which gives lots of ideas on where to stay and visit around the country for wildlife exploration.
Our topic of ‘Frozen’ was a wonderful set of images giving lots of variety; trying to stop time to lovely morning captures of cobwebs and garden plants. Frozen peas featured too. Do check the website for the latest topic gallery.
Anne Hunsley, ADDPS
January 2022: ‘Celebrity Portraits’ – Chris Floyd
Our first speaker in 2022 was the very entertaining Chris Floyd who gave us an insight into ‘Celebrity Portraits’. Chris’s passion for photography began as a teenager at school, loving the darkroom processes, using a Pentax inherited from his father. David Bailey portraits, black and white shots of Michael Caine and The Beatles fuelled that desire to pursue a career in photography. Beginning as an assistant learning his craft, Chris’s first solo job was in Manchester meeting a Mr Noel Gallagher. The subsequent image of the ‘new band’ Oasis outside Main Road was printed in ‘Select’ magazine. The anecdotes behind all the images were so interesting. Chris has travelled the world photographing entertainers, actors, politicians and artists and it would be easier to list those people who have not been in front of his lens. However, preferring to photograph the world 100 metre record holder, Asafa Powell he passed on meeting and photographing the upcoming sprinter Usain Bolt. The one that got away, I think.
Chris is most pedantic about the light in his images, and he gave us details and tips to achieve those effects. Many of his portraits have a theme of blue and red, colours that are a signature for him. Do look at Chris’s website www.chrisfloyd.com to see a wealth of stunning images. My favourite images are David Hockney and David Attenborough.
The topic ‘People’ produced a range of images of close-up portraiture as well as a few reportage shots. These will be on the website shortly, so do take a look if you missed the meeting.
Anne Hunsley, ADDPS
December 2021: ‘Photographing Gigs and Concerts’ – Carol Henson
Carol Henson, a local Northamptonshire photographer, was invited by her brother to photograph his band and it started a passion for standing in a music pit and capturing a moment at gigs and festivals. We learnt that the most important pieces of equipment were good noise cancelling earplugs as well as a fast lens and a camera that works well with low light. Lighting can be a real challenge. Carol now has her own media company (We bleed music media) to gain access to the front row to enable her to get those special action shots. Some musicians play to the camera whilst others totally ignore it. It was interesting to learn that most amateur photographers are only allowed to stay for three songs before having to move away from the stage. It sounded like quite hard work, the bands and artists always want to see the results and have the editorial decision for circulation, and very few pay for the images even if they use them for PR later, but it was obviously fun, and the results certainly portrayed that. Look on www.webleedmusicmedia.com for some super images.
Our topic ‘In memoriam’ showed a breath of interpretation and artistic ideas from a hymn sheet taken at a Remembrance Day gathering at Brackley to many different shots from the recent photoshoot at the National Memorial Arboretum. All portrayed a reflective and challenging look at this most profound subject. Do look at the images on the website if you missed the Wednesday meeting.
Anne Hunsley, ADDPS
November 2021: ‘Photographing Wiltshire’ – Robert Harvey ARPS
Our engaging speaker Robert Harvey, ARPS gave us an inspiring look at Wiltshire. During his talk Robert gave us a glimpse of the history, geology, geography, architecture, and art of the county. He began with a look at the landscape of the chalk downs and the vales of clay pasture. He highlighted the icon beech clumps along the chalk downs his favourite being the Charlton Clumps at the edge of Salisbury Plain all illustrated by gorgeous images. Of course, the unique Stonehenge was featured but it wasn’t Robert’s favourite place for capturing the mystery of ancient times preferring Silbury Hill and Devil’s Den at Avebury. A particular shot of a ‘White Horse’, famous in Wiltshire, took Robert thirteen years to achieve with the right weather and lighting conditions.
His images are truly unique and painstakingly researched and observed. Robert uses a tripod for all his shots so that he can include more detail and alter aperture settings and exposures times. An entertaining shot of an enormous moon illustrated the story of a Moonraker; when smuggling was rife in the 1700’s a group lifting stored French brandy barrels from a pond were visited by the law. They explained they were raking for the round cheese, the reflected moon being the foil. Anyone can take at look at Robert’s work in his newly published book ‘Photographing Wiltshire’; a possible Christmas present perhaps? His website for those interested is https://www.naturalworldphotography.net
Do remember to check out the website to view the topic images based on’ Banburyshire’. There was a varied selection with some great compositions of the familiar sights we know and love
Anne Hunsley, ADDPS
October 2021: ‘The Yorkshire Dales in the 1950’s’ – Paul Brewerton ARPS
At our last meeting we were treated to a very special look at Yorkshire in the 1950’s by Paul Brewerton, ARPS. During lockdown Paul used the time to look through his archive of negatives. After investing in a scanner, he transferred his old film images into pixels and produced a series of stunning black and white images. It was interesting to see the landscapes of Yorkshire and the Lake District and to hear the fond accompanying stories with each image. They show a much simpler life with very little traffic, horses working the land and all the textures that black and white can create. The main collection was of landscapes, including clean snowy fields with drifted snow against dry stone walls. Paul also showed the contents of run-down tithe barns where old wagons were illuminated by brilliant shafts of light as well as atmospheric stations with steam trains. A truly black and white delight.
Based on the evening the topic was ‘Social Documentary’ we were treated to a range of images depicting many different moments in time, many of them involving food! Do take a look at the selection on the website.
Sunday 19th September saw members celebrating together the 15th anniversary of the foundation of the society. Miggy Wild organised a ‘Photo Safari’ around a circuit of villages and venues including a visit to Hinton in the Hedges for the sky diving. Inspiration for image ideas came from titles such as lines and curves, rural life, and transportation. There were some excellent photo opportunities along the route and especially at the airfield. All the participants then met at North Aston House for a sunny picnic, a perfect end to a great day. We saw a mixture of shots from the day as part of the second half of the evening. Photographs are on the website.
Anne Hunsley, ADDPS
September 2021: ‘Yunnan’ – Andreas Klatt ARPS
Our first meeting together after all these months of ‘Zooming’ gave us an opportunity to welcome friend and member of the society, Andreas Klatt, ARPS who gave a visual trip to Yunnan Province, China. In true Andreas style there was an eclectic mix of genres from street and portrait photography to even a few wildlife images (not normally a choice for him). Andreas is an enthusiast of architecture, especially walls (with mould and rising damp) which give super abstract images because of the colours and contrast. He and his wife explained their road trip went from the North to South of the province with a guide and government driver as a chaperone.
Images covered local people with a view of their life, evocative buildings that showed a level of decline as well as those with intricate decorations and detail. A stunning set of shots featured the Tiger Leaping Gorge on the Yangtze River, where the tributary runs fast and furious. The mountains created heavenly images of dramatic clouds and almost unreal sunsets which, Andreas agreed, was almost impossible to capture the true beauty in a photograph. He finished the evening off with a series of images showing bird’s nest collectors in a vast cave complex. These bare-foot, agile young men would give an Olympic climber a run for their money. Astounding.
It was so great to see members back together even if it was wearing masks and with the traffic thundering past the open door for ventilation. As autumn approaches remember to bring your coat; it could get cold. This presentation was recorded for members who couldn’t attend. Contact Neil Grantham for more details. Also check the website for the different images submitted for the monthly topic ‘Oriental’.
Anne Hunsley, ADDPS
August 2021: ‘The Magic of Long Exposure’ – Harry Wheeler-Brand
Harry Wheeler-Brand spoke enthusiastically about the ‘Magic of Long Exposure’ at our last meeting. A young professional photographer Harry runs workshops and promotes all things landscape around the East Coast counties of Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk. He published his own guidebook to photography around the East Anglian coast during lockdown. He spoke at length about his techniques, his equipment, and his love of drama in long exposed landscapes. What Harry did stress was doing homework to plan and check the location for weather, position, and composition. He also emphasized how many images he took to achieve the final shot that he was pleased with. Long exposure achieves those dreamy seascapes and cloudscapes; it can be a good foil, along with filters, to eliminate people who might wander into the shot. Harry also introduced us to infrared photography that in post-production can be turned into intense black and white images. One of his tips was to buy good quality filters since expensive camera equipment deserves a quality engineered filter to maintain the image superiority. Do check out www.harrybehindthelens.com for his images and because this presentation was recorded you can contact Neil Grantham for the link to be able to watch this fast-paced talk again. Finally, members can receive a 10% discount on Harry’s guidebook by entering the code HARRY at checkout.
Anne Hunsley, ADDPS
July 2021: ‘Photographing the National Trust’ – Peter Greenway LRPS
We welcomed Peter Greenway, LRPS in July for an interesting talk about his voluntary work for the National Trust (NT) taking photographs of local properties such as Waddesdon Manor, Ashdown House and his favourite Chastleton House, which are often used in promotional literature. As a lover of heritage and all things historical it is his love of objects that fascinates Peter and of course the teashop. Volunteering for the NT involves meeting standards, guidelines and following the law on the dreaded GDPR. Any new photographer has an 84-page document to digest on NT branding emphasising the attractions for a range of different visitor groups. Blue sky, family fun and links to the place for the viewer ensures an image is accepted into the NT database. Peter explained how his NT photography has diversified his picture taking and pushed him out of his comfort zone both on composition and the technical stuff. The advent of social media has increased the likelihood of one of Peter’s photographs being viewed by a wider audience so do look out for his work when you are looking through the NT handbook, website, or Instagram. He has even had an image displayed on the roadside hoarding for Waddesdon Manor.
Our topic evening focusing on ‘Wild’ again produced a diverse range of images that really challenged the interpretation of the word; it wasn’t just lots of wildflowers or creatures. Do check the website if you missed the meeting.
Anne Hunsley, ADDPS
June 2021: ‘Greenland: A land of icebergs and Inuits’ – Richard and Janet Burdon
Greenland – A land of icebergs and Inuits presented by Richard and Janet Burdon was a travelogue of a 2017 trip to Greenland; a place they knew extraordinarily little about but were keen to know more. They were fond of bleak areas and found a land-based trip organised by Wild Photography Holidays. The three-hour flight from Iceland introduced them to the colourful highlights of Greenland. The breath-taking views were tempered by the -30-degree temperatures, where everything soon began to freeze up. Equipment whether it be a tripod, or the camera suffered in the biting cold but ‘warm hands’ were invaluable to keep equipment warm in camera bags; it could be an expensive trip if camera bodies died due to the cold.
The skyline of the ‘modern’ town of Ilulissat gave opportunities to show the colourful, timber properties positioned in small groups; when the land is covered in snow and ice there is little need for conventional roads. The traditional sled dogs created lots of photo opportunities. Sunsets produced amazing light for images of sky-scraper sized icebergs, but the best prospects proved to be the Aurora Borealis which, Richard decided would include one of the local houses in the foreground if the Aurora appeared. Stunningly it did and the images were amazing in their intensity. The key to the capture, in the dark, was setting up the camera before the appearance to ensure that the focus would be on infinity and a manual exposure of 15 seconds at f2.8. There was nothing bleak about the Greenland landscape because the light was so special.
Our topic night based around Poetry proved to be a diverse collection of images curated by members based on a variety of well loved and newly discovered poems. The efforts were different and thought provoking. Have a look on the website to judge for yourself.
Anne Hunsley, ADDPS
April 2021: AGM and “What Is It?”
After a second lockdown AGM, via Zoom, we welcomed a new Treasurer, Nick Hardwick and Colin Lamb as Programme Secretary. Huge thanks went out to the retiring officers, Diana Saville and Maureen Robinson who have done an excellent job during exceedingly difficult times. All voting on the resolutions was completed online and there was a 67% turnout which, was remarkable so a huge thankyou to the membership. Sticking with tradition, we then had the ‘What is it?’ competition. Thirty-nine entries meant great concentration was required to try and decide what the close-up image depicted. Miggy Wild came out as a super sleuth correctly guessing twenty-two objects. If you want to see if you can beat that score, check the website for the slide show; some images are extremely tricky. Anyway, we had a good natter and catch-up discussing the results.
Do have a look at our website www.addphoto.co.uk .
Anne Hunsley, ADDPS
March 2021: “Ask The Panel”
We haven’t been meeting together, other than on screens, but an interesting evening was held to ‘Ask the panel’ any burning questions about all thing’s photographic. The panel of experts were Wendy Meagher (WM), John Cavana (JC), Colin Lamb (CL) and Jim Muller (JM). Members were invited to submit questions, which are detailed below. Next, followed a critique of submitted images for advice on any changes or improvements the panel might consider.
Nick wanted to know:
What features of an image make you think that it would be better in monochrome, and how do you achieve the best results? (Apart from running it through Silver EfeX Pro)
Answers included: Just try it but specific characteristics in an image lend themselves to monochrome such as strong lines, shapes, and symmetry. Heavy shadows and lots of detail or texture can be enhanced by mono. Always start with colour and convert in Lightroom but the image may need attention. JC never goes out intentionally to shoot in monochrome but feels an image could become presentable with conversion.
Meriel asked:
During his talk on Wednesday, Nathan Barry mentioned that if he had to choose only four adjustments in Lightroom he would have whites, blacks, highlights, and shadow adjustments. If you had to choose which would your four be and why?
CL agreed with Nathan on his top four adjustments. JC felt his choices depended on the image subject e.g., architecture he would transform the verticals first, then shadows, decrease highlights and finally look at temperature. WM usually looks at highlights (especially with clouds), shadows, texture and clarity but urged caution with the last two. JM admits to cheating a little by using lens correction, auto/white balance, auto/tone and the transform and graduating filters.
Maureen T wanted to know:
Whose work has influenced you most. Among all the equipment you own, is there something you wish you hadn’t bought and why?
WM- coming from an art background has been influenced by Ben Nicholson, Matisse, Nicki Gwynn-Jones as well as Ansel Adams and Walker Evans. Wendy would not buy so many camera bags; she has too many she doesn’t .
JM- Landscape photographers John Gravett and David Noten as well as Ansel Adams. Jim found a trek pole that doubled as a monopod was the thing, he wished he hadn’t bought as it did neither job well. Also, he didn’t enjoy his Fuji mirrorless equipment so sold it.
JC- Thomas Heaton because his approach to landscape photography is so different to mine, Robert Harvey for his landscapes and night- time photography and Harold Davis for his flowers.
CL -Whilst not being influenced directly he admires the work of Robert Harvey and Clive Nichols. Colin enjoys membership of the RPS nature group for inspiration.
Nicky asked:
Could someone please explain to me how you use the Spot Removal tool in Lightroom. More specifically, how do you enter or accept the change made?
JM shared his Lightroom screen and demonstrated how the spot removal tool works. He stressed the opacity must be 100% to clone or heal using the tool. Once the area had been removed, click close or reset to change the result again.
Anne:
Could you explain about depth of field (DOF) in photography and any tips you use when taking images?
JC – As a compositional tool, the size of the aperture depends on the subject. A shallow DOF will give a diffuse background needing a wide aperture (a lower number) to give a sharper focus on the subject. A deeper DOF gives more detail from the front to the back of the image.
CL – Portraiture – for a strong image, a diffuse background is usually better. Landscape – a smaller aperture to give sharpness from front to the back of the image.
WM – Using a Nikkon, recommends shooting in aperture priority and finds F5.6 gives a sharp image with a diffused background and finds everything is sharp in landscapes using F7.1.
JM – Definition is the zone of what appears to be in focus based on the aperture. Never set the focus point to infinity for a landscape. The best way to try out DOF is to use a tripod and keep changing the aperture to take a series of shots to see the results of differing focal lengths.
Miggy and Wendy both wanted to know:
How do you add frames on images?
JC – It can be done in Lightroom or Photoshop. JC uses PS, setting the canvas size on the image drop down in the menu bar. Highlight a box in the middle of the screen setting the pixel height and width. Using colour options chose the colour border; it can be colour matched to the image by using the eye dropper tool. There are so many borders and textures available with many online training sessions available.
JM – Uses Lightroom in the print area and finds the border option, setting the colour and again can be customised using the eye dropper tool.
Maureen R asked:
What is white balance and why is it so important?
JM – Colour temperature. Light at a low value is shades of red, at high value is blue. So, aiming to get colours to appear natural depends on the light source. Processing in Lightroom gives the ability to change the white balance; to warm up the image pulling the slider up will add orange/red. To cool the image moving the slider down will add blues.
WM – Using aperture priority when shooting means the camera automatically sets the white balance. Any adjustment is then done in LR. Good tutorials online – ‘Cambridge in Colour’
CL – Agrees auto setting achieves good results but it can become tricky when there are mixed light conditions.
JC – Modern cameras handle white balance well and any adjustments are easily done in Lightroom.
Richard asked:
Should the automatic image stabiliser be switched off when using a tripod?
The Panel agreed it should be switched off in case the lens is confused by being fixed, which can cause blurring of the image. In body stabilisation can be left on.
Miggy and Lindsey asked:
Can you explain the different types of photopaper and how they affect the image?
JM – There are three basic finishes: glossy, matt and silk. Quality is dependent on it being archival and fade proof. Cheaper paper has a cast coating finish that allows the ink to sink into the paper so colours aren’t as vibrant, and they will fade. More expensive papers have micro or nano pores where the ink sinks into the pores, dries quickly and will not fade as quickly.
JC – Likes Pinnacle Premium Lustre and Baryta paper (the paper of choice of photographer John Swanell).
WM- Uses Pinnacle Premium Lustre 300g.
Anne Hunsley, ADDPS
March 2021: ‘Natural achievements through Lightroom’ – Nathan Barry
March saw a return visit from Nathan Barry, to speak to us about achieving a natural result with Lightroom. Nathan is primarily a landscape photographer who aims to achieve a natural affect when in post-production with an image. During the interactive evening Nathan explained his thought process, by demonstrating within Lightroom, the variety of changes he might make to a photograph. Whether it was making the sky brighter in a reflection, using a graduated filter to make the sky darker or a crop to focus the eye to move through the image. It was interesting how a little movement of the sliders made a difference to the results. Nathan emphasised the importance of the tone curve and how effective tweaking the curve could be. Members bravely submitted a selection of their images for a makeover by Nathan with the subtle changes improving the photograph even more. Regardless of the members’ expertise everyone found the evening interesting including the use of the lens correction button for a subtle vignette. Nathan Barry’s images can be seen at The Image Project Clever software can enhance an image; everyone was encouraged to build on the skills workshops previously delivered, pre-pandemic, by Jim Muller. So, more tweaking of the sliders will be the order of the day from now on.
Our next meeting will the AGM on 7th April at 7.30pm followed by the “What is it?” slideshow. You are welcome to join us by Zoom; go to the website to find the links. Who knows it might not be too long before we can meet in person?
Anne Hunsley, ADDPS
February 2021: ‘Night and Low Light Photography – Tony Worobiec, FRPS
“Don’t be frightened or intimidated by the dark” was the advice from Tony Worobiec, FRPS. During his Night and Low Light Photography presentation Tony gave us a wealth of tips and advice to encourage and inspire us to go outside in the dark and accomplish some amazing images. He displayed images taken pre-dawn and post sunset, all stunning. An interesting tip was to turn 180 degrees to the sunrise or sunset to accomplish a softly illuminated landscape where colours bloom rather than being drown out by the intense sun. Of course, pre- dawn there are opportunities to capture those wonderful mists and fogs that lie in fields and valleys during high pressure. It would appear the early riser catches the proverbial worm by setting up and having an exposure of at least a minute to capture the detail whilst it is still dark. The same is true of dusk where, waiting for forty minutes after sunset the image colours will improve considerably. Tony explained he often uses a torch as a filler light when using a 15 second shutter speed to fix stars in the sky at 400 iso but if star trails are needed, he will use a 15-minute shutter speed, remembering the moon can be a great illuminator too. Tips for focusing, in the dark, were to pre-focus but if you wanted to have totally manual focusing was to use the bulb setting where exposures can vary from 20 second to 20 minutes.
Tony gave us a series of ideas for future night-time photography topics including fireworks, fairgrounds, piers, bridges, shops, industrial sites, and buildings at night and explained about crossover lighting. So, inspired we are off to try taking some night-time images for our workshop on 17th February; look out for them on our website. Also check Tony’s website www.tonyworobiec.com to see his remarkable images.
Our topic evening for January featured members’ interpretation of the Covid-19 year. The variety of images ranged from the poignant to the amusing to the every-day with a twist. Look in the gallery for the full selection of images to find out how the pandemic affected our society members
Anne Hunsley, ADDPS
January 2021: ‘The Magic of Macro’ – Colleen Slater, ARPS
What a feast for the eyes after the festive break; members were treated to “The Magic of Macro” delivered by Colleen Slater ARPS, a Brighton based full time photographer and lecturer. Lockdown has many downsides but being able to talk to a multitude of experts and enthusiast from around the country has really enhanced the experience and inspired our photography. Macro is the art of extreme close-up photography, capturing minute detail within an image. Colleen had lots of tips and ideas about equipment and the way her images were composed and lit. Her body of work is mainly focused on insects, plants, and flowers but recently she has branched out into photographing things she finds on Brighton beach. All her images are beautifully composed, with exquisite colours and a gentle feeling of shape that she tries to simplify as much as possible. Colleen suffers for her art; spending many hours laid in fields or damp bogs capturing a shot of a grasshopper or butterfly which, she makes look effortless. I am sure it is not with many rejected shots relegated to the delete bin. Do explore her website where the images we saw are displayed. www.colleenslaterphotography.co.uk
The topic evening Zoom will be on the subject of “Images of the Covid year” on Wednesday 20th January at 7.30pm. Images can be submitted via WE transfer as usual. Our next Zoom meeting will be on Wednesday 3rd February at 7.30pm. Tony Worobiec FRPS, will give a presentation on “Night and Low Light Photography”
Anne Hunsley, ADDPS
December 2020: ‘Chasing The Light’ – Kieran Metcalfe
“You can always tell you’re with a photographer, they keep banging on about the light” says Kieran Metcalfe who gave an excellent presentation all about ‘Chasing the light’. He professes to be a ‘sunburst junkie’ and went on to entertain us with a wealth of excellent landscape shots featuring New Brighton on The Wirral, Snowdonia and predominantly The Peak District. Kieran is a sucker for a sunrise and sunset and is a weather watcher too because it helps in his planning for a destination and a shot. Using apps such as clearoutside.com and the Skyfire app he can estimate the light opportunities for a particular image. During the evening Kieran gave members lots of tips and technical details about shooting into the sun, dealing with high contrast scenes, sidelight and shooting after dark. Photographers talk of the ‘golden hour’ and the ‘blue hour’ and Kieran showed great examples of images that reflect those times of day. Recently, due to travel restrictions during lockdown, he has focused on local trees and woodland capturing some impressive images with mist and fog to enhance the atmosphere. An inspiring evening encouraged members to visit his website www.kieranmetcalfephotography.co.uk where many of his images can be seen.
The Society is always looking to encourage new members of all different skill and experience levels. You do not need lots of fancy equipment, some of the best images are taken on phones. We wish to promote a fun and friendly atmosphere and whilst, currently, we cannot meet in person there have been advantages in that we have been able to have presenters based around the UK talk to us about photography. So, if you want to consider a new hobby in the new year do look us up on our website. Our next ‘Zoom’ meeting on Wednesday 6th January 2021 at 7.30pm is by Colleen Slater, ARPS – The Magic of Macro. We wish you all a happy Christmas and a wonderful new year.
Anne Hunsley, ADDPS
November 2020: ‘A nostalgic journey to Ghana’ – Vince Harris, ARPS
Ordinarily, I would have been pointing you in the direction of our annual exhibition held at the Adderbury Institute and Deddington Church. Instead I thoroughly recommend you visit our website, after 18th November, to view an impressive selection of images selected by our members to show the range and depth of photography that they enjoy and excel at. Do take the time to have a virtual visit.
This month our visual treat was delivered by Vince Harris ARPS. ‘A nostalgic journey to Ghana’ was an evening of images, all taken in 2004 on Vince’s return to his previous home where he had taught in the 60’s. All the photographs were taken using film and had a soft quality that added to the atmosphere and clarity of the observations. Vince gave us a glimpse of a simpler way of life showing the housing, work, and youth of the many villages he visited. He explained he always approached the chief of the village first, giving him a ‘magical’ Polaroid image of himself, before exploring the area further. The composition of many of the images was pleasing but thought-provoking because of the cultural differences within the villages. Vince’s nugget of advice was ‘get close, then get closer still’. Do seek out, on www.vinceharris.me.uk ,his image of Abosomfie at Boduase, Ashanti Region which, was the runner-up in a 2006 National Geographic competition. As a country of contrast Vince also illustrated the many castles along the Gold Coast of Ghana where wealth had been previously established through the gold mines and slavery. The architectural styles were evidence of the many different countries involved in Ghana’s past. The evening was real evidence of photographing life in the raw.
Our next ‘Zoom’ meeting will be on 2nd December at 7.30pm presented by Kieran Metcalfe – ‘Chasing the light’. If you would like to join us, please visit our website to find contacts and details. We can’t wait until we can all meet again but, in the meantime, ‘Zoom’ keeps us going.
Anne Hunsley, ADDPS
October 2020: Scott Hurd’s Namibia
For October we welcomed an ex-member Scott Hurd, who lives in Namibia, to give a ‘Zoom’ presentation. It was a whistle stop tour of the country using Scott’s archive photographs of the different and diverse areas; vast desert areas as well as unspoilt beaches and the green Caprivi Strip where the rivers Okavango, Zambesi and Kwando flow through to neighbouring countries. We saw fascinating street shots showing everyday life as well as stunning wildlife shots from meerkats and hippos to all manner of birds. The lack of cloud cover ensured stunning sunsets and Scott would usually shoot with a subject in the foreground to create an interesting silhouette. For the wildlife shots he used aperture priority because of the movement and light exposure thus allowing him to concentrate on the animal’s behaviour to create an appealing image. It was a wonderful trip down memory lane for some members who had visited five years ago for a photographic tour. It was a great evening with lots of banter and discussion from members about life in Namibia and the wonderful locations. It was a fantastic escape from rainy Oxfordshire. Scott’s delightful images can be viewed on www.h4urd.co.uk; well worth a look.
Scott supports a charity ’Snap Africa’ that supplies camera equipment and training to Namibians. The society donated and spoke about donating unwanted camera equipment to ‘Snap Africa’.
Do keep checking our website for the latest information about the upcoming presentations, how to join us and members’ workshops that run during the month. Following Covid 19 guidelines some members have taken part in a variety of workshops on portraiture at Broughton Castle, the Milky Way at the Rollright Stones, and a fun session in a field at Cropredy making light trails with torches and glow sticks.
Anne Hunsley, ADDPS
September 2020: ‘Feel the Land – Photography and Emotion’ by Astrid McGechan, LRPS
‘Feel the Land; Photography and Emotion’ by Astrid McGechan, LRPS was our September presentation by a photographer who started off sorting out her own wedding photographs and graduated on to creating artistic, emotion laden images using her mobile phone before moving onto an Olympus camera. Her philosophy is to give the viewer an opportunity to ask questions about what is happening in the image. So, whilst the work she displayed was a mixture of street, landscapes, and people Astrid is not afraid to push the boundaries and go against recognised techniques. By chance Astrid took a photograph, that was over exposed, of a decaying boat. She liked the result because it captured the idea of a faded past and went onto create a series of faded images.
Another idea that impressed was her work using reflections in glass and water, a most colourful image of the windows of Coventry Cathedral was created using reflections giving an abstract impression of the building. Throughout her work Astrid has been adventurous to try different techniques either in post- production or on the camera. By adding texture or an overlay to an image, it can change the feeling for a viewer making it moodier or adding warmth and calm. Astrid has also experimented with camera movement to capture waves and sand to great effect. She loves skies, especially clouds and sunsets, feeling that they can portray a range of emotions from funny to moody. Her message was there were no right or wrong ideas and to have fun and experiment to discover and enjoy the freedom to create an image for a viewer.
I would definitely recommend visiting www.astridmcgechan.com to view her work. For those inspired www.lightandland.co.uk organise workshops in the UK and Europe. Astrid generously donated one of her prints, that was raffled to raise funds for the society; the lucky winner was Colin Lamb.
Our next presentation is by Scott Hurd about Namibia and wildlife on October 7th at 7.30pm. We are still meeting on ‘Zoom’ and therefore please check the website for details if you wish to join us. Members will receive the joining details by email. There are a number of outdoor workshops available to attend over the coming months so do check emails or the website for details
Anne Hunsley, ADDPS
August 2020: ‘Small is Beautiful’ by Robert Harvey ARPS
Our August ‘Club night’ meeting took us close up and personal into the world of macro photography with Robert Harvey in his zoom presentation titled ‘Small is Beautiful’. He shared his collection of images of butterflies, bugs and orchids that were outstanding as well as sharing what camera settings he used and how he took them to encourage us to have a go. Robert was able to give other technical advice including composition and lighting. Robert demonstrated that finding subjects to photograph and then taking images of their life cycle and behaviour in their own habitat could produce some amazing images – as can be seen on his website www.naturalworldphotography.net
Our next Club night is on Zoom on Wednesday 2nd September at 7:30 pm when we will have a presentation by Astrid McGechan on Landscape Photography titled- ‘Feed the Land’. If you’d like to join in please contact the Society through our website.
Miggy Wild, ADDPS
July 2020: ‘Approach to Photography’ by David Keep ARPS
Zooming is the ‘new normal’ and so it was great to have our July presentation given by David Keep ARPS, a retired engineer who has been a serious photographer for five years. Visit his website www.davidkeepphotography.co.uk to see the stunning images he achieves.
His approach centres around the question “are you a photographer or an image maker?” He believes he is the latter. David invests a lot of time researching and contacting organisations that can yield images with impact. He has concentrated on underwater, sporting and dancing projects but always has an idea of the image he wants to create before he starts. He invests much time presenting his ideas to organisations to give him enviable access to key players. By planning thoroughly, he can communicate his ideas to the prospective subjects and build relationships. Once the shoot has taken place, from boxing to ball room dancing, he works his magic in ‘Lightroom’ and ‘Photoshop’ to tell the story.
David’s slideshow explained the process involved in making a finished image that yields such impact. A simple boxing photograph emphasized the post-production effects that can enhance and improve the image to elevate it to a competition level picture. His biggest tip was to ‘crop, crop, crop’ and to choose backgrounds that compliment rather than compete. He also uses an editor who will give an objective critique. For his dance project, ballroom dancers pictured during a competition, he wanted to present a dream-like image expressing emotion. The image was a meticulous composite of the dancers, a chateau shot and misty water and can be viewed on his website.
Our next evening ‘Zoom’ presentation will be ‘Small is Beautiful’ by Robert Harvey ARPS on Wednesday 5th August at 7.30pm. To join us contact the Chairperson, Martyn Pearse or Meriel Flux, Membership Secretary. Whilst your there have at look at last month’s images presented as a slideshow on Urban/Street.
Anne Hunsley, ADDPS
June 2020: ‘Urban/Street and Social Documentary Photography’ by Stewart Wall ARPS
Lockdown has affected the photo opportunities for many members but it has given more time, for those at home, to practise techniques such as using a macro lens or ‘Lightroom’ post production techniques. Our website has many new images and the latest slideshow entitled the ‘Wow Factor’ shows the level of commitment of all members whatever their photographic experience. Have a look at the ‘News’ page.
Our June ‘Zoom’ club night was a presentation by Stuart Wall, ARPS on ‘Urban/Street and Social Documentary Photography.’ Stuart, previously a press photographer, is now a photography lecturer. He enjoys ‘wandering around looking for stories.’ His ‘stories’ have been printed in books the first of which was submitted as an associate panel to the Royal Photographic Society. ‘The Stonemason’ was centred around a craftsman in Caistor, Lincolnshire. The monochrome images of the man at work and his tools were very atmospheric as well as a historic record of a vanishing skill. Next came ‘Park Hill; Street in the Sky.’ A 2015 curated record of the listed flats in Sheffield by a group of twelve photographers. The brutalist architecture was represented in a series of slides as Stuart explained his choice of images. Incidentally, the area was revisited in February 2020 and a new book has now been produced documenting changes to the buildings. Stuart finished with an explanation of images entitled ‘From the Kasbah to Central Hall’ based in the East Marsh area of Grimsby. Once again, a collection of photographs that relay a bygone era and decay as well as a heritage site that is used by a multitude of different groups. Buildings were juxtaposed with images of people in a myriad of activities which convey the diversity of Grimsby and its people.
Our next ‘Zoom’ club night will be at 7.15pm 1st July. The speaker is David Keep and his website has some impressive images (www.davidkeepphotography.co.uk) The subject is ‘Approach to Photography’. Everyone is welcome to join us, check the website for details. We also have a link to our ‘YouTube’ channel where you can see our ‘Zoom’ presentations. Finally, congratulations to Miggy Wild and John Cavana who having submitted images for the ‘International Garden Photographer of the Year’ Special Award division – ‘Beautiful Blenheim’ received a third place and highly commended, respectively. Whilst we are not a competitive society it is wonderful to have images recognised amongst a wider audience.
Anne Hunsley, ADDPS
May 2020: ‘Bringing the ‘WOW’ factor to your Photographs’ by Anne Sutcliffe FRPS
Our first ‘Zoom’ meeting was a presentation by Anne Sutcliffe, FRPS, about having fun learning to assess your own images to find the ‘Wow’ factor. We gathered in various settings; some members even had sunny backdrops including The Maldives. Much hard work had gone into preparations for the event and a special thanks was extended to Neil and Maureen R for making it such a success.
The evening was split into two sections, just like a normal club night, with a slideshow presentation of the main points to consider when assessing your images and then a look at Anne’s photographs that she felt had the ‘Wow’ factor. Anne thought that judging the images of others was easier than assessing your own and that reviewing your images after a year was always a help to be objective. Revisiting was a way to look at what you saw in the scene rather than imagining, with emotion, what you thought you were photographing at the time. Anne often judges competition entries at a variety of clubs and tries to be sympathetic and encouraging according to the skills of the photographers but is honest to comment on weaknesses and always suggests improvements. She promoted the idea of competition, something that does not happen at ADD, but did encourage members to enter British open and international competitions.
Moving onto her images Anne explained the story behind each photograph and how older images were often ‘fashion’ leaders i.e. the techniques had not been seen before in competition. There was a great variety of genre including wildlife, in a wintery North America, the Venice Carnival and a barber shop in Istanbul. The superb image of a grand but grungy toilet in Cuba came with a story about the discovery of the bathroom after a couple of Cuba Libre cocktails. In Anne words ‘images should tell a story’ and this one certainly did.
The next meeting, by ‘Zoom’, will take place on Wednesday 20th May at 7.30pm and will be a slideshow of entries with a ‘Wow Factor’. Photographs should be submitted by the 18th May.
Anne Hunsley, ADDPS
April 2020: AGM & “What Is It”
We live in very strange times and it was with regret that the AGM on the 1st April was cancelled. However, the Committee began working away and held a virtual AGM presenting all the necessary reports to members and then requesting votes to fill the relevant vacant officer positions. The results of the twenty-five proxy votes were circulated to all members and the membership year was extended to May to take account of the lockdown. The members all voted for the resolutions, with none against any resolutions. The new committee for 2020/21 comprises:
Martyn Pearse (Chairperson)
Diana Saville (Treasurer)
Miggy Wild (Minutes and Social Secretary)
Maureen Robinson (Programme Secretary)
Lindsey Smith & Meriel Flux (Workshop Co-ordinators)
Meriel Flux (Membership Secretary)
Neil Grantham (Website and Technology)
Anne Hunsley (Public Relations Officer)
Diana Saville (Facebook Co-ordinator)
Normally at the AGM the topic is ‘What is it?’ where members try to bamboozle each other with photographs of odd everyday items taken at different angles or close-up. So, if you want a frustrating half hour guessing have a look at our website and click on the ‘Lockdown Challenges, 2020’ for the ‘What is it?’ challenge. The answers are available in a separate folder. You might also like to scroll through the individual members’ galleries section where you will find stunning images in a range of genres.
The club will continue to have monthly photography topics so do keep checking the website for the latest contributions and see how resourceful our photographers can be in lockdown. Finally remember to stay at home and stay safe. Wishing everyone well until we can meet again.
Anne Hunsley, ADDPS
March 2020: ‘Creative Portrait Challenge’ by Donald Maclellan
The renowned portrait photographer Donald MacLellan spoke about his life and work. Hailing from West Highland Scotland a move to London set him on a future career path in the area of medical photography but he used day release education opportunities to focus on portraiture. After a spell as a photographer’s assistant Donald realised, he wanted to work for magazines and newspapers. Hard work and persistence enabled him to secure images in The Evening Standard and Maire Claire.
Donald’s first solo exhibition ‘Black Power’ for the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) in 1998 was a look at role models, for young black people, in politics, the arts and science. The two-year project included stunning portraits of Lenny Henry, Sir Trevor Phillips and Bill Morris and began to redress the lack of diversity represented in the NPG. Subsequently the images have been used in race awareness campaigns and are timeless in their simplicity. His next studio-based commission,’ Tartan Army’, was for Empire magazine focusing on Scottish actors including Tilda Swinton, Ewan Macgregor and Robert Carlyle. The UK Film Council’s ‘Want to see more of me?’ exhibition, photographed in colour, gave a cross section of well-established black actors and those at the beginning of their careers, highlighting the range of talent in the field but questioning the availability of roles for black British actors. Bringing his work up to date Donald’s latest project ‘My Class # 50’ retraced his classmates and photographed them at work. So, shots of a shepherdess appeared alongside a fisherman in the Mallaig Heritage Centre.
Donald uses a Hasselblad camera, prefers black and white and in the early days shot with film and very few accessories except two soft lightboxes, a black cloth and for ‘Black Power’ a black roll-neck jumper. The onset of digital photography means he misses meeting other photographers at the film processing labs. His adopted working method, whether with film or digitally, includes a quick check of the content before ‘parking it’ returning two to three days later to make his portrait choices.
The fascinating end to the evening was a look at members’ portraiture efforts with Donald suggesting simple lighting and composition enhancements. There was an interesting selection of portraits including a black and white WWII veteran in France which, Donald highly commended. A very inspiring evening.
Anne Hunsley, ADDPS
February 2020: ‘Landscape Thought Process’ by Nathan Barry
Our February presentation by Nathan Barry entitled ‘Landscape Thought Process’ was a thoroughly engrossing wander through the creative process to achieve a stunning landscape photograph. Nathan uses the local area for inspiration but ventures further afield to Snowdonia, the Dorset coast and the Lake District. So why landscape? Nathan explained how calming he found this genre, how challenging it was to capture a view to treasure and the delight of discovering nature even on the wettest, most dull day.
Planning was the foundation for a good photograph; from ensuring a comprehensive kit bag was always in the car to researching the destination for practical considerations such as distances to walk, the terrain and the weather. Nathan felt by taking care of the practical stuff it allowed him more time to think and find synergy with his surroundings thus maximising the results. In a large rucksack he minimised his choice of camera and lens but did have a host of batteries, filters, rubber lens hood (for those rainy moments), the essential many micro fibre cloths for cleaning the lens and always a trusty tripod.
Whilst displaying some stunning photographs Nathan discussed the process he employed to compose and refine a shot, with the emphasis being on ‘less is more’, by minimizing the number of elements in a picture as well as considering the colour palette he wished to achieve. He advocated moving around rather than zooming when composing a shot and to look behind you because the better image might be there.
Nathan finally showed what post- production magic he used in ‘Lightroom’ to enhance the final picture by showing us before and after shots. Members felt that ‘a cracking presentation’ should be followed up by a Nathan run landscape workshop.
The topic of ‘Book Titles’ caused I great scratching of heads as well as hilarity with photographs showing a range from the ubiquitous ‘The 39 Steps’ to great ‘Lightroom’ compilations such as ‘Wolf Hall’ and ‘A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’. There was even a ‘Papillon’. It proved to be an intriguing topic choice that was really interesting to see and to try and guess the title.
Donald MacLellan with talk about portrait photography on Wednesday 4th March at 7.30pm at the Cartwright Hotel, Aynho – everyone is welcome.
Anne Hunsley, ADDPS
January 2020: ‘Interactive session – RPS distinction Image Selection’ by Andreas Klatt ARPS
In January, Chairman of the Royal Photographic Society Visual Art Group (RPS VAG) and member of our Photographic Society, Andreas Klatt ARPS gave a presentation, with audience participation, on how he approached working towards his RPS Distinctions. There are three Distinctions – LRPS (Licentiate), ARPS (Associate), and FRPS (Fellowship). For the Licentiateship, a panel of 10 photos is presented on Assessment Day, which is an assigned date by the RPS. A cohesive panel is required, being mindful that the panel as a whole is to make the ‘11th image’.
For this evening, Andreas proceeded to lay out a set of some 30 unmounted prints on a table and asked those present to select 10 to make up what he might have done for his panel. It was clear that they found it as difficult as he did. He advised there are at least three key items to bear in mind for making up a panel – symmetry; a need to know how your camera works; and purpose or direction of flow. After about 10 minutes, and much interaction, Andreas put everyone out of their misery and set out his successful ‘L’ panel on to a print stand. Symmetry in choice of landscape and portrait images was demonstrated, as were colour and subject matter. Andreas advised to not stint on print quality for the final result. He took about two years to arrive at his successful panel.
From his ‘L’, Andreas went on to work on his ‘A’ panel, which was based on what he termed ‘architecture to the glory of God’. This time, 15 images are required, to be accompanied by a Statement Of Intent, which is as important as the panel of images. Andreas’s consisted of 38 words out of a 150 word-allowance – not required for the ‘L’ – and is to be read out at the assessment. Andreas attended an Advisory Day, where panels are scrutinised and judged, and at which you are not told what to do but what is not going to work. Andreas put up his first proposed ‘A’ panel, mounted on black foam, and asked which images would people consider to change. He then then changed out the panel to present a beautiful and cohesive panel of images taken in the Middle East. With gentle humour, Andreas gave us an inspiring insight into achieving Licentiate and Associate Distinctions, which everyone greatly appreciated.
January’s photo topic was ‘My Best Three Images of 2019’, which produced a varied and interesting set of images.
Wendy Meagher LRPS for ADDPS
December 2019: ‘A Personal Wander Through The Technology Used In My Photography’ by Peter Greenway
In December, we welcomed Peter Greenway for his enlightening talk, ‘A Personal Wander Through the Technology Used in My Photography’. Peter’s love of photography started as a child when his mother gave him an old Box Brownie. His career as a software developer coupled with a technical background has led him towards a passion for the hardware and software involved with photography.
Peter practices night, historical, landscape and quirky photography but avoids anything to do with fur or feathers. He is a CACC judge, and holds PAGB and RPS Licentiate; he also works as a volunteer photographer for the National Trust, and contributes to the Archangel Image Library for fiction books.
Tonight’s theme was ‘get the technology right for your area of interest’ and Peter’s presentation offered insights into the fantastic opportunities that have been opened up by the development of smartphone apps, software packages and hardware technology for digital photography. He demonstrated techniques and recommended apps that enable improvements to every step of digital photography, from preparing for a shoot to publication of images in social, or other, media. He described the ‘end-to-end’ procedure that he follows from selection of equipment to publication of images.
For example, Peter demonstrated the equipment and software needed to improve sunrise, sunset and night photography using apps developed for photographers that provide detailed and accurate information on weather, the ‘golden hour’ and the ephemeris. He explained how he makes extensive use of GPS logging and geo-tagging; his use of backup hard drives and the Map Module on Lightroom during location shoots; and showed a short video demonstrating his use of drones and the MIOPS trigger.
Peter’s passion for the opportunities that have opened up as a result of the fusion of software and photographic technologies was very evident. He showed how he has applied his extensive experience of photography to develop novel and striking results. He gave insights into other aspects of his techniques using Lightroom and plug-ins such as Nik, Topaz and On One. In addition, he explained his approach to the use of hardware and software on photoshoots which balance the issues of cost, portability, supporting apps. Peter’s presentation was well received and we look forward to seeing more of his work on www.flickr.com/peterdgreenway
This month’s ‘Odd One Out’ photo topic was facilitated by Miggy Wild.
Please note that the January 2020 Club Night will be held on the second Wednesday of the month (8th not 1st). Member Andreas Klatt ARPS will talk on the RPS distinctions process. The January photo topic is: your three favourite images of 2019. There will also be a table-top sale, to donate any old/unwanted camera gear, books, etc., with the proceeds going to Kathrine House Hospice in memory of John Prentice.
Diana Saville ADDPS
November 2019: ‘Achieving an Associateship of the AFIAP’ by Bob Bracher
Our November presentation, ‘Achieving an Associateship of the AFIAP (Artiste Federation Internationale de l’Art Photographique), was given by Robert Bracher ARPS AFIAP. Bob’s love of photography started when he was a boy. He joined the RAF and the early 80s found him in Chepstow, where he joined their photographic club. After achieving his LRPS he moved to Solihull, in the Midlands. There he joined the Knowle Camera Club, but drifted away as his growing family took up more of his time. Bob developed a passion for making photobooks – family albums – using his images to share amongst family and friends – he’s now reached No. 75. The digital age is upon us, he says, there are more photos in the Cloud than there are stars!
After achieving his ARPS in 2009, Bob thought he would try for the AFIAP. He amusingly told us he found it harder to fill in the form than to take the photo. He explained the prescribed requirements: FIAP (based in France) is the world governing body of International Photography Exhibitions, referred to as Salons. You must have at least 40 acceptances into international exhibitions with at least 15 different images; these acceptances must have come from at least 15 different Salons with FIAP Patronage in at least 8 different countries; at least 4 of the 15 images must each have gained at least one acceptance as a print; your first acceptance must be received at least 12 months before you can be awarded your AFIAP certificate. A tall order, but Bob was awarded his Associateship.
Bob showed us a host of stunning images, including those of his ARPS panel. What we are doing in Visual Art, he explained, is creating images by adding or taking away. With Bob’s enthusiasm, humour and beautiful photography, this was a wonderful presentation, culminating in a well-deserved round of applause.
There followed the monthly photo topic, Shadows, which was kindly critiqued by Bob. Next month’s topic will be Odd One Out.
Wendy Meagher, ADDPS
October 2019: ‘Large Format Photography’ by Laura Walker
October’s presentation, entitled ‘Large Format Photography’, was given by Adderbury’s Laura Walker. We could see straight away by the cameras and equipment Laura brought, that her photography – large format and mirrorless – is quite different from what most of us are used to. She classes herself as a heritage and rural life photographer, and is greatly influenced by James Ravilious, an English landscape photographer.
For composition and perspective, Laura’s cameras of choice are the Seagull Medium Format, the Horseman and the Wista 45. Large format cameras consist simply of a back plate (an area where the film is placed), a front plate (an area where to place the lens) and the bellows (to catch the light between lens and film) which connect the two. Rather than SD cards or film, these cameras are loaded with individual plates, using 4×5” sheet film which gives approximately 100 MP resolution.
The Seagull is compact and lightweight compared to the other cameras, and has twin lens. The Horseman 4×5” L-series view camera is heavy and supported on a monorail, and is good for a studio environment. There is no mirror, therefore the images appear upside down. The Wista 45 camera is collapsible, supported on a baseboard and portable. Again, it is mirrorless and so the composition is shown upside down. It is less flexible as there is no monorail, but is good to carry for landscape and portrait photography.
Equipment needed for this type of photography is a sturdy tripod, cable release, magnifying glass, loupe, heavy blackout cloth, loaded film cassettes, additional lenses, tape measure, light meter like Sekonic, notebook and pen to record settings, and of course the camera. And a backpack for all this kit.
Ansel Adams, Gregory Crewdson, Sally Mann, Edward Burtynsky are some of the photographers who use large format photography to great effect. To see more of Laura’s work, go to her website: www.boffinphotography.co.uk
A round of applause was a perfect end to Laura’s talk – some may well be inspired to explore large format photography in the future.
The monthly photo topic, Strange Signs, did indeed produce a variety of effective and amusing images from the membership. Next month’s topic will be Shadows.
Wendy Meagher, ADDPS
September 2019: ‘Image Organisation’ by Rod Bird
On 4th September, Society members gathered to pay their respects to John Prentice, who sadly died suddenly and unexpectedly at his home on 2nd September. Very active in the Adderbury community, John was a Society founder member in 2006, and had been Chairman for the last two years. More details are posted on the Society website, including a tribute to him written by John Branton, friend and fellow founder member. JohnP, as he was fondly known, will be remembered for his wit, decisiveness and humour.
Following a minute’s respectful silence, presenter Rod Bird was warmly welcomed back to the Society to speak on ‘Image Organisation’. Hailing from South Wales, Rod now lives in the Thames Valley and provides tuition to fellow photographers. This evening’s talk, aimed at non-professional photographers, came about because people that he met wanted help with the organisation of their images. For instance, the more images you take, the more necessary it is to be able to know how to store these safely on the computer, and how to go about it. He talked about transferring images from the camera to the computer, grouping and labelling them, and how to export, share and email them. Managing disc space is very important to prevent the computer from becoming too full. Lightroom is a secure system to manage and store files. Rod emphasised the importance of constantly backing up all images. He suggested a lasting and beneficial way to store images – great for the family, for example – is by making photobooks, a fairly recent development. Rod’s talk was peppered with amusing anecdotes and it was agreed that the methods he described would be of immense use to those needing to sharpen up their organisational skills. A round of applause expressed everyone’s appreciation.
Wendy Meagher, ADDPS
August 2019: ‘A Photographers Perspective: My Life through a Lens’ by Viveca Koh
At our August Club Night, we welcomed back Viveca Koh FRPS, whose presentation was entitled ‘A Photographer’s Perspective: My Life Through A Lens’.
A self taught fine art photographer, Viveca started taking photographs at the age of 7. Combining this with her love of drawing and painting led to the style which she continues to explore today. She bought her first iPhone in April 2012 and from then on developed a passion for iPhoneography, preferring even to use her iPhone over her Nikon – Viveca went on to achieve her RPS Fellowship (FRPS) in 2014.
Viveca is particularly skilled in using texture layers and overlays and experimenting with digital double exposure, giving her images an added visual and sometimes haunting dimension. This was perfectly illustrated with photos of an abandoned asylum and with a set of postcards overlain with textures (peeling paint, raindrops) and images (a sunset, angels). She likes to set herself little projects using the Hipstamatic app on her iPhone. For instance, capturing the impressionist-like views through a bus window on a rainy day; the cherubs and angels at Arnos Vale Cemetery, Bristol; Dartmoor Tor; shop mannequins; window reflections.
We were shown many fascinating images – Venice in monochrome, where Viveca explored shape and pattern, horizontals and verticals, tonally perfect textures. She is fond of capturing people in different poses as they make interesting shapes. Viveca prefers to shoot in square format, and finds that black and white dispenses with the distractions of colour. Her black and white images are processed in Photoshop Silver Efex, but she shoots in colour before the conversion.
A warm round of applause showed Viveca our appreciation for a memorable and vivid presentation, with much to take home with us.
The monthly photographic topic was ‘Abandoned’ – many interesting images were shown and constructive comments were made by the audience.
Wendy Meagher, ADDPS
July 2019: ‘My Digital Work’ by Bob Brind-Surch
July saw the welcome return of wildlife photographer, Bob Brind-Surch, to our Club Night. This time his presentation topic was ‘My Digital Workflow’, aimed at digital photographers. Bob’s objective was to inform his audience how he goes about this and hoped it would be a good work strategy for those present.
Digital photography encourages more images, and therefore permits and encourages more post-processing, creating hundreds of images which in turn need sorting, cataloguing, post-processing and storing. A good workflow makes it easier to streamline your work, so it does not become a burden and stifle creativity. Bob tends to shoot in RAW, copies his images as soon as possible from the camera card to the computer, and backs them up. He then does a quick first review, removes his ‘failures’ and backs up again. There follows a second sifting to reduce the images further, another back-up and the unwanteds are deleted. The third sifting sees him through a final selection and adjustments are made, after which Bob processes and archives these remaining images. At some point he adds the bulk metadata, and then makes a final back-up. It is key to continually back-up – disasters can and do happen.
Advice was given on equipment: external hard-drives for back-up; good quality memory cards, like Sandisk and Lexar, the larger the size the better; waterproof carrying cases for the cards’ protection; a lightweight laptop or tablet. Bob recommends Adobe Lightroom for sorting, cataloguing and processing RAW files (also Photo Mechanic, Adobe Bridge and RawTherapee). Bob explained that he does not have a problem using jpegs if there is no time to work in RAW. He also takes advantage of the options digital photography provides to improve his final images, such as colour temperature, exposure and sharpness. To follow Bob’s golden rule for an efficient digital workflow, he again recommended the three stages of sift, reduce and back-up. Bob’s presentation is a valuable work tool for anyone wanting to know what to do after they have pressed the shutter, and appreciation was shown by all present.
The July Monthly Photo Topic, ‘Reflections in Water’, followed. As usual, a fine selection was shown accompanied by comments ranging from serious to humorous.
Wendy Meagher, ADDPS
June 2019: ‘Light on the Landscape: Explorations into Landscape Photography’ by Verity Milligan
In June, Birmingham-based and award-winning Verity Milligan gave a presentation entitled ‘Light On The Landscape’. Peppered with amusing anecdotes, she spoke of how she got into photography and her techniques. Picking up a camera when 25, she has since worked as a commercial photographer and taught digital storytelling to undergraduates. For the last 6 years or so, she vamped up her approach and concentrated on the urban landscapes of Birmingham which brought her national recognition due to her showcasing the beauty of the city. As she evolves, she tends to prefer the golden hour sunrises, illustrated by some beautiful shots. Verity also showed us stunning images of a variety of her favourite places to photograph, such as Birmingham, Lake District, Outer Hebrides, Isle of Harris, Peak District. She likes to use telephoto and wide angle lens and relies on her intuition to compose her photographs – ‘Is it the composition or the light that makes a photo?’ Often her first shots work best, and often from the car. Verity said she always falls back on her trusty Canon for reliability and keeps all her photos, so as to look back to earlier ones to see how to improve them. Her screened shots included the dawn blue hour in Buttermere, misty autumn golden colours on Derwentwater, the moodiness of Devoke Water using wide angle/telephoto lens, canal shots using a circular polariser, telephoto shots of Birmingham at night, and urban landscapes of Birmingham and Edinburgh. Verity continues to evolve her love of photography and travels widely to photograph whatever interests her, whether it be city architecture, landscapes or seascapes. She’s had several competition successes and her clients include BMW, Visit England/Visit Britain and Yorkshire Tea/Brewtopia. She uses social media, Twitter in particular, because it ‘allows you to connect as creatives’. Verity’s presentation was most interesting and informative, not to mention inspirational, and was much enjoyed by all, who showed their appreciation by a round of applause.
The Monthly Photo Topic was ‘Stairs & Inclines’ whereby an enthusiastic variety of images was submitted, from classic staircases in historic buildings, to steps in gardens, villages and towns. There was no doubt that the photographers enjoyed this subject!
Wendy Meagher. ADDPS.
May 2019: “Stumbling Around in The Dark” by Robert Harvey
This May, we welcomed back Robert Harvey, who gave a fascinating presentation entitled ’Stumbling Around In The Dark’ which focused on landscape astrophotography. Robert discussed how best to photograph the night sky with all its possibilities; he spoke of the differences in light provided by the various stages of the moon – from the gibbous moon, which gives a lot of shadows, to considering the time of year and where the moon appears in the sky. The closer to the horizon, the more interesting a composition can be achieved. Robert provided insight on how to use and incorporate light pollution within compositions. One useful tip he gave was that planning ahead and checking the times of the moonrise can pay off. This he demonstrated with a photo of the moon framed in the doorway of Glastonbury Tor. He also showed an effective photo that demonstrated that no matter how well you plan your composition, this can be changed by inadvertent interference by your fellow man.
Robert’s talk covered different needs depending on the effects wanted, such as limiting exposure to 20 seconds if you do not want star trails. He noted that there is only a short period of time after dusk when light from both the moon and sun are evenly balanced. Also covered were meteor showers, the taking of multiple shots and stacking, the arm of the Milky Way, the need for a large aperture and high ISO; photographing the planets which, although brighter than the stars, need a darker sky to really show up. Robert gave a thoroughly interesting and captivating presentation, which was enjoyed by all.
There then followed the Monthly Photo Topic, ‘Weather’ – the subjects were varied despite the lack of dramatic weather for the time of year. Members once again showed their ingenuity, imagination and skill. There was much merriment and enjoyment of one member’s offering of a uniformly blue/ grey photo with no features: as some would say, a depiction of very British weather!
Wendy Meagher. (contributing notes from Meriel Flux) ADDPS.
April 2019: AGM and “What Is It?”
On Wednesday the 3rd April The ADDPS held their 12th AGM in the Apricot Room of The Cartwright Hotel, Aynho. The meeting started at 7:30pm. and was well attended with about 35 members present. The Chairman, John Prentice opened the meeting, reporting that we have had a successful year, with the membership now standing at 56 with 12 new members. The minutes of the last meeting were presented and passed as correct with no matters arising. The committee then presented their reports on the previous years’ activities to the members. The Treasurer, Martyn Pearce, distributed copies of the Society’s audited accounts and bank balance, and reported that the Society is financially sound. He also stated that the annual subscription would continue be held at £30 as previously. John Cavana then gave a detailed report on the program of successful presentations and speakers the society had enjoyed during the year. He then outlined the proposed speakers for the program next year. Khatija Barday-Wood presented her report on the progress of the workshops and photoshoots. Workshops have been well attended, and very popular photoshoot visits to Slimbridge, Otmoor, and Stowe had taken place and proved very productive. The workshops run by our own members have been well attended, and experienced members were able to pass on their knowledge to others.
The election of committee members then took place. Three members, Gail Girvan, Paul Brewerton, and Khatija Barday-Wood had decided to step down from committee this year. Four new members, Diana Saville, Maureen Robinson, Lindsey Smith and Meriel Flux, were proposed, seconded, and elected to the committee. The chairman then declared the AGM meeting closed.
Following a short break Activities continued with our usual “What Is It” quiz. Members are invited to submit close-up photographs or pictures taken at confusingly odd angles. The audience then try to guess what they are. In the first pass fifty-three very imaginative pictures were displayed, ranging from domestic kitchen equipment, car parts, to the massive anchor on an aircraft carrier. The members noted their answers on the answer sheet. The larger full images of the puzzlers were then displayed. This enjoyable quiz provided lots of amusement, puzzlement and comment from the floor.
Paul Brewerton. ADDPS.
March 2019: Mindfulness through Photography, by Andrew Scriven (Cancelled)
It was all change for those attending Club Night on Wednesday, 6th March, as the booked presenter was unable to attend. After some quick thinking on the part of the Committee, a diverse programme was devised which ensured a lively evening.
Chairman, John Prentice welcomed new and old members and, with the upcoming April AGM in mind, went on to briefly outline the roles and responsibilities of the Committee for the benefit of the newcomers.
The first quarter of the evening was taken up with the topic, ‘It’s your Society: Tell us what we can do more?’ Three groups were formed, with the object of brainstorming what improvements could be made, how to implement them, and how these would benefit the Society as a whole. This proved to be fruitful. Many thoughtful ideas and constructive suggestions were put forward and noted by each of the group leaders for further discussion.
Keeping to the same groups, the next quarter of the evening was to ‘Discuss a Print/Speed Meet’. Each committee member moved between the groups showing a print they had brought for discussion and exchange of comments and techniques – a good opportunity for newbies and oldies to interact with each other.
Two slideshows followed: one of glowing images taken by members at a sunrise photoshoot in Blenheim Park, led earlier this month by Jim Muller, and narrated by Khatija Barday-Wood, and the other was a YouTube video on Refraction Photography, accompanied by a pdf called ‘Globalise’, detailing Crystal Ball Photography, led by Miggy Wild.
The Monthly Photo Topic is always eagerly awaited, and tonight was no exception. The topic ‘Yellow’ proved to be a popular one, from flowers, fruit and vegetables to vehicles, clothing and machinery.
All in all, a fine evening brimming with ideas, lively interaction and – not a surprise – colourful images.
Wendy Meagher. ADDPS
February 2019: Fujifilm
The society meeting on the 6th February was held in The Cartwright Hotel Aynho, and was a presentation by Shanice Meddings from Fujifilm demonstrating their range of cameras. The meeting was very well attended with about forty members present, and we were pleased to welcome several new members. Shanice started with sharing experiences of her early days in photography, pointing out that she was an experienced enthusiastic photographer, and not simply interested in marketing the product. An extensive range of cameras and lenses was laid out for inspection and available for us to handle and assess. Shanice explained that in the past Fuji had produced compact and bridge cameras, they have now decided to leave that field behind and move into mirrorless, top quality camera models. Examples available for inspection were all mirrorless models with APC sensors, which were lighter and smaller than traditional DSLR type bodies.
Designed in the style of the film cameras of former days. Aperture settings were on the lens barrel, and speed settings were on the top plate, with an eyelevel viewfinder showing the exact image to be recorded. This enables setting to be made before the camera is turned on. An extensive range of lenses was available to try out, with models up to the latest 200mm lens, coming in at £5000.00! In addition two top of the range medium format cameras with much larger sensors were also available for members to handle. These cameras are capable of producing superb images with extremely fine definition. One portrait of a model had such fine definition it was able to discern the edges of her contact lens. Shanice displayed a series of images showing the capabilities of the cameras
Following a break, the meeting continued with our usual monthly challenge. This month the challenge was “patterns”. A discussion about the definition of a “pattern” concluded that patterns did not necessarily have to be manmade, but patterns in nature were also acceptable. The first round showed new images taken within the month. They ranged from closeup images showing patterns created by nature, to features of buildings and architectural patterns. The usual friendly banter and joking accompanied the images. Round two continued with second choice and reserve images. Some older shots and archive pictures were allowed on this section.
Paul Brewerton. ADDPS.
January 2019: Best 3 of 2018
The Adderbury Deddington & District Photographic Society held their first meeting of 2019 at 7:30pm on the second of January, in The Apricot Room of The Cartwright Arms Hotel, Aynho. It was a well attended meeting being so close to the festivities, with about forty people there.
The first meeting of the New Year followed our usual pattern and was a display of members own photographs titled “My Best Three of 2018”. Members are invited to show their best three pictures taken in the previous year. It became apparent that our members are prolific photographers and selecting only three can be a real problem. (Some of us interpreted this as favourite three). As can be expected there was a wide variation of subjects and photographic styles, ranging through portraits, architectural, landscapes, seascapes, wildlife and abstracts. A wide range of locations was also a feature of the evening, covering China, India, and Spain to Fenny Compton, Stowe, and our own back gardens. The result was a display of stunningly good, and highly imaginative pictures. The author of each picture was invited to speak about the subject or location, or motivation behind the shot. The audience then asked questions or commented on the photograph. This gave rise to helpful critique, useful advice, and as was expected, humorous friendly banter.
Paul Brewerton. ADDPS.
December 2018: Olympus Cameras
This month the society had a change of venue and the meeting was held in The Christopher Rawlins School, Adderbury. As a change from the usual pictorial presentations we had a presentation by a team from Olympus Cameras. The team were; David Smith, Petior Plashou, and Kristina Kabranyai, who were also enthusiastic hobby photographers. They brought along an impressive selection of Olympus cameras and lenses ranging from the latest OM-D E-M10 Mk.III, to a wide selection of M-Zuiko-Pro lenses, which varied from the latest ultra-wide-angle ED-8mm f1.8 fisheye, up to the ED-300mm 1.4 IS Pro.
In the first part of the presentation David demonstrated the attributes and capabilities of these cameras by linking the camera to a screen projector, via his laptop. The audience could then see clearly all the settings and procedures on the large screen. The second part of the presentation were practical demonstrations. Examples included capturing water droplets at high speed, low light portraits, and some imaginative light painting. Members were impressed by the many outstanding features of these cameras; such as pre-capture stacking of 30/40 frames during high speed action shots before the exposure is made, allowing the photographer to select their best action exposure. Another useful feature was the ability to stack a series of pictures in one frame with correct composite exposure. Especially useful in night time or star trail exposures. Members showed their appreciation with a round of applause.
After a short break the meeting continued with members versions of the monthly challenge, “Around Town”. There was a very wide interpretation of this definition and Images varied from scenes of Deddington and Banbury to colourful shots in Indian towns, and some were images of groups of people. John Cavana reminded us that there will be no Monthly Challenge subject for the next meeting in January. We will follow our normal pattern and ask members to display “My Best Three Last Year”.
Paul Brewerton. ADDPS.
November 2018: Banbury Camera Club
The November meeting of ADDPS was a change from the usual. This evening an arranged co-operation between ADDPS and Banbury Camera Club took place. Three speakers from Banbury Camera Club visited us and gave presentations. Andrew Spackman was first to give his presentation which was titled “What I Decided to Photograph Despite the Advice Of Judges”. He started with his earliest photographs from the 1970s taken on Ilford film. The series of pictures then showed the progressive development of his experience and personal style, through to today’s digital images. Andrew then explained how critique from past judges and their advice had (or had not) influenced his pictorial style development. This was illustrated by images from Continental and British street scenes in both monochrome and colour.
Diana Gamble followed with a presentation of wildlife photographs. They started with scenes taken on her phone during her very early morning walks. Early enough for no one else to be around, and local wildlife was active. Pictures of deer with calves, foxes, and superb pictures of hares. Diana’s presentation continued with wildlife shots taken on African safaris. These included impressive shots of a family of cheetahs hunting, lions with their kill, and “acres” of wildebeest on the move. The concluding pictures were brilliant close-up photographs of gorillas. Diana explained how they were able to closely approach the family of gorillas, and take very close up dramatic portrait style pictures of these magnificent animals.
Next, Diane Berridge gave a truly fascinating talk on her interest in restoring old photographs which had faded or been damaged. Examples of restoration of old Victorian badly faded pictures were shown. The period of WW1 produced many portraits of men in uniform taken before they went off to war. Particularly interesting were the examples adding authentic colour to old photographs. A series of pictures showing The Titanic taken immediately before it’s fateful voyage, rendered in colour, were particularly impressive. A very appreciative applause concluded this presentation by BCC. At this point our members who had visited Otmoor RSPB reserve showed a video of the starling murmuration taken on the evening.
The meeting continued with our normal Monthly Challenge, which was “Leading Lines”. Many interpretations of the theme were shown and a helpful critique was done by Martyn Pearse.
Paul Brewerton. ADDPS.
October 2018: Classic Wild Landscapes
On 3rd October the society welcomed a return visit of David Boag, who gave a presentation titled “Classic Wild Landscapes”. The theme was the landscapes and habitat out in the unspoiled wild regions of the world. A series of superb pictures showed landscapes in places such as USA and Canada, New Zealand, Norway and Australia. David stressed the need for creative thinking which could make a picture stand out from all others. His presentation was full of enthusiasm as he explained how use of colour contrast and exaggerated perspective within the composition would make the picture “pop”. David’s style of presentation is very energetic and enthusiastic. The correct choice of lens was stressed, as this was really the first important decision to make when deciding to expose a shot. Different perspectives from various lenses were shown in the same location, and the creative use of wide angle was explained with brilliantly crisp pictures. The importance of lighting in landscape photography was also emphasised by a series of superb pictures, showing how the angle of camera position could enhance light effects. The members showed their appreciation of the presentation with energetic applause.
The meeting then continued with our usual monthly challenge. This month the theme was “action and movement”. The members pictures varied through rugby, cricket, motor sport shots and active children: closing with someone struggling to mount a bicycle! The usual good-natured banter accompanied this part of the meeting.
Paul Brewerton. ADDPS
September 29th 2018: Annual Exhibition
On the 29th September the ADDPS held its Annual Exhibition of members work in the Adderbury Institute. This year’s print exhibition was very well supported, and members submitted a total of 114 pictures for the exhibition. The’ exhibition displayed many examples of outstanding work by the members. The exhibits covered landscapes, portraits, wildlife, still life, in both colour and monochrome prints. Many said “it is the best exhibition yet with regard to the quality”. Exhibited pictures displayed the members ability in composition, exposure control, and printing skills. Through mutual help, advice and critique the quality of members work has steadily improved over the years, and produced a very successful exhibition.
Paul Brewerton. ADDPS
September 2018: Piers of the Realm
At our monthly meeting on 5th September the Society welcomed Micki Aston for a return visit.
Her presentation was titled “Piers of The Realm”. All piers in Britain are listed in “The National Pier Society List” and are defined as “any form of jetty with a building upon it”.
Micki showed photographs of 62 piers from Aberystwyth to Yarmouth, giving in depth details of each one. She also gave their past histories, and examples of old archive photographs to contrast with the up to date images of the piers. Sadly, many of our iconic British piers are in decline and have suffered damage from fire, ship collisions, sea salt erosion and vandalism. However, it was noted that those piers which included R.L.N.I. lifeboat stations were usually in good order.
Her pictures varied from well maintained piers supporting theatres which feature well known artists, to images of the sad remains of fire damaged structures merely left to decay. The presentation ended with an appreciative round of applause.
The meeting continued with the monthly challenge of members images which this month was Portraits.
Paul Brewerton. ADDPS
August 2018: Wildlife For All Seasons
On the first of August Robert Harvey returned to the Photographic Society for the third time, and gave a presentation entitled “Wildlife For All Seasons”.
Robert has given us excellent presentations in the past, and members were not disappointed this time with his presentation extensive range of wildlife subjects of outstanding photographic quality.
Robert concentrated on wildlife in the British Isles, working through all seasons of the year. He stated that there is a greater variety of wildlife in the UK than most people think.
Starting with Winter, the photographs ranged through the locations of; Farmland, Mountains, Lakes, and Visitors to Our Gardens. Robert explained that he always uses manual exposure control for wildlife, rarely shooting anything below 1600th sec, and often faster. His remarkably wide range of British winter subjects included owls, woodpeckers, mountain hares in winter coat, deer, and four varieties of herons.
His Summer subjects covered coastal areas, with photographs of the wide range of seabirds found upon our cliffs. He also included a wide selection of butterfly species and dragonflies.
The Autumn shots ranged through deer, otters, squirrels, seals and wading birds. Robert reiterated the point that Britain has a rich variety of wildlife if we have the patience to seek for it. Throughout the presentation the quality of pictures was never less than excellent, and many of them were truly brilliant.
The presentation earned a very loud round of applause.
Paul Brewerton. ADDPS
July 2018: A Mile On The Flat
Wednesday 4th July featured a presentation by members who had been on the society’s first field trip to the dramatic Dorset Jurassic coast, titled “A mile on the flat”
The hardy group of 10 plus the organiser, Robert Harvey, spent 3 full on days last December coping with very early mornings and late evenings to capture the sunrise and sunset effects only possible at these locations a few times during the whole year. They were not disappointed, as the weather, although very cold, produced many special images.
What they soon discovered was, that Robert’s mile involved steep climbs and equally steep descents.
Images started with Durdle Door and its magnificent arch framing perfectly the rising sun, and others with the sea gently breaking on the shore line. Durdle Door is now a world heritage site.
From here the group moved on to Kimmeridge Bay & Clavell Tower. The bay is known for its Bituminous shale that makes for a great alternative colour to normal sand and the wave platform a low and long rock feature that had our intrepid group slipping and sliding about to get the best shots. On top of the cliff to the east is the attractive Clavell Tower, which in recent years had to be moved away from the cliff edge. It’s now a holiday let for those with deep pockets.
Finally, for day one was “Man of War” bay, another famous and picturesque place close to Durdle Door.
Day two up before the sun and off to “Old Harry Rocks” and the pinnacles. Freezing cold, but rewarded with a good sunrise and more beautiful photos. Back for breakfast and then off to Worbarrow Bay and its wonderful broad and sweeping beach and cretaceous rocks.
Then off to Tyneham village in the Purbeck hills, now a ghost town, following its compulsory purchase by the war office for target practice during the second world war. Among the various buildings there is a K1 1929 telephone box, significant in that very few now exist and this one is a replica after a film crew destroyed the original.
From here to Chapmans Pool, which is actually a bay, but the light was poor, so not good for keen photographers.
Day 3, again early rise to be at Corfe Castle and another steep climb on a hill to the west of the castle, rewarded with some special images of Corfe.
Finally, to Swanage and its two piers of 1858 and then 40 years later where some particularly atmospheric and original images were captured.
By this time everyone was weary, but extremely happy, from the many “miles on the flat”, travelled along this great stretch of coast.
Great time had by all.
Martyn Pearse. ADDPS
JUNE 2018: The Costa Rica Book
The society meeting in June was treated to a presentation by one of our own members, Andreas Klatt, titled “The Costa Rica Book”. Andreas’ planned visit to Costa Rica to photograph wildlife was hampered by strict weight restrictions on luggage. Limited 12 Kg. on all luggage (including hand luggage) meant having to make a difficult decision on what camera equipment to include, and what to omit. A final choice of just one camera body and one lens imposed strict discipline on technique. The bright intensity of tropical light also required a technique adjustment to shooting procedures. Andreas found that Costa Rica does not lend its self to landscape photography, this resulted in most of his pictures being wildlife, along with groups of floral and foliage shots. Costa Rican government policy following WW2 meant no expenditure upon armed forces, the country had a “green policy” before the concept of “green” was understood by other nations. They are now into a third generation of the green supporting population, and Costa Rica is now a wildlife photographers haven. Pictures of coffee plants, flowers, and coffee berries were interesting, and with no seasonal variations these plants flower, develop fruit and are harvested the whole year round. Amazingly banana plants are used to draw water from the ground and divert it to irrigate the coffee plants at certain times of the year. A wide variety of amazingly colourful tropical birds was shown. They varied from different types of kingfishers, herons, and birds from high in the tree canopy. Minute brightly coloured tree frogs, (some of them poisonous), and brightly coloured snakes were shown, along with many different exotic flowers and leaf formations. A seven foot iguana also drew comment. The meeting showed its appreciation with a long round of applause.
After a break the meeting continued with our monthly challenge. This month it was “Anonymous”. The idea being each person would anonymously display three pictures which were not in their usual individual style. Everyone then had to guess who the photographer was. As you can imagine this generated a lot of witty comment and discussion.
Next months meeting; 4th July, 7:30pm in The Cartwright Hotel Aynho will be a presentation by “Team Dorset” on last December’s club workshop on the Dorset coast. All are welcome to attend.
Paul Brewerton. ADDPS
MAY 2018: 2017 Exhibition Review
The Adderbury Deddington and District Photographic Society held their May meeting at the Cartwright Hotel, Aynho on 2nd May. The main evening event was a review of the images which had been on display in the 2017 Annual Exhibition. Not all members had been able to visit the annual exhibition of members work. Therefore, it was decided to have a review of all the exhibited prints in a projected version, this gave everyone another opportunity to see their colleagues work. The subjects displayed ranged through landscapes, portraits, wildlife, travel subjects and some abstract images. Those present explained what had led them to select those particular images for exhibition as their pictures came up on the screen. The meeting was well attended, and members shared their views on the pictures as they were projected, often giving constructive and helpful critique. The Society has now been in existence for seven years, and it was generally felt that the quality of members work has improved significantly and steadily over those years, and that the 2017 exhibition display had been a good showcase, and example of the societies’ work to the local community.
After a short break the meeting continued with the usual “monthly challenge”. This month the subject was “Black and White Landscape”. This produced many very good images, mostly converted from colour photographs, but some originally conceived in monochrome by the author. The subject of “Black and White” images caused many to consider the particular charm of monochrome photography which covered the full range of tones. Once again there was plenty of advice and constructive opinion contributed from the members.
Our next meeting will be at 7:30pm on 6th June in the Cartwright Hotel, Aynho. The subject will be a presentation by Andreas Klatt ARPS, titled “The Costa Rica Book”. The monthly challenge for June is “anonymous”. Members are encouraged to anonymously submit a photograph which is different to their usual style. This will challenge the other members present to try to identify the author of the picture. All are most welcome to attend.
APRIL 2018: AGM
On the 4th of April The Photographic Society held its 11th Annual General Meeting at The Cartwright Hotel Aynho, the meeting was very well attended The minutes of the last meeting were accepted as correct, and there were no matters arising. Chairman John Prentice then presented the Annual Report on our activities over the past year and commented on the success of our members annual exhibition. It was agreed that our exhibition continues to provide an excellent showcase on the work of the society, and that the quality of prints exhibited is being maintained at a high standard. The Treasurer’s Report and Accounts were presented by Martyn Pearce who stated that the Society was in a sound financial position. Therefore it had been decided it was not necessary increase the annual subscription, and this would be held it at the current £30. John Cavana, the Program Secretary, then gave a summary of the past years events, which had been a combination of visiting speakers and presentations by our own Society members. Members expressed their views on possible future subjects. Suggestions ranged through; aerial photography, abstract photography, archaeology and science images. The workshops organiser John Emmett next reported on the years outdoor activities and workshops. These covered such successful events as the visit to Upper Heyford, Ottmoor nature reserve and the Dorset Coast. Workshops led by Society members included Photoshop, Light-room, and studio work. The societies Facebook coordinator, Gail Girvan, reported on the Society’s Facebook page. This is a Facebook page open to members only, and she urged more members to make use of it. There was some discussion on possible restructuring of the site. Finally the election of society officers for next year was held. Three members resigned from the committee; John Emmett, Jerry Saville, and Dave Govier. Three new committee members were proposed by John Prentice, and seconded by Paul Brewerton. The meeting then elected, Miggy Wild, Neil Grantham, and Wendy Meagher to the committee. The AGM was then declared closed.
The usual ‘’What Is It’’ competition followed our refreshment break. Members had submitted 63 puzzling photographs taken from close up unusual angles for others to guess at. These pictures raised plenty of comment and laughter from the audience, and our meeting finished off in a very happy mood.
The next monthly challenge is ‘’A Landscape in Black and White’’ Our next workshop is an outdoor visit to Upper Heyford, unfortunately there are limited numbers. This guided visit proved extremely popular last time, and this next visit is fully booked up..
MARCH 2018: Photographing The Night Sky, A Beginners Guide To Astrophotography
On the 7th March the Society welcomed a return visit by Mary McIntyre who gave her presentation “Photographing the Night Sky, A Beginners Guide to Astrophotography”. Mary started with information on the types of useful equipment and how to set things up in preparation for a shoot. Following this she then showed series of pictures of the night sky, taken on a range of equipment from DSLRs through bridge and compact cameras, to mobile phones. The ISO settings; f stop settings; and exposure times were covered, with photo examples from each system. The importance of using a tripod was emphasised. Also the importance of knowing your equipment thoroughly was emphasised, camera manipulation in the dark without resorting to using lights is preferable to reducing your night vision by using lights or torches.
The series of awe inspiring pictures followed, arranged in two groups. The first group labelled “wide field shots”, i.e. those taken with a lens of any focal length on camera. Secondly came “in depth shots” i.e. those taken through a powerful telescope. The in depth shots included colourful pictures of nebulae and star clusters, the wide field group were mostly star trails, pictorially composed with interesting foreground. Mary then proceeded to explain the phenomena of aurora borealis. This can be seen in Southern Britain more often than people realise. The website “Aurora Alert” will notify anyone of the likelyhood of an aurora appearance.
The second part of Mary’s presentation covered her visit to the USA last year to record the total eclipse of the sun. Mary and her new husband combined this event with their honeymoon ! Detailed planning went into ensuring they were in a good geographical position to see the event for the longest time possible, a full two and half minutes. Early setting up and preparation was vital as a short time space was available during the passage of the sun. The result was a series of brilliant and unique pictures of this rare opportunity. Mary’s presentation finished with well deserved applause.
Following a break our meeting continued with our monthly challenge. The topic this time was“ A Touch of Purple”. Members had responded with a wide variety of pictures showing artistic imaginative compositional ability in the interpretation.
Our next meeting on 4th April will be The A.G.M. Our past year will be reviewed and members invited to make their wishes known on how we would all want the Society to progress in the future. The AGM will be followed by a “What Is It? competition. Please submit your puzzling pictures to John Prentice in good time.
FEBRUARY 2018: America; from Cowboy Country to Indian Reservation
Our monthly club meeting at The Cartwright arms Hotel, Aynho, was a presentation by one of our own members Jim Muller. He presented a brilliant series of photographs titled “America; from Cowboy Country to Indian Reservation”. It highlighted the contrast between the green fertile plains occupied by cattle ranchers in Idaho and Wyoming and the arid hot desert lands of Utah and Arizona allocated to tribal reservations. The early pictures showed the areas around Salt lake City then moving on to the dramatic location of Yellowstone National Park. Jim gave us his personal view of this well known scenery and it wildlife, and pictures ranged from bison and elk to magnificent geysers and colourful hot mineral pools. Particularly unique were the Travertine Falls, created by mineral deposits from hot springs and forming a wide series of terraces down the valley.
A particular highlight of this journey was to be present in the right place when the total eclipse of the sun occurred. A series of perfectly exposed pictures showing progressive stages of the total eclipse were shown. (As Jim said – you only get one chance at this.).
Moving further south to the more arid regions took us to the Arches National Park. An area of naturally formed huge arches of sandstone. These weathered formations offer endless potential for creative photographers, particularly the Window Arch at sunrise. The “Balancing Rock” also gave the a unique photo opportunity. This large boulder sits precariously on a sandstone pedestal looking very unbalanced. Monument Valley’s widely recognised geological formations are are the magnet for travel photographers, and the low angle of the late afternoon sun threw columns and butes into relief. The clear night skies of Utah also provided the ideal opportunity for good pictures of stars and the milky way. The amazingly photogenic Antelope Canyon also provides almost endless creative pictures, and Jim gave us excellent examples of the formations in this slot canyon. The Canyonlands National Park holds The Green Canyon, the Colorado Canyon and The Grand Canyon within its boundaries: and we were treated to superb shots of all these canyons. Some were stitched panoramic shots. The range of rock colours and strata formations were thrown into relief by the angle of the sun which illustrated the uniqueness of these canyons. This excellent presentation finished with deserved loud applause.
Our next club meeting is on 7th March at The Cartwright Hotel, Aynho, and will be a presentation by Mary MacIntire, titled Astrophotography. All are welcome to attend, come along and meet us.
JANUARY 2018: Best 3 of 2017
On 3rd January our first meeting of the year was very well attended. Over thirty members were present at The Cartwright Arms Hotel Aynho, and three additional guests also joined us for the evening.
The theme of the meeting was our “Best Three of 2017”. Members were asked to select and display their best three images (or their three favourite images) taken during the last year, and comment upon them saying where ,when and how they were taken, or explain what made the image one of their favourites. Martyn Pearse presented each submission of three images, and then invited the author to speak about them. Members then also contributed helpful constructive critique from the floor on each image, which often included plenty of friendly humorous banter. After a refreshment break half way through, the meeting continued. Most of the thirty plus members present had contributed some images. There was a very full evening program of excellent enjoyable and instructive photographs on a wide variety of subjects, which varied from portraits through to architecture, landscapes, macro and abstracts, with no shortage of imagination and creativity from the authors.
Our next club meeting is on the seventh of February at 7:30pm in The Cartwright Hotel, when Jim Muller will present a portfolio of images from a recent USA visit. All are welcome to attend.
Next months topic is “Anything Indoors” (open to your own interpretation).
DECEMBER 2017:
A welcome return to the Society was made by John Credland ARPS for our December meeting. John has his own very distinct style of presentation with the accent definitely upon humour. His entertaining presentation was titled “Intensity in Ten Cities”, and he laughingly acknowledged taking his title from an early record album. His theme was preparing a panel of photographs for submission to the Royal Photographic Society for a distinction award. John started by talking about the present trend for the popularity of square format prints, which often seem to be used regardless of subject matter. He then displayed his mounted panel of twenty prints submitted for ARPS distinction. (All square). His theme for the panel was the present nature of city centre activity and buildings. A few centuries ago the main central building in a city would be the cathedral, and the central image within the cathedral is that of Jesus Christ. Today, he argued, the importance of the cathedrals in city centres is being replaced by the massive shopping malls. Attractive stained glass windows are replaced by large advertising posters or even LCD screens exhorting us to buy. His photographs showed various activities of people in shopping centres. Some hurrying and dashing about holding brightly coloured plastic carrier bags and cartons of coffee. Others lounged in doorways sitting on blankets, and street corner preachers appealing to the shoppers passing by, while buskers with instruments entertained the moving mass of people, many of them eating on the move. The predominant style of his pictures was created mainly using the HDR technique, and multiple exposure camera settings to create impact and the sense of movement. John went on to discuss the trend for using multiple exposures in camera and deliberately blurred images, particularly of people on the move. Our meeting continued with photographs for the monthly challenge. This month’s topic was…”I love…..”, interpreted however the author wished. The challenge produced a wide range of images, from children to landscapes.
NOVEMBER 2017:
At our meeting on 1st November the Society was pleased to welcome back Robert Harvey who gave us an excellent presentation titled “Winter Photography”. He started by explaining why he considered winter to be the best season for serious landscape photography. The quality of light in winter is friendlier than the glare of high summer. In midwinter the angle of the sun is only 14o above the horizon and the direction of the sun creates side lighting effects most photographers hope and wish for. As the sunlight passes through winters atmospheric conditions the “golden hours” of early morning and late evening will last longer than in summer, giving us more photo opportunities than any other time of year. ( And no small consideration is that we don’t have to be out of bed at 4 am as we have to in summer !).
Robert then continued with more superb illustrations of how the low angle of the winter sun emphasised the contours of mountains and hillsides with the subtle modelling effect of the light direction, using pictures of The Lake District and North Wales. The low angle of light direction also enhanced the photographs of wildlife, particularly birds in flight, removing the dark shadows beneath their wings which the high summer lighting produces. Some beautifully crisp shots of Dartmoor showed the pictorial opportunities of winter frost on rock outcrops and foliage. Photographs taken in fresh snow then illustrated the sharp sparkling effects low angle winter light produces. These brilliant snow pictures ranged from Yellowstone in the deep grip of winter, to the Norwegian fjords and North Cape. The obvious benefit of long clear dark nights was demonstrated with beautiful star shots and star trails. Particularly effective were the starlight pictures using Stonehenge as foreground. Robert rounded off his presentation answering questions from the audience. This hugely enjoyable presentation ended with loud applause.
Our next meeting on the 6 th December will be titled “Intensity in Ten Cities” by John Credland, and will be in the Christopher Rawlings School, Aynho Road Adderbury. All are welcome to attend.
OCTOBER 2017:
In October, we were treated to an inspiring presentation by Viveca Koh FRPS on ‘Phoneography to Fellowship: My Continuing Journey’.
The first half of the evening was devoted solely to ‘phoneography’. Viveca explained how the iPhone, or smartphone, has become her camera of choice for certain situations – perhaps where stealth is required or if a candid shot were not possible with a long lens. She described several iPhone apps that enhance the images and accompanied her talk with an excellent slide show.
In the second half of the evening, Viveca showed how she illustrated Star Blossom, a book of poems by her uncle, Fergus Chadwick, and which led to her FRPS distinction in 2014. Each poem evoked a different sense in her where she created wonderfully intricate and artistic images.
Viveca is a self-taught Fine Art photographer; her work is varied, covering many areas and genres, including the use of background textures and overlaying several images to great effect. She became interested in smartphone photography mainly because of its portability and unobtrusiveness. Its versatility in the special effects of apps such as Hipstamatic has taken this medium to a very high level, to specialise, for instance, in Urban Exploration (UrbEx) photography, collecting her material from abandoned and disused buildings, such as asylums, care homes, and schools.
Travelling from her home in Surrey, Viveca has visited our Society on two occasions to share her knowledge and passion. Her presentations are delivered with professionalism, humour, skill and modesty – it is always a pleasure to see Viveca and we look forward to seeing her here again very soon. You can see more on her website https://vivecakohphotography.photoshelter.com.
MAY 2017:
At our May meeting we welcomed Mary McIntyre from Tackley. Her objective was to share her passion for astrophotography, (photographing the skies). Her topic for the evening focussed on capturing Star Trails. This is achieved by taking long exposures (up to 30 seconds) of the sky repeated many times (up to 600) and then “stitched” together using software to produce a generally circular picture of the stars’ progress through the sky. Most of her images are captured in this way using a standard digital SLR camera with a remote shutter lead to automatically take repeat images. This needs a good level of dedication as some of her shoots last for 3 or 4 hours. She explained the need for a low level of light pollution but found Tackley to be acceptable. The main irritations, bearing in mind the long exposure time, being car headlights, commercial aircraft and pets setting off neighbours’ security lights. She explained how to include land based objects in the foreground to enhance the star trails. She also showed some useful accessories she had devised to keep herself and the camera free from condensation. Many of those present indicated they would be spending more time outside on cold clear nights trying to replicate the imaged shown by Mary. Mary’s website is www.tackleyvillage.co.uk/astronomy.html
APRIL 2017:
Our Club Night on 5 April started with the all-important AGM at the Cartwright Hotel, Aynho. The chairman, Richard Broadbent, opened the meeting and stated that the Society has had a successful year, with the total membership at a steady 51, five new members replacing the five who have left the district. Our exhibitions in 2016 were well received and have helped establish the Society as a recognised part of the local community. The treasurer, Martyn Pearse, presented the audited annual accounts to March 2017, declaring the Society was in a sound financial position and the annual subscription would remain at £30. A vote of thanks to the Cartwright Hotel was passed for allowing the Society regular use of the Apricot Room. Retiring committee members this year are Wendy Meagher, secretary; Richard Broadbent, chairman; Brenda Difford, social events; Gail Girvan, workshops. Gail will continue as Facebook administrator. The meeting elected John Prentice as the new chairman, the position of secretary being vacant.
The Society’s monthly programme has been further extended during the past year by establishing a special interest group. The new critique circle is proving to be successful and rewarding. The critique circle meets on the third Tuesday of the month at the Holly Tree Club in Deddington. Members bring along a print for their colleagues to criticise, comment or advise on, thereby improving photographic knowledge and skills.
Normal Club Night continued with a friendly ‘What Is It?’ competition composed from ingenious photographs submitted by members, often taken from strange angles. The usual monthly challenge followed. April’s topic was ‘Cemeteries and Monuments’ and produced many well-composed pictures and amusing interpretations of the subject.
MARCH 2017:
In March, Robert Harvey gave a talk entitled ‘By The Sea’, and began by explaining that his early childhood attraction to the seashore led to his becoming a Coastal Scientist, and that although Great Britain has a coastline of 11,073 miles, this depends upon which map scale is used: the larger the map scale, the more inlets and bays are recorded! His beautifully photographed coastal features ranged from Sussex to Isle of Skye, and Lundy Isle to Norfolk.
When visiting a particular coastal area, Robert planned well ahead, using tide tables and a sun rose (i.e., a chart showing sunrise and sunset at different times of the year). Cliff features at dawn and sunset were stunning. Very clearly his photo trips were down to meticulously planning ahead to coincide with the tidal situation, the sun positions and lighting level on the date in question. The day of the year is important in using the angle of the sun to highlight certain features of places such as Lulworth Cove, Beachy Head or Dunvegan Castle.
The second half of his talk covered man-made features such as sea defences, military buildings and lighthouses. Creative use of angle of view and light produced good shots of breakwater and old wooden groyne installations standing at odd angles. More sombre and thoughtful were the derelict military buildings near Orford Ness.
Robert’s concluding pictures were dramatic shots of storms along the South Coast and the Gower Peninsula in the winter of 2013/14. Robert revealed he always uses a tripod, AE and 100 ISO exposure setting, and often uses ND Grad filters to slow the motion of waves and produce atmospheric mood shots. The membership showed their appreciation with a loud round of applause.
FEBRUARY 2017:
In February, member Paul Brewerton gave a presentation on his trip made with his wife to ‘Alaska and the Yukon’. Starting with a boat trip and sunrise at 4.30am up the Prince William Sound, we were treated to fascinating photographs of Orca killer whales, sea otter, humpbacked whale, sea lions, seals, Horned Puffin, and beautiful blue-hued ice floes. Further along was the Drunken Forest, made up of the four main species of trees growing there in spite of the permafrost – Black Spruce, larch, willow and aspen. Places visited/seen along the way were the Alcan Highway, Carcross Town, White Pass Railway, the railyard terminus at Skagway, with its old and impressive black and red engines, the Klondike Gold Fields Mine, the Chillkoot Pass and then on to the Yukon River.
Passing the Five Finger Rapids, wonderful autumn colours were seen in the Alaska Rift Valley. From Midnight Dome, the boat moved along to Dawson City, the former capital city of Yukon (now Whitehorse), then to Bonanza Creek where the great gold rush started. Diamond Tooth Gertie’s Saloon was an interesting sight, with colourfully dressed can-can dancers, as was the river crossing on the Yukon Ferry. We were shown an oil pipeline from Prudoe Bay to Valdiz, which is resistant to seismic shock due to its zig-zag design, and some fascinating images of Iditerod dogs and their breeding kennels, a Chum salmon smoke house, and a stunning Chief’s mink, beaver and ermine coat (valued at some US$80,000!). From the train from Fairbanks to Anchorage, Paul and his wife alighted at snow-dusted Denali National Park. Mt. Denali, formerly Mt. McKinley, is the highest mountain in N. America, standing at 20,368 ft asl. There, they saw moose, snow, ptarmigan changing into winter plumage, eagles, and bears!
This was a well-recorded trip with photographs showing the breath-taking beauty and vastness of the Alaskan landscape, accompanied by charming images of the wildlife there, all of which delighted Paul’s audience.
JANUARY 2017:
In January, the Society’s first Club Night of the year started with a Members’ Evening, entitled “My three best images of 2016”, whereby members had been invited to say why they had selected the subject, where it was taken, and what had been learned from taking it. A wide range of images was shown on many diverse subjects, covering a comprehensive range of geographic locations, treating fellow members to an enjoyable display. In addition to speaking on their own pictures, members were invited to add their comments and observations. This gave a mixture of constructive points and friendly banter, resulting in a very enjoyable evening.
Concluding the evening was the review of our monthly photo topic, entitled “Spires”. A broad range of photographs was shown which varied from local scenes to widely imaginative interpretations of “spires”. Once again, this gave rise to helpful comments and plenty of friendly banter among those present.
DECEMBER 2016:
At the December Club Night, members were treated to an interesting presentation by fellow member, Gail Girvan, entitled, “From the Shadows into Colour: Pastels to Camera”. Gail’s journey through the graphic arts began early, and by the age of 12 she was selling her pencil sketches in cafés, garden centres and small stationery shops. Her graphic art skills continued to develop into her adult life and Gail was able to sell her pastels whilst living in the Middle East, where women are restricted in their work options and earning abilities. On returning to the UK, her artistic talents continued to flourish and began to merge with her developing photographic imaging skills. Gail then showed a series of vibrant and colourful abstract works which combined her photographic and artistic talents, displaying great imagination.
In part two, “Pastels to Camera”, Gail moved on to her recent photographic work, influenced by her early graphic arts background. Her superb collection of pictures included stunning seasonal landscapes taken in the UK and Namibia, and then progressed to her more recently developing interests in wildlife. Particularly outstanding were her photographs of deer in the early morning mists, and the subtle Autumn colour palette of British woodlands.
A full range of her displayed work included greeting cards, notelets and large imposing canvas prints. Her work was greatly admired by her fellow Society members, and the applause indicated the appreciation of her interesting talk.
NOVEMBER 2016:
At the November Club Night, Viveca Koh FRPS gave a presentation entitled ‘Urban Exploration to Fine Art: A Photographic Journey’. A self-taught Fine Art photographer with many exhibitions and lectures to her name, Viveca spoke of her photographic development over the past few years. Coming across UK Urban Exploration in 2009 led her to photograph abandoned mental asylums and hospitals, which encouraged her to experiment with digital post-processing, gradually developing a very different style of photography. The photographs Viveca showed of an abandoned children’s ward and demolished asylums, atmospherically illustrated the desolation of buildings that were once full of life. More experimentation with texture overlays led to a collection of images based around what remains when people leave a building for the last time – her images perfectly captured the look of decay and loneliness of empty buildings.
Recently, Viveca’s work has moved towards a more artistic and painterly style, which she calls her Fine Art Photography. Her passion for abandoned buildings, tiny details and ‘small parts of bigger things’, was superbly illustrated by the images shown. Viveca is particularly skilled in using texture layers and overlays and experimenting with digital double exposure, giving her images an added visual and sometimes haunting dimension. She was awarded the highest Fellowship distinction of the Royal Photographic Society (FRPS) for her work in 2014. Viveca’s presentation was inspiring, conceptually exciting and visually stimulating throughout, and very much appreciated by her audience.
The second of our annual photographic exhibitions was held in the Deddington Parish Church on Saturday 22nd October. Being the same day as the Farmers’ Market, it drew a large audience. The Society was delighted to be awarded £200 by the Deddington Farmers’ Market Group to put towards display screens.
OCTOBER 2016:
At the October Club Night, professional photographer Peter Preece, supported by his wife, Margaret, gave a presentation on ‘Wildlife and nature photographs: Every picture tells a story’. Peter took up photography on his retirement, but resisted transferring to the digital format until three years ago; his main interest is in photographing wildlife. Peter is also deeply involved in the Heart of England Forest project, which was set up by Felix Dennis before his death in 2014. This project has acquired 6,000 acres of farmland in Warwickshire, where they have landscaped areas to create wildlife habitats and planted 1.4 million trees. Peter has free access to the estate, where he has set up nest boxes and hides so he can indulge his passion for bird photography, perfecting a technique for attracting his favourite subject – the kingfisher – and showing many action shots.
Peter uses pop-up hides and his car (painted in camouflage colours) to get near his subjects. He told us how he attracts birds or mammals to the spot where his camera is pre-focused, sometimes using animal carcasses which have been stored in his freezer as bait. He travels regularly to Scotland and to northern Spain, and most of his photos captured the subjects in action. As well as birds, Peter also showed shots of mammals, including voles, harvest mice, wood mice, rat, weasels, foxes, grey seals and hares, together with butterflies, damselflies and dragonflies. Peter does not like to adjust his wildlife photos by using Photoshop, other than cropping them, but he finished by showing a few amusing manipulations that he uses for Christmas cards and calendars. In summary, this was a most interesting presentation by a very experienced wildlife photographer that was much appreciated by his audience.
A successful photographic exhibition was held at The Institute, Adderbury, on Saturday 17th September, the first of our annual exhibitions, which brought new members to the Society. The next exhibition will be on Saturday, 22nd October, in the Living Room of Deddington Parish Church, 9.00am-1.30pm, the same day as the Deddington Farmers’ Market (ends at 12.30pm).
SEPTEMBER 2016:
At the September Club Night, member Andreas Klatt ARPS gave a presentation on two of his recent travels: to Sri Lanka in 2015 and, earlier this year, to India. Andreas is also the Organiser of the Royal Photographic Society’s Rollright Visual Art Group, so members were anticipating an evening of some very interesting photographs and they were not disappointed.
Starting with Sri Lanka, Andreas took his audience from Negombo to the World Heritage Site of Anuradhapura, the sacred city that has lain untouched in the jungle since it was abandoned in 993, before visiting the rock fortress in the jungle at Sigiriya, the gardens of Polonnaruwa, and the monastic caves at Dambulla. This was followed by a visit further south to World’s End at the edge of Horton Plains National Park before concluding in the bustling energy of Colombo.
The itinerary for Rajasthan, India, embraced the 17th-century hilltop Amber Fort near Jaipur, the fortified city of Nagaur, the 12th-century desert citadel of Jaisalmer (Golden Fort) in the centre of the Thar Desert, down to Jodhpur and Udaipur via the Jain temple complex near Ranakpur, before finishing in the cities of Old and New Delhi.
Throughout his presentation, Andreas showed a fascinating selection of photographs, including temple architecture and carvings, wildlife, native fauna, some stunning sunsets, and many portraits of individuals and street life, for which this part of the world is so well known. Overall, this was a most interesting and absorbing photographic insight into the sub-continent, which was much appreciated by his audience.
AUGUST 2016:
At the August Club Night, ‘Team Namibia’ entitled ‘The Tropic of Capricorn and Beyond,’ based on the experiences of six members who visited Namibia in 2015 at the invitation of Scott Hurd – an original member, now resident in the country. The team comprised Richard and Janet Broadbent, Gail Girvan, Colin Lamb, Wendy Meagher, and Jim Muller.
Led by Chairman Richard Broadbent, a lively account was given by each team member illustrating their 12-day photographic journey, with images contributed by all six members. At the beginning of each day was shown a simple map to indicate the route from Windhoek to Etosha National Park and back. Richard made the introduction and then took us through Day 1: from Windhoek Airport to the Jordani B&B in Windhoek; Day 2: Jim, to the Namib Desert Lodge via Solitaire (cracked fuel-line); Day 3: Colin, to Sossusvlei, Deadvlei and Namib Dune Star Camp; Day 4: Wendy, to Swakopmund; Day 5: Gail, Mola Mola boat trip and Sandwich Harbour tour; Day 6: Richard, the Living Desert tour – here Wendy read out her poem inspired by the native huntsman spider living in the desert, entitled The Dancing White Lady Spider; Day 7: Janet, the Skeleton Coast to Damara Mopane Lodge and puncture number one; Day 8: Wendy, Colin’s birthday, Damaraland and puncture number two; Day 9: Richard, to Etosha Safari Camp; Day 10: Gail, first safari in Etosha; Day 11: Colin, second safari in Etosha; Day 12: Jim, third safari in Etosha; Day 13: Janet, to Otjiwarongo to spend time with Scott and his wife, Judy; Day 14: Richard, our last day – return to UK from Windhoek.
The scenery was stunning as captured in the many images taken en route, with the destination being the Etosha Safari Camp, in the Etosha National Park. The team experienced the excitement of seeing lions, zebras, several species of deer and antelope, giraffes, warthogs, jackals, hyenas, rhinos, pangolins, many colourful birds including vultures and eagles, and the wonder of the elephants which kept on coming to the waterholes. Two punctures resulted in more photographic opportunities, taking in the surroundings while the men got on with the dexterous job of tyre changing; several hours were spent in Solitaire while getting a cracked fuel-line fixed. The team found bonding elements of interest in bird-watching, plant and animal spotting, and determining the geology of the surrounding areas. There was no doubt that it was a hugely enjoyable trip with comfortable accommodations and wonderful meals, all facilitated by Scott and his tremendous knowledge of the country and people.
JULY 2016: In July, Dan Evans gave a presentation on ‘Lens Lore – using the lens for best creative effect’. Although trained as a botanist, Dan changed careers early in life to become a professional photographer, co-founding a photographic training company (Focal Point Photography) in 1981 and later becoming the in-house photographer for the global company, DRS Data Services. He is now freelance, specialising in fashion and design, portraiture, weddings, interview support and various other commercial work including on-location training courses.
Dan opened his presentation by reviewing the characteristics of telephoto and wide angle lenses, with particular reference to magnification and its effects on depth of field and field of view, commenting that modern digital lenses are now so good that aesthetic qualities predominate when taking photographs, rather than technical issues as previously. Any spurious technical deficiencies can be corrected through post-production software.
Dan stated his normal preference is landscape photography, using ambient light and shooting in RAW at ISO 1600, which is generally noise-free on modern sensors. He then contrasted the full frame sensors found on high-end cameras to the smaller APS-C sensor format of more popular, cheaper models, commenting on the latter’s weight advantage. The high quality of modern sensors means that prints up to A3 size are now virtually indistinguishable between the two formats. He then demonstrated the extraordinary Canon rectilinear fish-eye lens, in which all distortion characteristics are eliminated, and concluded by showing a wide range of his commercial and personal work, accompanied by tips and comments on how he achieved his photographic effects. Overall, this was an excellent, frank and inter-active presentation by an extremely knowledgeable photographer, that was greatly appreciated by his audience.
JUNE 2016: In June, member Randall Miles ARPS gave a second presentation entitled ‘Tales of future excursions in the wilds’, in which he explored wildlife and portrait photography at the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and the bordering Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. Now retired, Randall had responsibility for television lighting in his previous career, and, in a series of prints, he demonstrated his creativity and mastery of various photographic techniques. The presentation comprised three parts. First, he dealt with photographing sunrises, capturing the extraordinary early morning colours on the plains of the Reserve. Then Randall moved on to the difficulties of photographing wild animals from the relative safety of a Land Rover, showing a series of images of lions, wildebeest, elephants, waterbuck, zebras, giraffes, gazelles and impala in their natural habitat. His preference is to enhance the impact of the image by taking portraits of the animals’ heads, with particular emphasis on the eyes, cropping what he sees in the camera to remove any distracting background.
Randall then concluded by showing portraits of the Maasai people in the Serengeti. In order to put his subject at ease, his normal technique is to photograph from a distance of around 25-30 feet, using a telephoto lens, and again cropping severely in the camera to show the face. Randall explained photographing dark skin sometimes fails to bring out the facial features as it is hard to see the shadows. So his normal preference is to move his models to catch the ambient light and to use flash in order to light the eyes. These were two of many tips given in a most interesting and interactive presentation, accompanied by excellent prints, that was much appreciated by his audience.
MAY 2016: In May, Jannine Timms gave a presentation on ‘Portrait, Studio and Wedding Photography’. A keen amateur photographer, Jannine turned professional three and a half years ago and, since that time, has developed a local business specialising primarily in portrait and studio work. While undertaking some wedding photography for friends, she finds this type of work can sometimes be difficult commercially, due to the nature of the occasion and the number of people involved. Her preference is therefore to act as a ‘second shooter’ at weddings whenever possible, using natural light for the photographs rather than flash. However, Jannine’s main business derives from portrait work, particularly of children, taken informally in the home environment. Again, she avoids flash for this purpose and typically works at speeds of around 1/60 second at 100 ASA using Canon 5D and Canon 5D Mk 2 cameras, with a Canon 500D as back-up. Portraits often involve a degree of post-production work to remove lighting irregularities, skin blemishes, tattoos, etc., and for this work Jannine uses Lightroom and Photoshop for software processing. For more formal portraiture, however, Jannine prefers to hire a studio as she lacks this facility currently – although it does form part of her future plans.
Jannine is very interested in commercial studio photography and promotes her work in various trade magazines. For this purpose, she uses the studio electronic flash equipment and either hires a recognised model, or forms a relationship with an aspiring model who similarly wishes to promote herself. Overall, this was a most interesting and refreshingly honest account of the transition from being an amateur to a professional photographer, accompanied by a wealth of photographs and details of lessons learnt along the way, that was much appreciated by Jannine’s audience.
APRIL 2016: The April Club Night opened with the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Society, where Chairman Richard Broadbent reviewed the Society’s activities over the past year, noting that these continued to cater for a broad range of members’ interests, photographic skills and experience. The activities included monthly presentations from both outside speakers and members on a variety of topics, photoshoots to places of interest, support of a number of village activities in both Adderbury and Deddington, including two annual exhibitions at these villages, and also a permanent display at the West Bar Surgery in Banbury. In addition, monthly Workshops continue to be held, which are designed specifically to improve the knowledge of less experienced photographers. Overall, it had been a most successful year for the Society, during which it continued to attract a total of 50 members. Reports then followed from the Treasurer and Programme Secretary that showed a satisfactory financial position, while noting that members’ desire for more outside speakers would introduce additional speaker costs. The AGM drew to a close with reviews of future Workshop activities and the Society’s website, and concluded with the re-election of the Society’s officers.
The evening continued after the AGM with a presentation of members’ photographic ideas on the topic of ‘What is it?’ This comprised 65 projected images with members being invited to guess what each image represented. The result was some extraordinary photographs, viewed with puzzlement and a great deal of humour, of which a significant proportion could not be identified without further explanation by the originator. The Club Night then concluded with members’ inputs to the monthly photographic topic which, on this occasion, was ‘Feet’.
MARCH 2016: In March, member Jim Muller gave a presentation entitled ‘From hummingbirds to cake stands – the sublime to the ridiculous’. Describing himself as a hobby photographer who had more recently taken up commercial photography, Jim delivered his presentation in three parts: landscape, wildlife and commercial photography, noting that – for the first of these two subjects – his normal choice is to use a hand-held camera configured for aperture priority and auto-white balance. Jim’s opinion is that the countryside centred eight miles around Aynho is one of the most beautiful parts of England and he demonstrated this by showing a series of stunning images of sunrises over the local misty countryside, including water reflections and views of the canal at Aynho. He then finished his landscape photographs with images of the hot springs in Yellowstone National Park, Canadian waterfalls, Swiss mountain scenery, and sand dunes and shadows in Namibia.
In the second part of his presentation, Jim showed photographs of a variety of wildlife that is native to the UK and Africa, before returning again to Yellowstone with images of brown bears in their natural habitat, including one with four cubs taken from a dangerously close perspective. He then included some fascinating photographs of different types of hummingbirds, all taken while in flight, necessitating very high camera shutter speeds to capture the fast beating wings – typically 1/4,000 second, using shutter priority. Jim concluded his presentation by reviewing his commercial work to date. This included a discussion on the use of flash and continuous lighting, and embraced a wide spectrum of commercial activities ranging from photographs of house interiors for estate agents, to Christmas food hampers, light bulbs, furniture brochures, conference events (including speakers, dinners and candid images) and finishing with the challenge of shooting shiny metallic cake stands, and how to manage and control the reflections. Overall, this was an excellent presentation by a most accomplished photographer, accompanied by a wealth of technical detail that was much appreciated by his audience.
FEBRUARY 2016: Last month, member Martin Chapman ARPS, gave a presentation entitled ‘Wildlife, landscapes and infrared photography’. An enthusiastic photographer who has travelled widely, Martin opened his presentation with some intriguing images of different wildlife species in the UK, including deer, red kites, snakes, dragonflies and other insects. He continued by discussing his approach to landscape photography, guiding his audience on pictorial journeys to the Acadia National Park in Maine, USA, the Lake District and France. Martin then ended the first part of his presentation with a discussion on infrared photography, explaining how an unused digital SLR camera can be converted to infrared operation by the removal of internal colour filters adjacent to the camera’s sensor – work requiring the services of a professional camera workshop. Once done, the unusual monochrome effect characteristic of infrared images can be readily obtained, as Martin demonstrated in a series of photographs and montages.
Martin opened the second part of the presentation by showing his photographs of the landscape and wildlife in the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. The landscapes were taken mostly at sunrise, capturing the characteristically rich tapestry of orange/red hues in the early morning sky. He also showed his images of birds, giraffes, antelope, waterbuck and wildebeest, together with predators such as the lion, cheetah, leopard and wild dog. Martin then drew his presentation to a close by revisiting the USA, with photographs of native alligators, manatees and a wide variety of birds in Florida, and concluded by going on to show images of India’s tigers. Over all, this was an extensive and very impressive collection of photographs, supported by a detailed commentary, all of which was much appreciated by Martin’s audience.
JANUARY 2016: The New Year began with the now traditional ‘Members’ Evening’ on the first Wednesday of January, in which members were invited to show the best three photographs taken by them in 2015. In a strictly informal atmosphere, members talked about their images, discussing where and how the photographs were taken, what they learned as a result, and why each photograph was valued by them. This proved to be an enlightening and most enjoyable evening.
DECEMBER 2015: At the December Club Night, John Credland APAGB gave a presentation entitled ‘Salon des Refusés’, loosely interpreted as the ‘Gallery of Failures’. A professional photographer, John showed first his skill in both his professional and amateur work, including use of the High Dynamic Range (HDR) technique for commercial work in low light situations. He also depicted how HDR could enhance architectural images and street photography, showing a large number of photographs and demonstrating his use of the ultra-small Casio EX ZR 1200 compact camera for the latter – a personal favourite. Continuing, John then discussed his experience in seeking an Associate accreditation of the Royal Photographic Society. Submitting a panel of 15 HDR prints to the judges, two prints failed for various technical reasons, a result that John discussed with a great deal of humour and which also provided an intriguing overview of the judging process.
The second part of John’s presentation concerned his audio visual (AV) work, in which he showed three AV clips that had been put together using ‘Audacity’ AV software. This was followed by a fourth AV sequence called ‘The weather forecast’, that had been submitted for accreditation by the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain but which too had been rejected by judges. Again, John discussed his failure with much humour, ascribing it mainly to the nature of the HDR image content and the rather frenetic accompanying ‘pop music’ soundtrack. Overall, this was an intriguing insight into both the commercial photographer’s world and the eccentricities of judging panels, recounted with humour and many anecdotes by an accomplished professional photographer, which was immensely enjoyable.
NOVEMBER 2015: At the November Club Night, Micki Aston CPAGB gave a presentation entitled ‘Istanbul and Jerusalem: two ancient cities’. A widely-travelled photographer, Micki introduced her audience first to the religious tapestry of Jerusalem with its Crusader walls and – through her camera – to life in the Muslim, Armenian, Christian and Jewish quarters of the old city.
The Muslim quarter is the largest and most populated, with many religious sites, stunning medieval Islamic architecture and busy bazaars. Micki showed a range of photographs, demonstrating her skill at landscape and street photography, including the use of a ‘fisheye’ lens to provide unusual images of people and architecture. She then visited the Jewish Quarter with its ancient Roman Cardo street, the old Byzantine bazaar and Hasidic Jews at the West Wall. Continuing, Micki went on to the Christian quarter and the site of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, before ending in the smaller Armenian quarter, which has been continuously occupied since the first century BC.
In the second part of her presentation, Micki took us to Istanbul, a large city divided by the Bosphorus that separates the Christian and Arab communities. Once capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, the city is characterised by religious and Byzantine architecture, such as the Hagia Sophia, existing in close proximity to once fine buildings that have long since become derelict: a mix that provided opportunities for many contrasting images. Micki concluded with her usual street photography, commenting that the different religious clerics in both cities appeared to live in friendly harmony, without religious or ethnic factionalism. This was a most interesting presentation by an articulate, accomplished photographer, given with a great deal of humour, which was much appreciated by her audience.
OCTOBER 2015: At the October Club Night, the Society’s Chairman, Richard Broadbent, gave a presentation entitled ‘New Zealand: A Tale of Two Islands’. Unfortunately, his scheduled co-presenter, Phil Le Mare, was indisposed, so Richard himself led his audience on a photographic tour of the islands which he and his wife, Janet, visited last year. Starting on the North Island, Richard took the Society through Auckland and the Coromandel peninsula, taking in such features as the Hidden Railway, Hot Water Beach, Cathedral Cove and the geo-thermal Hidden Valley at Orakei Korako, before crossing the Cook Strait from Wellington to the South Island.
Continuing, Richard’s travels took us on to Nelson, the sea and beach wildlife at Cape Farewell, past the vineyards and mountains to Kaikura and then to Christchurch, where the city centre is still largely unbuilt following the devastating earthquake of three years ago. After visiting the Moeraki Boulders and crossing Manapouri Lake, the journey ended at Te Anau with its nearby dense, moss-draped rainforest. Throughout the presentation, Richard showed a range of unusual and visually striking photographs, complemented by his inimitable description of events. This was a fascinating photographic ‘tour de force,’ that was much appreciated by his audience. The evening concluded with a reprise of photographs from the Society’s annual exhibition, which was held at the Adderbury Institute in September.
SEPTEMBER 2015: At the September Club Night, member Mick Brittain gave a presentation entitled ‘Art school to Photographic Society: In search of a personal style’. Reviewing his early life, Mick left school early to enrol at the Birmingham School of Photography, which introduced him to the 5×4 and 10×8 inch film camera formats, but the environment left him dissatisfied. He subsequently moved to Bournemouth, adopted 35mm photography, and became involved in photographing students at the local School of Fashion where he learnt the techniques of studio lighting and modelling.
Suitably encouraged, Mick relocated to London, only to find that fashion photography there was exclusive and extremely competitive. As a consequence, he turned to reprographic work for advertising agencies and magazines, becoming a specialist in interpreting clients’ requirements and enabling the early use of computers in publishing. Throughout his presentation, Mick showed photographs taken at various stages of his career, including some stunning photographs taken in Croatia – a favourite holiday destination.
In later years, Mick converted to digital photography and became interested in HDR (High Dynamic Range) using Adobe Photoshop, the intention being to create a ‘Super Real’ image of a particular scene. This involves the superimposition of several photographs and software manipulation to create a visually interesting effect, rather than necessarily being a true image of the subject. The final part of Mick’s presentation was devoted to showing examples of Super Real images, demonstrating the HDR technique. This was a stimulating presentation from an accomplished commercial photographer, which was greatly appreciated by his audience.
AUGUST 2015: At the August Club Night, member Paul Brewerton gave a presentation on ‘A photographic journey: How the love of the countryside influenced my photography’. Like many others, Paul’s introduction to photography was via the ubiquitous Kodak Box Brownie camera, and he showed a selection of prints taken from his early film cameras and enlargers to later images on digital cameras. His interest is primarily in landscape photography and, as an enthusiastic fell-walker, Paul showed many intriguing and unusual images taken from the more inaccessible parts of the Yorkshire Dales and Cumberland coast. He concluded with some photographs and stories of his various excursions to Switzerland and elsewhere. This was an interesting and wide-ranging presentation, much appreciated by his audience.
JULY 2015: At the July Club Night, member John Cavana gave a presentation on ‘My travels in Africa through the camera: Kili, Kruger and The Cape’. John’s other home is in Cape Town, South Africa, so understandably he showed an array of interesting images depicting different aspects of life there. He captured diverse subjects – more recently with his Canon EOS 70D – to include one of its biggest tourist attractions, the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, with its colourful mélee of boats, restaurants and musicians making wonderful music on old instruments. In the townships, John photographed children of different ages playing together. One of their favourite haunts was a row of loos which they liked to clamber on and run merrily along the roof tops. There were colourful photos of the Cape Town carnival; star-trails from the Taal Monument in Paarl; the beautiful blue Hout Bay; and views of the majestic Table Mountain.
Using a Panasonic FZ28 superzoom camera, John’s visits to Kruger National Park brought a wonderful selection of images of impala, elephants, lions, hornbills, weaverbirds, and water buffalo, sending a frisson of excitement around the room on seeing these powerful and beautiful animals.
But perhaps the highlight of John’s presentation was the photographic record of his climb up Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. Inspired by an 84 year-old friend who had climbed Kili at the age of 68, he – John – at 65, and two of his friends, at 70 and 71, decided to make the climb. As one is not permitted to ‘go it alone’, they hired an outfitter from Tanzania to organise the trip and carry all their equipment, including the all-important portable loo. In all, 18 people went on this expedition – the porters and the three climbers. It was a feat of endurance, taking the men five days to climb up and two to come down! The air got considerably colder and thinner the higher they went up – about 20,000 ft asml. The first camp was at 10,000 ft, and they, of course, celebrated when they reached the summit. Greeting successful climbers is the message, ‘Congratulations, you are now at Uhuru Peak, Tanzania – 5,895 m amsl’. Ironically, throughout this trip, John used only a disposable Boots camera, not being able to carry any heavy equipment on the journey. John’s amusing stories accompanying his presentation and the images shown were a fascinating window on life in Kili, Kruger and The Cape, and was much enjoyed by his audience.
JUNE 2015: For the June Club Night, an evening photo-shoot was arranged in the grounds of Blenheim Palace. A group of 18 members met at a rather obscure gate in Woodstock, which gave access to a little known ‘public right of way’ across the Blenheim estate. Chairman Richard Broadbent then led the group on a circular tour around part of the gardens, along the lake and through the wooded areas, giving members the opportunity to photograph the wildlife on the waters, some fleeting appearances of Muntjac deer, and distant views of the Palace itself. Finally, towards the end of the evening, the setting sun highlighted the tree foliage, casting the long shadows that emphasize the appeal of outdoor photography. A somewhat weary group eventually made their way to the local hostelry to exchange experiences, partake of some libation and enjoy a well-earned rest.