SAY CHEESE!

Our 'tradition' for the last meeting of the Autumn/Winter term is for our Head of Catering, aka Jean, to put on a splendid spread of cheese and associated delights for the second half of the evening.  We all obliged by eating it and give our many thanks to Jean!

But to start the evening, after David's review of competitions in Bovey Tracey and Calne, we caught up with club members' images from earlier events this year - Lacock at War and the filming of Downton Abbey - plus what we had made of five editing challenges set by Danny.

Lacock at War saw many of us not taking the War part too seriously ....

 Falling into Line .... © David Sage 2018 

 Shopping in Lacock! © Bob Bray 2018 

Making Portraits not War (in Australia?) © Sue Power 2018  

Later, some members risked the wrath of film makers by ducking and diving around Lacock to watch the goings on in Downton ....

Leading the Parade © Amanda Gregory 2018  

Extras give a Little Extra © Bob Bray 2018

Creating the Atmosphere © Philip Male 2018

To finish we compared our editing takes on images supplied by Danny - it was an interesting exercise to show it is not just what you take, it is also what you make of it!  

2019 starts with a Wildlife in the Garden night from David and Bob B.  

EXTRAORDINARY ORDINARY

Bristol-based speaker, Simon Caplan, gave us a great illustrated talk with a display of his photographic take on small and  interesting features of buildings, street furniture and the like - the Extraordinary Ordinary.

Often graphic and colourful, many of the images invite us to look closer and also make us resolve to look harder at details when next visiting towns, harbours, industry, funfairs etc! Simon showed both digital images on screen and prints.  He also illustrated other subjects in his portfolio, including landscapes and still lifes.  Simon happily shared his technical knowledge and shot location details.  A full evening of interest to all.

Simon encouraged us to try the following -

• To get out of our comfort zone - try something new
• Take a second look - use our imagination
• Walk around the subject.  Try it from different heights and angles
• Change our lens, change our perspective
• Try a day with just a prime lens.  The discipline is good
• Not forget the rules of thirds, it usually works
• Focus on the focus point.  Where it will be and why
• Background matters.  Take our with us to improvise

Check out Simon's website: www.simoncapplanphotography.co.uk

Images from five of our members were recently displayed as a panel at the WCPF Kingswood Salver Interclub Print Panel Competition.  Our panel was well-reviewed but not placed.  Unbeknown to at least one of those members, Sue Power, individual images on panels are also judged.  To her great surprise Sue's image, The Bones of Winter, was placed second in the Vivian Croucher Memorial Plate competition!

David presents Sue with her certificate

© John Haines 2018

Next meeting:

To include a review of members' images from Lacock at War, filming in Lacock and Danny's Editing challenge.  Christmas Challenges to be set and yes, an end-of term social!