Previous Reports
1st November 2021
Thornbury Camera Club held another in-house meeting where two members shared their skills with the club.
Steve Wells talked about using textures in images. A texture is simply an image which is used to support another image: Perhaps by providing a new background. Steve showed how to collect images such as wood panelling, floor tiles, carpet, wood grain and stone to create a library of textures which could then be called upon when needed. You don’t have to go far to collect texture images: Just look around your house. He showed how to use Photoshop to replace a background. He finished by looking in detail at how two of his own images were constructed.
Mike Ashfield talked about Lightroom. This is a program which sits alongside Photoshop as an image editor and, above all, as a catalogue allowing users to structure libraries of many thousands of images and still find what is wanted. Mike described how he goes about using Lightroom: Starting with loading new images and cataloguing them. He went on to explain how he assesses images and awards a star rating to each. Finally, he looked at the editing facilities available in Lightroom. While Lightroom and Photoshop are both from Adobe, the facilities available in each are different.
This was an interesting evening looking at the different facilities available in two different software programs from Adobe.
Steve Wells talked about using textures in images. A texture is simply an image which is used to support another image: Perhaps by providing a new background. Steve showed how to collect images such as wood panelling, floor tiles, carpet, wood grain and stone to create a library of textures which could then be called upon when needed. You don’t have to go far to collect texture images: Just look around your house. He showed how to use Photoshop to replace a background. He finished by looking in detail at how two of his own images were constructed.
Mike Ashfield talked about Lightroom. This is a program which sits alongside Photoshop as an image editor and, above all, as a catalogue allowing users to structure libraries of many thousands of images and still find what is wanted. Mike described how he goes about using Lightroom: Starting with loading new images and cataloguing them. He went on to explain how he assesses images and awards a star rating to each. Finally, he looked at the editing facilities available in Lightroom. While Lightroom and Photoshop are both from Adobe, the facilities available in each are different.
This was an interesting evening looking at the different facilities available in two different software programs from Adobe.
25th October 2021
Thornbury camera Club was joined today by John A Hudson (ARPS SPSA DPAGB ASPS) with his talk: “The Quest and Beyond”. John first kept birds as a teenager. He was not unusual. Most of his friends kept something; mice, guinea pigs and so on. Humming Birds were unusual! John’s interest in birds continued. Today he travels the world photographing them.
Humming birds are small: smaller than your thumb. Their wings beat at 80 beats per second: The beating wings make a noise. Yes, humming birds really do hum. John’s aim was to photograph the birds in flight with the wings frozen which would require a shutter speed of 1/16000 second. This was not possible with cameras of the time and few cameras today would manage it. Electronic flash was the answer.
John moved on from the bright colours of the birds to the bright lights of theatre. While initially rejected in his attempts to gain access to the major ballet companies, he found acceptance through dance and theatre schools. He showed images of dancers singly and in groups; standing and jumping; sometimes seeming to fly. Included among his theatrical interests is circus. Here the acrobats and trapeze artists take his interest.
From Birds to ballet; from ballet to trapeze: all flying.
Humming birds are small: smaller than your thumb. Their wings beat at 80 beats per second: The beating wings make a noise. Yes, humming birds really do hum. John’s aim was to photograph the birds in flight with the wings frozen which would require a shutter speed of 1/16000 second. This was not possible with cameras of the time and few cameras today would manage it. Electronic flash was the answer.
John moved on from the bright colours of the birds to the bright lights of theatre. While initially rejected in his attempts to gain access to the major ballet companies, he found acceptance through dance and theatre schools. He showed images of dancers singly and in groups; standing and jumping; sometimes seeming to fly. Included among his theatrical interests is circus. Here the acrobats and trapeze artists take his interest.
From Birds to ballet; from ballet to trapeze: all flying.
18th October 2021
Since the earliest days of photography, images have been manipulated. Sometimes it was to overcome the limitations of the photographic processes at the time. In other cases it was for artistic intent. In 1856, for example, Oscar Rejlander blended 32 separate photographs to create a single image called “Two Ways of Life”.
At this meeting of Thornbury Camera Club, members were asked to describe the changes they have made to images by showing, first, what an image looked like when it came straight out of the camera. Then, second, what the image looked like after being adjusted in Photoshop, Affinity, Darktable, Gimp and so on.
The images themselves showed the wide range of interests of club members from landscape to portraits to complete abstracts; from street scenes to wildlife. The changes involved cropping, changing colours and backgrounds, moving parts of an image from one place to another and conversion to black and white. Overall the changes showed how photographer’s concerns today are the same as those in the middle of the nineteenth century. In one case, how to overcome the limitations of the photographic medium to create the image the photographer wanted to take. In the other, how to create something completely new from photographs as raw material. The spirit of Oscar Rejlander is still alive.
At this meeting of Thornbury Camera Club, members were asked to describe the changes they have made to images by showing, first, what an image looked like when it came straight out of the camera. Then, second, what the image looked like after being adjusted in Photoshop, Affinity, Darktable, Gimp and so on.
The images themselves showed the wide range of interests of club members from landscape to portraits to complete abstracts; from street scenes to wildlife. The changes involved cropping, changing colours and backgrounds, moving parts of an image from one place to another and conversion to black and white. Overall the changes showed how photographer’s concerns today are the same as those in the middle of the nineteenth century. In one case, how to overcome the limitations of the photographic medium to create the image the photographer wanted to take. In the other, how to create something completely new from photographs as raw material. The spirit of Oscar Rejlander is still alive.
11th October 2021
Each year, Thornbury camera Club holds a series of internal competitions throughout the year. This year there are to be six competitions with each member able to enter up to two prints and up to two projected images. This was the first competition of the year. There was no theme so any subject could be entered. The judge, with the unenviable task of trying to compare “portraits” with “landscapes”; “still-life” with “football”, was Peter Ottley (LRPS, DPAGB). Peter, from Bleadon Photo Group, is an old friend who has visited the club before back in 2017.
In the print section, Dean Packer came first with “Faces in the Storm”. George Collett took both second and third places with “Bee Eater with Dragonfly” and “Syrian Woodpecker and Juvenile”. Highly Commended and Commended images were from Graham Peers and Edward Kilmartin.
In the projected image section Eirwyn Thomas came both first and second with “Riding the Wave” and “Flower in the Sun”. “Clevedon Pier” gave third place to Edward Kilmartin. Highly Commended and Commended images were from Christine Crabb, Lorna Minshall, Mike Ashfield, George Collett and Rose Kemp.
Once again, the meeting was presented both live and broadcast on Zoom.
In the print section, Dean Packer came first with “Faces in the Storm”. George Collett took both second and third places with “Bee Eater with Dragonfly” and “Syrian Woodpecker and Juvenile”. Highly Commended and Commended images were from Graham Peers and Edward Kilmartin.
In the projected image section Eirwyn Thomas came both first and second with “Riding the Wave” and “Flower in the Sun”. “Clevedon Pier” gave third place to Edward Kilmartin. Highly Commended and Commended images were from Christine Crabb, Lorna Minshall, Mike Ashfield, George Collett and Rose Kemp.
Once again, the meeting was presented both live and broadcast on Zoom.
04 October 2021
When you invite a group of photographers to create images on an unusual subject, the results can be fascinating. So it was when the members of Thornbury camera Club were asked to take photographs on a theme of “Shoes and Hats”.
Sixteen members rose to the challenge. Some addressing just Shoes and others just Hats. Most took on the complete challenge and tackled both.
The theme of “Shoes” provoked the most varied response. Shoes can be single or in pairs. They can come with feet or not. They can be exhibits in a museum, on sale in a shop or dumped in the bottom of a wardrobe never to be worn again. In style they can be glistening, decorated formal heels… or wellington boots.
The concept of a shoe tree led to an image of shoes being used to decorate a live tree!
As to hats, apart from the different purposes of a hat: sun protection, swimming, formal dress or safety, there is the colour and the material to be taken into account. There were hats made from cloth, from leather and from plastic. Safety helmets can protect when climbing rocks or trees; they are worn by emergency services, canoeists and polo players.
Hats can be piled high on a market stall. The examples shown here were all priced at £15. All bargains I am sure.
Sixteen members rose to the challenge. Some addressing just Shoes and others just Hats. Most took on the complete challenge and tackled both.
The theme of “Shoes” provoked the most varied response. Shoes can be single or in pairs. They can come with feet or not. They can be exhibits in a museum, on sale in a shop or dumped in the bottom of a wardrobe never to be worn again. In style they can be glistening, decorated formal heels… or wellington boots.
The concept of a shoe tree led to an image of shoes being used to decorate a live tree!
As to hats, apart from the different purposes of a hat: sun protection, swimming, formal dress or safety, there is the colour and the material to be taken into account. There were hats made from cloth, from leather and from plastic. Safety helmets can protect when climbing rocks or trees; they are worn by emergency services, canoeists and polo players.
Hats can be piled high on a market stall. The examples shown here were all priced at £15. All bargains I am sure.
27th September 2021
It is all very well having visitors to the club to show off their photographs, but the club comes into its own when its own members show off their pictures. So, on this occasion Thornbury Camera Club asked Janet Mann, Vince Mann and Eddie Kilmartin to put on a show.
Janet and Vince had, as might be expected visited the same places! New Zealand and Canada featured in both their presentations as, closer to home, did Suffolk, Slimbridge and the Wild Place. Janet themed her presentation: Wildlife predominated with sequences of birds, flowers and insects. Towards the end storms and seascapes appeared. Vince was more concerned with images as memories. He has family connections with Suffolk so he showed images of windmills and wide open skies. Everyone who visits Aldeburgh visits the Scallop: A sculpture by Suffolk-born artist Maggi Hambling. It was unveiled in 2003 as a tribute to Benjamin Britten. Its complex shape creates different images from all directions.
Eddie decided to show prints. As the meeting was being shared between a live audience and other members joining across Zoom, a way had to be found to show the prints to the remote audience. The solution was to simultaneously show prints to the live audience while showing digital images of the same pictures over Zoom.
There was much interest in the images, while the simultaneous use of Zoom and live prints was a new development in the club’s use of remote sharing technology.
Janet and Vince had, as might be expected visited the same places! New Zealand and Canada featured in both their presentations as, closer to home, did Suffolk, Slimbridge and the Wild Place. Janet themed her presentation: Wildlife predominated with sequences of birds, flowers and insects. Towards the end storms and seascapes appeared. Vince was more concerned with images as memories. He has family connections with Suffolk so he showed images of windmills and wide open skies. Everyone who visits Aldeburgh visits the Scallop: A sculpture by Suffolk-born artist Maggi Hambling. It was unveiled in 2003 as a tribute to Benjamin Britten. Its complex shape creates different images from all directions.
Eddie decided to show prints. As the meeting was being shared between a live audience and other members joining across Zoom, a way had to be found to show the prints to the remote audience. The solution was to simultaneously show prints to the live audience while showing digital images of the same pictures over Zoom.
There was much interest in the images, while the simultaneous use of Zoom and live prints was a new development in the club’s use of remote sharing technology.
20th September 2021
John Chamberlin (FRPS, MFIAP, APAGB) joined Thornbury Camera Club to present his talk “From Dawn to Dusk”. As on the last few meetings the presentation was given simultaneously live and on-line using Zoom.
John’s presentation was mainly a mix of wildlife and landscape from his wide ranging travels across the world. Tuscany was a clear favourite for landscape with the characteristic tall poplar trees and their long shadows in the morning light. He was keen to emphasise the time of day. The early morning light is particularly special. He and his friends would leave their accommodation before dawn to be ready to take pictures, returning for breakfast when the sun was high in the sky. This approach is common amongst landscape photographers. The light does not appear at your convenience: You have to be ready to catch it when it is there.
He has visited the USA many times. Death Valley, The Rocky Mountains and New Mexico all featured. He expressed a particular fondness for the Aspen trees in Colorado.
Africa, particularly West Africa rather than the more popular East, was where he photographed desert landscapes with elephants, lions and antelopes. The desert dunes looked like frozen waves on a sand sea. Again, to capture the mood he had to be in position before dawn.
Photographing birds in Japan, the winter snow provided reflected light from underneath to illuminate the detail of the plumage. In Yudanaka’s hot springs he photographed the snow monkeys: their pink faces making it seem that they had stayed in the bath too long.
John’s presentation was mainly a mix of wildlife and landscape from his wide ranging travels across the world. Tuscany was a clear favourite for landscape with the characteristic tall poplar trees and their long shadows in the morning light. He was keen to emphasise the time of day. The early morning light is particularly special. He and his friends would leave their accommodation before dawn to be ready to take pictures, returning for breakfast when the sun was high in the sky. This approach is common amongst landscape photographers. The light does not appear at your convenience: You have to be ready to catch it when it is there.
He has visited the USA many times. Death Valley, The Rocky Mountains and New Mexico all featured. He expressed a particular fondness for the Aspen trees in Colorado.
Africa, particularly West Africa rather than the more popular East, was where he photographed desert landscapes with elephants, lions and antelopes. The desert dunes looked like frozen waves on a sand sea. Again, to capture the mood he had to be in position before dawn.
Photographing birds in Japan, the winter snow provided reflected light from underneath to illuminate the detail of the plumage. In Yudanaka’s hot springs he photographed the snow monkeys: their pink faces making it seem that they had stayed in the bath too long.
13th September 2021
The London Salon of Photography exists to “exhibit only that class of photographic work in which there is distinct evidence of artistic feeling and execution”. The idea that photography should be seen primarily as an artistic medium goes way back into the nineteenth century with photographers such as Roger Fenton: a founder of the Royal Photographic Society. When Thornbury Camera Club exhibited images from the London Salon, we knew that we could expect something other than what has become known as “club photography”. We knew not to expect “chocolate box” landscapes, wildlife or sport.
These were images where the primary intent was to catch (or to create) the mood. This tended to be achieved through monochrome or muted colours. This was often supported by textures added to the image, or of a coarseness or grain imitating the character of over-processed film. Backgrounds made from images of badly plastered walls have become a cliché in recent years. After all, if Rembrandt could get away with textured backgrounds in the seventeenth century, why should we not do the same?
In the discussion which followed, not everyone seemed to appreciate what the Salon members were trying to achieve. Perhaps the difference between these images and those we are used to was uncomfortable. Despite this, there was a feeling that we were being challenged and that can only be a good thing.
These were images where the primary intent was to catch (or to create) the mood. This tended to be achieved through monochrome or muted colours. This was often supported by textures added to the image, or of a coarseness or grain imitating the character of over-processed film. Backgrounds made from images of badly plastered walls have become a cliché in recent years. After all, if Rembrandt could get away with textured backgrounds in the seventeenth century, why should we not do the same?
In the discussion which followed, not everyone seemed to appreciate what the Salon members were trying to achieve. Perhaps the difference between these images and those we are used to was uncomfortable. Despite this, there was a feeling that we were being challenged and that can only be a good thing.
06th September 2021