Weekly Reports by Steve Wells
(Older reports in Archive)
2024-2025 ProgrammE
4th November 2024
Close-Up and Macro Photography
Derek Gale is a professional photographer. He started in portrait and wedding photography but has since branched out into Fine Art Photography and Photography Training. On this occasion he visited Thornbury Camera Club to talk about Close-up and Macro photography.
His talk was in two parts first talking about equipment and then about techniques. Derek was keen to emphasise that equipment need not be expensive. If you have money burning a hole on your pocket there are ways to spend it. However, for most photographers, the equipment they already have will be enough to get started. Compact camera can often focus very close… and don’t ignore the mobile phone which everyone carries these days.
The photographs he was showing were mainly of wildlife: often insects and flowers. This was complemented by images taken from round the house. At this time of year you don’t even have to go outside! A detail of a hairbrush produced an array of science fiction columns. Going close on the glass of a decanter produced abstract images which could stand for anything.
Macro can be a very technical subject. Derek was not merely good technically but was entertaining as well: a combination which is all too rare.
Close-Up and Macro Photography
Derek Gale is a professional photographer. He started in portrait and wedding photography but has since branched out into Fine Art Photography and Photography Training. On this occasion he visited Thornbury Camera Club to talk about Close-up and Macro photography.
His talk was in two parts first talking about equipment and then about techniques. Derek was keen to emphasise that equipment need not be expensive. If you have money burning a hole on your pocket there are ways to spend it. However, for most photographers, the equipment they already have will be enough to get started. Compact camera can often focus very close… and don’t ignore the mobile phone which everyone carries these days.
The photographs he was showing were mainly of wildlife: often insects and flowers. This was complemented by images taken from round the house. At this time of year you don’t even have to go outside! A detail of a hairbrush produced an array of science fiction columns. Going close on the glass of a decanter produced abstract images which could stand for anything.
Macro can be a very technical subject. Derek was not merely good technically but was entertaining as well: a combination which is all too rare.
28th October 2024
Mike Martin (EFIAP AWPF BPE1*) visited Thornbury Camera Club to present prints which, in some cases, had been highly manipulated.
Print presentations usually involve images being shown one at a time at the front of a hall laid out as a lecture theatre: a layout in which people at the back can see very little. Instead, Mike’s prints were presented as an exhibition. Members of the club were invited to walk round the display and examine the prints close up. This worked well most of the time but there was a tendency for conversation to drown out the speaker and for Mike to become sucked into discussions with small groups of club members.
Mike’s pictures fell into two groups. First there were the portraits. Often taken in the studio these formed the bulk of his various award panels. While these might be described as conventional photographs, his highly manipulated “creative” images were anything but conventional. In some cases these included parts of many different original exposures.
These images should provide stimulation for the club’s coming meeting at which creative photography will be discussed.
Mike is a regular presenter at clubs, is a sponsored speaker with Fotospeed and was recently appointed tutor for Fotospeed Academy.
Mike Martin (EFIAP AWPF BPE1*) visited Thornbury Camera Club to present prints which, in some cases, had been highly manipulated.
Print presentations usually involve images being shown one at a time at the front of a hall laid out as a lecture theatre: a layout in which people at the back can see very little. Instead, Mike’s prints were presented as an exhibition. Members of the club were invited to walk round the display and examine the prints close up. This worked well most of the time but there was a tendency for conversation to drown out the speaker and for Mike to become sucked into discussions with small groups of club members.
Mike’s pictures fell into two groups. First there were the portraits. Often taken in the studio these formed the bulk of his various award panels. While these might be described as conventional photographs, his highly manipulated “creative” images were anything but conventional. In some cases these included parts of many different original exposures.
These images should provide stimulation for the club’s coming meeting at which creative photography will be discussed.
Mike is a regular presenter at clubs, is a sponsored speaker with Fotospeed and was recently appointed tutor for Fotospeed Academy.
21st October 2024
Thornbury Camera Club Hears about Street PhotographyPeter Crane ARPS is a street photographer. That is, he spends his time looking at people: where they are, what they are wearing and what they are doing. While we see him as a photographer, at heart his interest is in the people themselves. If he didn’t carry a camera he would still be looking at the world around him: curious about, and even inspired by, his fellow human beings.
In his images, Peter looks for links in shapes and particularly in colour. If he sees a red letter box he will immediately be looking for something else red with which to combine it. If he sees a circle he will start to notice other circles from which he can make a composition. One circle might be a manhole cover; another might be the round head of a bald man.
A source of much inspiration is street painting and the way passers-by appear to interact with the painting. The person and the painting cease to be separate. They become a single vision.
Above all, however, was the sense in which Peter is clearly enjoying his photography. Many photographers seem always very serious. Peter was always smiling even laughing. Not laughing at his subjects, but with them. We are all in this world together.
Thornbury Camera Club Hears about Street PhotographyPeter Crane ARPS is a street photographer. That is, he spends his time looking at people: where they are, what they are wearing and what they are doing. While we see him as a photographer, at heart his interest is in the people themselves. If he didn’t carry a camera he would still be looking at the world around him: curious about, and even inspired by, his fellow human beings.
In his images, Peter looks for links in shapes and particularly in colour. If he sees a red letter box he will immediately be looking for something else red with which to combine it. If he sees a circle he will start to notice other circles from which he can make a composition. One circle might be a manhole cover; another might be the round head of a bald man.
A source of much inspiration is street painting and the way passers-by appear to interact with the painting. The person and the painting cease to be separate. They become a single vision.
Above all, however, was the sense in which Peter is clearly enjoying his photography. Many photographers seem always very serious. Peter was always smiling even laughing. Not laughing at his subjects, but with them. We are all in this world together.
14th October 2024
This was the first competition of the annual round of internal competitions held by Thornbury Camera Club. This was an open competition so any subject could be entered from landscape to sport, from portrait to wildlife. The judge tasked with sorting it all out was Grete Howard (ARPS). Grete is based in Bristol. As a a photographer she has many interests: particularly wildlife and travel. However, she refuses to be pigeonholed and has also produced creative images with a high level of Photoshop manipulation.
In the print section, Robert England came first with “Damian”. Second was George Collett with “Dalmation Pelican Testing the Water”. In third place, with “Bearpit”, was Edward Kilmartin. Other images noted by the judge were from Mike Ashfield, Peter Haworth and Steve Wells.
In the projected image section, first place went to Gary Wood with “Leopard Cubs in the Wild”. In Second place was “Articulated Lowry” by Robert England, “Camouflage” gave third place to Ann Foster. Other images noted by the judge were from Mike Ashfield, George Collett, Christine Crabb, Rodney Crabb, Robert England, Ann Foster, Peter Haworth, Richard Hunter and Edward Kilmartin.
This was the first competition of the annual round of internal competitions held by Thornbury Camera Club. This was an open competition so any subject could be entered from landscape to sport, from portrait to wildlife. The judge tasked with sorting it all out was Grete Howard (ARPS). Grete is based in Bristol. As a a photographer she has many interests: particularly wildlife and travel. However, she refuses to be pigeonholed and has also produced creative images with a high level of Photoshop manipulation.
In the print section, Robert England came first with “Damian”. Second was George Collett with “Dalmation Pelican Testing the Water”. In third place, with “Bearpit”, was Edward Kilmartin. Other images noted by the judge were from Mike Ashfield, Peter Haworth and Steve Wells.
In the projected image section, first place went to Gary Wood with “Leopard Cubs in the Wild”. In Second place was “Articulated Lowry” by Robert England, “Camouflage” gave third place to Ann Foster. Other images noted by the judge were from Mike Ashfield, George Collett, Christine Crabb, Rodney Crabb, Robert England, Ann Foster, Peter Haworth, Richard Hunter and Edward Kilmartin.