Weekly Reports by Steve Wells
(Older reports in Archive)
23rd November 2020
We have already reached the second of the five rounds of Thornbury Camera Club's annual competition. This was a set subject competition on the subject of “Flowers”. Everyone photographs flowers. They sit there without moving, look attractive and don’t complain. Even so, from the 89 images presented (37 prints and 52 projected images) the variety of treatments was remarkable. While some were taken in the “wild”, many had received a studio treatment with the flower set against a plain, usually white, background.
The judge on this occasion was Michael Curtis (ARPS, IFIAP) who has visited us before in 2018.
In the print competition, Robert England was awarded first place with “Wild Desert Cactus”. Steve Wells came second with “Blue Nigella”, while in third place was “Edward Kilmartin with “Three”. Highly commended and commended images came from Dean Packer and Robert England.
In the projected section, “Cardoon and Woodlice” gave first place to Simon Meeds, with Graham Peers taking second place with “Colichicums”. Eirwyn Thomas was third with “Pretty in Pink”. Highly commended and commended images came from Dean Packer, Lorna Minshall, Robert England, and Christine Crabb.
The next competition is an open competition. Entries are due to be handed in by December 14th for Judging on January 18th.
We have already reached the second of the five rounds of Thornbury Camera Club's annual competition. This was a set subject competition on the subject of “Flowers”. Everyone photographs flowers. They sit there without moving, look attractive and don’t complain. Even so, from the 89 images presented (37 prints and 52 projected images) the variety of treatments was remarkable. While some were taken in the “wild”, many had received a studio treatment with the flower set against a plain, usually white, background.
The judge on this occasion was Michael Curtis (ARPS, IFIAP) who has visited us before in 2018.
In the print competition, Robert England was awarded first place with “Wild Desert Cactus”. Steve Wells came second with “Blue Nigella”, while in third place was “Edward Kilmartin with “Three”. Highly commended and commended images came from Dean Packer and Robert England.
In the projected section, “Cardoon and Woodlice” gave first place to Simon Meeds, with Graham Peers taking second place with “Colichicums”. Eirwyn Thomas was third with “Pretty in Pink”. Highly commended and commended images came from Dean Packer, Lorna Minshall, Robert England, and Christine Crabb.
The next competition is an open competition. Entries are due to be handed in by December 14th for Judging on January 18th.
16th November 2020
“To attend one camera club meeting may be regarded as a misfortune; to attend two at the same time looks like carelessness” (to misquote Oscar Wilde).
Thornbury Camera Club welcomed to their Zoom meeting members of Tyndale Photographic Club. Members of the Tyndale club presented some of their work: work which showed a wide range of interests and covered a period from forty years ago to the present day.
Many members of Tyndale are experienced at digital manipulation of images whether it be posterised flowers, patterns created using software such as “Nik Effects” or “Topaz”, or trees made of broccoli. There was a remarkable creativity on display.
Not all were indulging in manipulation. We were treated to a visit to India to see portraits of people I wish I could have met: all smiles and bright colours. We travelled to Venice in January when the streets are free of tourists and while there were masks in the shop windows, there were no costumed models prowling the alleyways. Rather, there was an enjoyment of the architecture. I particularly enjoyed seeing St. Marks without scaffolding. It has always been shrouded in metal when I have been there.
From forty years ago we were treated to monochrome images of church interiors. Taken on a view camera and with exposures measured in minutes, these were wonderful memories of a time before modern click-happy photography.
Thornbury will present some of their work to Tyndale later in the year. Tyndale has set the standard high. We will have to work hard to match the standard of photography we saw this evening.
“To attend one camera club meeting may be regarded as a misfortune; to attend two at the same time looks like carelessness” (to misquote Oscar Wilde).
Thornbury Camera Club welcomed to their Zoom meeting members of Tyndale Photographic Club. Members of the Tyndale club presented some of their work: work which showed a wide range of interests and covered a period from forty years ago to the present day.
Many members of Tyndale are experienced at digital manipulation of images whether it be posterised flowers, patterns created using software such as “Nik Effects” or “Topaz”, or trees made of broccoli. There was a remarkable creativity on display.
Not all were indulging in manipulation. We were treated to a visit to India to see portraits of people I wish I could have met: all smiles and bright colours. We travelled to Venice in January when the streets are free of tourists and while there were masks in the shop windows, there were no costumed models prowling the alleyways. Rather, there was an enjoyment of the architecture. I particularly enjoyed seeing St. Marks without scaffolding. It has always been shrouded in metal when I have been there.
From forty years ago we were treated to monochrome images of church interiors. Taken on a view camera and with exposures measured in minutes, these were wonderful memories of a time before modern click-happy photography.
Thornbury will present some of their work to Tyndale later in the year. Tyndale has set the standard high. We will have to work hard to match the standard of photography we saw this evening.
9th November 2020
Most visiting speakers to Thornbury Camera Club present their own work or describe their own way of working. In complete contrast, Ali Bacon who visited on this occasion is not a photographer. She is a writer who normally specialises in contemporary fiction.
On this occasion she had become fascinated by an episode in the early history of photography in Scotland and chose to write a fictional account of the events.
David Octavius Hill was a painter who lived in the middle years of the nineteenth century. In 1843 he was present in Edinburgh when the Church of Scotland split to create the Free Church of Scotland: an event known as “The Disruption”. Hill suggested that a record should be made in the form of a painting. This was an almost impossible task as it would have required Hill to produce several hundred individual portrait sketches from which the final painting could be made. The physicist Sir David Brewster suggested that photography would shorten the time needed. Hill was introduced to a photographer, Robert Adamson, and together they set about the task using the Calotype process invented by Henry Fox Talbot. Hill was impressed by the artistic potential of the Calotype process. With Hill’s artistic bent and Adamson’s technical skills, they were soon taking photographs other than the ecclesiastical portraits: eventually producing a substantial body of work which has been recognised for its artistic merit.
Sadly, four years into the collaboration, Adamson died at the age of 27 in 1848. Not being a skilled technician, Hill returned to painting and completed the “Disruption” painting in 1866.
Ali’s account has been published by Linen Press with the title “In the Blink of an Eye”.
Most visiting speakers to Thornbury Camera Club present their own work or describe their own way of working. In complete contrast, Ali Bacon who visited on this occasion is not a photographer. She is a writer who normally specialises in contemporary fiction.
On this occasion she had become fascinated by an episode in the early history of photography in Scotland and chose to write a fictional account of the events.
David Octavius Hill was a painter who lived in the middle years of the nineteenth century. In 1843 he was present in Edinburgh when the Church of Scotland split to create the Free Church of Scotland: an event known as “The Disruption”. Hill suggested that a record should be made in the form of a painting. This was an almost impossible task as it would have required Hill to produce several hundred individual portrait sketches from which the final painting could be made. The physicist Sir David Brewster suggested that photography would shorten the time needed. Hill was introduced to a photographer, Robert Adamson, and together they set about the task using the Calotype process invented by Henry Fox Talbot. Hill was impressed by the artistic potential of the Calotype process. With Hill’s artistic bent and Adamson’s technical skills, they were soon taking photographs other than the ecclesiastical portraits: eventually producing a substantial body of work which has been recognised for its artistic merit.
Sadly, four years into the collaboration, Adamson died at the age of 27 in 1848. Not being a skilled technician, Hill returned to painting and completed the “Disruption” painting in 1866.
Ali’s account has been published by Linen Press with the title “In the Blink of an Eye”.
2nd November 2020
Since the point of photography is to take pictures it is always a pleasure to see images made by the members of Thornbury Camera Club. On this occasion Janet and Vincent Mann started the evening followed by Malcolm Rea.
Janet and Vincent have travelled the UK but the main theme of their images was their experiences of several visits to New Zealand. What stuck in my mind about the images from New Zealand were the pristine landscapes and shorelines but, on the other hand, the plastic pollution washed up on the beaches. Throughout their presentations water seemed to appear in many guises: rocks in the sea, waterfalls, rivers and turquoise lakes.
Back in the UK, we visited the Lake District (more water), Stourhead (a lake) and Gloucester Dock...
The contrast between the images from Janet and Vincent and Malcolm’s pictures could not have been greater. Malcolm concentrated on people in the street and in performance. He started with images of Flamenco taken at an event in Seville: showing the movement, but concentrating on the dancers and their faces.
He has worked with dance groups in Northampton and Bristol. A charity called Zimwomen works to provide support to “...empower and support vulnerable women, young people and children for a better today and tomorrow.” Malcolm took photographs of dance events to raise funds for the charity.
Malcolm takes an interest in architecture. This was a reflected in a series of monochrome images often with people, and sometimes with water...
Since the point of photography is to take pictures it is always a pleasure to see images made by the members of Thornbury Camera Club. On this occasion Janet and Vincent Mann started the evening followed by Malcolm Rea.
Janet and Vincent have travelled the UK but the main theme of their images was their experiences of several visits to New Zealand. What stuck in my mind about the images from New Zealand were the pristine landscapes and shorelines but, on the other hand, the plastic pollution washed up on the beaches. Throughout their presentations water seemed to appear in many guises: rocks in the sea, waterfalls, rivers and turquoise lakes.
Back in the UK, we visited the Lake District (more water), Stourhead (a lake) and Gloucester Dock...
The contrast between the images from Janet and Vincent and Malcolm’s pictures could not have been greater. Malcolm concentrated on people in the street and in performance. He started with images of Flamenco taken at an event in Seville: showing the movement, but concentrating on the dancers and their faces.
He has worked with dance groups in Northampton and Bristol. A charity called Zimwomen works to provide support to “...empower and support vulnerable women, young people and children for a better today and tomorrow.” Malcolm took photographs of dance events to raise funds for the charity.
Malcolm takes an interest in architecture. This was a reflected in a series of monochrome images often with people, and sometimes with water...