Weekly Reports by Steve Wells
(Older reports in Archive)
2023-2024 Programme
11th March 2024
It is important not only to take photographs, but to look at photographs. On this evening, Thornbury Camera Club looked at images from two very different sources. In the first part of the meeting, images from the North and East Midlands Photographic Federation annual exhibition were shown. We see this exhibition every year. The images are always varied and of extremely high quality. The number of “fantasy” montage images seemed to be lower than in previous years. Sports and wildlife, however, were in abundance. Particularly of note were a series of images of wheelchair sports men and women playing tennis. Not only were the images excellent but the achievements of the players were an inspiration.
In the second part of the evening, club member Rose Kemp showed some of her images. Starting with the trees and leaves of Westonbirt she moved on to close-up flower pictures taken at home. These were presented both as individual images but as panels: groups of images presented together. She went on to show her fascination with the work of Edward Weston who was working in California in the first half of the twentieth century.
It is important not only to take photographs, but to look at photographs. On this evening, Thornbury Camera Club looked at images from two very different sources. In the first part of the meeting, images from the North and East Midlands Photographic Federation annual exhibition were shown. We see this exhibition every year. The images are always varied and of extremely high quality. The number of “fantasy” montage images seemed to be lower than in previous years. Sports and wildlife, however, were in abundance. Particularly of note were a series of images of wheelchair sports men and women playing tennis. Not only were the images excellent but the achievements of the players were an inspiration.
In the second part of the evening, club member Rose Kemp showed some of her images. Starting with the trees and leaves of Westonbirt she moved on to close-up flower pictures taken at home. These were presented both as individual images but as panels: groups of images presented together. She went on to show her fascination with the work of Edward Weston who was working in California in the first half of the twentieth century.
4th March 2024
Documentary photography is about telling stories. This is a tradition that goes back to magazines such as Picture Post and Life back in the last century. Ann Nissen (ARPS), speaking over Zoom from her home in Manchester, used photography to tell the stories of people in Morocco. By talking to people and being accepted into their lives she was able to illustrate her stories in a way which would be impossible for a conventional tourist.
From a photographic point of view, Morocco is about colour. Everywhere is the warm brown of mud buildings and the people wearing locally woven clothes in reds and yellows, greens, blues and gold. Ann was able to photograph the weavers at work as well as the people wearing the clothes. The women decorate themselves with henna. Ann joined in, covering her hands with brown dye.
Ann was invited into houses where she shared sweet tea while photographing the kitchens and living spaces. She shared their meals and photographed families sharing vegetables and Couscous cooked in a tagine: the traditional Moroccan cooking pot. These people have very little compared to our affluent lifestyle but they were happy. Maybe we are missing something.
Documentary photography is about telling stories. This is a tradition that goes back to magazines such as Picture Post and Life back in the last century. Ann Nissen (ARPS), speaking over Zoom from her home in Manchester, used photography to tell the stories of people in Morocco. By talking to people and being accepted into their lives she was able to illustrate her stories in a way which would be impossible for a conventional tourist.
From a photographic point of view, Morocco is about colour. Everywhere is the warm brown of mud buildings and the people wearing locally woven clothes in reds and yellows, greens, blues and gold. Ann was able to photograph the weavers at work as well as the people wearing the clothes. The women decorate themselves with henna. Ann joined in, covering her hands with brown dye.
Ann was invited into houses where she shared sweet tea while photographing the kitchens and living spaces. She shared their meals and photographed families sharing vegetables and Couscous cooked in a tagine: the traditional Moroccan cooking pot. These people have very little compared to our affluent lifestyle but they were happy. Maybe we are missing something.
26th February 2024
Photography is an art based on technology. In a sense this has always been the case. In the past this technology was based on chemicals but in the last few decades it has moved from chemicals to computers. In this brave new world, new skills are needed to achieve consistent results without spending more time sitting in front of a computer than in actually taking and making pictures.
In this talk to Thornbury Camera Club, Mac Chivers described these new techniques not as a set of separate skills but as a process in which all the skills come together as a single sequence: a workflow. Standardising a workflow makes the process of moving from an exposure to a final image shorter, more consistent and, dare I say it, more fun! More time can be spent taking pictures and less time mechanically processing them.
Mac described the process of making images and of storing them. He described how to take advantage of the technology to produce a higher quality final image for presentation. I look forward to seeing how the use of a consistent workflow might change the photographs produced by members of the club.
Photography is an art based on technology. In a sense this has always been the case. In the past this technology was based on chemicals but in the last few decades it has moved from chemicals to computers. In this brave new world, new skills are needed to achieve consistent results without spending more time sitting in front of a computer than in actually taking and making pictures.
In this talk to Thornbury Camera Club, Mac Chivers described these new techniques not as a set of separate skills but as a process in which all the skills come together as a single sequence: a workflow. Standardising a workflow makes the process of moving from an exposure to a final image shorter, more consistent and, dare I say it, more fun! More time can be spent taking pictures and less time mechanically processing them.
Mac described the process of making images and of storing them. He described how to take advantage of the technology to produce a higher quality final image for presentation. I look forward to seeing how the use of a consistent workflow might change the photographs produced by members of the club.
19th February 2024
The fourth round of the Thornbury Camera Club annual round of competitions was judged by Ralph Snook (ARPS, DPAGB, EFIAP/s). There was no set subject so Ralph had the task of sorting out a range of images from almost abstract to landscape and wildlife. He undertook the task with enthusiasm and provided a commentary which offered useful advice to everyone who had entered.
There were twenty one entries in the print section. Peter Haworth came first with “Moness Burn”. In second place with “Otters and Crab” was George Collett. Third place went to “Overdue Service” by Rob England. Other images noted by the judge were by Mike Ashfield, George Collett, Rob England, Peter Haworth and Dean Packer.
Thirty eight images were presented in the digital projected section. “Evening Light” gave first place to Peter Haworth. Rose Kemp came second with “Caught in the Rain”. In third place was George Collett with “Gannet Take-Off”. Other images noted by the judge were by Mike Ashfield, Rod Crabb, Barbara Gibbons, Janet Mann, Nigel Newman and Barry Wilson.
The fourth round of the Thornbury Camera Club annual round of competitions was judged by Ralph Snook (ARPS, DPAGB, EFIAP/s). There was no set subject so Ralph had the task of sorting out a range of images from almost abstract to landscape and wildlife. He undertook the task with enthusiasm and provided a commentary which offered useful advice to everyone who had entered.
There were twenty one entries in the print section. Peter Haworth came first with “Moness Burn”. In second place with “Otters and Crab” was George Collett. Third place went to “Overdue Service” by Rob England. Other images noted by the judge were by Mike Ashfield, George Collett, Rob England, Peter Haworth and Dean Packer.
Thirty eight images were presented in the digital projected section. “Evening Light” gave first place to Peter Haworth. Rose Kemp came second with “Caught in the Rain”. In third place was George Collett with “Gannet Take-Off”. Other images noted by the judge were by Mike Ashfield, Rod Crabb, Barbara Gibbons, Janet Mann, Nigel Newman and Barry Wilson.