Weekly Reports by Steve Wells
(Older reports in Archive)
16th May 2022
The fifth of Thornbury Camera Club’s annual competitions was judged by Michael Krier (ARPS AFIAP MA(Photography)). Once again this was an “open” competition which meant that Michael had to be prepared for anything! In the event, we saw landscapes and seascapes, pets and portraits and several pictures of watersports: from canoes to surf boards.
In the print section, Robert England came first with “Panavia Tornado GR4”. “Porthcawl” gave second place to Edward Kilmartin. Mike Ashfield was in third place with “Nailed It!” Other images mentioned or commended by the judge were by George Collett, Robert England and Simon Meeds.
In the digital projected image section, ”Kingfisher Shaking Dry” placed George Collett in first place. Second was Simon Meeds with “Curtain Twitcher”. In third place was Mike Ashfield with “Canoeing River Etive”. Other images mentioned or commended by the judge were by Robert England, Rose Kemp, Martin Nimmo, George Collett, Nigel Newman, Edward Kilmartin and Garry Holden.
The fifth of Thornbury Camera Club’s annual competitions was judged by Michael Krier (ARPS AFIAP MA(Photography)). Once again this was an “open” competition which meant that Michael had to be prepared for anything! In the event, we saw landscapes and seascapes, pets and portraits and several pictures of watersports: from canoes to surf boards.
In the print section, Robert England came first with “Panavia Tornado GR4”. “Porthcawl” gave second place to Edward Kilmartin. Mike Ashfield was in third place with “Nailed It!” Other images mentioned or commended by the judge were by George Collett, Robert England and Simon Meeds.
In the digital projected image section, ”Kingfisher Shaking Dry” placed George Collett in first place. Second was Simon Meeds with “Curtain Twitcher”. In third place was Mike Ashfield with “Canoeing River Etive”. Other images mentioned or commended by the judge were by Robert England, Rose Kemp, Martin Nimmo, George Collett, Nigel Newman, Edward Kilmartin and Garry Holden.
9th May 2022
When Thornbury Camera Club holds a competition, a guest judge is invited to assess the quality of the entries. This begs the question of what, exactly, is a good photograph? Should it be sharp? Should it have a wide tonal range? Or, maybe it is just a feeling which actually can’t be judged? These are the kind of questions which Andy Beel (FRPS) raised on his recent visit.
Andy showed panels of monochrome images from, amongst other places, Ethiopia, Iceland and London. Some used conventional cameras: others used pinholes. Many were high contrast with deep blacks lacking detail. All were very highly manipulated. Most were exactly the kind of thing which a camera club judge would reject out of hand. However, by presenting them, Andy was asking the members of the club to reassess the conventional judgement of such images. Could it be that the conventional camera club approach is missing something?
Equally radical were Andy’s images of “dance”. Again, these were high contrast and manipulated. They were handheld with exposures of around a quarter of a second. They were blurred but caught the essence of dance: movement as a pattern in space.
It has to be said that some in the audience were not sympathetic. For others, however, a seed may have been planted for radical new images.
When Thornbury Camera Club holds a competition, a guest judge is invited to assess the quality of the entries. This begs the question of what, exactly, is a good photograph? Should it be sharp? Should it have a wide tonal range? Or, maybe it is just a feeling which actually can’t be judged? These are the kind of questions which Andy Beel (FRPS) raised on his recent visit.
Andy showed panels of monochrome images from, amongst other places, Ethiopia, Iceland and London. Some used conventional cameras: others used pinholes. Many were high contrast with deep blacks lacking detail. All were very highly manipulated. Most were exactly the kind of thing which a camera club judge would reject out of hand. However, by presenting them, Andy was asking the members of the club to reassess the conventional judgement of such images. Could it be that the conventional camera club approach is missing something?
Equally radical were Andy’s images of “dance”. Again, these were high contrast and manipulated. They were handheld with exposures of around a quarter of a second. They were blurred but caught the essence of dance: movement as a pattern in space.
It has to be said that some in the audience were not sympathetic. For others, however, a seed may have been planted for radical new images.
25th April 2022
Roy Carr (AWPF) came from Middlesbrough but for several decades has lived in a small village in South Wales. In his talk he was keen to emphasise the idea that we can know best our local village or town and the landscape around it. It is all very well to travel to the far side of the world, but how well do we know what we find?
Roy started his talk in his own back garden with flowers in closeup often touched with drops of rain. He sees himself as part of his local community and at least part of his photography consists of recording the local people and the history, often decaying, of the impact those people and their ancestors have had on the landscape. Here were the old chapels and the winding houses of lost mines.
In his heart, however, it was the natural world which drew him. Trees and water are seen through mist. By staying close to home he could visit and revisit favourite places at different times of year and at different times of day.
One particular place, “Pit Wood”, drew him again and again. It is a stand of Beech trees up above the village. Here, accompanied by his dog “Poppy” he finds the peace of mind which he seeks.
Roy Carr (AWPF) came from Middlesbrough but for several decades has lived in a small village in South Wales. In his talk he was keen to emphasise the idea that we can know best our local village or town and the landscape around it. It is all very well to travel to the far side of the world, but how well do we know what we find?
Roy started his talk in his own back garden with flowers in closeup often touched with drops of rain. He sees himself as part of his local community and at least part of his photography consists of recording the local people and the history, often decaying, of the impact those people and their ancestors have had on the landscape. Here were the old chapels and the winding houses of lost mines.
In his heart, however, it was the natural world which drew him. Trees and water are seen through mist. By staying close to home he could visit and revisit favourite places at different times of year and at different times of day.
One particular place, “Pit Wood”, drew him again and again. It is a stand of Beech trees up above the village. Here, accompanied by his dog “Poppy” he finds the peace of mind which he seeks.
11th April 2022
An AGM is a mixed blessing. It has to happen for the good functioning of the club. On the other hand it doesn’t involve anything for which the club was formed: In the case of Thornbury Camera Club it doesn’t involve any photography. On this occasion a good mix was achieved. The first part of the evening was the AGM while the second half, after coffee, was dedicated to viewing photographs.
The AGM took place jointly live, in Turnberries, and online over Zoom. The proceedings were straightforward in that no contentious issues were raised and the officers of the club all agreed to carry on unopposed. The club will continue to experiment with the formats of members meetings and with the structure of competitions. It was noted, however, that the costs of speakers from outside the club is rising.
The second half of the meeting was dedicated to some of the images from the WCPF (Western Counties Photographioc Federation) members exhibition from 2021. Last week we looked at some of the prints from the same exhibition. We have now seen some of the same photographs both as prints and projected images. Call me old school, but there is something about a print which feels as a photograph should: physical and tactile.
An AGM is a mixed blessing. It has to happen for the good functioning of the club. On the other hand it doesn’t involve anything for which the club was formed: In the case of Thornbury Camera Club it doesn’t involve any photography. On this occasion a good mix was achieved. The first part of the evening was the AGM while the second half, after coffee, was dedicated to viewing photographs.
The AGM took place jointly live, in Turnberries, and online over Zoom. The proceedings were straightforward in that no contentious issues were raised and the officers of the club all agreed to carry on unopposed. The club will continue to experiment with the formats of members meetings and with the structure of competitions. It was noted, however, that the costs of speakers from outside the club is rising.
The second half of the meeting was dedicated to some of the images from the WCPF (Western Counties Photographioc Federation) members exhibition from 2021. Last week we looked at some of the prints from the same exhibition. We have now seen some of the same photographs both as prints and projected images. Call me old school, but there is something about a print which feels as a photograph should: physical and tactile.