Morning All

Hope you all remembered to put the clock back one hour!

5-Way Battle

Many thanks to Stan and his team for selecting the 15 images we have entered into this ‘Battle’ and for showing the selected ones last Wednesday.

Just to remind everyone this ‘Battle’ is between the following Camera clubs/photographic Societies of Garstang, North Fylde, Poulton, Lytham and Bispham.

The date is Thursday 10^th November starting at 19.30

It will be held in Poulton at the following address: Poulton PS, Methodist Church Hall, Queensway, Poulton-le-Fylde, FY6 7ST.

The judge will be Nick Hilton EFIAP DPAGB BPE5.

We have had the following message from Christine Storey Hon Sec Poulton PS:

“To assist us with our arrangements for seating and catering we are asking our local clubs if they can give us a rough idea of how many members are likely to attend the 5 Way Battle on November 10^th”. So, if you are planning to go, PLEASE email in to Mike or Lewis ASAP or speak to us at the next meeting on this coming Wednesday 2^nd November.

It would be really good to support the club and have a great opportunity to meet other photographers and we are sure a car sharing system and/or lifts can be arranged.

A few reminders

• Wednesday 2^nd November, we have a presentation by Lilliana Alani titled ‘People, Places and Faces. This will be available via zoom so if you wish to have a zoom invite please email to Mike or Lewis.
• Wednesday 9^th November is the last date for entry, prints and DPIs – Environment Cup – Landscapes, architecture, dereliction, sculptures, street art, environmental issues, and transport. People and animals must show scale or add to; not focal point.
• Wednesday November 9^th – Justin Garner – we have a presentation on Macro photography – This will be available via zoom so if you wish to have a zoom invite please email to Mike or Lewis.

Competition; Interested? Just a thought….

In November’s issue of the ‘Focus Magazine’ there is a photograph competition titled ‘Bowland Through the Seasons’ that “captures the beauty and opportunities this outstanding area has to offer year-round”.

These may include landscapes or wildlife images, or people enjoying activities in the area – whatever captures Bowland at its best through every season.

First prize is a two-night stay at Laythams (low season).

Closing date: Monday 21^st November.

For further information visit www.forestofbowland.com and click on Forest of Bowland AONB Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Then click on ‘News’ and scroll down ‘Beautiful Bowland Photo Competition.’ All the details are there.

Audio system!

The other day a friend of Robin’s came out to the Arts Centre to look at the audio system.

Having spent some time looking at what we had, the end result was that the amplifier we had wasn’t working and basically was beyond repair.

He promised to get in touch with a person called Martin, who he very highly recommends, and was certain would be able to fix the system.

Well, Martin spoke to Robin on Thursday and has given us the following quote:

New amplifier £250 and labour £100 = total of £350

I’ve spoken to Hilary (who is in charge of the Arts Centre) and they would be willing to pay half (£175).

So, having contacted the committee, we have agreed to go ahead to fix the audio and so our contribution, from club funds, will be £175.

Martin is very hopeful that the ‘loop’ system will work and we will be able to use the 4 speakers that are around our meeting room. No more bringing in your speakers Adrian!

Martin is coming to the Arts Centre on Thursday 17^th November to do his magic and, incidentally, he was the person who originally set the system up in the first place, so fingers crossed!

That’s all folks

Mike and Lewis

Afternoon All

Many thanks to all members who entered our first internal competition ‘The Events Cup’ and congratulations all to the winners of the various sections and well done to Freda for her overall winning entry.

Please could I remind all print winners – commended, highly commended, 3^rd, 2^nd, and 1^st to send DPIs of their prints to Stan as he is building up a portfolio of images for various up and coming external competitions, thanks.

Maurice and Robin have taken down our exhibition from the Arts Centre – thank you both and Maurice has sorted out the prints ready for collection this Wednesday.

Email below from Jean Marvin:

To: All Arts Centre Members

From: The Trustees: Muriel Burnham-Airey, Anne Marie Whitehead, Eileen Pearson and Jean Mavin

Thank you for your continued support of Garstang Arts Centre. The Executive Committee regrets that the annual subscription will be rising from £25 to £28 from 1st January 2023 but we hope you will continue to support the activities on offer and will renew your membership subscription. Your Arts Centre Membership covers all the Groups and you are welcome to come any of the meetings as a visitor and try what is on offer. Check out the Arts Centre Website or the leaflet available. Thank you very much.

With the current cost of living crisis, the Arts Centre finances are being stretched and any additional donations or suggestions for fund raising would be gratefully received.

If you are not already a member of the 200 club, then I would urge you to join, as this is a great source of funding for the Arts Centre. The cost is £6.50 every six months and a standing order is the easy way to ensure you are in every draw, the top prize being £400. The next draw will be on Friday 18th November when entertainment will be provided by The John Towers Big Band. Tickets are free and available from the Arts Centre and are on a ‘First come First Served’ basis as numbers are limited for health and safety reasons.

The Christmas Craft Fair will be running from Saturday 25th October until Tuesday 6th December so do pop into the Arts Centre to buy some early Christmas presents.

The Arts Centre will be open on the evening of Monday 5th December as part of the Victorian Festival. Hilary will be serving her delicious hotpot and there will be hot drinks and mince pies as usual.

Thank you for your continued support of Garstang Arts Centre.

Following on from the email above, the Camera Club will absorb the £3 from our reserves. However, if any member wishes to contribute this extra £3 to our ‘coffers’ please give it to Robin, Mike or Lewis, many thanks; every little helps!

An update on Chris:

Another small step in the right direction. Today Chris has been moved from his isolated room into a bay with three other gentlemen who seem to be quiet individuals – no obvious troublemakers amongst them.

We are now waiting for a rehab bed and I am hoping that the presence of others will stimulate him. At least there are people to watch even if his conversation is limited.

Thank you all for your continuing support.

Love,

Dorothy

Morning All

Many thanks to all the members who sent in their macro images for last week’s members evening – we had 78 in all, very impressive; quantity and quality!

An update on Chris (Helm) from his wife, Dorothy; yesterday Chris was disconnected from the monitors. His heart is now stable and he will be prepared for discharge. That means that he will be worked on by the physios and the occupational therapists. I’m expecting that he will be moved from the side ward into a bay, shortly.

A few reminders

• October 19^th – Events Cup Competition, judged by Daryl Giles, CPAGB, ‘live’ in the Arts Centre. There are roughly 20 prints and 50 DPIs to be judged. Good luck to all.

If you are unable to attend, please email in to Mike or Lewis and we will send you a zoom invite. Unfortunalty, the zoom will only ‘stretch’ to showing the DPIs in the second half of the evening; prints don’t ‘zoom’ well!

On coffee duty is Stan and Mike. We are currently 1 short for coffee duty on Wednesday 26^th October and Wednesday 2^nd November. Please volunteer; see Freda this Wednesday – thanks.

• October 26^th – members evening which will include, amongst other things, a presentation by Stan on the 15 images, chosen by him and his team, for the 5-Way Battle.
• Camera club Christmas get-together is on Wednesday December 14^th at £12 per person; open to all members and their partners and/or friends, and will include quizzes, with prizes, and an Irish raffle (no, I don’t know either), amongst other things!

Places are selling so please email to reserve a spot or speak to Freda, Mike or Lewis at the club meetings.

Finally, a message from Sarah – Iain, from the BMX outing, and the club sent a big thank you to all for the pics.  He has said to just let him know when we want to go on a Tuesday evening for the floodlit session.  

If anyone wants to go on an evening floodlit session, I am happy to set up and then pass Iain’s’ details onto them if much communication is needed.

Short and sweet today so…

That’s all folks and see you Wednesday.

Mike and Lewis

Morning All

Great Saturday morning at Preston Pirates BMX track; we were given a warm welcome, yellow bibs and directions where to stand. Thanks, Sarah, for organising; I took far too many images, guess what I’ll be doing the rest of today!

Thanks also to Jane Lazenby for her talk, last Wednesday, on ‘Working with Textures’. Information: on her Youtube channel, amongst other things, she has 3 lessons on Textures; Lockdown Textures 1,2 and 3, and she does start from basics, so if you are interested…………

Message from Paul at Oaklands, Garstang: He is looking for an official volunteer to be able to drive the small wheelchair access van so that Sarah can attend our camera club meetings. They would need to undertake a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) and, in order not to cause an issue with insurance, be under 70. If you can please contact Paul on Paul.Ferguson@valorumcare.co.uk

A few reminders

• Camera club Christmas get-together is on Wednesday December 14^th at £12 per person. Betty is providing a Hot Pot supper, (glutton free) with a vegetarian option and a choice of deserts (pavlova, coffee renoir, fruit salad); includes serving and washing-up.
• Bearded Tit guided walk on at Leighton Moss on Monday 17th October, 9-11am. Please contact Sarah if you want further details – sarah-keast@hotmail.com
• ‘Photographic social-outings’ – Blackpool World Firework Championship.
• Saturday 15 October – Celtic Fireworks from Wales
• Thursday 27 October – Fireworks Factory from Finland
• Friday 28 October – Celebratory display with Titanium Fireworks

As mentioned last week the approach to the fireworks is going to be ‘last-minute’ ‘cos we will obviously want the weather on our side; watch this space!

• This Wednesday, 12^th October, is the workshop on Macro photography. Many thanks to all those members who have sent in their ‘close-up/macro’ images, what a great response so far – but always need more so if you haven’t sent any in, please do so.
• October 19^th – Events Cup Competition, judged by Daryl Giles, CPAGB, ‘live’ in the Arts Centre.
• October 26^th – members evening which will include a presentation by Stan on the 15 images, chosen by him and his team, for the 5-Way Battle.
• Early warning! Environment Cup – Landscapes, architecture, dereliction, sculptures, street art, environmental issues and transport. People and animals must show scale or add to; not focal point. Last date for entry is Wednesday 9^th November, that’s 4 weeks next Wednesday.  

That’s all folks

Mike and Lewis

Morning All

Many thanks to Paul who delivered an excellent presentation last Wednesday titled ‘A poor man’s macro’. Thanks, Paul, for all your time, trouble and effort, it was really appreciated by us all!

Also, many thanks to Freda, Robin and Rhona who over-saw Saturday’s successful coffee morning and thanks to all members who popped in to say hello and/or who provide some very edible cakes!

Well, it’s beginning to feel a lot like – sorry! Christmas has arrived, in part, to all local supermarkets so I thought it was a timely reminder to mention the camera club’s date!

So, please put in your diaries the date Wednesday December 14^th. We have organised the caterers, Betty, (who served us an excellent meal last May, for the presentation evening) to provide a Hot Pot supper, (glutton free) with a vegetarian option and a choice of deserts (pavlova, coffee renoir, fruit salad) all for the princely sum of just £12pp – this includes serving and more importantly, washing up!

The evening will be open to all members and their partners and will include quizzes, with prizes, and a raffle amongst other things!

To reserve your place(s) please pay Freda. Many thanks.

A few reminders:

• Please don’t forget the ‘Whole-Year Project’; Photograph something every week/month.
• Last call for the BMX photographing session next Saturday, 8^th Sarah needs a list of names and address of all those who wish to go.

We will meet at the car park (Preston Pirates BMX club Fishwick Recreation Ground London Road, Preston, PR2 5AN) at 10am or at 11am; either session or both! Interested? Please email her – sarah-keast@hotmail.com

• There is a Bearded Tit guided walk on at Leighton Moss on Monday 17th October, 9-11am. Cost is £10.50 for RSPB members and £13 for non-members.  Full access to reserve [which is normally £9 for non-members] for the rest of the day afterwards. The link for the event is – https://events.rspb.org.uk/browse?filter%5bschedule%5d=1409

You will need to book yourselves on the Leighton Moss one as Sarah can’t block book. If you book, PLEASE email Sarah so that she knows how many members are going.

Both of these ‘events’ are for anyone, just bring your camera and practice but more importantly have some fun and enjoy being out and about with the camera!

• Sharon (Garstang Fine Arts) is away on hols from Monday 17th October and re-opens Saturday 29th October; This will affect prints that need mounting for the Environment Cup. Deadline to Sharon was 26th October but is now 29th October.
• From Michael – https://www.lightroomsummit.com/ Introducing the Lightroom Summit 2022. It’s free, 48 classes over 5 days; OCTOBER 3 – 7, 2022
• The Wednesday afternoon art group are having a day trip to Port Sunlight on Wednesday 19th Oct and have a few spaces available on the bus. They wondered if anyone from the camera club would be interested in going as well. Cost for the bus would be £25 (or a bit less if the bus is filled.)
  If anyone is interested, they can book a seat by ringing Holly this week on 07368 874212.
• More ‘Photographic social-outings’ from Sarah. Blackpool World Firework Championship: will take place once again over the beach in front of The Blackpool Tower. All of them are free to access!

Saturday 1 October – Caribe Fire FX from Barbados.

Saturday 15 October – Celtic Fireworks from Wales

Thursday 27 October – Fireworks Factory from Finland

Friday 28 October – Celebratory display with Titanium Fireworks

All displays are subject to suitable weather conditions. The event will build-up from 7.30pm with an approximate firing time of 8.30pm for each display.

• The approach to the fireworks is going to be ‘last-minute’ ‘cos we will obviously want the weather on our side. Now, it doesn’t have to be calm and clear and warm, but we don’t want gale force winds and heavy rain! So, watch this space for updates.

Macro Challenge.

Following on from Paul’s excellent macro presentation we would like to mention the macro definitions we discussed.

• Close-up photography is a blanket term for close-ups, macro, and micro photography.
• Close-up means you’re just shooting at a short distance from the subject. You can use virtually any lens to achieve close-up photos.
• Macro means you’re taking super close-ups of objects at least 1:1. So the size of the image on your sensor is equal to the size of the item you’re photographing in real life.
• Micro means the magnification is at a microscopic level. Basically, it deals with subjects you can’t see with your naked eye.

So, ready for the next workshop – 12^th October:

• Members to have a go at ‘close-up-photography’; whatever definition you choose!
• Up to 6 images each; preferably ‘new’ images but ones taken during the last few months will be fine – just have a go! You won’t need to stand up at the front to talk through them!
• Deadline – 12^th October for the workshop meeting
• Good preparation for the presentation of macro photography by Justin Garner on Wednesday November 9^th
• Bring them in on a USB stick or email them in or send by Wetransfer

Finally!

Last but certainly not least – Wednesday’s presentation.

We welcome, via Zoom, Jane Lazenby with a talk titled ‘Working with Textures’

The presentation will be zoomed into the Arts Centre for the meeting. However, if you are unable to attend, please email in to Mike or Lewis and we will send you a zoom invite.

That’s all folks and see you on Wednesday

Mike and Lewis

Afternoon All

Great presentation on Wednesday by Alan; marvellous images in ‘Bulgaria and Beyond’. In fact, we ‘visited’ The Kruger National Park, Cairngorms, Skomer, Hampshire, Mull and Saltee (Eire) to name but a few – and those pelicans!

The camera clubs’ exhibition at the Arts Centre is now on. Big thanks here to Maurice for doing the sorting and organising. And of course, to Freda, Sue and Adrian for helping out – it is very much appreciated.

The exhibition is for all the print winners, (1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd plus highly commended and commended for the 2021/22 season).

A few gentle reminders!

• September 25^th Sunday: Events Cup – last one – destination Blackpool Zoo, open from 10am; Post code: FY3 8PP: take the M55 to junction 4, then follow the ‘Brown Elephant’ signs to the zoo. 
• Mike is going and he’ll park at Kirkland Memorial Hall at 9.15am Sunday morning and leave at 9.30am. If anyone wishes to car share or have a lift, be there! This is on a first come first served basis – I have 2 places available. Email me first to check availablity.
• September 28^th: Wednesday. The 5-Way Battle; deadline for images to Stan, max 6 images per member for consideration. Pleas email Stan on stanley.pearson@talktalk.net
• September 28^th Events Cup deadline for entry; prints and DPI’s; submit a max 9 entries and with no more than three entries allowed in any one section. Please visit our website, click on Information and then competition rules to make sure you follow them – especially rules 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.
• September 28^th Members evening; Images to show from 2 international competitions; Paul giving a talk titled “A Poor man’s Macro”; Demo on Topaz Photo AI; send in any images you may want to have edited.
• October 1st Saturday Coffee Morning, at the Arts Centre; volunteers needed to help and cakes or anything edible we can sell to raise some funds! Please email Lewis or Mike.
• Please don’t forget the ‘Whole-Year Project’; Photograph something every week/month.

2 messages from Sarah: her email address: sarah-keast@hotmail.com

Photographic ‘social-outings’.

1. Confirmed Preston BMX training session.  (https://www.prestonpiratesbmxclub.com/) for Saturday October 8^th – Sarah needs a list of names and address of all those who wish to go.

We will meet at the car park (Preston Pirates BMX club Fishwick Recreation Ground London Road, Preston, PR2 5AN) at 10am or at 11am; either session or both! Interested? Please email her – address above.

2. There is a Bearded Tit guided walk on at Leighton Moss on Monday 17^thOctober, 9-11am.  Cost is £10.50 for RSPB members and £13 for non-members.  Full access to reserve [which is normally £9 for non-members] for the rest of the day afterwards. The link for the event is – https://events.rspb.org.uk/browse?filter%5bschedule%5d=1409

You will need to book yourselves on the Leighton Moss one as Sarah can’t block book. If you book, PLEASE email Sarah so that she knows how many members are going.

Both of these ‘events’ are for anyone, just bring your camera and practice but more importantly have some fun and enjoy being out and about with the camera!

Members evenings

Does anyone want to give a talk (short or long) on any of the following or on a topic of their own choice:

• Light painting
• Gadgets: Show ‘n Tell
• In Camera Motion
• Depth of Field and Focus Stacking
• Long Exposure [and filters]
• Time Lapse
• Stop Motion
• Photographing fireworks

The members evenings are there for all to look and learn!

Well, that’s all folks

Mike and Lewis

Morning all

Early this week!

We were very impressed with our speaker this week, Adrian Almond; excellent images of not only a good range of subjects but some detailed info on camera settings. Thanks, John, for your choice!

Congratulations!

To Sarah (Kinghorn): Sarah has been successful in The Disabled Photographers’ Society annual competition.

She came second in the Nature Projected and she travelled to Wakefield to collect her award. Well done from all the club.

To Lewis, Stan and Mike: For 4 images, in total, being chosen for the ‘Lancashire Mind’ 2023 calendar.

Exhibition

We are having an exhibition at the Arts Centre from Saturday 24^th September for a month.

Big thanks here to Maurice for doing the sorting and organising. The exhibition is for all the print winners (1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd plus highly commended and commended for the 2021/22 season).

We could do with 2 volunteers please to help hang the prints; Saturday 24^th 10am for about an hour – coffee/tea and cake – what more do you want! Please email in to Mike and/or Lewis.

Reminders

• The 5-Way Battle, scheduled for 10^th November (Thursday) – 15 PDI’s. Deadline for images to Stan is 28^th September, max 6 images per member to be considered for selection.stanley.pearson@talktalk.net 
• The maximum image size for the 5 Way Battle is 1600 x 1200. If any members have difficulty with correctly sizing their image, they can send them to Stan and he will resize.
• Whole-Year Project; Photograph something every week/month. Possible ideas: plants, trees, view, lake, pond, child. Show next September, but 12 max images per member.
• Events Cup – Last one; September 25^th Sunday – destination Blackpool Zoo. Details at the end of the newsletter.
• Photographic ‘social-outings’. In our last newsletter we outlined ‘Out and about’ and ‘In-House’ activities put forward by Sarah. It would be greatly appreciated if members could either email in or speak to Sarah next week indicating what they may be interested in – it’s so Sarah can put together, in October, some events that we can join in.
• Sarah has also proposed the following: Preston BMX to go on a Saturday to photograph the training sessions. Many thanks to Paul, Ian and Freda who stepped in to help Sarah.
• Events Cup: deadline for entry to this internal competition is Wednesday 28^th September

Next speaker

• Wednesday 21^st September ‘live’ in the Arts Centre presentation by Alan and Julie titled ‘Bulgaria and Beyond. Below is a quote from their website:

Discovering Nature Photography……..Bulgaria and Beyond’

Our latest adventure to find Nature images that break some of the rules and push the boundaries of Fine Art Photography with the emphasis on finding stunning competition images. We travel this time to Bulgaria and then nearer to home in the UK to the Cairngorms, Skomer, Hampshire, Mull and…. Saltee in Eire, concluding in the Kruger National Park in South Africa.

• Wednesday 28^th September: Members evening

Blackpool Zoo

• Open from 10am
• Under 60 – £19.99 – cheapest buying on-line
• Over 60’s – £17.99 – cheapest buying on-line
• Map: on-line
• Post code: FY3 8PP: take the M55 to junction 4, then follow the ‘brown elephant’ signs to the zoo. 
• We can discuss possible car sharing on Wednesday evening
• Any questions email us.

That’s all folks

Mike and Lewis