Morning All

For those members who couldn’t get to our meeting last Wednesday, unfortunately, our New Zealand friends, The Rangiora Photographic Society, won the ‘Battle.’ The final score was Garstang 501 Rangiora 517.
The consensus of opinion was that the judge, Ken Rowlatt, was very fair and New Zealand, on balance, just deserved to win.
So, that’s it for ‘Battles’ this season so upwards and onwards to the 3 ‘Battles’ for season 2027!

Notices:

L&CPU – Annual Club Competition 2026, Chorley:
Attached is a poster giving all the information you need if you wish to attend the competitions and view the judging. There is no charge to attend!

Jane Goodall:
If you recall Jane Goodall gave us an excellent talk, via zoom, on 18^th February titled ‘Family Photoshoots’ and she said she would send the club some information on the top 10 tips for a successful shoot.
So, attached, from Jane, is the Top 10 photography shoot hacks for the family; a good and educational and informational read!

Message from Paul Dunmall – ‘live’ speaker on 18^th March; an interactive night, so please, if poss, take part! Titles Why do we have them?
The idea is to have more people share their work that they would not normally put into club competition because “the judge won’t get it,” or they just don’t enter because some much of the comments are negative.
It is also to help photographers who are looking to improve their images, but not under the spotlight of a judged competition night.
This is not a competition but an interactive night of appraisal and discussion, between the appraiser (judge) and the photographer/group.
It will also allow for the images to not just have a title, but could have a short statement of intent, or no title at all whichever the photographer prefers.

The Format:
1^st half: A short talk about image titles and what effect they have or not when being judged.
2^nd half: What I am looking for is some images that people feel need more than just a title – an artist statement, max of 30 words. We will need about a max of 15-20 images for the second part of the evening.
This allows time for any statement to be read out, the image to be appraised and then a short discussion with the photographer/group if required. If a statement is used then max of 30 words, but can also not have a title.

Example image, (attached), and statement below.
Ice Man: I was taken by the shapes created by the ice over the rocks and where the dark patches created skulls.
So, as Paul says this is an interactive evening so, please folks, I need to submit some images – anonymously if you want, (send to me and I’ll submit them on a PowerPoint slide), with or without a title or as Paul says, a short statement of intent, in other words a little more than just a title to possibly explain the image.

April Exhibition: Reminder!
This exhibition of prints is open to all members who wish to submit prints to be shown in the Arts Centre.  
These prints are ones that have NOT scored 18, 19 or 20 points in any of our competitions. You can submit any other prints that have not been entered in any competition as well. Please bring in your prints ‘cos we need about 60 to fill the walls in the Arts Centre!
If you have what I call ‘postcard’ size prints please bring these in as well ‘cos we will be devoting an area on the wall to these type of prints.
The deadline for prints is Wednesday 11^th March although you can bring them in on any Wednesday from now on.
The ‘hanging’ of the prints will be on Saturday 4^th April and the exhibition will be open from Tuesday 7^th April until Thursday 30^th April.
Maurice is coordinating all of this and he has asked that all prints have, on the back, your name and a title.Many thanks to Maurice for his co-ordination and efforts!

Message from Peter Frankish:
Peter gave us a short talk last Wednesday night and below is a summary of the presentation and ‘how it all works.’

Peter raises money for St Catherine’s Hospice; St Catherine’s cares for patients and families across Chorley, Preston and South Ribble who are affected by life-shortening conditions like cancer, motor neurone disease and heart failure.

• Peter is fund raising by displaying works of art at the Arts Centre from 27^th June until 25^th July.
• Part of this display will show some of our photographs which, when printed, he will mount and frame and then sell to visitors, thus raising money for the hospice.
• Subject matter – Landscapes, particularly of the Lake District, but also locally and wildlife (garden birds especially) plus anything you may think suitable – but no portraits please. The basic ‘rule-of-thumb’ – any image that you would mount, frame and put up on your wall at home!
• Please send to me any digital images that you may think would ‘fit-the-bill’ by Sunday 19^th April. I will then send them all to Peter who will select the ones he thinks will sell, probably any number between 8 – 15. He will select them NOT me!
• When Peter has selected the images, he will send them back to me and I will have them printed to the size he requires. The cost of this printing will be borne by the club – it is our way of donating.
• When I receive the images back from the printer, I will pass them back to Peter and he and his team will then mount and frame them. These will then be displayed in the Arts Centre on the dates above, and hopefully be sold.
• If you already have any images already printed and mounted, I will also send them to Peter who may or may not accept them.

PHEW! I think that’s it! Any questions please email me on info@garstangcameraclub.co.uk or ring on 07340 314408. Many thanks for reading all the above!

Anything Goes Cup Competition: Any image on any theme.
This is our 5^th and final internal competition of the season.
Last date for entry: 18^th March
Competition date: 15^th April

Coffee duty this Wednesday:
Coffee and tea duty for this coming Wednesday is Maurice and Elaine – many thanks in advance!

Up and coming programme of events:

Wednesday 4^th March – Kevin Pigney, via zoom: A talk titled: A passion for wildlife – updated.
Kevin writes: I share some of my favourite images but more importantly I share the story behind them including locations, camera settings, how I sent up a project, fieldcraft etc. 

Wednesday 11^th March – Our 4^th internal competition The Humanity Cup; judged ‘live’ by Daryl Giles.

Wednesday 18^th March – Paul Dunmall, Live:
A talk titled ‘Titles: Why do we have them.’ See above for details.

Wednesday 25^th March – Members evening: A talk by Tim tilted ‘A Journet through six countries of south-east Asia.

That’s all folks and see you Wednesday!

Mike