Morning All
A big thank you to members who managed to bring in and SAT (show-and-tell) their images last Wednesday night and who has been looking at post-boxes with extra interest! Thanks Phil!
Notices:
Garstang Camera Club Skills Survey
As discussed last Wednesday in the club meeting we have put together a short survey.
It is mostly ticky boxes, just 5 mins of your time, honest!
The aim is simple: it will help us plan talks, workshops and outings that people actually want, discover the hidden talent in the club, and maybe match members who’d like a bit of help with those who are happy to share their experience.
There are no wrong answers. Please complete: just click on:
https://forms.gle/7S8suxaAoadmmQGW7
At the end of the form just press submit!
Thank you, it is really appreciated!
Message from Frank:
Just a reminder about an opportunity for members to visit Otterbourne Hides and Studio near Winchester for a Kingfisher and Raptors photo shoot.
It is planned for Tuesday 20th & Wednesday 21st October, and places will be reserved on a first come first served basis.
Interested? Please contact Frank directly on: fjharvey@btinternet.com
Message from Alan Pearson – Arts Centre Chair
Hi Mike
Please find attached the list of the pictures we intend to use for the 2027 calendar.
It was very difficult to choose the final group because all the pictures were of such high quality.
I would like to convey my thanks to the Cub and its members for continuing to support the Centre in its work.
A special thanks to those members who submitted pictures.
Kind regards
Alan
The list is attached – well done to everyone!
Competition Secretary:
As you may be aware Lewis has been competition secretary for many years – I think 2026 – 2027 will be his 46th year!
We are going to split this role into 2 parts, namely, Internal and External Comp Sec. This will make the role far more manageable and mean that 2 members can help each other out at times of holidays, sickness etc.
Lewis feels now would be a good time to hand the ‘baton’ on, so to speak, but would be willing to continue in either role, if necessary, but not both. So, would any member like to take on either role?
For the internal comp sec this would be a great opportunity to operate alongside Lewis for 2026/27 season ready to take over in 2027/28 – full training will be given!
For the external comp sec this would again be working with Lewis with the view to ‘taking over’ in 2027/28.
If you are interested in either role, please contact Mike on info@garstangcameraclub.co.uk or phone Lewis on 07790 960905 and we could then have a chat to give you more info and decide how to progress! Cheers.
Reminder! Opening night competition!
Only ONE PDI from any member taken in the last 12 months.
Image sent to me (Mike) by Tuesday 1st September, midnight to info@garstangcameraclub.co.uk
Many thanks to those members who have already submitted an image.
Please take part, it’s just for a bit of fun!
Saturday 5th September – Paint Garstang, a.k.a. The Great Annual “Watch an Artist Slowly Lose Their Patience” Festival.
If you’d like to roam around town photographing artists in the wild, please do. They’re usually spotted around 11am, when they’ve reached that magical stage of painting known as “muttering at the canvas and hoping inspiration arrives before lunch.”
Swing by the Arts Centre first — they’ll hand you a map showing exactly where each artist is stationed. It’s basically Pokémon Go, except instead of Pikachu you’re hunting for someone aggressively dabbing at a stubborn patch of sky.
The weather forecast currently says “light rain showers and a moderate breeze.” In other words, ideal conditions for unintentional mixed media. A drizzle here, a gust there, and suddenly their careful landscape has become a Turner-esque storm scene. Very atmospheric. Very soggy.
Your photos can be sensible, quirky, or full‑on “I can’t believe this happened.” Entirely your call. You don’t need to stay all day — just pop in whenever you fancy watching someone try to paint while their easel attempts to migrate south.
Things don’t really kick off until 11‑ish, when caffeine levels peak and the artists have accepted that the weather is not, in fact, their friend.
They’ll return to the Arts Centre with their masterpieces by 4pm, judging starts at 4.30pm, and prizes are awarded at 5pm — presumably for categories such as “Best Use of Raindrops” and “Most Heroic Battle with a Breeze.”
And of course, any photos you take could be entered into any fitting internal competition this season — especially if you capture an artist sprinting after a runaway canvas. Judges just love drama and story-telling!
Reminder! Message from Tim: Camera equipment: A comprehensive list of the kit is attached.
A close friend of Tim’s has generously said that he would like to donate quite a bit of camera kit – much of it is current Canon lenses – in very good condition, to the club. We plan to use the kit to allow the club to raise funds from some relatively modest donations for the kit.
Tim is then happy to bring along all the kit on the 2nd Sept, (our first actual meeting) so that members can see it all and buy those items that they wish.
The Events Cup
A reminder! The last date for entry, digital images and prints, is Wednesday 16th September. If anyone wants a hand with their digital images – basically getting them on to a USB stick correctly please just email me on info@garstangcameraclub.co.uk – I’m more than happy to help.
Up and coming programme of events:
Wednesday 2nd September – Our opening night of the new season:
Amongst other ‘things’, we will have Mike – various notices and announcements including introduction of the Committee Members and a reminder of the R and Rs for our 5 Internal Competitions.
Then, a talk by Stan on Llandudno, followed by a talk by Dom on Portrait Photography. During the coffee/tea break (with homemade cakes from Rhona and Freda, worth coming to the meeting just for these!) a table of photographic items for sale, brought in by Tim, for you to peruse!
Following the break, Bob is giving a talk on the recent eclipse and finally The Opening Night competition; images shown in a slideshow format and then individually for all to vote on.
Wednesday 9th September – Our first speaker of the season – Gordon Watson, ‘live’ at the Arts Centre; talk titled ‘Coast.’
Gordon writes: The UK coastline is extraordinarily diverse, from dramatic cliffs and windswept headlands to secluded beaches, harbours and estuaries. In this talk, we will take a photographic journey around the UK, exploring how geology and history have shaped the landscapes that we see today, and how the opportunities for landscape photography change as we travel around the coastline.
Wednesday 16th September –This evening’s speaker is Ian Brodie with a talk titled, Local Damselflies and Dragonflies: Ian is a former member of the club as those more mature members will, I’m sure, remember.
Ian’s talk will be followed by a short talk from Tim. Plus: Hand in date for the Events Cup Competition.
Wednesday 23rd September – Members evening; members will be invited to vote on the ‘Battle’ images needed for the 3 ‘Battles’ this season. All the images will be shown as a slide show then one by one to vote on. Stan will coordinate the results which will be presented during a subsequent meeting.
Following the voting, and the coffee break, members are invited to SAT the first challenge this season which is ‘Red and/or Yellow images taken by mobile phones or iPad only – no cameras!
That’s all folks,
Mike
Garstang Camera Club 