Morning All

Morecambe ‘Battle’ – unfortunately we came second!

Scores: Morecambe 523, Garstang 521.

So, a very close run competition but we will exact our revenge next year, I’m sure. However, some really excellent images from both clubs and fairly judged with some good constructive criticisms. I’ll give feedback in the next meeting.

New Zealand ‘Battle’ up-date:

Battle with the Rangiora (Rang – ee – aw – ruh) Photographic Society of New Zealand. Now scheduled, in New Zealand, for Tuesday 7th February at 8.30pm. We are 13 hours behind so will be shown here in the Arts Centre on Tuesday 7th February at 7.30am start! Also available by zoom!

We are organising bacon butties, toast and something sparkling! Please join us for a 7.15am start in the Arts Centre. They are wearing bright clothes, well, it is their summer – shall we do the same?

I do appreciate that work may well get in the way, but for the first hour?

If you are coming to the Arts Centre, PLEASE could you let us know – just for catering arrangements – cheers.

Long Exposure challenge:

The deadline has been extended by 1 week to Tuesday 7^th February

Please send in up to 6 ‘Long Exposure’ images; these to be shown, along with, if poss, a commentary of where, why and how. All images to be sent to me, via Wetransfer or email, by Tuesday 7^th February. I’ll put together a PowerPoint presentation and he will present them (anonymously if required)!

It’s an opportunity to show your images and possibly receive constructive criticism – all, of course, in the best possible taste! Please have a go.

Preston Pirates BMX Club

Evening ‘shoot’ on 2^nd March 6pm – 8pm. The sun sets at 17.49pm. We had a great time when we first visited and this time will be under the floodlights – certainly a challenge! If you are thinking of joining us, please let me know so that I can inform Ian (the boss) ‘cos we are photographing children and we will be issued with yellow jackets.

Humanity Cup

Update and definition. ‘People in all environments, activities and emotions. People or people-related connections must be the focal point. More than one person may be included.’

Prints to be mounted? – Sharon’s deadline is 01.02.23.

Last day for entry (prints and DPIs) Wednesday 15^th February.

Competition date: Wednesday 8^th March.

Events Cup summer of 2023

We had 7 destinations last season, (probably less this time around) between April and September. New destinations please!

Proposed calendar for 2024, in support of the Arts Centre

A reminder!

• Images of Garstang, restricted to the town boundary; historical images acceptable, colour, landscape and 3:2 aspect.
• Max of 4 images per member, to me by Monday 24th April.
• All shown on Wednesday 26th April, as a slideshow then individually.
• Everyone will have a score sheet to mark each image out of 20; can’t vote for your own!
• I’ll average them out and the top 36 will go to the Arts Society Committee to choose the 12 for the calendar.
• Image on the front already chosen.
• Each of the selected 12 images will be labelled with the author’s name.

Lancashire and Cheshire Photographic Union Annual Club Competition

Annual Club Print & Projected Image Competitions, 4^th & 5^th March

Overview:

• Online Entry Opens: Saturday 21 January 2023 @ 00:01
• Online Entry Closes: Saturday 25 February 2023 @ 23:59
• Only doing the 2 PDI sections, prints get more involved with delivery etc. If you want to have a go with the prints, we can give guidance but you will need to organise yourself.
• PDI (Projected Digital Images) must be within 1600 px (horizontal) x 1200 px (vertical) in jpeg format, in sRGB colour space (including mono)
• The entry system will not accept a file size of more than 2mb.

Further details

• PDI: there are two categories in this section – Open (which includes colour and monochrome) and Nature.
• Entries: a) PDI – Open = up to 16 images from not less than 5 photographers; no photographer may enter more than 4 images in the Open.
• Entries: b) PDI – Nature = up to 8 images from not less than 5 photographers; no photographer may enter more than 2 images in the Nature.
• Composite images are not accepted in the Nature sections
• Club members may only enter images for one club.
• Lewis is coordinating when he returns from hols.

As you can see from the above we need a minimum of 5 members to take part – PLEASE let us know if you willing to send in entries then we can ensure we meet the demands of the competition.

Up and coming programme events:

• Wednesday 1st February: Workshop – Robin has very kindly offered to give a presentation on ‘Rajasthan and Kashmir’ in India and Morecambe ‘Battle’ feedback.
• Tuesday 7^th February: New Zealand ‘Battle’ at 7.15am
• Wednesday 8^th February: Presentation of members long exposure images; plus, minimalistic images with commentary.
• Wednesday 15th February: Presentation ‘Live’ in the Arts Centre by Martin Jump on ‘Lancashire landscapes, flora and fauna. Humanity Cup: Last day for entry (prints and DPIs).
• Wednesday 22^nd February: Members evening – details to follow

Phew – that’s all folks Mike and Lewis

Morning All

Many thanks to Paul King for some excellent ‘judging’ of the Creatures and plants of the world cup last Wednesday; I’ve attached the results of the mono and colour prints as well as the mono and colour DPIs.

Also, a big thank you to everyone who put an entry in whether or not you got a result – taking part is what it is all about!

Up and coming programme events:

• Wednesday January 25^th: Members evening; Stan giving a talk titled ‘Is it a photograph?’ plus Mike showing Winning Landscape Images Awards, with feedback commentary. John is giving a talk about using a Xrite Display Pro for monitor calibration also including paper profiles and soft proofing; these are all factors in making sure that the finished print matches what is seen on the screen also a talk on ‘Wildlife in the Garden’.
• Thursday January 26^th: Morecambe ‘Battle’ – 7.30pm, takes about 30 ins pm.by car. Zoom invite below which will be opened at 7.15pm:

Morecambe Camera Club is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Morecambe CC vs Garstang CC
Time: Jan 26, 2023 07:30 PM London

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82608816553?pwd=WGwrNTBhNTNBZlRMdUlLSVN1MjBxdz09

Meeting ID: 826 0881 6553
Passcode: 759861

• Wednesday 1^st February: Workshop – Robin has very kindly offered to give a presentation on ‘Rajasthan and Kashmir’ in India. Presentation of the ‘Long Exposure’ images and Morecambe ‘Battle’ feedback.
• Wednesday 8^th February: Battle with the Rangiora Photography Society of New Zealand.
• Wednesday 15^th February: Presentation ‘Live’ in the Arts Centre by Martin Jump on ‘Lancashire landscapes, flora and fauna

Victoria Festival

Using the link below you will be able to view all the images the club submitted for the Victoria Festival back in December – all good publicity and thanks to all who managed to venture out and take them.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084233199813

Lancashire and Cheshire Photographic Union Annual Club Competition

We have attached the rules and guidelines for this annual competition. Do please have a read through and we thought we could discuss this at next Wednesday members evening, confirm the rules and regs and decide what we should enter.

Thanks to Barry and Michael for their coffee and tea duties last Wednesday.

Dave and Sue are on refreshments next Wednesday, 25^th Jan.

That’s all folks Mike and Lewis

Morning All

Bird update; you may remember I showed an image of a bird from my garden and asked for an ID? Well, thanks to members contributions it is most likely a Leucistic Female Blackbird. And, I spotted again yesterday so I may get the chance for a better photo!

Attached to the newsletter is a quick guide to using ND filters from Anthony Zacharias, last Wednesday’s speaker, which you may be interested in.

Many thanks to Mike and Stan for their coffee duties last Wednesday and, of course, the lovely cakes.

This coming Wednesday Michael and Barry are on duty!

Don’t forget the 2 challenges:

1. Members are invited to submit up to 6 ‘Long Exposure’ images;

These to be shown, along with, if poss, a commentary of where, why and how. We would like as many members to have a go to practice their skills even if things go a little/lot pear-shaped! All images to be sent to Mike, via Wetransfer or email, by Tuesday 31^st January. Mike will put together a PowerPoint presentation and he will present them (anonymously if required)!

2. Calendar images of Garstang for 2024;

We are asking each member to submit a maximum of 4 images (DPI’s) for possible selection by Monday April 24^th. These images can be historical, of say The Children’s Festival or any other Garstang event or you can get out and about and take up to date pictures, it’s up to you!

Up and coming programme events:

• Wednesday January 18^th: Judging of our 3^rd internal competition – Creatures of the World and arbitrated by Paul King CPAGB; 108 images entered. This will be available via zoom, so if you wish to have an invite, please send an email to Mike. However, there are no guarantees; the DPIs should be ok to share but we are trying out a new technique for the prints, thanks to Paul and Ian and their technical knowledge! Anyway, we are having a go!
• Wednesday January 25^th: Members evening; Stan giving a talk titled ‘Is it a photograph?’. Winning landscape images and the Minimalist Photography Awards, both with feedback commentary.
• Thursday January 26^th: Morecambe ‘Battle’ – 7.30pm, takes about 30 mins by car. Will be available via zoom, so if you wish to have an invite, please send an email to Mike.
• Wednesday 1^st February: Workshop – Robin has very kindly offered to give a presentation on ‘Rajasthan and Kashmir’ in India. Presentation of the ‘Long Exposure’ images and Morecambe ‘Battle’ feedback.

Early warning!

Next internal competition:

Humanity Cup:

Images: People in all environments, activities and emotions. People or people-related connections must be the focal point. More than one person may be included.

If you use Garstang Fine Arts (Sharon); any prints to her for mounting by 1^st February please. And all images for submission (prints and DPIs) in by 15^th February please.

That’s all folks

Mike and Lewis

Morning All

I see that more rain greets us this morning and for the coming week, though the daffs are beginning to poke through, roll on spring.

Thanks, John, for booking Carmen for last Wednesday’s presentation; I realise many of us know the Lake District, but what fantastic images were shown and delivered in a professional manner – magic!

• En Plein Air competition; Many thanks to all those members who left prints from last summer’s En Plein Air competition; the artist’s exhibition will be displayed from Tues 10th January (until Thursday 9^th February) together with our images in the Arts Centre, so pop along if you have time. I believe this competition will be repeated this year – details will follow when we have them.
• BMX – Preston Pirates. If you recall Sarah (Keast) organised a photo shoot at their base in Preston which proved to be a great couple of hours and was really enjoyable. Well, we have been in touch again to organise an evening shoot. This will take place on a Thursday evening from 6pm – 8pm; all are welcome to try out their photographic skills, not their cycling skills! The actual date has yet to be decided because the club schedule is subject to change due to adverse weather conditions but we will keep you posted.
• Tom Peck – Questphoto.co.uk. We had an email from Tom advertising his current list of club talks – we get a few of these throughout the year. As well as telling us about his talks and various 2023 workshops he has also written about ‘The Safari of a Lifetime’ for Feb/March 2024 in 2 locations, each in private game sanctuaries. This Safari is not advertised on the website. If you are interested, we can forward you the details.

Reminders

• Wednesday January 11^th: A presentation by Antony Zacharias titled “Long Exposure Photography”. This will be available via zoom so if you wish to have a zoom invite, please send an email to Mike.
• Wednesday January 18^th: Judging of our 3^rd internal competition – Creatures of the World and arbitrated by Paul King CPAGB. We had the following entries: print Mono – 9; print Colour – 29; DPI Mono – 24; DPI Colour – 46. That gives a grand total number entered of 108! Should be a busy and hopefully an enlightening good evening!
• Wednesday January 25^th: Members evening; Stan giving a talk titled ‘Is it a photograph?’. Further details about the evening to follow.
• Thursday January 26^th: Morecambe ‘Battle’ – 7.30pm, Heysham Library, 396 Heysham Road, Heysham, LA3 2BJ; takes about 30 mins by car. Will be available via zoom, so if you wish to have an invite, please send an email to Mike. Judge for the evening is: Alfred Brown CPAGB. Hon L&CPU.
• Wednesday 1^st February: Workshop – Robin has very kindly offered to give a presentation on ‘Rajasthan and Kashmir’ in India. Other details for the evening will follow shortly.

2 Challenges! – Time to get that camera out, despite the weather!

• Following on from the talk by Antony Zacharias (this Wednesday coming, 11^th Jan), members are invited to submit up to 6 ‘Long Exposure’ images; these to be shown, along with, if poss, a commentary of where, why and how. We would like as many members to have a go to practice their skills even if things go a little/lot pear-shaped! All images to be sent to Mike, via Wetransfer or email, by Tuesday 31^st January. Mike will put together a PowerPoint presentation and he will present them (anonymously if required)!

          It’s an opportunity to show your images and possibly receive constructive criticism – all, of course, in the best possible taste!

• We have received a request from Muriel Burnham-Airy, Chair of the Executive Committee of Garstang & District Arts Society, to help with the creation of a calendar for 2024. This calendar will be sold, from possibly August onwards, to raise much needed funds for the Arts Centre. Lewis, Sue, Michael, Mike, Muriel and Anne-Marie had a meeting the other day to ascertain our (the camera club’s) responsibilities. We have agreed the following:

1. Michael, due to his skills in graphic design, will put together an example of a calendar. In fairness to Michael, he has already designed 4 samples which were presented to the meeting and one design was accepted. MANY thanks go to Michael for his time and efforts here already.
2. The camera club has been tasked to provide the images to be on the calendar.
3. Images of? Well, restricted to Garstang and the town boundary. We just need to use our common sense and judgment on the extent of the boundary!
4. Images to be in colour, sRGB, within or maximum of 1600 x 1200, ratio of 3:2, and landscape.
5. We are asking each member to submit a maximum of 4 images (DPI’s) for possible selection by Monday April 24^th. These images can be historical, of say The Children’s Festival or any other Garstang event or you can get out and about and take up to date pictures, it’s up to you!
6. Images to be sent to Mike, via Wetransfer or email.
7. Mike will then put all the images (say approx. 60ish) into a slide show; all images will be shown anonymously.
8. On Wednesday April 26^th (members evening) all images will be first shown as a slideshow then each image swill be shown separately.
9. Each member will be given a score sheet so that when the images are shown separately you will be asked to score each image up to a maximum 20 points. You will not need to put your name on this score sheet.
10. Mike will collect all the marked score sheets in and average out the scores.
11. At the end of this process, we will have the ‘top’ 36 images.
12. These images will then be given to the Executive Committee of Garstang & District Arts Society and they will choose the 12 selected for each month.
13. The image for the actual front of the calendar will be one all ready selected of the Arts Centre itself.
14. Each of the final selected images will have the name of the author on it.

Wow – I hope you all have grasped the above and will take part – PLEASE! We think that this is a great opportunity to show the club’s individual skills and great opportunity to advertise our club.

Coffee duty on this coming Wednesday is Stan and Mike – many thanks!

I’ve attached 3 images of a bird. Sorry about the quality, but taken through a window and in the rain. I think it could be a Thrush or female Blackbird. Any ideas? I’ve seen a few with white on before but not quite as strange as that one!

That’s all folks

Mike and Lewis

Morning All

Lewis and Mike would like to wish all members a happy, healthy and prosperous 2023!

4 + 1 quotes I always like:

• William E. Vaughan – an optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.
• Billy Vaughan – Youth is when you’re allowed to stay up late on New Year’s Eve. Middle Age is when you’re forced to.
• Nia Vardalos – “My New Year’s resolution list usually starts with the desire to lose between 10 and 3,000 pounds.”
• Charlie Brown – “You know how I always dread the whole year? Well, this time I’m only going to dread one day at a time.”
• My own – 10pm is the new midnight!

Message from Robin

A Journey Through Central America

Robin Shorrock will be giving a show on his trip through Central America on Friday 27th January 2023 starting at 7.00pm with hotpot supper in KIRKLAND and CATTERALL MEMORIAL HALL.

The Journey starts in Panama City visiting 3 very different parts of the city and then a sail on the Panama Canal.

Flying onto Costa Rica we first visit a coffee farm, then a quick overnight stay in the capital San Jose, then into the cloud forest to see some wildlife.

Other countries visited are Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala.

In Honduras we visit the Mayan site of Copan with its fine stone carvings, and in Guatemala the larger Mayan site of Tikal with its tall temples piercing through the jungle canopy. Other things to look out for are the Bananas crossing the road and the volcano saying goodbye at the end of the trip.

Tickets cost £10 and are available from Robin Shorrock on 01995 602238

Proceeds to St Helen’s Church Churchtown.

I know this show is proving to be very popular and there are limited tickets available so to avoid disappointment please get in touch with Robin ASAP!

A few reminders of up and coming dates

• En Plein Air competition; if you any prints which you may wish to be displayed in the artist’s exhibition from Tues 10th January, please bring them in on Wednesday January 4^th so that I can hand them over to Sheila.
• Wednesday January 4^th: A presentation by Carmen Norman titled ‘Lake District Moods’. This will be available via zoom so if you wish to have a zoom invite, please send an email to Mike or Lewis.
• Wednesday January 11^th: A presentation by Antony Zacharias titled “Long Exposure Photography”. This will be available via zoom so if you wish to have a zoom invite, please send an email to Mike or Lewis.
• Wednesday January 18^th: Judging of our 3^rd internal competition – Creatures of the World and arbitrated by Paul King CPAGB. We had the following entries: print Mono – 9; print Colour – 29; DPI Mono – 24; DPI Colour – 46. That gives a grand total number entered of 108! Should be a busy and hopefully an enlightening good evening!
• Wednesday January 25^th: Members evening; details to follow
• Thursday January 26^th: Morecambe ‘Battle’ – 7.30pm, Heysham Library, 396 Heysham Road, Heysham, LA3 2BJ; takes about 30 mins by car. Will be available via zoom, Judge: Alfred Brown CPAGB. Hon L&CPU.

Coffee duty on this coming Wednesday is Ian and Freda – many thanks!

That’s all folks

Mike and Lewis

Afternoon All

Many thanks to all members who we able to get to the Arts Centre for our Christmas get-together last Wednesday – that is despite the very cold weather! Driving home to Forton later, the temperature gauge on the car registered -6.

We all thought we had another cracking meal from ‘Betty and friends’ – now booked for the presentation evening in May – tickets available soon!

We hoped you all enjoyed the evening, the quizzes and especially the Irish raffle!

A few reminders

• Garstang Christmas lights; please send in your images shortly so that we can compile them into a presentation for the 28^th
• En plein air competition; if you any prints which you may wish to be displayed in the artist’s exhibition from Tues 10th January, please bring them in either on Wednesday December 28^th or Wednesday January 4^th so that I can hand them over to Sheila.
• Wednesday 21st December – no meeting
• Wednesday 28th December – Michael will show, with commentary, the 30 images, chosen by Stan and his team, to be submitted to the two up-and-coming Battles. We will also show the Christmas lights images and also any images taken on the Monday/Tuesday – 5th and 6th December – of the Victorian Festival. If we have time, we also have some wildlife images, with commentary!
• Wednesday January 4^th – A presentation by Carmen Norman titled ‘Lake District Moods’. This will be available via zoom so if you wish to have a zoom invite, please send an email to Mike or Lewis.

Well, that’s all folks, and it just remains for Lewis and Mike to wish you all a very happy Christmas and thank you all for supporting the camera club through 2022.

Cheers

Mike and Lewis

Morning All

Oh dear, England 1 France 2. Well, the silver lining is that France has brought an end to our world cup run so that now there is no clash with Wednesday night’s Christmas social! If you are not up to the football schedule, had England won they would have been playing Morocco on Wednesday evening, in the semi-final, so loyalties may have been stretched! But, hey-ho, no need to worry.

Many thanks to all who have sent images in to us for the Garstang Christmas lights and the Victoria Festival.

We have sent the Victoria Festival lights to the organising committee, so if you haven’t sent yours in yet, please do so as soon as poss.

For the Garstang Christmas lights, which we took as part of the members evening, we have started to compile them into a presentation for the 28^th December.

En plein air competition

If you remember the club, as part of the Events Cup, took images on the day when local artists painted their choice of scene in and around Garstang.

Well, the following is a message from Sheila, at the Arts Centre:

A thought; Images taken by the Camera Club members on the day of the en plein air competition and the possibility of displaying them at the Open Competition/Exhibition.

The exhibition will be open to the public from Tues 10th January to Thurs. 9th February with the handing in date on Saturday 7th January.

I wonder if your members would be interested in having their prints displayed. At the moment I don’t know how much hanging space will be available – we usually get around 100 entries and that tends to fill the School Room and the Music Room but we could always use the A frames for the photographs.

What do you think – would your members be interested in showing/selling their pictures albeit if only displayed in an A frame or any other suggestions you may have?

So, if you would like your prints displayed or if you have any thoughts or questions on the above please email in or chat to us at the next meeting.

A few reminders:

Wednesday December 14th – Our Christmas social get-together. Please arrive at about 7.15 ‘cos the food will be served from 7.30, cheers.

Wednesday December 14th – Last date for entry for the Creatures and Plants of the World Cup.

Wednesday 21st December – no meeting

Wednesday 28th December – Stan will show, with commentary, the chosen 30 images to be submitted to the two up-and-coming Battles. I’ll show the Christmas lights images and also any images taken on the Monday/Tuesday – 5th and 6th December – of the Victorian Festival.

Wednesday January 4^th – A presentation by Carmen Norman titled ‘Lake District Moods’. This will be available via zoom so if you wish to have a zoom invite, please send an email to Mike or Lewis.

That’s all folks

Mike and Lewis