Hello to all, what a year and what a summer. It reminded me of the 1950s when the sun seemed to shine throughout the school holidays , or is it a somewhat distorted memory ?

Our next year ,academically speaking starts on Sept 2cnd. It will take the form of a mixed bag just to ease us gently back , and also to welcome new members. Stan presents Llandudno followed by Dom on Portrait photography. After the coffee break Bob Sapey returns to the fold to tell us how he shot the latest eclipse.

The season gets under way on:-

Sept.9^th.   Gordon Watson presents   “COAST” a photographic journey around the UK.

“   “  16^th.  Ian Brodie, an ex member of GCC will present  Local Damselflies and Dragon flies. This will be followed by a short presentation by Tim Flesher.

:   :   23^rd.   Members Night when we will vote on images for the Battles  with a Show and Tell session to follow.

:   :   30^th.   Jonny Gloss shows Landscapes centred on  the Lake District.

          Here’s to another successful year.                                                              

Maurice Barker

garstangcameraclub.co.uk

The summer months used to be a quiet time of year, not at Garstang Camera Club……..something on every week. If you happened to look on the website it would seem that the club’s last meeting was mid May, those are the ones put out in September and could be described as the official ones. As I write this , we are halfway in our free camera course and this has been the busiest yet  with a regular attendance of 20 members of the public availing themselves of expert tuition no matter of each’s level of interest/capabilities. This year’s course was over subscribed so much so, that we now have 10 names on the books for next year’s course.    Just in case your magazine is delivered early, we will be in attendance at the Garstang Show on August 1 st, if you happen to be there do come along for a chat to see what we are about.

There remains only one of our Events Cup visits which is to Leven’s Hall on either August 11^th. or August 15^th.  Remember you may only attend one of the two days on offer to take part.   We look forward to starting our new year in early September , more details in the next issue. Meanwhile, enjoy the rest of what so far has been a good one.

Maurice Barker

garstangcameraclub.co.uk

As this goes to print, we are already into our Summer Sessions, having visited Lytham (nearly sub zero temperatures and force 10 winds!)  Fleetwood wrecks (much more pleasant) and Skipool Creek and also a visit to Appleby including the horse fair as part of our 5 official “tours “.

FREE ! yes. The club will again put on it’s annual freebie. This consists of 4 weekly sessions on how to take better images and is open to the public. Some of our members too, attend,  perhaps as a “ reminder evening “but mainly aimed at anyone who has or indeed hasn’t got a camera , just a modicum of interest. Those with Mobile  Phones are welcome too. The nights are very sociable and enjoyable (I insist!)  The course is presented by one of our members who just happens to have been our  “Photographer of the Year “ on many occasions. He is helped out admirably by other club members. So….. when and where ?

Four evenings from July 1^st,  until  July 22cnd inclusive at the Arts Centre, High St. (Opposite the new banking hub) Starting each Wednesday at 7.00pm , finishing around 10.00pm.  No registers taken and no absence notes if you have to miss a session ! Please take up our offer, we are a most friendly bunch.

Maurice Barker

garstangcameraclub.co.uk

By the time you are reading this , our “official” year will have come to an end and we will have just had our Presentation Evening where you will be able to see the winners in each category all richly deserved.
We now embark on our summer programme consisting of four club outings as follows:-

May   27^th.     Brockholes Nature Reserve
June  3^rd.      Fleetwood Wrecks
June  10^th.     Lytham
June  17^th.     Skipool Creek

and following these, we have a Show and Tell evening on June 24 where we look at the images taken from the 4 visits.

From July 1st as in previous years, the club puts on, free of charge, a four week course on the basics of photography for anyone interested, even if you don’t as yet, have a camera. This course has proved very popular in the past and I would ask those with just a modicum of interest to come and join us. The course is presented by Stan Pearson ably assisted by other club members…..you are in safe and capable hands. The meetings are on Wednesdays from 7.00 until 10.00 in the Arts Centre on the High St.

I wish you all hopefully, a good summer.

Maurice Barker

garstangcameraclub.co.uk

Here I am listing our “to come “ meetings which will take us into May and the end of our published official year.  It seems only a short time ago when we were meeting a healthy throng of newcomers to the club and I would suggest that all have gotten into the spirit of things. Must be my age trying to kid me into the rapid passing of time as we already signing up for our presentation evening in May. Even having a busy childhood, it never went as fast as this, why ? Answers please on a postcard !  Anyway, as the author H.G.Wells  gave us,  Things to Come.

April  1^st.  Ade Givney presents  UK Landscapes : Lake District/ Peak District and the Yorkshire Dales.

April  8^th. John Griffin  talks on Photography with a difference.

April  15^th.  The judging of our final competition for this year “ Anything Goes “  judged by Paul Dunnall.

April 22cnd.  Two of our members Stan Pearson and Lewis Thompson give a talk of their choice.

April 29^th.   Tom Lee   gives us a complete breakdown on infra red photography……  what it is,  how it works …….etc.

May 6^th.  Terry Hewitt tells of an Imperfect Safari,  sounds very interesting !

Some of our members have been paying a visit to the Photography Show which is being held at the N.E.C. from March 14^th. thru  March 17^th. An annual event with all the latest equipment to try out. We look forward to their feedback.  It is well worth a day out . From April we will be starting out on our five events lasting until August. I also give notice that our FREE 4 week course , to those who have a camera and would want some tuition or those who are thinking of buying one , starts in July.

That’s all folks !

Maurice Barker

garstangcameraclub.co.uk

Hello all and welcome to the March edition. Recent weeks remind me of a music group and a novel, Wet, wet, wet,  and the book , Fifty shades of grey ! The recent outdoor conditions for camera people.

At club level , we have enjoyed presentations on Landscapes in New Zealand and lastly, Urban and Street photography, this attempted to show that we don’t have to pass the Equator to make good images. We have also had our third competition Creatures and Plants of the world judged. Thank you to all members who submitted images and as the Judge commented “ many images of an excellent quality”

March 4^th  gives us a ZOOM session by Kevin Pigney and his passion for Wildlife detailing locations, camera settings etc. Sounds good.

March 11^th.  Judging of our competition, the Humanity Cup by Daryl Giles.

    ..    18^th.  Paul Dunmall dicusses, Titles…why do we have them ?

    ..    25^th  Our own Tim Flesher will talk on  “6 contrasting countries in Southern Asia “

April 1^st. We have Ade Gidney presents  Landscapes within the UK……… Lake District  /  Peak District and the Yorkshire Dales.

A timely reminder to dust off the cameras, wipe the lenses and !! charge the batteries, both camera and personal.  See you in April.

Maurice Barker

garstangcameraclub.co.uk

Hello to all readers ,this will be a shorter than usual report since we will be “closed for Christmas “. To now, we have had a successful calendar year and take a short break. We have just had a very enjoyable social evening, thanks to everyone who helped to make it possible, we all know that these events do not just happen.

I will list the next five meetings taking us into February and they are as follows  :-

Jan. 7^th………Neil Protheroe   ZOOM  on  New Zealand Landscapes , my thoughts and knowledge of landscape photography.

  ..    14^th…….Jerry Webb      ZOOM  on  Urban and street photography.

  ..    21^st…….Creatures and Plants Competition  judging by  Sheila Giles.

  ..    28^th……Members evening  the “Show and Tell Challenge “

Feb. 4^th……..Rene de Heer   ZOOM  on  Blowing Hot and Cold,  Nature photography Up North and Down South.

May I finish by wishing everyone, the best of Season’s Greetings and a Happy and Healthy 2026.

Maurice Barker

garstangcameraclub.co.uk

We are rapidly approaching that time of year.. no don’t say the word ! There remain only six weeks to go as I put pen to paper, yes, I still produce a draft copy.

Recently, we have had some serious weather ( is there any other sort ? ) Floods, storms and some devastatingly strong winds, which reminds me of a high profile star who was engaged in a world tour involving concerts to raise money for children in need (no, this was many years before that phrase became the norm )  One such visit took place in a home for the visually impaired and a small child asked him  “what colour is the wind “? To which he carefully replied Nobody knows because it moves so fast “ What an answer, nudging me into thinking of the things we so often take for granted.

Our last two meetings on 1. Concert photography by Will Stead showed us how to get a valued position in theatre to get the top shots, through theatre management…agents to the performers… I wish !

The last one on Nov. 12^th.  the 4way battle between 3 other clubs, showed how strong a club we are. We came 4^th.supporting all above us !   It’s the taking part being the important factor.

To come this year:

Dec.  3rd.   Daniel Bridge on ZOOM  presents    Water and it’s many forms.

  ..     10^th.  Jeremy Malley-Smith  talks on Scottish Wildlife  also by ZOOM.

  ..     17^th.  Christmas ( !!! )  Social.

Dec. 7^th.   Neil Protheroe on Zoom presents  New Zealand Landscapes, my thoughts and knowledge of Landscape Photography.

Finally, may I wish all who read us the Compliments of the Season to come and every good wish for 2026.

Maurice Barker

garstangcameraclub.co.uk

The beginning of the club’s new season started off exceptionally well with it’s first night full to the brim with our regular members and some new ones. We were given a varied programme of presentations by club members and a competition of images. All in all excellent.

The dates for our meetings in October are as follows:-

Oct. 1^st.    Colin Balls, LIVE ( = not zoom L ) on  SRI LANKA BY RAIL.

“    8^TH.     Robert Millin  L.  CONFESSIONS OF A COMPETITION ADDICT

“    15^th.    Events cup judging by Richard Nicholson.

“    22cnd.  Sean Conboy L.  on  ARCHITECTURE.

“    29^th. Member’s meeting .  Stan Pearson on  IMAGE CRITIQUING.

November  5^th.  Will Stead  L.  on CONCERT PHOTOGRAPHY.

All meetings take place  in the Arts Centre, Wednesday  evenings starting at 7.30.   

It is with an influx of new blood or should I say new eyes that we welcome all our newcomers and hope that they will soon feel part of our club.

Our bi-annual exhibition of work completed during 2024/’25 is now on display until mid  October. Many thanks go to all members who have submitted their images for display.

garstangcameraclub.co.uk

Maurice Barker

Hello and welcome to our readers, regular and hopefully new . We are entering our Club’s new season 2025-’26.  If you are thinking of joining the club, do come along to our opening night Wed Sept  3^rd. at 7.30. You will see what we are about and you can chat informally to members to see if it interests you.  Basically, what we are about is the taking of photographs / images and I must add that we are a most friendly bunch !  We have members of different levels of proficiency from beginners to the more advanced . We accommodate every level.

We meet each Wednesday at the Arts Centre at 7.30, breaking for refreshments after the first hour. The cost for the year is £60 , a proportion of which goes to the Arts Centre and can give you access to other societies within the Centre.

At our first meeting, we have club members giving short presentations on different subjects in order to whet your appetite.

Our programme for September and early October is as follows :

Sept. 3^rd.     Welcome back and see above.

  “      10^th.    Lee Metcalf on  Local photos: Landscapes  local and further afield.

  “      17^th.    Sue Freeman on Artificial Intelligence ; the latest overview.

  “      24^th.   John Griffin on battles between clubs.

Oct.  1^st.      Colin Balls on Sri Lanka by rail.

I hope that you are able to join us, remember  “friendly “ is the word.

Maurice Barker

garstangcameraclub.co.uk