Morning All

Garstang Camera Club Skills Survey
Our club survey:~
It is mostly ticky boxes, just 5 mins of your time, honest!
Many thanks to the 30 members who have filled it in and pressed that ‘submit’ button!
If you haven’t so far….
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!

Notices:

From Tim: Sale of donated camera kit
Many thanks to all those members who have purchased one or several pieces of the camera kit kindly donated by Tim’s friend. So far, we have raised £855 for the club’s funds! Wow!
At last week’s meeting a number of members said they would like to buy further items – the attached table shows who you are and the kit you said you were interested in. Tim will bring along these items to this week’s meeting. Please could those buying these items either bring cash on Wednesday or transfer their payment to the Club’s bank account prior to the meeting. All proceeds from this sale are going to the club’s funds.

Bank details for BACS
Account Name: Garstang Camera Club
Sort Code: 20-55-41
Account Number: 90896284

The attached list also includes those items that did not sell last week. If anyone is interested in any of these, please let Tim know (timflesher@btinternet.com) and he will also bring them along to this week’s meeting for you. After this we will look to sell any remaining items through an online camera kit site.

Message from Stan: Image Critiquing – 28th October:
On Wednesday 28th October, our very own Stan — photographer, sage, and man who has seen more images than the average hard drive — has kindly offered to critique members’ photos. The theme is “Open”, meaning you can submit anything you’ve taken recently: colour, monochrome, or that experimental shot you took when you accidentally pressed the shutter while sneezing.
This is your chance to have your images analysed and receive constructive criticism from Stan, who has enough photographic experience to fill several walls at the Arts Centre. Having your work critiqued by him is an excellent learning opportunity… and possibly a character‑building one.
All images will be shown anonymously, so no one will know who submitted what – except Mike, who will know everything but promises to keep your secrets safer than his camera batteries.
📸 Submitting Your Masterpieces:
Each member may submit up to 3 images. Stan guarantees he’ll critique at least one, and probably two, unless you send him something truly baffling, in which case he may need a lie‑down.
📤 How to Send Them:
In an ideal world (the one where we all remember to charge our cameras), please send:
The original file AND your edit,
OR, if life is being life, just send whichever version you can find.
Deadline: Sunday 4th October or send them as soon as you can find them; earlier the better; Stan sometimes needs time to think!
JPEGs: Email to info@garstangcameraclub.co.uk with subject line: Image Critique. 
RAW files: Send via WeTransfer to the same email and subject line as above.
USB stick: Also acceptable, provided it arrives by the deadline and isn’t disguised as a novelty keyring.
All images will be viewed by Mike only, then passed to Stan anonymously as “Member 1”, “Member 2”, etc. No names, no clues, no identifying marks — unless you’ve watermarked it with your face.
If you’re struggling, confused, panicking, or simply allergic to file‑handling, ask at the next meeting or phone Mike on 07340 314408. He will help. He may sigh, but he will help.

Message from Robin – our treasurer!
During our recent committee meeting I suggested transferring some club funds (not all) to a savings account so it may be possible for these funds to accrue some interest.
So, I have transferred £3,000 to a Barclays account. It won’t amass a huge fortune but ‘Every little helps! To quote a famous grocer!

Advance notice:
Attention, cake enthusiasts and caffeine dependents!
The Camera Club is running a coffee morning at the Arts Centre on Saturday 3rd October, perfectly aligned with our print exhibition and possibly some Plein Air pictures — assuming the artists didn’t blow away, melt, or abandon their easels in frustration.
We expect a crowd, so we need cakes, traybakes, biscuits, or anything that doesn’t require a risk assessment. Cakes of all shapes, sizes, and levels of structural integrity considered. If it’s edible, we’ll sell it. If it’s questionably edible, we’ll still sell it – we’re not proud.
Please let Mike know what you’re bringing so he can pretend he’s in control of the situation.
Cheers. Ta muchly!

Events Cup:
A reminder! The last date for entry, digital images and prints, is Wednesday 16^th September – 3 days!

Coffee duty:
Coffee/tea duty for Wednesday 16^th September is Claire and Anita – thank you ladies, in advance!

Up and coming programme of events:

Wednesday 16^th September – This evening’s speaker is Ian Brodie with a talk titled, Local Damselflies and Dragonflies: Ian writes: A look at the colourful and exotic insects which have been around since the age of the dinosaurs!
Ian’s talk will be followed, after the break, by: A short talk from Tim titled – “Family History – a Photographic Practical Joke”.
Plus, of course, the Opening Night Competition result!

Wednesday 23^rd September – Members evening; members will be invited to vote on the ‘Battle’ images needed for the 3 ‘Battles’ this season.
Stan will introduce the ‘Battle’ concept and 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, digital no prints – no cameras!

Wednesday 30^th September – A talk by Jonny Gios on Landscape Photography, centred on the Lake District.
Jonny writes: My talk, ‘Landscapes, centred on the Lake District’, is a personal look at the landscapes that have inspired me as a photographer, from the iconic mountains and lakes to the quieter, more intimate details that can easily be overlooked. I’ll share images, stories and a few thoughts on light, weather, composition and what makes a landscape photograph really connect with the viewer.

Wednesday 7^th October – This evening speaker is Susie Freeman and the topic is ‘The Magic of Colour.’ Further details to follow.

That’s all folks,

Mike

Morning All

Well, that was a remarkably busy evening — almost standing room only!
Welcome back to all our returning members, our shiny new recruits from the last couple of weeks, and the brave guests who turned up to find out what on earth we actually do on a club night. I sincerely hope we met expectations, or at the very least didn’t lower them too dramatically.
Deep gratitude to Stan, Dom and Bob for their talks. Each one was delivered with the poise of someone who absolutely didn’t finish preparing five minutes before speaking.
And thank you to everyone who voted in the Opening Night Competition. The results will be announced on Weds 16th, assuming the counting team has recovered from the emotional strain of tallying numbers and no one demanding a recount!
Finally, a heartfelt thank you to Freda and Rhona for those dangerously delicious homemade cakes. Truly magnificent. Next week we return to biscuits, which feels a bit like following a Michelin‑star meal with a packet of Rich Teas, but hey-ho, here we are.

Paint Garstang – En Plein Air :
Garstang began Saturday under the faint smell of linseed oil and the sight of folding easels appearing in places they had not been the previous evening. This indicated that the annual Plein Air Painting Competition had arrived. 24 artists turned up, each equipped with brushes, canvas bags, and hats that defied both logic and meteorology and some very interesting umbrellas.
The town spent the day quietly absorbing an influx of colour and earnest concentration. Artists positioned themselves across cobbles, fields, and any location not already occupied by livestock. Locals observed with a mixture of interest and mild confusion as painters squinted at buildings, held their thumbs in the air for reasons known only to them, and attempted to negotiate with the sun, which refused to remain still.
By late afternoon, the artists transported their completed work to Garstang Arts Centre. This was done with great care, presumably to avoid any accidental contact with a rival’s canvas. The procession was orderly, if slightly tense.
Musical accompaniment was provided in the courtyard by ukulele band Buzz Cadillac and the Lightning Rods, whose name continues to be genuine. Front man Andy Stuart led a performance that resulted in toe tapping and hip swaying at a level considered moderate but noticeable.
I can report that Garstang remained intact throughout the event.
The weather read the script and stayed fair for the competition, just, and I managed to get a few photos of most of the artists including an outlier, our own Maddy, using charcoal on canvas, representing the beautiful architectural engineering of the Wyre Aqueduct was, I judged, magnificent!
The afternoon concluded with a prize ceremony heroically steered by Sheila Tearle of the Arts Centre, who kept the proceedings moving forward with momentum throughout.
The judge faced the deeply unenviable task of choosing a winner; nevertheless, he praised the overall standard, and then presented first, second and third certificates, followed by six boxes of chocolate distributed to artists described as “nearly there.”
Anyone who took photos and wants to share them please send them to me and I’ll forward them on to whomever.

Notices:

Before last week’s talks began, I went through the internal competitions for this ‘season’ with various dates and also a list of ‘challenges’ that are part of the programme. These 2 documents are attached.
I would like to emphasis that competitions and challenges are not compulsory!
However, I would like to say that in the competition ‘world’, when shown, the judge can provide very useful constructive feedback, mostly, and images are entered anonymously; only the Competition Secretary knows and Lewis displays the highest discretion!
As for challenges, again they can be entered anonymously and only the highest bribe will force me not to divulge the author! No, Lewis taught me everything! 

Reminder: First Show and Tell (SAT): Challenge 1
If you have had the opportunity to look at the programme you will see, dotted throughout, are various SAT’s (Show and Tells).
On Wednesday 23^rd September, amongst other things, we have our first SAT, ‘Colour.
The idea here is to show digital images (no prints) that contain either the colour red OR yellow or red and yellow.
However, the images MUST be taken on a phone or on an iPad.
There are 3 ways to show your images:
Put them on a USB ‘stick’ and I’ll put them up on the screen and you can chat about them, at the front of the room; perhaps you may want to say, where, why and any editing.
Put them on a USB ‘stick’ and I’ll put them up on the screen and you can chat about them, from your seat; again, perhaps you may want to say, where, why and any editing.
Or, send them to me on info@garstangcameraclub.co.uk and I’ll put them on a PowerPoint presentation and show them anonymously and the members can chat about them.
How many can I show I hear you ask – as many as you want, with reason – please don’t show 40+!
Please have a go – there are few of these throughout the ‘season’ and we are a very friendly bunch!

Second SAT – Water: Introduction to challenge 2
As with the above challenge 1 the idea here is to show images that contain ‘Water.’
Thoughts!
This challenge is WATER — that well‑known substance responsible for rain, tea, and 97% of British small talk. Your mission, should you choose to accept it (and you do, because we need entries), is to produce an image that contains water in any form, state, mood, or level of chaos.
To help you along, here are some highly professional suggestions!

• Actual water — Rivers, lakes, puddles, or that suspicious drip under your kitchen sink.
• Water behaving badly — Waves crashing, taps leaking, sprinklers attacking innocent passers-by.
• Water pretending to be something else — Mist, fog, steam, or the condensation on your glasses when you walk into Booths.
• Water in domestic captivity — Kettles boiling, washing-up bubbles, or the bath plughole (for the truly avant-garde).
• Water in emotional turmoil — Tears, sweat, or the rain that arrives precisely when you’ve just set up your tripod.
• Water in unexpected places — Dew on a spiderweb, droplets on a car bonnet, or the pint you accidentally knocked over at the Royal Oak.

Please remember: You do not need to get soaked for this challenge. You do not need to submerge your camera. You do not need to recreate the Titanic. But if you do, please film it horizontally.
Plenty of time – well, at the moment! Entries to be shown on Wednesday 28^th October.

Message from Tim: Sale of donated camera Kit
Many thanks to all those members at last week’s meeting who said they would like to buy one or several pieces of the camera kit kindly donated by Tim’s friend. In a number of cases several members wanted to buy the same piece of kit. For these, Tim’s wife has drawn names out of a hat to determine who the buyer of each item should be. The table attached shows who the successful members are and, for the kit where only one member wants to buy it, who this is.
Tim will bring along all the sold items to this week’s meeting. Please could those members who have said they want to buy the items, either bring cash on Wednesday or transfer their payment to the Club’s bank account prior to the meeting. All proceeds from this sale are going to the club’s funds.

Bank details for BACS
Account Name: Garstang Camera Club
Sort Code: 20-55-41
Account Number: 90896284

The attached list also includes those items that did not sell last week. 
If anyone is interested in any of these, please let Tim know (timflesher@btinternet.com) and he will also bring them along to this week’s meeting for you.

Message from Dom:
Attached is the PDF version of the portrait photography slides I talked about on Wednesday.
Garstang Camera Club Skills Survey

Our club 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!

The Events Cup
A reminder! The last date for entry, digital images and prints, is Wednesday 16^th 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.

Coffee duty:
Coffee/tea duty for Wednesday 9^th September is Phil and Freda – thank you!

Up and coming programme of events:

Wednesday 9^th 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 16^th 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 titled – “Family History – a Photographic Practical Joke”.
Plus, of course, the Opening Night Competition result!

Wednesday 23^rd September – Members evening; members will be invited to vote on the ‘Battle’ images needed for the 3 ‘Battles’ this season.
Stan will introduce the ‘Battle’ concept and 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 club 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, digital no prints – no cameras! See above – challenge 1

Wednesday 30^th September – A talk by Jonny Gios on Landscape Photography, centred on the Lake District. More information to follow.

That’s all folks,

Mike

Morning All

Another few days of ‘summer’ coming up but nights seem to be getting chillier! Plenty of butterflies out at the moment, 5 varieties in the garden at the moment.

Notices:

Competition Secretary:
As you may be aware Lewis has been competition secretary for many years – I think 2026 – 2027 will be his 46^th year!
Following on from the recent committee meeting, last Wednesday, it was decided 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.

Message from Tim:

Camera equipment:
A close friend of Tim’s has generously said that he would like to donate quite a bit of camera kit – much of it 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.
A comprehensive list of the kit is attached. As you will see there is a description of each piece of kit, the condition it is in, a suggested ‘price/donation’ and some notes pertaining to the kit. Tim & I believe the prices asked are all very good value compared to the typical second-hand prices for the items.
Tim’s friend has said that he hopes it can benefit members starting out in photography and/or those that might not be able to access this type of kit.
No items will be for sale before the first meeting so that as many people get a chance to see the list and decide whether they are interested.
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. If we have several interested in the same item, Tim suggests we have a draw to select the member who should get it.
In the case of the cameras and lenses, it seems reasonable to allow members a short time to try out their ‘purchase’; payment would be taken ‘upfront’ and a week would be allowed to try it out and to return the item for a full refund if they weren’t happy with it.
So, if you are keen on one, or more, items please bring along the payment, in cash, on 2^nd September as you will be able to take it away at the end of the evening.
Huge thanks here to Tim and his friend for this very generous gesture which will help with members’ photography and the club’ s coffers!

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!

Message from Stan:
We will be entering the 3 ‘Battles’ with other clubs during the 26/27 season.
Members will select the images for the Garstang entries by voting on Wednesday, 23/09/26.
The images used for the voting will be those that scored 20 or 19 in last season’s internal competitions. Members may submit additional images to be used in the voting. When submitting images for the ‘Battles’ please: 
Send to Stan by email: stanley.pearson@talktalk.net.
Give the image a title.
Do not include any images used in the previous ‘Battles.’
Maximum image size of 1600 pixels (wide) x 1200 pixels (high); (if you cannot send the correct size, send the images to Stan and he will resize).
Submit a maximum of 4 images.
Latest date for submission is Sunday 30th August.
Any questions? If so just email in on info@garstangcameraclub.co.uk

Fees:
Sorry folks but it’s that time of year!
The subscriptions this year, just to remind you, are £60. Robin will be on the ‘door’ on Wednesday 2^nd September to begin collection! Or, of course, pay on-line.
Bank details for BACS
Account Name: Garstang Camera Club
Sort Code: 20-55-41
Account Number: 90896284
Many thanks.

Up and coming programme of events:

Wednesday 26^th August – Show and tell evening; images from Sunderland Point, Crook O’Lune. PLUS, any other images you have taken and wish to show. Please bring your images in on a USB ‘stick.’ Also, other news relating to the club.

Wednesday 2^nd 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 9^th 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 16^th 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.

That’s all folks,

Mike

Afternoon All

Sorry for the delay today but the garden came first!

Notices:
Message from Frank:
Last week a group of 6 members, see photograph attached, from the club made the long journey down to Otterbourne Hides and Studio near Winchester for a Kingfisher and raptors photo shoot.
We were fortunate enough to have several visits from the Kingfishers, and also were able to get some great pictures of owls and birds of prey along with a selection of woodland birds, over this two-day session.
There is opportunity for other members to participate in a similar session on 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 Dom – opportunity for 19th Sept, could go as a group.
1st Battalion Boys Airsoft
We are holding an WW1 historical airsoft reenactment event on the 19th of September at Dishforth in north Yorkshire and are looking for photographers who may be interested in attending and capturing the event.
The event will feature a range of great war period accurate uniforms in immersive combat scenarios and battle pyrotechnics, creating plenty of opportunities for dynamic and atmospheric photography.
From action-packed engagements and battlefield scenes to candid moments between players, there should be plenty of unique content to capture throughout the day.
We’re particularly interested in photographers who enjoy military, airsoft, reenactment, or action photography and would like the opportunity to build up their portfolio with something a little different.
Photographers would be welcome to move around areas of the event to capture different perspectives and get a good variety of shots.
If you’re interested in attending, would like to find out more about the event, or have any questions regarding photography opportunities for the event, please feel free to get in touch with us. We’d be happy to provide further details about the event, timings, arrangements, and what to expect on the day.
We look forward to hearing from anyone interested in getting involved and capturing some great imagery from the event Somme Verdun
Further details:
So, we are primarily a WW1 airsoft events team focusing on all aspects of the Great War.
Our event on Saturday the 19th of September in Dishforth, North Yorkshire, is expected to be the biggest WW1 airsoft event ever held.
With pyrotechnics planned to simulate a mock “artillery barrage” to enhance the experience, this should also provide some truly unique photography chances as well.
If you are unfamiliar with airsoft, it is very similar to paintball but with small 6mm white BBs to let players know when they have been “hit”
Our events typically have a lot of big set pieces that allow for either individual photos or wider “battlefield” footage.
To keep everyone safe, all PPE needed to be worn by spectators or photographers can be provided by us.
All we ask is for photographers to be mindful of where they are standing so as not to end up in an accidental crossfire.
The site has facilities to allow for camping if needed, with onsite amenities as well.
The general timing is that we ask all attendees to be on site on Saturday for 9am so they can be present for a safety brief.
After that, the event should run from about 10am till 4pm with breaks in between.
After the event, we ask that all photos are sent to us to allow us to distribute them across our socials (with full accreditation to the photographers if wanted)
After a brief wait time, we are happy for photos taken at the event to be used as portfolio pieces and used at your leisure.
Interested? Email Mike on info@garstangcameraclub.co.uk

Reminder: First Show and Tell (SAT):
If you have had the opportunity to look at the programme you will see, dotted throughout, are various SAT’s (Show and Tells).
On Wednesday 23^rd September, amongst other things, we have our first SAT, ‘Colour.’
The idea here is to show images that contain either the colour red OR yellow or red and yellow.
However, the images MUST be taken on a phone or on an iPad.
There are 3 ways to show your images:
Put them on a USB ‘stick’ and I’ll put them up on the screen and you can chat about them, at the front of the room; perhaps you may want to say, where, why and any editing.
Put them on a USB ‘stick’ and I’ll put them up on the screen and you can chat about them, from your seat; again, perhaps you may want to say, where, why and any editing.
Or, send them to me on info@garstangcameraclub.co.uk and I’ll put them on a PowerPoint presentation and show them anonymously and the members can chat about them.
How many can I show I hear you ask – as many as you want, with reason – please don’t show 40+!
Please have a go – there a few of these throughout the ‘season’ and we are a very friendly bunch!

Wednesday 19^th August – Club outing to Scorton and Scorton Picnic area.
I suggest we meet in Scorton itself at 7pm as sunset is at 8.30pm. As usual, the weather is not looking great at the moment, but you never know!
If all else fails, and as a last result, we can always shelter in the Priory Café!
Don’t forget, long exposures are possible from the motorway bridge.

Wednesday 2^nd 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 – more next week.
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.

So,
The Opening Night Competition; 2^nd September.The rules are very simple:
Best Projected Digital Image (PDI); Open, that is, any subject, colour or monochrome.
Only ONE PDI from any member taken in the last 12 months.
Image sent to me (Mike) by Tuesday 1^st September, midnight to  info@garstangcameraclub.co.uk
All presented, anonymously, in a PowerPoint presentation.
On the night, each person present will vote, anonymously, on each one giving a score between 12 to 20 points.
The winner is the image with the most points!
Brownie points only though I might have a bottle of wine/chocolates for the winner.
The winner will be announced on Wednesday 16^th September.
Please take part, it’s just for a bit of fun!

Up and coming programme of events:

Wednesday 19^th August – Club outing to Scorton and Scorton Picnic area. Details above.

Wednesday 26^th August – Show and tell evening; images from Sunderland Point, Crook O’Lune and Scorton and Scorton Picnic area. PLUS, any other images you have taken and wish to show. Please bring your images in on a USB ‘stick.’

Wednesday 2^nd September – Our opening night of the new season: see above for details.

Wednesday 9^th 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.

That’s all folks,

Mike

Morning All

Crook O’Lune:
The Garstang Camera Club: Operation Avoid the Rain
The latest Camera Club expedition began in the traditional manner: with rain.
Not a gentle, atmospheric drizzle of the sort that photographers are occasionally encouraged to call “interesting weather”, but proper Lancashire rain, the sort that arrives horizontally and makes you question every life choice that led you to leave the house.
Eleven of us brave souls assembled beneath the trees, sheltering as best we could and attempting to keep cameras, lenses and dignity reasonably dry.
Across the way, meanwhile, a fitness group was enthusiastically running laps of the car park and lifting increasingly heavy and large objects. Quite what they were training for remains unclear. The Olympics, perhaps.
As the rain continued its relentless assault, attention naturally turned to the most important photographic decision of the day: which pub would provide the best emergency shelter?
Naturally, several factors had to be considered. Distance, seating, warmth, beer and, most importantly, the availability of crisps. We are, after all, a serious photography club.
Then, in a remarkable display of meteorological incompetence, the rain stopped.
The clouds parted, blue sky appeared and there was even sunshine.
We immediately sprang into action, cameras at the ready, knowing that this unexpected improvement could last approximately as long as a politician’s promise. For nearly an hour, we were treated to glorious conditions and managed to get on with some actual photography rather than simply photographing puddles.

And now, on to our final outing to Scorton on the 19th.
Naturally, we shall be approaching the weather forecast with the usual mixture of optimism, suspicion and a healthy disregard for anything the Met Office has to say.
All we ask for is a little sunshine, dry paths and perhaps the radical luxury of leaving the waterproofs in the car.
Fingers crossed.
Although, given our recent record, we might be better off taking an umbrella, just in case!

Message from Stan:
We will be entering the 3 ‘Battles’ with other clubs during the 26/27 season.
Members will select the images for the Garstang entries by voting on Wednesday, 23/09/26
The images used for the voting will be those that scored 20 or 19 in last season’s internal competitions.
Members may submit additional images to be used in the voting. When submitting images for the ‘Battles’ please: –

1. Send to Stan by email: stanley.pearson@talktalk.net.
2. Include your name in the email
3. Do not send by WeTransfer
4. Give the image a title
5. Do not include your competition number or the image number in the title
6. Do not include any images used in the previous ‘Battles’
7. Images to be jpeg, with a maximum image size of 1600 pixels (wide) x 1200 pixels (high), (if you cannot send the correct size, send the images to Stan and he will resize)
8. Submit a maximum of 4 images
9. Latest date for submission is Sunday 30^th August

Any questions? If so just email in on info@garstangcameraclub.co.uk

Message from Dom: Wildlife Photography workshop – Beacon Country Park.
For details, please see the attached: thanks Dom.

Lytham St Annes Photographic Society (LSAPS) presents Photoshow 2026 this August.
Held at The Drive Methodist Church, East Bank Road, St Annes (FY8 1LH), the exhibition runs from Saturday 1st August to Saturday 15th August 2026 (closed Sundays).
Please see attached.

Poulton Photographic Society Annual Print Exhibition 2026. Opens at Poulton Library.
Photography enthusiasts are invited to visit the Poulton Photographic Society Annual Print Exhibition 2026, showcasing some of the finest images produced by the club’s members over the past year.
Please see attached.

Meetings;
Please note: the next meeting at the Arts Centre is on Wednesday 26^th August.

NOTICE!
The Opening Night Competition; 2^nd September.The rules are very simple:
Best Projected Digital Image (PDI); Open, that is, any subject, colour or monochrome.
Only ONE PDI from any member taken in the last 12 months.
Image sent to me (Mike) by Tuesday 1^st September, midnight to info@garstangcameraclub.co.ukAll presented, anonymously, in a PowerPoint presentation.
On the night, each person present will vote, anonymously, on each one giving a score between 12 to 20 points.
The winner is the image with the most points!
Brownie points only though I might have a bottle of wine/chocolates for the winner.
The winner will be announced on Wednesday 16^th September.
Please take part, it’s just for a bit of fun!

Up and coming programme of events:

Tuesday 11^th August – Events Cup, final destination – possible first visit to Levens Hall.

Wednesday 12^th August – NO MEETING – Committee meeting at 7pm start.

Saturday 15^th August – Events Cup, final destination – possible visit to Levens Hall.

Wednesday 19^th August – Club outing to Scorton and Scorton Picnic area. Details in next week’s newsletter.

Wednesday 26^th August – Show and tell evening; images from Sunderland Point, Levens Hall and Scorton and Scorton Picnic area, and any images you have taken and wish to show. Please bring your images in on a USB ‘stick.’

Wednesday 2^nd September – Our opening night of the new season: We will have lots to entertain you; all being finalised, including The Opening Night Competition! Watch this space – hopefully, full details next week!

That’s all folks!

Mike

Morning All

Last Wednesday saw an impressive turnout of 11 hardy souls at Sunderland Point, all armed with cameras, good humour, and the optimistic belief that the weather forecast might actually be telling the truth. Sunset? Full moon? Sadly, and, inevitably, not to be.
We thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company, shared plenty of laughs, snapped the occasional photograph, and even managed a spot of exercise.
For the first hour, the weather lulled us into a false sense of security with nothing more than a grey sky. Then, without so much as a polite warning, the heavens opened with enthusiasm usually reserved for the monsoon season. Cameras were hurriedly tucked away, waterproofs suddenly became fashionable, and we unanimously agreed that discretion was the better part of photography.
A tactical retreat to the nearest safe haven – the Ship Inn – followed, where the conversation quickly drifted away from aperture, shutter speeds, and composition to far more important matters, helped along by a welcoming pint or two. The cameras may not have had the outing we’d planned, but our vocal cords certainly did.
Despite the weather’s best efforts to wash us away, it turned into a thoroughly convivial evening, proving once again that good company is far more reliable than the British summer!

Notices:

Garstang Show – our photography stall!
A huge thank you to both Lewis and Maurice for transporting the photo-stand to and from the showground. Remarkably, it arrived in one piece on both journeys, which is always a bonus! Thanks also to Adrian and Lewis for helping me “man” the stand during the day.
It’s reassuring to know that if anyone wandered off in search of a bacon/sausage sandwich and/or a coffee, there are capable people left behind to convince visitors we actually know what we’re talking about. Why is it that on early mornings, on show grounds, the smell of bacon cooking permeates the air waves making them very tempting and utterly irresistible!
All in all, it was a cracking day out. The weather behaved itself (well, by Lancashire standards), the conversations flowed, and we met a steady stream of interesting people. Some were genuinely interested in photography, some were curious, and a few simply seemed grateful to find somewhere to rest their feet for five minutes. We welcomed them all with equal enthusiasm.
We answered the age-old question, “Do you have to own an expensive camera?” approximately 147 times, and successfully resisted the temptation to recruit anyone who merely stopped to ask where the toilets were.
As for potential new members, I’d say we’ve done reasonably well; the betting odds are looking quite respectable. I’d put 2 or 3 in the “almost certainly” pile, with another 2 or 3 firmly in the “we’ll see if they can still remember where we meet” category. As every seasoned club member knows, expressions of enthusiasm at a county show and actually turning up on a Wednesday evening are two entirely different sports.
So, as seasoned optimists, we’ll remain quietly hopeful, avoid counting any chickens, and perhaps just polish a couple of extra chairs – without getting too carried away. If everyone who expressed an interest actually turns up on Wednesday, 2nd September, there could even be standing room only… although history suggests the biscuits are under far more pressure than the seating.
Whatever happens, it was a thoroughly enjoyable day, full of laughs, good conversations and plenty of opportunities to spread the word about our club. Thanks again to everyone who helped – it couldn’t have happened without you.

Meetings;

Please note: the next meeting at the Arts Centre is on Wednesday 26^th August.

Club outing: Crook O’Lune, Wednesday 5^th August. LA2 9HU:
I suggest we meet at Kirkland Memorial Hall, The Avenue, Churchtown, Garstang, PR3 0HR at 6.30pm and car share where appropriate. If we leave at, say 6.40pm, we’ll be there for 7.10pm
If you can’t make this time, you can obviously make your own way there and meet up with us.
Sunset (if we are lucky!) is at 21.03pm
Weather: At the time of writing – light rain showers and a gentle breeze! But you know things can change, for the worse – see above!

Early notice!
The Opening Night Competition; 2^nd September.
The rules are very simple:
Best Projected Digital Image (PDI); Open, that is, any subject, colour or monochrome.
Only ONE PDI from any member taken in the last 12 months.
Image sent to me (Mike) by Tuesday 1^st September, midnight to  info@garstangcameraclub.co.ukAll presented, anonymously, in a PowerPoint presentation.
On the night, each person present will vote, anonymously, on each one giving a score between 12 to 20 points.
The winner is the image with the most points!
Brownie points only though I might have a bottle of wine/chocolates for the winner.
The winner will be announced on Wednesday 16^th September.
Please take part, it’s just for a bit of fun!

First Show and Tell (SAT):
If you have had the opportunity to look at the programme you will see, dotted throughout, are various SAT’s (Show and Tells).
On Wednesday 23^rd September, amongst other things, we have our first SAT, ‘Colour.’
The idea here is to show images that contain either the colour red OR yellow or red and yellow.
However, the images MUST be taken on a phone or on an iPad.
There are 3 ways to show your images:
Put them on a USB ‘stick’ and I’ll put them up on the screen and you can chat about them, at the front of the room; perhaps you may want to say, where, why and any editing.
Put them on a USB ‘stick’ and I’ll put them up on the screen and you can chat about them, from your seat; again, perhaps you may want to say, where, why and any editing.
Or, send them to me on info@garstangcameraclub.co.uk and I’ll put them on a PowerPoint presentation and show them anonymously and the members can chat about them.
How many can I show I hear you ask – as many as you want, with reason – please don’t show 40+!
Please have a go – there a few of these throughout the ‘season’ and we are a very friendly bunch!

WhatsApp:
If my memory serves, quite a few years ago Adrian very kindly set up a WhatsApp group called ‘Garstang Camera Club.’
The idea being if you are off somewhere on a shoot you could open it up to other members to join you.
So, for example, I could say I’m off to Keswick for some landscape photography, next Thursday, leaving at 9am and back around 5pm; anyone want to come with me?
If you wish to join, please email Adrian on adrianwhitaker@btinternet.com or phone him on 07713 310555 – thanks.

Up and coming programme of events:

Wednesday 5^th August – Club outing to the Crook o’ Lune; details above.

Tuesday 11^th August – Events Cup, final destination – possible first visit to Levens Hall. Details in last week’s newsletter.

Wednesday 12^th August – NO MEETING – Committee meeting at 7pm start.

Saturday 15^th August – Events Cup, final destination – possible visit to Levens Hall.

Wednesday 19^th August – Club outing to Scorton and Scorton Picnic area. Details in next week’s newsletter.

Wednesday 26^th August – Show and tell evening; images from Sunderland Point, Levens Hall and Scorton and Scorton Picnic area. Please bring your images in on a USB ‘stick.’

That’s all folks!

Mike

Morning All

Well… that’s it! Four weeks have disappeared faster than a fully charged camera battery on a cold day, and our ‘From Auto to Awesome’ Photography Camera Course has officially reached the finish line.
I really hope all our intrepid photographers enjoyed themselves – learning new skills, making new friends, drinking the odd cup of tea (or three), devouring biscuits/cake and finally discovering that the little green “Auto” box isn’t the only setting on the camera! Hopefully everyone’s cameras are now producing more masterpieces than mysteries… although we’ll quietly blame any remaining blurry shots on the wind.
We started with 24 enthusiastic participants. We unfortunately “mislaid” two along the way (no rewards offered!), but then picked up another two as word spread, so we’ve ended up exactly where we started. Proof, if ever it was needed, that photographers know how to frame a good picture!
I sent everyone an email thanking them for taking part and asking for some honest feedback. Thankfully, the replies were overwhelmingly positive – which is always nice, because nobody enjoys reading, “I’ve learnt more from YouTube!” The comments below are for you to enjoy:

Many thanks for this and a big thanks to you and the crew for putting on such a brilliant course. I really enjoyed it and learnt plenty

I genuinely didn’t think anything needing changing or improving as it seemed to work perfectly over the 4 weeks. I will definitely be considering joining but just need to look at my calendar and see how feasible it would be going forward.

Many thanks again Mike and a big congratulations to a successful course. Hopefully catch you again in the near future.

Thank you for the course. It was interesting, and useful, though of course mobile phones don’t do as much as proper cameras. I have certainly learned a few tricks for my mobile phone, and may also dig out my compact camera and see what that can do too.

Ian on mobile phones was so good, friendly, knowledgeable, and keen to pass on his expertise. Please thank him. I enjoyed going onto the park with the dog! 

One negative… on the last night, I thought the editing was way beyond a beginner. I have used Photoshop a fair bit, and you still lost me. Also, I would have liked some instruction about portrait photography before setting off to have a go.

Thank you for having me. Maybe see you again with my compact camera.

Hi Mike.
Just to say thanks for a great 3 weeks. It’s been very beneficial.

Hi Mike,
Great session tonight! We all had so much fun. 🙂 Thanks again, the four weeks have been amazing and we’ve learnt so much!

Hi Mike
Gutted to miss the last session! Thank you so, so much for these amazing sessions – please do send any notes from tonight.

Now for the really important bit…
A gigantic THANK YOU to every club member who gave up their time to help, serve tea/coffee/biscuits/cakes and wash-up, deliver talks, answer questions, untangle camera menus that seem to have been designed by NASA; the willingness of everyone to muck in was fantastic and generally reassure everyone that they weren’t the only person who couldn’t remember what aperture actually did!
The social side of the club absolutely shone throughout the course. New friendships were made, plenty of laughs were shared, and there was always someone willing to help – often before the question had even been finished!
Once again, we’ve put the club firmly on the Garstang map and shown what a friendly, welcoming bunch, and slightly camera-obsessed gathering we are. The course simply wouldn’t have been the success it was without every single one of you.
So, give yourselves a well-deserved pat on the back… and if anyone asks, yes – we did mean to take 600 photos to get one really good one. That’s called photography!

Notices:

Meetings:
Please note: the next meeting at the Arts Centre is on Wednesday 26^th August.

Club outing: Sunderland Point, Wednesday 29^th July:
I suggest you meet at Kirkland Memorial Hall, The Avenue, Churchtown, Garstang, PR3 0HR at 6.30pm and car share where appropriate. 
If we leave at, say 6.40pm, we’ll be there for 7.15pm
If you can’t make this time, you can obviously make your own way there and meet up with us.
It could well be muddy/wet so I suggest suitable footwear!
Tide times at Sunderland Point for 29.07.26:
Low tide: 6.37am
High tide: 12.18pm
Low tide: 6.39pm
Weather – looking good, at the moment! Sunset is at 9.15pm

Events Cup:
The final destination for the Events Cup is Levens Hall. The 2 dates are either, Tuesday 11^th August OR Saturday 15^th August.
Just a gentle reminder – you can only visit once!
Levens Hall
Address: Levens Hall, Kendal, Cumbria, LA8 0PD
Opening Details: 27 Mar 2026 – 08 Nov 2026; Open 7 days a week during the season
Gardens: 10am – 5pm (Last entry 4pm)
The House: 11am – 3.30pm (Last entry 3pm)
Admission:
Reduced prices 25th June until 1st September, (only available to buy on arrival).
House & Gardens: Adult: £15.12
Gardens Only: Adult: £11.36
Levens Kitchen: Open 7 days a week. Drinks & Cakes from 9.30am. Food from 10am, last Food orders 4pm.

Up and coming programme of events:

Wednesday 29^th July – Club outing to Sunderland Point; details above.

Wednesday 5^th August – Club outing to the Crook o’ Lune; details in next week’s newsletter.

Tuesday 11^th August – Events Cup, final destination – possible first visit to Levens Hall. Details above.

Wednesday 12^th August – NO MEETING – Committee meeting at 7pm start.

Saturday 15^th August – Events Cup, final destination – possible visit to Levens Hall. Details above.

Wednesday 19^th August – Club outing to Scorton and Scorton Picnic area.

That’s all folks!

Mike

Morning All.

Well, that’s three out of four weeks of our camera club photography course gone already. Time really does fly… unlike some of our attempts at taking sharp action shots!
A huge thank you to Stan for his excellent and informative third talk. That’s your lot now, Stan – you’ve survived! I know you’ve put a tremendous amount of time and effort into preparing it, and we’re all very grateful. You can now sit back, relax, and enjoy watching everyone else do the hard work.
A standing ovation (or at least a polite round of applause) must also go to our two evening entertainers.
First, Edith, who treated us to an unexpected display of acrobatics, hula-hoop mastery and enthusiastic bubble-machine operation. Rumour has it she’s already been approached by the organisers of Britain’s Got Talent… although it might just have been someone asking her to move out of the way of the biscuits.
Then to Ian… or more accurately, Ian’s dog, who nearly stole the show. What a performance! River swimming, spectacular ball catching, and demonstrating once again that dogs are generally brighter than their owners. Ian did his best to keep up.
Not wanting to be outdone, Stan also had a go at producing bubbles. Unfortunately, they seemed to be on strike. One mischievous soul – who shall remain anonymous to avoid legal action – suggested Stan’s bubble-making was better than his talk. Naturally, I refused to be drawn into such outrageous comments… although I may have smiled.
As always, later, there was plenty of chatting, plenty of tea and coffee, and enough biscuits to make everyone forget they’d promised to cut down.~
A shame about the football, but you can’t have everything. The Euros are back in two years, and I’ve already sent a strongly worded letter explaining that England matches on Wednesday evenings are simply unacceptable. Whether anyone reads it is another matter, but at least I’ve done my civic duty!
Only one week to go – let’s make it a good one!
Stan has asked – if anyone has any photographs of Edith, which are preferably in focus, please forward them on to him on: stanley.pearson@talktalk.net ta!

This coming Wednesday, 22^nd, we have 2 talks:
The first, by me, ‘A general look at Editing Software’ and a short demonstration of Adobe Lightroom Classic and Photoshop.
The second is by Paul (H). ‘A short introduction on lenses, covering different lenses and filters under each section of landscapes, wildlife, portrait and macro.’
The ‘practical session’, after the talks, is on Portrait photography and this has been very kindly set up by Frank and Mike (P), involving models, backdrops and lights! Weather permitting it may be outside in the courtyard and/or inside!
Many thanks, gentlemen for your all organisation and time!

Events Cup:
The final destination for the Events Cup is Levens Hall. The 2 dates are either, Tuesday 11^th August OR Saturday 15^th August.
Just a gentle reminder – you can only visit once! Details for the visit in next week’s newsletter.

Notices:

From Bob:
There is a partial solar eclipse due on 12th August at 19.12pm. It will start at 18.17 and end at 20.06, shortly before sunset at 20.47. 
At the start, the sun will be almost due west and it will move north whilst also coming down towards the horizon.A 50mm lens on a full frame camera should be sufficient to cover the whole path of the eclipse or you might prefer to zoom in to get a closer view.
A solar filter is essential to protect your sensor. An ND sensor may be insufficient.
Thanks Bob!

Up and coming programme of events:

Sunday 19^th July – Today! Events Cup: Possible visit to Wycoller Country Park

Wednesday 22^nd July – Camera course: Last one – the fourth of 4 weeks.

Wednesday 29^th July – Club outing to Sunderland Point; details ion next week’s newsletter.

Wednesday 5^th August – Club outing to the Crook o’ Lune.

Tuesday 11^th August – Events Cup, final destination – possible first visit to Levens Hall.

Wednesday 12^th August – NO MEETING – Committee meeting at 7pm start.

Saturday 15^th August – Events Cup, final destination – possible visit to Levens Hall.

That’s all folks!

Mike

Evening All,

This Wednesday presents us with not one, but two major events of national importance.
First – and arguably the more exciting, depending on where your loyalties lie – we have the third instalment of our Camera Photography Course at the Arts Centre, kicking off at 7pm.
Secondly, there’s apparently some football match taking place… England v Argentina. (No comments about the Falklands, please – we’re a photography club, not the Foreign Office!)
So, how do we keep both the photographers and the football fans happy?
After consulting as many members as I could corner, the general consensus is this: we’ll begin with Stan’s presentation on Long Exposure and Freezing the Action – Being Creative with Shutter Speed. Rather fitting, really, as he’ll be explaining how to freeze the action just before 22 people spend 90 or more minutes trying to avoid doing exactly that.
Once Stan has finished, at around 7.40pm, we’ll aim to show the match from 8pm. Those wanting to head out on the practical sessions can do so, while anyone wishing to cheer, groan, or loudly question the referee’s eyesight can stay and watch the game.
As for how we’ll show the match… I’m currently working on that minor technical detail! But with a bit of luck solved!
Hopefully this strikes a good balance – or at least it’s the best idea we’ve come up with so far.

Cheers,

Mike