Morning All
 
Notices
 
A Picture Show with Hotpot Supper
 
THE SOUTHERN CAUCASUS – Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia
 
On Friday 8th March 2024
 
All Proceeds to St Helen’s Church  
 
Tea and coffee for this Wednesday, 21st, is Dave and Tim – thanks!
 
April Exhibition: this exhibition of prints is open to all members who wish to submit prints to be shown in the Arts Centre.
 
These prints are ones that have NOT be given an award in any of our competitions, and they could also be prints that for some reason you haven’t entered. Please bring in your prints ‘cos we need about 60 to fill the walls in the Arts Centre! 
Deadline for prints is Wednesday 6th March although you can bring them in on any Wednesday. 
The ‘hanging’ of the prints will be on Saturday 6th April and the exhibition will be open from Tuesday 9th April until Thursday 2nd May. 
Maurice is co-ordinating all of this and he has asked that all prints have on the back your name and a title.
 
Coffee morning – Our next fund-raising coffee morning is on Saturday 16th March at the Arts Centre. We are looking for cakes etc to sell on the morning so, please contribute something edible! Please let Mike know so we can organise accordingly – ta!
 
Members evening – Our next members evening is on Wednesday 3rd April. We appreciate this is a few weeks away but we are beginning to organise and are therefore open to any suggestions/thoughts/ideas that anyone has for the evening. Please email in or speak to Mike or Lewis over the next couple of meetings – many thanks.
 
Garstang Fine Art – Sharon’s opening times have now changed; she is now closed on Mondays and Wednesday mornings. She is also on holiday from Saturday 2nd March for 7 days. This info is given just in case you use her for mounting prints etc.  
 
Up and coming programme of events.
 
February 21st – Lee Metcalf, ‘live’; ‘Planning Landscape Photography’.
February 28th – Battle competition v Rangiora Photographic Society via Zoom, in the Arts Centre, using AV. Plus, Tim’s talk on “His recent trip to Mongolia and also a slot about making photo books in Lightroom”.
March 6th – Paul Slater, ‘live’: Soul to Soul – Creative photography.
March 13th – Judging of the Humanity Competition by Carol Watson DPAGB ABPE QPSA
March 16th – (Saturday), coffee morning hosted by us.
March 20th – Keith Snell – ‘Live’; Shackleton & South Georgia 
 
That’s all folks
 
Mike and Lewis

Morning All
 
Pea-souper here this morning, I’m positive there could be a photograph, but not sure!
 
Thanks to Sue Clark, last Wednesday, for her talk on ‘Composition Rules and Myths,’ – as I said an explosion of information, and I hope you are all now familiar with Fibonacci sequence; Image included – questions on a postcard!

 
Notices 
Humanity Competition: last date for entry, DPI’s and prints – 14th February, that’s next week!
 
Tea and coffee for this Wednesday is Freda and Elaine – thanks!
 
April Exhibition: this exhibition of prints is open to all members who wish to submit prints to be shown in the Arts Centre. 
These prints are ones that have NOT be given an award in any of our competitions, and they could also be prints that for some reason you haven’t entered. Please bring in your prints ‘cos we need about 60 to fill the walls in the Arts Centre! 
Deadline for prints is Wednesday 6th March although you can bring them in on any Wednesday. 
The ‘hanging’ of the prints will be on Saturday 6th April and the exhibition will be open from Tuesday 9th April until Thursday 2nd May. 
Maurice is co-ordinating all of this and he has asked that all prints have on the back your name and a title.  
 
Anne Marie Whitehead, Secretary: It has been decided to hold another Summer Celebration of Art and Music starting on 17th July and culminating with the third ‘Plein Air’ competition on Saturday 7th September 2024. Any ideas or suggestions will be gratefully received. 
If you recall the ‘Plein Air’ competition concerns artists who are invited to paint various scenes in Garstang, of their choice, on a particular day from 9am – 4pm and are then judged on the day. The camera club will be invited to take photographs of this competition; further details nearer the time! 
 
Up and coming programme of events.
 
February 14th – Graham Dean (Morecambe Camera Club), ‘live’ in the Arts Centre; “Why”.
February 21st – Lee Metcalf, ‘live’; ‘Planning Landscape Photography’.
February 28th – Battle competition v Rangiora Photographic Society via Zoom using AV. Plus Tim’s talk on “His recent trip to Mongolia and also a slot about making photo books in Lightroom”.
March 6th – Paul Slater, ‘live’: Soul to Soul – Creative photography.
March 13th – Judging of the Humanity Competition, ‘live’, by Carol Watson DPAGB ABPE QPSA
  
That’s all folks 
Mike and Lewis

Afternoon All
 
A definite hint of spring in the air and slightly warmer – time to dust off that camera and get out, no excuses!
 
A big thank you to Rhona and Tim for putting the Environment Competition winners on Facebook and on the Club’s website respectively; all looks great!
 
Notices
 
Humanity Competition: last date for entry, DPI’s and prints – 14th February, 9 days’ time!
 
Tea and coffee for this Wednesday is Freda and Brenda – thanks!
 
Up and coming programme of events.
 
February 7th – Susan Clark LRPS CPAGB AWPF, Composition rules and Myths, delivered via Zoom.
February 14th – Graham Dean (Morecambe Camera Cluib), ‘live’ in the Arts Centre; “Why”.
February 21st – Lee Metcalf, ‘live’; ‘Planning Landscape Photography’.
February 28th – Battle competition v Rangiora Photographic Society via Zoom using AV. Plus Tim’s talk on “His recent trip to Mongolia and also a bit about making photo books in Lightroom”.
 
That’s all folks, short and sweet today!
 
Mike and Lewis

Morning All
 
A big thankyou to all members who managed to enter our 3rd internal competition, The Environment Cup.
 
And, well done to all who managed to gain a commended award through to 1st place.
 
Attached are the winners and commended entries for your perusal.
 
Finally, well done to Stan for being judged ‘The best in show’ with Lytham Jetty.
 
It’s safe to say that we all appreciated Lee’s very helpful and informative comments and they made for a great entertaining and very interesting evening.
 
Notices
As you will see next week, we have Richard Davis on a variety of topics in mostly Monochrome style. Richard has very kindly sent some images as a ‘taster’ – see attached.
Lee Metcalf. After the judging last Wednesday, we had a chat to Lee about leading another of his ‘Camera Walks.’ (The last one, if you remember, was in Lancaster). Lee is ‘well-up’ to run another one or even two! The initial thoughts were Manchester and more specially ‘Media City.’ Lee knows where to park – it has its own car park – and is very safe. Also, provisionally, 8 – 10 members, would be the sort of numbers going and he was thinking around mid-March. Lee is, however, away on a workshop in Scotland between 6th Feb and 10th Feb, so the idea can be firmed up after that.

Up and coming programme of events. 
January 31st – Richard Davis, ‘live’ in the Arts Centre; A variety of topics in mostly Monochrome style.
February 7th – Susan Clark LRPS CPAGB AWPF, Composition rules and Myths, delivered via Zoom.
February 14th – Graham Dean (Morecambe Camera Cluib), ‘live’ in the Arts Centre; “Why”.
February 21st – Lee Metcalf, ‘live’; ‘Planning Landscape Photography’.
February 28th – Battle competition v Rangiora Photographic Society via Zoom using AV. Plus Tim’s talk on “His recent trip to Mongolia and also a bit about making photo books in Lightroom”.

That’s all folks
 
Mike and Lewis

Afternoon All
 
Well, from minus 7.5° to plus 9°, the vagrancies of the English weather, eh? 
So, did anyone manage to take any photographs of Garstang in the ‘chiller’ of last week ready for the calendar? Answers on a postcard!
 
Notices
 
Humanity Competition: 
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: If you are using Sharon (Garstang Fine Arts) for mounting, last date to her by 31.01.24. 
Last date for entry, both prints and DPI’s is Wednesday 14th February.
 
Up and coming programme of events.
 
January 24th – Environment Competition judged ‘live’ in the Arts Centre by Lee Metcalf.
January 31st – Richard Davis, ‘live’ in the Arts Centre; A variety of topics in mostly Monochrome style.
February 7th – Susan Clark LRPS CPAGB AWPF, Composition rules and Myths, delivered via Zoom.
February 14th – Graham Dean (Morecambe Camera Cluib), ‘live’ in the Arts Centre; “Why”.
February 21st – Lee Metcalf, ‘live’; ‘Planning Landscape Photography’.
February 28th – Battle competition v Rangiora Photographic Society via Zoom using AV, also, Tim’s talk on “Mongolia plus a bit about making photo books in Lightroom”.

That’s all folks
 
Mike and Lewis

Morning All
 
Many thanks to all those who managed to get to the Arts Centre or tuned-in via zoom for the 3 way battle on Wednesday evening. We thought that the judge, overall, was fair but quite tough! Though we didn’t agree with all her scores and comments – it’s all so subjective.
 
Our best 2 images were:
 
Male Chaffinch feeding juvenile 19 points; well done John
Bottle Nose Dolphin 19 points; well done Lewis
Final Scores:

J36 – 336 Points

Garstang – 326 Points
 
Morecambe – 318 Points
 
So, very close!
 
We’ve attached a comparison score sheet, from Stan, highlighting the various scores the images have been awarded over the 2 battles together with the committee score.
 
Stan comments:
 
I have highlighted in red the biggest differences.
 
For example: The bottle Nosed Dolphin scored 14 at the 4 Way and 19 at Morecambe/J36
 
The GCC committee score was generally in-between the two judges.
 
Thanks Stan!
 
Up and coming programme of events.
 
January 17th – Andy Stewart, ‘live’ in the Arts Centre; A Wildlife Presentation on Brown hares and kingfishers, equipment and fieldcraft. Simply called Hares today Kingfishers tomorrow
January 24th – Environment Competition judged ‘live’ in the Arts Centre by Lee Metcalf.
January 31st – Richard Davis, ‘live’ in the Arts Centre; A variety of topics in mostly Monochrome style.

That’s all folks
 
Mike and Lewis

Afternoon All
 
The first newsletter for 2024!
 
Well, the wet weather appears to be behind us, at least for a while, and looking at the news the North-West seems to have come off lightly.
 
Anyway, sunny and dry days ahead, but with frosts; photo opportunities?
 
A really cracking talk last Wednesday from Justin Mimms, (thanks Michael), with some stunning landscape photographs – particularly the ‘Diamond Beach in Iceland; the glittering icebergs scattered across its shore like a field of diamonds.
 
Notices
 
Projects
 
Just a gentle reminder about the 2 projects we are currently running:
 
Images of Garstang needed for the 2025 calendar – the camera club has been tasked to provide the images to be on the calendar: Images to be in colour, sRGB, within or maximum of 1600 x 1200, ratio of roughly 3:2, and landscape; Deadline around late April.
We appreciate it may feel a long way away, but time flies! If there is a wintery feel about Garstang over the next few days, this may provide an opportunity for photographs!
 
Each member to develop a photographic ‘theme’ over the next few months and present their ‘findings’ – good, bad or ugly (what went right and what didn’t!), – at the first meeting in 2024 which will be on September 4th.
 
One thought could be that you team up with another member and work together and produce a joint project – only an idea.
 
 
Possible themes/ideas/suggestions – usage of a tripod and/or handheld:
 
Getting to grips with your camera; shooting on automatic, then aperture priority, then shutter speed priority, then even on manual, collecting examples as you go along. Experimenting with depth of field, focus and exposure compensation.
Flowers/Forest/Woodland – perhaps, woodland scenes (Bluebells) and detailed shots.
Water and reflective photography – canals, rivers, sea, puddles!
Food
Landscapes and seascapes – possibly to include sun rises and sets
Weather, storms, clouds, rainbows
Travel
Macro
Monochrome
Cityscapes/Urban life
Architecture
Sports
Nature and wildlife
Minimalistic
Mobile only images
These are just a few ideas; you may, of course, develop you own theme or combine some together, your choice!
 
Events Cup
 
We are beginning to think about the Events Cup destinations – where does the time go?
 
Last year we had 5 destinations – one for each of the following months – April, May, June, July and August; they were – Kendal, Cleveleys, Gresgarth Gardens, Brockholes and Garstang Show.
 
So, if anyone has any suggestions on where we could go this year, please email in or chat to us at the next meeting; that would be most appreciated!
 
Programme 24/25
 
The camera club programme for 2024/2025 is coming along nicely. We have some really interesting speakers already ‘lined-up’ and, so far, 2 projects highlighted for all members!
 
However, we would like to invite any member to do a presentation on the ‘members evenings,’ which we still, at the moment, have empty: either full length (that’s a whole meeting), half a meeting (approx. 45/50 minutes), or a ‘cameo’ talk, say of 15 mins. All these talks on a topic of your choice. It could be a travel log or images that you are experimenting on or a set of photographs that you are very pleased with or whatever – your choice.
 
If you need help, setting it up, just ask ‘cos I’m sure we can help plan it and help produce it.
 
 
Up and coming programme of events.
 
January 10th – 3 way ‘Battle’ between Garstang, Morecambe and J36; Judge: Erica Oram CPAGB AFIAP BPE3, delivered via Zoom.
January 17th – Andrew Stewart, ‘live’ in the Arts Centre; Wildlife Presentation.
January 24th – Environment Competition judged ‘live’ in the Arts Centre by Lee Metcalf.
January 31st – Richard Davis, ‘live’ in the Arts Centre; A variety of topics in mostly Monochrome style.

As you can see the 3 way battle, next Wednesday, is via zoom; as this is a social evening, as well as a competition, we would like as many to attend a possible. However, if anyone can’t join us in person, please email in for the zoom link details.
 
That’s all folks
 
Mike and Lewis