Or Chair, Roger, opened our Zoom meeting welcoming our presenter – Gareth Martin AWPF CPAGB, then gave an update on future events – shown below in this synopsis:
Then Garath treated Zoom attendees to a sumptuous evening of personal photography. Gareth spoke to us from his home in Port Talbot, and his talk “Location Location Location” took us out and about in his part of Wales. He showed us many examples of how he turns a relatively straightforward photograph into an exhibition-quality image with only a modest amount of post-processing. He also treated us to a wealth of personal stories, all delivered in his wonderful Welsh accent. At the end, he encouraged people to get in touch via his Facebook page.
Here are a selection of Garath’s images. Click onto an image if you would like to see it in greater detail:
It been a tradition for some years that Chris(tine) O arranges an annual Whatever-the-Weather at Chris & Ian’s house in the Edale valley (but we live in Hope – especially when rain is forecast ). With only two exceptions to date we have been blessed with either warm or hot, or in 2017 very hot, weather. But it poured cats and dogs for our July 2019 WtW, so we were hoping for a dry warm day for this year’s WtW, as Covid19 put paid to last year’s WtW social event. But we were wrong – it bucketed down in the morning, then the sun briefly came out at midday, only for the weather to start to worsen again.
Due to inclement weather, illness and some reservations about meeting indoors due to Covid19, numbers were down to 26 – well down on recent numbers. Never-the-less everyone enjoyed socialising whilst we munched on Chris O’s home made cheese scones, or other scones made with her redcurrant jam, topped off with clotted cream – along with cakes, sandwiches and all sort of other goodies generously and thoughtfully provided by our 2021 WtW attendees.
As per usual Chris arranged a quiz, with part of the quiz being a treasure hunt to find objects secreted all around the downstairs of our house – nothing hidden in the garden this year! Robert and Freddie Nicklin, aided by their gran, searched high and low and came out victorious. Adding to the points that they gained in the quiz. Two of the quiz questions related to the names of the Roman and Greek sun-gods. So Chris & I will be calling upon these gods to provide warm and dry weather for the 2022 Whatever-the-Weather.
Perversely, just as the last few socialites were leaving, the rain stopped and the sun broke through. Giving sufficient time for Nick C to dry out, as Nick had walked in from the centre of Hope – deliberately wearing shorts to allow his legs to dry out quicker. But our traditional annual social event is called Whatever-theWeather for a reason:
Here’s a section of the photos covering the our 2021 WtW (Click on to the images to view them in greater detail, and use the arrow keys to move from one image to another:
Thank you Chris O for your hard and effective work in making a success of yet another WtW, and thank you to everyone who attended. It was really great to meet up again after too many months isolated in our homes. Had it not been for the excellent Zoom meetings arranged by Roger M, Ian S, etc., today may have been the first time our happy band of photographers and partners had met up since our March 2020 meeting (when speaker Jean Walker Warden talked about her exploits travelling to the North Pole).
Here’s what Roger, our 2021 Chair has said about our July 8th meeting:
Well, what a sumptuous evening of local landscapes we enjoyed thanks to our own Stephen Elliott. Both visually stunning and technically informative, we were treated to a fabulous array of Peak District locations, with a high proportion of photos being taken well before dawn. Stephen claimed that he’s very lucky with his photography, but as Thomas Jefferson said “I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it”.
Social Sub-CommitteeRay Fowler is looking for a couple of lady members to balance the male contingent already signed up for the social sub-committee, and Ian Ord is wanting to get an idea on who might be attending ‘Whatever-the-Weather’ at Orlecar Cottage on 8th August and the Christmas Dinner at the Blind Bull, Little Hucklow on 9th December. Please contact Ray or Ian as appropriate.
Theme for 2022: “Impressions of Reality”It is a tradition that the incumbent Chair sets the theme for the following year’s Exhibition. So, I have chosen a topic that is close to my heart. What I’m hoping for is a creative mix of abstracts, rhythms, shapes, patterns, textures, etc. I look forward to some inventive and inspirational submissions. Let your imagination run wild!
Next Meeting (12th August) Our plan for the August meeting is to meet up in-person, so we have arranged two outdoor activities: evening landscape photography lead by Karen Frenkel, or photographing inside and outside Roger Thorpe’s garage. If you’re planning to attend either, please let Keith Brown know which group you’d like to join. Photography Quote of the MonthScott Lorenzo: “The picture that you took with your camera is the imagination you want to create with reality.”
I have included a selection of Stephen Elliott’s breathtaking images from his Peak District Light. I’ve added Steve’s images in random order. If you’d like to see more of Stephen’s work visit https://www.stephenelliottphotography.co.uk To see any image in greater detail, click onto the photo and use the arrow keys to move right or left.
This, our 2021 Annual Exhibition evening, may be our last or penultimate Zoom meeting of 2021, held digitally to meet Covid19 rules. Our Chair Roger welcomed online members and our online guest Robert Falconer, who appraised our 2021 Exhibition images. Here’s a screenshot covering the main points Roger covered, before the meeting moved on to viewing this year’s Exhibition images:
We were treated to a masterclass in how to appraise photos constructively by local landscape and steam train photographer Robert Falconer, who reviewed the submissions for our Annual Exhibition. Robert gave careful and considered feedback on each and every image, with lots of helpful suggestions on how they might be improved.
Here are those images Robert selected for places in our 2021 Exhibition General Category:
First ‘Open wide’ by John Sampson
Second “Singing Carmine Bee Eater’ by Alison Johnston
Third ‘Night song’ by Stephen Elliott
Commendations – General: ‘Still standing’ by Roger Moore, ‘Industrial Dawn’ by Stephen Elliott, ‘Faces’ by Roger Moore.
Here are the images Robert selected for places in our 2021 Exhibition Theme Category – Bridging the gap:
First ‘Roman Bridge – Penmachno’ by Stephen Elliott
Second ‘Jumping the gap’ by Richard Clemons
Third ‘Spanning St Pancras’ by Keith Brown
Theme commendations – Bridging the gap:
‘Between Dark skies and a dawn landfall’ by Ian Ord, It’s a connected world’ by Roger Moore, ‘Sabretooth Bridge’ by Ann Smith
Catherine Cup for best colour image ‘Roman Bridge – Penmachno’ by Stephen Elliott
Denis Thorpe Trophy ‘Spanning St Pancras’ by Keith Brown
May Meeting This was our second members’ evening of the 2021 season and, as always, it was varied and informative. Joan showed us how she’d enjoyed her photography despite the COVID-19 restrictions, Hazel took us on a worldwide tour of rocks, reflections and close-ups, and Keith explained how to get into making audio-visual presentations with super examples by Kate and himself. Keith has compiled some useful information about how to get started with audio-visuals and PTE-AV-Studio, and if you’d like a demo of PTE contact Keith or Ian O. Thanks to all three for an excellent evening of photography.
Members’ Survey We’ve received a good number of interesting responses to the Society’s on-line survey. If you haven’t completed it yet, you have until Friday 21st May to express your views about the running of the Society.
Mentoring/Critique Group One of the initiatives arising from the survey is to set up a mentoring/critique group, and the best way to do that right now is on-line. If you wish to be involved (as a mentee or mentor), please send our Chair Roger an email and you will be added to the Group. You will then be able to post images for comment by other members of the Group or comment on other members’ images yourself.
Exhibition during Hope Wakes Week We have an opportunity to mount a physical exhibition in St. Peter’s church during Hope Wakes Week (26th June to 4th July). All members are invited to submit one or two prints, especially any that are already mounted on foam backing. Contact Keith Brownif you wish to take part.
Members’ Contact Details Several people have commented that they don’t have an up-to-date list of members and their contact details as the usual printed programme wasn’t able to be handed out at the AGM this year. So, we’ll shortly be emailing a contact list for those who have completed the GDPR form.
Next Meeting Our next meeting is on 10th June, when Robert Falconer will be appraising our exhibition entries.
Our Chair Roger welcomed members and our three guest presenters to another Covid19 Zoom meetings. Warmly welcoming Richard Hall, Gareth Morgan and Mark Tomlinson from Sheffield Photographic Society, who stood in at short notice to provide a splendid presentation of their outstanding photographic skills, by providing a feast of photography with something for everyone. Mark’s presentation “Sheffield Works” included some stunning images from inside the steelworks, Gareth showed examples of “Sheffield Street Art“, and Richard took us on a tour of people, sports, nature and landscape in “My Sort of Photo”. It was a superb evening of sumptuous photography with a local theme running through all three talks,
Roger then talked us through forthcoming events – covered in the screenshot shown below, drawing particular attention to our fast approaching Annual Exhibition in June, with the closing date for entries being Thursday 13th May (the date of our next meeting). So you only have a few weeks to sort out your entries. All the details are on shown on a header page on this website (including links to the rules and the on-line entry form). Members please note that late entries will not be accepted.:
I wish that I could attach more screenshots of the Sheffield trios’ images. But the following three batches of six images will give a flavour of a truly enjoyable evening. Click on to individual images to see them in greater detail. Use the arrow key to move from one detailed image to another.
Roger, our 2021 Chair, opened the meeting by welcoming everyone, then talked us through tonight’s programme and forthcoming events, as shown in the screenshot below. Roger also confirmed that it was most likely that the Exhibition of images at June’s meeting would be conducted via Zoom. Roger drew our attention to our website, calling for members to submit the Exhibition images (shown as a header page above) where information and the rules can be viewed.
Roger also announced that Kate and Keith Brown won two prizes at The IAC Peter Coles International Audio Visual Competition which was held last weekend via Zoom – it is normally held each year in Capel Curig. Keith & Kate had entered “These Boots”. which is an AV which they made on behalf of the club. It is the story of William Lennon’s shoe and boot factory in Stoney Middleton. The photographs are from a number of club members whilst Kate & Keith did the sound track and production. The story was told by Les Lennon who sadly died last year. These Boots… was awarded a mini love spoon “Highly Commended Award” and also 5th in the Audience vote. Here’s a few images that formed part of the award winning audio visual (Click onto an image to see it in greater detail. then use the arrow key to view expanded images):
Then we all settled down to the first part of the evening, a presentation by Ann, mainly covering her stay in the Philippines in January 2020 – just before lockdown took a strangle hold. Followed after a tea break of a presentation of images Alison had taken in the Hope Valley OR further afield in the UK during various ‘staycations’, between various 2020 lockdowns.
Roger, our Chairman for 2021 opened the meeting by giving the following information:
Annual Exhibition Our exhibition will go ahead this year, but we don’t know yet whether it will be held in a physical location or on-line. So, please start thinking about your entries, but don’t go to the expense of making any prints just yet in case we only need digital images. Recall that this year’s themed section (set by Joan) is entitled “Bridging the Gap“.
Thornhill Carr Paul Hatt and David Allwood are leading the Society’s contribution to documenting the re-wilding at Thornhill Carr. The Bamford Community Arts and Crafts group has now obtained funding for a creative art project based around this new Derbyshire Wildlife Trust reserve. If you have any relevant interest or skills and would like to get involved, please contact David Allwood. There will be a kick-off Zoom meeting about it in early March (probably Wednesday 3rd).
2020 YearBook Copies of the 2020 YearBook are now available to purchase. It’s an historic edition as it contains a special section on ‘Lockdown’ that’s been put together by Ray using images which Members had submitted. If you want a copy please contact our Chairman, Roger.
CHVPS Facebook Page Roger reminded us that the Society has a FaceBook page that is maintained for us by Susan Hughes. Not only is it a useful source of information, members can post images on our FaceBook page So why not look out one of your favourite images, and post it on our page for others to see.
Then Roger introduced our speaker for the night: Malcom Sales, After a difficult time failing to get to grips with the technology, Malcolm (https://buttercrossphotography.wordpress.com) eventually entertained us with an eclectic set of images taken on his Smartphone – mostly of lockdown scenes in his local vicinity. His two main messages were: “the smartphone is a real camera” and “don’t forget the basic rules of photography“.
Malcom then illustrated that with care and attention, whilst following the same rules as using a conventional camera, it’s possible to produce images taken from a smartphone that are interesting and can also ‘tell a story’. The first part of Malcolm’s presentation covered iPhone images of empty streets during lockdown. Showing how people maintained (least at the start of the lockdown) social distancing, The second part of his presentation showed images taken on his iPhone and then also processed using the various Apps and software shown above.
Yet again, Covid19 meant that this was a virtual meeting, courtesy of Zoom. So for those who couldn’t attend (neither in spirit, nor in body) here’s a synopsis of what’s what and who’s who in this new year. I’ll pop this year’s programme onto our website when it arrives. Joan – our outgoing Chair – thanked everyone who has helped to keep the Club and Zoom meetings going through this most unusual year. Ray, our President then went through the AGM formalities, including voting in officers for 2021 If you’d like to see full details, scroll down to the bottom of this web-post.
So now that I’ve reported the formal bits, here are names and images of those who did well this year.
Ian Stanyon was justifiably proud of being awarded a NEMPH Highly Commended – and such commendations are only awarded for exceptional images
You’ve got to have lots of talent and done lots for our club to be awarded an Honorary Life Membership of C&HVPS
Stephen is one of the very best landscape photographers in our region
Wayne’s creative image won him the Denis Thorpe Trophy
It’s a tradition that the second part of our AGM for each new photographic year is opened by our incoming Chair – entertaining us with some of their photos/images. As well as being an an acomplished photographer, Roger is an academic, well practiced in making presentations. Without exception, since Roger joined the Club 16 years ago, he continues to be a fascinating and entertaining presenter.
A screenshot of Roger and a selection of virtual attendees as our 2021 Chair gave his Zoom presentation.
Roger broke down his presentation of “My Photographic Journey” into parts. Firstly talking about and showing us images he’d taken over the years in and around the Jurassic Coast, where Roger spent his formative years; West Malvern where he and his family live; their holiday home in Castleton (the base Roger uses for the department he heads up as a professor, at Sheffield University. Roger also paid tribute to Kate Brown, who passed away in December 2020) and Kate’s love of flowers by showing a mosaic of images he’d made from Kate’s images.
Roger showed lots of other fascinating images, including the panel he’d made for successful submission to the RPS for his ARPS. Towards the end of his presentation Roger showed two of his audio visuals, including an AV he’d made at the Orchid Garden in Singapore. A fun evening that transported us temporarily away from our homes and lockdown.
Roger’s panel that he submitted to the RPS in 1994, when he successfully applied for and was awarded the distinction of being entered into the RPS as a ARPS
Here’s a selection of Roger’s images, presented during our first meeting (virtual) of 2021:
Ray Fowler continues as our President, with Keith Brown continuing as Vice President
Our new Committee members are:
Chair – Professor Roger Moore ARPS
Chair Elect (and Programme Secretary) – Vice President Keith Brown (FRPS & many other distinctions/awards)
Covid19 put paid to our plans to hold our annual Christmas Party celebrations, where members and partners normally meet in a convivial setting, whilst dining and chatting over food and wine. Sadly Covid19 put paid to these plans. The Zoom party was marred by the recent death of Kate Brown (see my web post in memory of Kate above). In lieu of a Christmas party gathering our 2020 annual competition judge Christine Hodgson ARPS CPAGB kindly agreed to give a presentation of some of her images, including some that Christine had prepared for her FRPS entry.
Joan, our 2020 Chair opened the meeting by welcoming everyone, facilitated by Ian S, wearing a splendid set of Christmas specs and a Santa hat. Joan asked our Secretary Ann to say a few words to express the loss that we feel for Kate. Our hearts go out to Kate’s husband Keith and her two sons, Alex and Sam. Kate donated a cup to our society, called the Catherine Cup. In part to commemorate another member lost to cancer – Catherine Nicklin. Catherine Nicklin and Kate (christened Catherine) Brown will be remembered for decades to come, as the Catherine Cup is now one of our annual photography awards.
So here’s what a selection of our Christmas Party members looked – courtesy of a Zoom screenshot:
I’ll let Christine’s photos speak for themselves – a tour de force of talent and sometimes surrealism:
