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:
Covid19 restrictions meant that our penultimate meeting of the year was once again a Zoom meeting, Zoom allows ‘virtual attendees’ to sit in front of their computers, laptops or tablet devices. Allowing members to chat with each other prior to the presentation by Peak District based professional photographer Karen Frenkel. I was fascinated to see that quite a number of members and guests were clutching glasses filled with (mainly red) wine!
Our Chair Joan welcomed Karen, members and guests. Joan has known Karen for 20+ years, recalling that this is the third time that Karen has made a presentation to C&HVPS. An indication of the quality of Karen’s images and her quiet way of speaking about her love of the countryside and her fascination with photography. Karen was an academic for some years, later exchanging academia for the outdoor life of a landscape photographer. Karen’s first camera was a Nikon SLR, given to her by her father when Karen was 12 years of age. Here’s one her first photographs, taken with monochrome film, high up on Great Gable:
Prior to the main event of the evening, Ian S showed our programme for the remainder of the year.
Then we settled down to enjoy Karen’s first public presentation of her ‘Mountains & Coasts’ images. Mainly focussing on the English Lake District and Scotland. Here’s a selection of those images. But firstly, I must apologise, I photographed the images from my computer screen, thus there’s a few rogue reflections. But these reflections hopefully don’t detract from enjoying Karen’s spectacular landscape images. If you’d like to see more of Karen’s images click onto www.karenfrenkel.info
It’s my pleasure to report that Ian Stanyon has been awarded ‘highly commended’ for the image entitled ‘An ill wind blows’ that Ian submitted to NEMPF for their recent competition. For an image to ‘make the cut’ to be to be judged at NEMPF’s annual competition, it has to be a really high standard image. Thus any image awarded a Highly Commended is by definition an exceptional image.
You can view the full results of the NEMPF competition by clicking on to: https://photoexhib.co.uk/nempf/results-2021/results.htm. The website contains details of all the accepted images together with the award-winning images, including Ian Stanyon’s image.
Our Chair Joan opened another of our virtual meetings, conducted by Zoom. It now seems unlikely that we will hold a ‘real’ meeting at Castleton for the remainder of this year. A smiling Joan welcomed everyone to the well attended digital meeting. Then Joan updated us on our upcoming event diary, particularly noting that Covid19 had forced the cancellation of our traditional annual Christmas party meal & gathering. Instead the meeting will be held virtually, via Zoom, so we can forget about drinking and driving, whilst enjoying a presentation by Christine Hodgson. The diary covering forthcoming events and updates is shown below, courtesy of Ian S.
Joan welcomed the 8 ‘Beat the Clock’ members who were going to shown as many images as they wished within a strict 10 minute time limit. Ian Holmes; Margaret Drabble; Paul Hatt; Ian Ord; Richard Clemons; John Sampson; Christine Noon; Stephen Elliott. I’d like to thank our Chair Elect Roger for his role as Zoom-master for the evening, as well as spending time in advance coaching those who were less familiar with Zoom, allowing them to select and present their images through their home computers.
I’ve tried something new. Instead of asking presenters to email me a selection of their images, I simply photographed my 5K screen with my smartphone. Thus the images aren’t the same quality as the images presented by members, but they give a favour of the evening, including odd reflections from my iPhone.
Yet again, to meet the rules and recommendations relating to public / social meetings, we held another club meeting via Zoom. I counted about 24 members who used their computers, laptops, iPads, etc., to attend our virtual meeting. Ian S led the meeting as Zoom coordinator, handing over to our Chair, Joan, who welcomed one and all, but especially Erica Oram CPAGB,AFIAP,BPE2. Who returned to make a further presentation – following her well received presentation of her printed images in 2019. Erica judged our annual competition in 2018. You can view many of Erica’s inspiring images, if you type Erica Oram into your browser.
But first, Joan covered various announcements and updates, best encapsulated by viewing the calendar shown below. Joan hoped that Covid19 would be under some form of control by December, so that we can hold our annual Christmas party at Castleton Village Hall. However Joan said that if coronavirus was still an issue, arrangements were in place to hold a ‘virtual’ Christmas Party, where we could dine and drink at home, watching events such as our annual quiz using Zoom. Disadvantages – numerous: Especially missing the friendship and fellowship of meeting, dining and drinking with other members just before Christmas. Advantages – only one I can think of: No problems drinking and driving if the virtual party is at home!
Erica is a member of Sheffield Photographic Society. However, Erica is more than just busy juggling her challenging and busy day job, being mother to her young family, with photography. Erica gives lectures and presentations, as well as judging for many photographic societies. Erica doesn’t have much spare time for photography, so she concentrates on being creative, both in camera and in photoshop, to make use of whatever opportunities come her way. Interestingly, the smoke alarm sounded in her kitchen as she was giving her presentation. With Erica explaining that her son was trying his hand at cooking, and had clearly burned what he was creating. I think that the images shown below show that Erica is also creative as well as being highly talented. Thus I imagine that every member attending our Zoom meeting was (metaphorically speaking) glued to their screens, as we jointly enjoyed a thoroughly enjoyable presentation of Erica’s digital images.
In response to Covid19, this evening’s meeting was held courtesy of Zoom. Our Chair, Joan opened the meeting, welcoming all on-line attendees, especially our guest speaker, Martin Addison FRPS. Who would conduct his presentation (courtesy of the wonders of modern technology) from the comfort of his home in Worcestershire. Joan encapsulated events for the coming four months (as shown on the ‘programme’ header section of our main website), drawing attention to the fact that our Christmas party, scheduled for the the evening of Thursday 10th December may(?) have to be revised, subject to government coronavirus advice.
Joan handed over to Chair Elect Roger, who for the remainder of the evening, handled the mechanics of our 4th Zoom meeting. Roger re-welcomed our speaker, Martin, contemplating that he had known Martin for some 40 years, through his and Martin’s affiliation to a camera club in Worcester. To illustrate the fact that the meeting was being conducted via Zoom, I took a (very poor) screen-shot of Martin, at his home,
My wife (Christine) and I joined Castleton & Hope Valley Photographic Society in 2008. During that time we have been privileged to see MANY outstandingly talented photographers, present either their prints or digital images. But we both agreed that Martin’s presentation was one of the most thought provoking and imaginative presentations we had seen. Martin demonstrated the multiplicity of options open to photographers. From conventional shots, using fish-eye or wide angle to long lenses. through to long exposure shots, to shots that were deliberately blurred, or when the camera shutter was deliberately kept open for seconds, whilst moving from one aspect of a scene to another, etc., etc.
Martin demonstrated how we all have the option of using different photographic styles to produce different types of shots, by thinking out of the box and using unconventional methods or perspectives. When (for example) the weather or light isn’t conducive to conventional photographic shots – by simply homing into objects that would often escape conventional photographer’s attention, or by dropping the camera down to knee level, or even right down to the ground. Martin also illustrated how mundane objects, such as weathered roof tiles, could be made visually fascinating, by processing the images through (for example, Lightroom) and dramatically altering the colour, saturation, curves, contrast, dehaze effect, etc. The following images give a hint of Martin’s imagination, allied to his clear and full understanding of cameras and photography.
In response to Government guidelines, subsequent to the Covid19 pandemic, we held our third ‘virtual’ club meeting online, using the Zoom App. Our Chair Joan was encountering intermittent WiFi problems, thus Ian S gave a screenshot of announcements and details for future meetings. There’s been a change to the August meeting, as this will now be presented by visiting speaker Martin Addison FPPS. To see the amended programme click here: http://www.hopevalleyphotosociety.co.uk/?page_id=2931
Once again Zoom proved to be an excellent way of participating in meetings, without physical attendance at our club venue in Castleton. The evening was divided into three parts, with three members of our club giving a presentation of their images:
Jason, showed and spoke about images he took during Easter 2019, during a visit to the Outer Hebrides;
Robert, who is attending university, studying ‘photojournalism & photography’, spoke to images and projects taken whilst at university and then showed images he took during ‘lockdown’, as his university had been closed due to the Covid19 pandemic;
Finally, Wayne gave a presentation entitled “Wayne’s World Production”, covering topics as diverse as travel, landscape photography, surrealism, people, etc. Here’s a selection of Wayne’s images:
Our annual competition is alway well attended. But this year Covid19 cut our physical attendance at the Peverill Centre to zero. But (courtesy of Zoom) boosted our ‘online attendance’ to a goodly proportion of the membership of our club.
Joan, our Chair welcomed everyone to our second Zoom club meeting, particularly welcoming talented photographer and our 2020 judge: Christine Hodgson BA (Phot) ARPS. CPAGB. Then Joan made a number of brief announcements, highlighting the hope that we can soon return to our monthly meetings in the Peverill Centre. Saying that until government advice and regulations change, it may be that for the remainder of the year, 2020 meetings will be held via Zoom.
Here’s a taster of some of the competition results: 2020 Catherine Cup (colour) and Denis Thorpe Trophy (monochrome) winning images: ‘Morning Mist’ by Stephen Elliott and ‘Spaghetti USB’ by Wayne Hallam
Many thanks to Ian S for organising the entire competition through the medium of Zoom, and our judge Christine, who rose to the challenge and gave experienced positive feedback (and sometimes advice) relating to each of the competition images. In addition to the ‘Open’ theme, this years ‘Special theme’ was “Whatever the Weather’ – with the proviso that all images were taken in the UK.
Open competition:
First, Spaghetti USB by Wayne Hallam
Second, Dreaming by Moonlight by Nick Chalkley
Third, Swiss Bike by Kate Brown
Commendations were awarded to ‘Ears looking at you’ by John Sampson, ‘Keeping an eye out’ by Wayne Hallam, ‘Ramshaw Rocks’ by Roger K Moore, ARPS, ‘Ulst Pony’ by Erica Dietsch, ‘Tornado approaching Hope Station’ by Keith Brown FRPS, ‘You can hide but can’t run’ by John Samson, ‘LLanddwyn sunset’ by Stephen Elliott.
Theme competition – Whatever the Weather
First, Stephen Elliott, ‘Morning mist’
Second, Ian Stanyon, ‘Will it Won’t it?’
Third Ann Smith, ‘Misty Bradwell’
Commendations for the Whatever the Weather theme were awarded to: ‘The washing must go on!’ by Ann Smith, ‘Tea Break’ by Keith Brown FRSP, ‘Paddling on the pier’ by Joan Clough, ‘Wet walkers’ by David Allwood.
If you’d like to see the all the images and the full text covering these strange Covid19 times, please scroll down one page, immediately below this post.
Our first ‘Zoom’ online meeting
Lots of hard and effective work was dedicated to making our first ‘virtual’ online meeting such a genuine success. Many were involved in the planning and implementation of this meeting, but I’d like to draw particular attention to our Chair Joan, and our Chair Elect Roger. For the first time (and I suspect not the last), a goodly number of members joined Joan & Roger on-line. Many thanks also to Ian S, who’s given lots of support, and also provided the screen shot of some ‘Zoom’ attendees listening and watching intently:
Joan updated online attendees with the following news: 1. Due to Covid19 Hope’s Wake’s Week has been cancelled; thus we won’t be holding our Annual Print Exhibition. 2. Unless events change significantly, it also appears that our coffee morning, due to take place at the end of August, will be cancelled. 3. Ditto cancellation of our informal evenings at the Angler’s Rest. 4. Joan asked that members keep on submitting images relating to what we’ve been doing during Covid19. Submit these images to me – Ian O. Ian S said that he’d already received 67 digital images for our June competition, also reminding members that they have until midnight May 14th to submit their digital images. Competition guidelines and other relevant or important / information is usually shown as a ‘header’ at the top part of our website. Ian S (who’s worked hard and effectively) will send our digital competition images to Christine Hodgson BA(Phot) ARPS CPAGB. Christine will judge the entries and give feedback, online via zoom, on June 11th.
Joan handed over to Roger, who entertained us by displaying a range of images, and an Audio Visual with the theme Blue & yellow, If you’d like to listen to Roger’s AV, click onto https://youtu.be/QOus8dgoh1g
Roger is an Associate of the Royal Photographic Society, but in my opinion the quality of his work is at FRPS level. Perhaps Roger will submit a panel of prints (may be on the blue and yellow theme) and apply for this distinction?. In the meantime I’ve included a number of Roger’s images, to illustrate how Roger entertained us with his work.
Members will have read that our Chair, Joan Clough, has suggested that you email me (Ian O) with images you’ve taken during the lockdown. So send me your images, perhaps with a few words, and I’ll add them our website, so that we can all see what we’ve been up to in these unusual times.
Taking images during isolating or self-distancing from Covid19 was our President’s (Ray Fowler) idea. Chair Elect Roger Moore is going to make a Blurb book from the the best images submitted. So send me these images in full resolution for the new book, and I’ll keep them in our archive. If you have lots of hi-res images, I suggest that you email them to me via WeTransfer.
President Ray enjoying an outdoor glass of wine. I used a zoom lens to maintain effective social distancing!
Our Chair, Joan, has sent me images taken from her house, illustrating what it’s like in lockdown in her hamlet. By chance, Ann S, our Secretary was cycling past in her high visibility jacket. With the exception of cyclists, the footpaths & roads are unusually deserted during lockdown. Joan’s image of shopping left by a door and a sign in our farmer’s store, perfectly illustrate what strange times we are living in.
Keith & Kate Brown don’t live far from the children’s playground and medical centre in Hope village. Here are three images that Keith snapped to illustrate queues and closures in lockdown time.
Nick C and his family live in Chapel (locals will know where this is) and has been locked down, whilst working from home. Nick does the shopping and also takes his daughter to the nearby often deserted park. So here’s a few of Nick’s images, inc his G.P.’s surgery and people self isolating at a distance:
When Wayne H sent me some images covering empty supermarket shelves, and photographs he’s been taking of birds in his garden (as Wayne has been advised to lockdown for 12 week), he also let me into a secret. In addition to taking great photographs, Wayne’s also an amateur artist. He’s brushing up on his skills each evening, to pass the time under lockdown. But let us be in no doubt: Wayne is devastated that Covid19 may impact upon the pleasure he has, visiting cricket grounds, supporting his cricketing son, and photographing bowlers, batsmen and fielders.
A few photos to illustrate what’s happening in Ian & Chris O’s household under lockdown: Masks of all sizes and colour seem to be in vogue. Many of my friends have told me that during the lockdown they are drinking more than usual. So I thought that I’d take a contrived photo to reflect this trend. We are locked down for the duration, but neighbours buy our shopping and deliver it in a washing-up bowl. A bit of humour, as neighbours over our garden wall paid respect to our magnificent NHS. Finally, a surprise delivery – the NHS / Government has classified us as being vulnerable to Covid19 if we don’t self isolate. Hence this unexpected food parcel delivery to our front door.
When chatting to Steve (Mr Landscape) he told me that to support social distancing and to prevent the spread of Covid19, he has forgone his regular walks, with his camera. Here are a selection of Steve’s ‘home’ images, as he hasn’t passed though the gates of his house since the lockdown:
It was C&HVPS President Ray Fowler’s idea for members to take images in the valley, to demonstrate how different life is under Covid19. Castleton is (or should I say ‘was’), the busiest village in the Peak District. Whatever the weather, it’s always filled with tourists. Ray told me that in all his 45 years living in Castleton he’s never seen the pubs, restaurants, tourist centre and car parks empty, with the streets so quiet, wholly devoid of tourists. So here’s Ray’s photographic record of a deserted Castleton. Personally I think that Ray’s final image says it all – ‘Closed up and locked down’:
One of our newest members, Margaret, has taken some photos, as she walked around Hope, to illustrate how eerily quiet our village is. The school and church are closed, and there aren’t any tourists in the cafes, or walkers on the footpaths or hills.
Roger has taken an image of a car park blocked off — a sign of Covid-19 times. Alison, who’s working from home has submitted an image of a sign showing appreciation for the work the NHS is carrying out to fight those suffering from Covid-19, an empty street in Sheffield (Ecclesall Road) and a security van carrying shopping home. Allen B is similarly locked down, so he’s been keeping his eye in, taking photos in his garden. Whilst Ian S snapped some interesting images showing shopping and support for the NHS.
