HPIC Orbs and Twirl Night 12/08/20

Members showed off their Orbs and Twirls last night. Between 20-30

members witnessed a tsunami of creativity as images, created through

the use of their newly acquired orb and twirl techniques: apparently all

the rage in online photographic circles!

The effects produced both beautiful and sometimes psychedelic effects,

which some members further enhanced through the application of more

conventional Photoshop techniques.

It is difficult to do justice to the images by writing about them. To

appreciate the variety and the beauty of the work presented it is best to

watch the soon to be released Zoom recording.

Members told how relatively difficult the creation of the “grid”, a first step

in orb creation, had been. All images placed in the grid end up being

distorted but careful placement of content can produce beautifully

balanced results.

The presentation of side by side of “before” and “after” images showed

the dramatic impact of the Twirl process. The secret seemed to be to start

with an image with a varied colour pallet, and to be unafraid of

experimenting with the blend modes. More “normal” Photoshop

techniques such as flipping the image, sharpening, multilayer creation can

then be applied to create the desired final result.

People said they found the challenge enjoyable, informative and

interesting forcing them to explore area of Photoshop they might never

have otherwise ventured near.

Other News

Special Interest Groups, initiated by Chris Rogers, have started getting

themselves organised. Sufficient numbers have expressed interest in

Landscapes, Nature and Travel. Members who have as yet not registered

their interest are encouraged to contact Chis at Chris.rogers@btinternet.com.

The club still wants to recruit volunteers to help with manning the annual

exhibition between the 9 th September and 21 st. October. Anyone

interested should contact JamesARenshaw@aol.com.

10 from 6 event at HPIC 05/08/20

Wow! What an evening! Six members presented a selection of ten of their images to a well attended, Zoom based, club night.

Many of the presenters were modest enough to state that although their images were perhaps not all competition fodder; a claim which, from the viewers’ perspective was not always justified, they were the ones they loved for the story they told or the emotions they invoked or the stage they marked in the author’s photographic development.

The theme of wanting to try something different or to develop a skill permeated each presentation. Time flew by as images from a wide range of genres were presented: landscapes, nature, portraits, still life and composites.

Many presenters stated that they had been inspired and encouraged by other members of the club and that the diversity of the club’s programme had introduced them to aspects of photography they would not have otherwise considered.

Babara Sheldrake showed pictures depicting aspects of mental health: the people, their feelings and aspirations. Her work, the product of a commission from the Little Theatre Bradford, has been shown publically.

Colin McGregor explained his developing passion for street photography over the last four years. He enjoys imagining the story behind the images he captures. His interest in art has influenced his photography and has been used to good effect in the image shown here where the clarity at the point of interest draws the viewer’s attention to the rider in the middle of the scene.

Mel Pegg has an interest in people and their everyday lives. Over the last six years he has also developed an interest in street photography and his photos are principally candid shots designed to probe and enquire as to what the stories captured in the shot may be – like the one shown here of a woman leaving a laundrette late at night. For him photographs have been a way of recalling memories of events and emotions in his own life since childhood.

Duke Gledhill – a leading light within the club, not least in terms of his landscapes, took us through his journey of learning how to perfect his shooting techniques: the research and planning (being at the right place at the right time), and knowing the technical limitations and capabilities of his equipment. He explained the importance of getting the right mix of focal length, exposure time, f-stop and ISO, of not always following the crowd and remembering to look behind oneself for that different “wow” shot.

Stephen Drew enjoys experimenting and setting himself ever higher standards of photographic excellence and persevering until he is happy with the result. He presented a range of genres from landscapes to film-noir portraiture as demonstrated here: a shot taken outside the studio, by chance, in natural light at the end of a studio session in Manchester.

Richard Fulcher presented a wide range of genres including composites. He argued the benefits of having a photographic project, of having an inexhaustible patience on the shoot i.e. waiting for the right light for example or when working on elaborate composites. He too, has found success by not following the crowd and seizing opportunities as they arise.

Piece Hall outing

Last night saw our first outing of 2020 and our first opportunity to be physically together (albeit socially distanced) since mid-March.

Sue Gibson organised the evening's events, with almost 20 members taking the opportunity to meet at the Piece Hall in Halifax.

Members had around an hour from the meeting time to explore the unique building's balconies, architecture and details, embracing the opportunity to be out taking photos again. Of course, it was also a great opportunity to socialise face to face too!

One or two members also took the time to explore a little further afield in the town after the Piece Hall closed, with Steve Jones getting as far as Dean Clough Mills. Another great place for photography exploration if you haven't visited before.

We finished the evening with a (socially distanced) group photo and a handful of members also partook in a quick liquid reftrshment in one of the open micro-pubs in town before travelling back to Kirklees. 

All in all it was a very enjoyable evening. I hope it won't be too long before we get another opportunity to see each other in person again.