Talk - Caroline Preece LRPS - Tools Not Rules 08/09/21

In a most thought provoking presentation Caroline threw out the Rule Book and taught us how to view images, interpret them and make choices about what and how we take our subjects. By using examples of well-known photographs and less well-known photographers she illustrated ways in which an image can draw the eye of the viewer to a subject, emotion or point of view using techniques such as simplicity, positioning of key elements, cropping, grouping, separation, framing and visual weight of the components. We learnt about psychological theory, and along the way found out about photographers who had influenced Caroline’s own photographic efforts. Caroline left us much to think about as we select our own image files and make choices about which elements are important within them. Here are some examples of Caroline’s own photographs which illustrate techniques that she had put to the test.

Workshop - prep for in-club competition 25/08/21

Tonight, we had something different. In the first half members were shown 10 images from the Interclub competition, which already had been scored by a judge.

Members were asked to look at the 10 images and score them from 12 – 20. With 20 being the highest. To mark these in a poll and then compared the clubs scores with those of the judge and members were invited to comment on the image. At the end it was deemed that the members collectively were not far off the judge scores.

In the second half members were put into break out rooms to form teams for the forthcoming in club competition later in the year.

Each team for the competition is to submit 5 images, set subject being abstract, set theme being sport and 3 open or general images.

The rules of the competition were given to each team, the team leaders nominated and discussion followed in each team on how to submit images and to use zoom themselves to discuss their images when needed.

We look forward to the competition being held in October where there will be an external judge commenting on the images and the winning team announced.

Photo Walk Part 2 18/08/21

This was an opportunity to show two images each by those who had braved the elements in Huddersfield town centre 3 weeks before. Each person had been given a colour swatch and asked to take photographs containing the colours. For the feedback, we were shown each swatch in turn before the related images. Of course we all see colours differently so there was inevitable discussion about the relative merits of each colour match and plenty of freely exchanged opinions about each other’s eyesight. It was all in jest of course and it put into context the more technical debates we have from time to time about colour casts, monitor and printer colour profiles. Had we been able to vote on the winner I’m sure Graham Dyson’s take on cyan/turquoise would have attracted some votes.

The best I can do to illustrate our efforts is my own attempt at Pepper Red and a reminder of the rainbow which took the eye despite it including a range of colours.

With time available the meeting was briefed on the upcoming ‘Intraclub’ internal competition and, to set the scene our Competition Secretary showed a recent round of Interclub images and gave the scores given by an independent judge.