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.
