News Archive
Club Meeting Report: April 2024
The club held its April meeting yesterday evening (11th April) when we enjoyed a presentation by Brian Russell who gave us a fascinating insight into his 35 year career as a professional photographer with a large range of clients - inter alia various government departments, the NHS, advertising agencies and construction companies - and an equally diverse range of subject matter from grand dinners in baronial halls to open-heart surgery. Brian has amassed many more images from his career and would be more than happy to make a return visit at some time in the future.
You can learn more about Brian by visiting his website:
https://www.brd.uk.com/
After that members and guests viewed the photographs submitted on the topic of "Framed” and PlusONE which produced an interesting variety of approaches and styles.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday May 9th when we shall trial a new approach for the evening. Instead of a speaker, half a dozen members will show three photos each from the images accumulated over the years and explain the special significance behind their choice of photographs. If that goes well we can repeat the format, with different members, at a later date.
Thanks to Jean, assisted by Phil, who prepared and served the refreshments.
John Chapman - Chairman
Photographs of the Month: March 2024
The votes have been counted and...
Following a recount, three project photographs emerged as favourites: Chris Farrell's “Wet Night in Stratford”, Carol Drew's “I’m Only Standing Here” and Nick Farrer's "C2 Gull", with two receiving equal votes.
For the PlusONE, four entries were very popular with just one vote separating them: Graham Elliott's “I Remember When”, Phil Heading's “Rusty Bottom”, Pete Maclaine's “Diva” and Carol Drew's “The Clock at Paddington”.
Thank you to everyone who submitted project entries (62) and PlusONEs (32) and to everyone who voted.
John Chapman - Chairman
Club Meeting Report: March 2024
Yesterday evening (14th March 2024) the club held its monthly meeting when we enjoyed a super presentation by Andrew Ashton depicting the “Swinging Sixties: in photographs. Andrew had selected a cross-section of images that perfectly depicted that decade of social, political, cultural and economic change. Those of us who were teenagers at that time will remember that, young as we were, we could recognise and acknowledge the fact that seismic change was under way - as Bob Dylan told us at the time, “The times they are a changin’”. It was a fascinating mix of images - from photos of 1960s icons like Brigitte Bardot, Julie Christie, George Best, the Beatles, Françoise Hardy, Brian Jones and the Small Faces to everyday scenes in places like Carnaby Street and seaside resorts where “rockers” and “mods” met for stimulating intellectual debate.
We also viewed the photographs submitted for the theme “Signs and Advertising” which produced a crop of interesting interpretations on the theme and the PlusONE submissions on a characteristically wide variety of topics.
The current theme is “Framed” and some tips and examples of framing were shown during yesterday’s meeting.
The next meeting will be held on April 11th when Brian Russell will make a presentation entitled “Access all areas - 35 years of being paid to see interesting things”.
John Chapman - Chairman
Photographs of the Month: February 2024
Yes, it’s that time again: your votes have been counted and I can announce which photographs were most popular this month.
There were 61 photographs submitted for the theme of “Minimalism” and 34 PlusONE photographs: 28 people voted. Many thanks to everyone who submitted photographs and to those who voted for their favourite images.
The most popular Minimalistic photographs were Trevor Allnutt’s “The Little Red Chair”, John Taylor’s "Dovercourt Lighthouse” and Ashley Judd’s "Fishermen’s Beach".
The favourite PlusONE images were Ashley Judd’s photograph of "Greatstone Beach at Around Dawn" and Nick Farrer’s photograph "Sunrise Etching Hill" of the sun rising beyond the trees.
Congratulations to Trevor, John, Ashley and Nick.
John Chapman - Chairman
Club Meeting Report: February 2024
Yesterday evening (8th February 2024) the club held its second meeting of the year when about 30 members and guests enjoyed a fascinating presentation on ‘Astrophotography - Capturing the Night Sky’ by Dirk Seyfried. His presentation started with some incredible photos taken by NASA and other space agencies that were, at a cost of $many millions each, somewhat out of our price range but showed amazing details of celestial bodies thousands of light years away. Dirk’s own photographs were no less impressive - some were taken in the deserts of Namibia but most were taken in our own "back yard” of Dungeness and Folkestone. Apart from the photos Dirk provided technical and other tips to help to obtain quality night sky photographs.
We reviewed the photographs submitted on the current theme of ‘minimalism’ which produced a wide range of interpretation and the ever-eclectic PlusONE images. These are available on the club website at:
https://hythedistrictphotographicclub.jimdo.com/project-gallery/
The next theme is “signs and advertising”.
Our next meeting will take place on Thursday 14th March when Andrew Ashton will make a presentation entitled “The Swinging Sixties”. This will either stir some wonderful memories or illustrate what you missed depending on your age. We can anticipate older members wistfully exclaiming “those were the days!"
The Hythe Venetian Fête will take place on the 24th August and the club will be given a number of “all area” passes to enable us to make a photographic record of the fête and associated events.
Our meeting last night concluded with a moment of quiet reflection on the life of Sandra Willmott, a founder member of the club and the forerunner Saltwood Camera Club who passed away last Sunday. The club extends condolences to James, Anne, Jade and all the family.
John Chapman - Chairman
Photographs of the Month: January 2024
The voting was for two projects this month - 'Dramatic Light' and 'Busy Scenes’ together with the PlusONE category for both projects. Thanks to James for counting the votes this month.
Twenty-seven members and guests voted and the votes were widespread across both projects but favourites emerged:- .
* For the 'Dramatic Light' project the two most popular entries were Brian Webster’s 'Aurora Across the Moray Firth’ and Trevor Allnutt's - 'Eurasian Eagle-Owl’ and for the Plus One there were equal votes for Trevor's - 'Eilean Donan Castle, Scotland’ and Peter Brun’s - 'Look Down at Those Umbrellas’.
* For the ‘Busy Scenes’ project and Plus One the two most popular project entries were Peter Brun's - 'I Hate Waiting When It’s Busy’ and John Taylor's - 'Busy Market in Delft and a Touch of ICM’ (Intentional Camera Movement) and for the Plus One Tom Lloyd's - 'Repair Shop Blacksmith’.
Thank you for voting and well done to all of the above.
John Chapman - Chairman
Club Meeting Report: Annual Review December 2023
Yesterday evening (14th December) the club held its annual Christmas meeting which was well attended. Tom Lloyd presented his review of photographs taken during 2023 which included Photographs of the Month, Workshops & Photoshoots plus the “My Favourite” photographs submitted by members. As Tom stated, the review is subjective and reflects his personal choice of the images submitted. His choices were:-
Commended: Mary Gerard, Denise Langley & Phil Heading
Highly Commended: Peter Brun & Trevor Allnutt
Photograph of the Year: Nick Farrer’s close up of a bumblebee hard at work collecting pollen.
We are indebted to Tom for investing the considerable amount of time and hard work in preparing the review - and of course, to all those who submitted photographs during the course of the year.
The review was followed by a buffet and thanks are due to Vicky Norton for helping me to purchase, prepare and serve the refreshments.
During the evening a collection was made for the Pilgrims' Hospices which raised a splendid total of £81:54 for this very worthwhile cause - this has been handed to the Hospice this morning and they have passed on their thanks to the club.
The next meeting will be held on January 11th 2024 when we shall hold our AGM and review two sets of project photographs submitted - “Dramatic Light” and “Busy Scenes”.
Thanks are due to many people for undertaking various tasks during 2023 to keep the club thriving and I shall cover this in the report of the year that I shall prepare for the AGM: in the meantime I extend to one and all Best Wishes for Christmas and the New Year.
John Chapman - Chairman
To view all Photographs of the Month click here
Photographs of the Month November 2023
As always, many thanks to all those who submitted photographs and to those who voted for their favourites.
The most popular photograph on the theme of “Balance” was Roger Brown’s “Lost it” depicting a youngster in full flight, apparently losing their balance, while the second favourite was Jacqui Fowler’s lovely image of a decidedly inscrutable owl skilfully balancing on one leg, “Amazing Balance” indeed.
The favourite Plus One image was James Willmott’s colourful “Rainbow over the Hamble” with the second most popular being Mary Gerard’s photograph of her daily lunchtime dessert “A balanced diet”.
Well done to Roger, Jacqui, James and Mary and thanks to all who participated.
John Chapman - Chairman
Club Meeting Report: November 2023
Yesterday evening (9th November) members were treated to a virtual tour of the attractive island of Madeira through the many and varied photographs of Roger Brown and John Taylor who had recently visited there on an expedition organised by Tom Lloyd. Many aspects of Madeira were illustrated and it was very clear why it is referred to as the “land of flowers”. Levada walks and the colourful fruit markets were among the features that appeared on screen along with the decorated doorways that are a particular feature of the island.
We also viewed photographs taken by members during the recent photoshoot in Dungeness together with photographs on the theme of "balance” and of course, Plus One.
John Chapman - Chairman
Photographs of the Month October 2023
Thank you to everyone who submitted photographs and also to those who voted for their favourites. The most popular photographs in the “Leading Lines" category were :- “Colonnade at Queen's House, Greenwich” by Mary Gerard and with the same number of votes “Iron bridge in Bratislava” by Graham Elliott.
Voted in second place were - jointly :- “In the hole” by Nick Farrer and with the same number of votes “Harbour Arm at Sunrise” by Ashley Judd.
PlusONE:- The most popular image was “Light and Shadows Under Hungerford Bridge” by John Taylor and the second favourite was “Forlorn” by James Willmott
Congratulations to Mary, Graham, Nick, Ashley, John and James and thanks to all who participated.
John Chapman - Chairman
Photoshoot: Dungeness
Thirteen members of the club enjoyed a morning of photography in the wild and windy wastes of Dungeness on Tuesday October 3rd. There was certainly a wealth of varied subject matter on offer - the 20th century power station, old boats, the unusual plants that grow in the shingle, the homes formed around 19th century railway carriages and the occasional train on the RH&DR. The visit concluded with lunch in the “End of the Line” cafe. Thanks to Stewart Weller for organising the event: a selection of photographs will be uploaded to the website on the 10th November.
John Chapman - Chairman
Club Meeting Report: October 2023
The club met yesterday evening (12th October) and enjoyed a fascinating presentation by Andrew Ashton on 'Street Photography' featuring the work of many specialists in this genre from the early days of photography to the present. The images showed every day scenes and reinforced the adage that what is mundane and commonplace today will become a valuable record of a way of life when it has gone forever and encourages us not to neglect what we see around us every day when taking pictures. I particularly enjoyed the East London street scenes of the 1950s with pretty well everything in the photos having been swept away in the subsequent years. Perhaps our “August in Hythe” book will, one day, be held up as a classic example of recording a bygone way of life? I am discussing with Andrew the possibility of a presentation one evening next year on the topic of a photographic record of the swinging 60s - watch this space for further details.
We also viewed members’ submissions on the theme of "Leading Lines”, on which topic there was a wide variety of approaches and PlusONE.
Thank you to Vicky for taking on the role of cashier in Trevor’s absence and to Jean for organising the refreshments.
The next theme is “Balance” and our next meeting will take place on Thursday 9th November when Roger and John will make a presentation about their visit to the beautiful island of Madeira.
John Chapman - Chairman
Photographs of the Month September 2023
Yes, it’s that time again! Thanks to the many of you who voted - I have counted the votes cast and the most popular photos this month are as follows :-
THEME - "Look Up”: The most popular photographs were Brian Webster’s lovely shot of the moon “Look up there” and Roger Brown’s innovative “Look up Amy and see how far we’ve come”
PlusONE: The favourites were Sarah Parish’s colourful “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade” and Nigel Tarry’s enigmatic “Poppy in Marrakech”.
Well done to Brian, Roger, Sarah and Nigel and thanks to everyone who submitted entries.
John Chapman - Chairman
Club Meeting Report: September 2023
The club met yesterday evening (14th September) when I made a presentation about the Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway. We all tend to take this transport system in miniature for granted, it having been in operation since 1927, but not everyone knows of its interesting history. It was built, in essence, as the “toy” of a millionaire railway enthusiast who wanted rather more than just a model railway in his spare room or garden. The railway has seen many ups and downs, including being requisitioned by the War Department during World War II and in the face of declining revenues, the need for much investment and rising costs in the late 1960s/early 1970s, almost being closed. Fortunately this unique railway has survived and today is a major player in the tourist industry of Southern England with around 150,000 passenger journeys made each year and an annual turnover of more than £1 million. The presentation consisted of a brief summary of the history of the railway and a virtual journey, in photographs, from Hythe to Dungeness featuring a variety of motive power and a variety of weather conditions.
We also viewed the photos submitted for the theme “Look Up” which featured, as one would expect, a number of photos of aircraft, birds and clouds but also interesting architectural shots of buildings that one rarely notices unless taking the opportunity to look upwards. Another interesting interpretation was pictures of people looking up information in reference books. The PlusONE submissions provided photographs of a characteristically eclectic mix of subjects.
John Chapman - Chairman
Photographs of the Month August 2023
Many thanks to those members who took part in the voting process and thanks, too. to everyone who submitted photographs. It was, as often is the case, very close and the results are :-
TAKE MY HAND
Most popular theme photo is Phil's “Migrant Crisis” a very poignant - and topical - shot of a mother leading her child to refuge across a beach. The runner up is Stewart’s canine portrait “Paws in Time”
PLUSONE
The most popular photo is David’s “Everyone Duck” portraying a herring gull about to steal someone’s lunch. The runner up is “A la Banksy” by Phil, an image, in the style of Banksy, of workmen working on his home.
Well done to Phil, David and Stewart and thank you to all who participated.
John Chapman - Chairman
Club Meeting Report: August 2023
The club held its regular monthly meeting yesterday evening (Thursday 10th August) and enjoyed a fascinating presentation by Paul Naylor, the Chairman of the The Hythe Civic Society, who spoke about the large photographic archive - of prints, digitised images plus glass and other negatives - held by the society. In particular, he gave us an insight into the work of an eminent and pioneering photographer Benjamin Horton, born in 1867 and a resident of Hythe. Not only did he take photographs but he designed cameras that were the early forerunners of modern devices and were totally different from the cumbersome glass plate equipment in general use at the time. We saw a number of images from the late nineteenth century taken by him in various locations including Blackburn and the USA but, primarily, in and around Hythe. It was interesting to see how the area has changed in the intervening 125 years and it was notable that the quality of many of the images - which were taken all those years ago and with pretty unsophisticated equipment - was quite remarkable. Paul did but scrape the surface of what is available and I plan to invite him back to make another presentation to us at a later date. Some of these photographs can be viewed on the Kent Photo Archive website (https://kentphotoarchive.org.uk/) and Hythe Civic Society website (https://www.hythecivicsociety.org/photo-archive)
We also viewed photographs taken by members during the two recent photoshoots at Samphire Hoe and on the Kent & East Sussex Railway, the submissions on the theme “Take my Hand" and PlusONE. It was interesting to note the various interpretations on the theme and unsurprising to note that a number or members had submitted pictures taken during wedding ceremonies. Please see the links below to view the project and photoshoot photographs.
Thanks to James, Phil and Jean for organising the refreshments.
John Chapman - Chairman
Photoshoot: Samphire Hoe
Yesterday (Tuesday 1st August) a group of club members visited Samphire Hoe for a photoshoot. This area was created from the spoil excavated during the construction of the Channel Tunnel and is now a very pleasant nature reserve where can be seen many wild flowers, including orchids and various species of sea birds and raptors against the backdrop of the white cliffs. We were joined by members of Tom Lloyd’s “Bonza” group and the “Out and Abouters”. Following the photography session, a number of us adjourned to the Cliff Top Café for lunch accompanied by a fine view across the Channel to France. Thanks to Stewart Weller for organising the event.
John Chapman - Chairman
Photoshoot: Rolvenden and Tenterden
This morning (20th July 2023) members enjoyed a photoshoot on the Kent & East Sussex heritage railway that runs from Tenterden to Bodiam. The party met on Rolvenden station adjacent to which is located the railway’s maintenance and repair depot for its fleet of steam and diesel locomotives and we were given “behind the scenes” access to photograph in the workshops and in the sidings outside. We saw the “Terrier” tank loco “Poplar” that has recently been refurbished to celebrate its 150th birthday, the large GWR tank loco number 4253 that is being rebuilt from scrap having been rescued from Barry scrapyard (in South Wales) where it had languished for more than 40 years after being withdrawn by British Railways in the 1960s, the 2-6-0 loco from Norway that is undergoing heavy repair and other locomotives in the fleet in various stages of repair. After that we adjourned to Tenterden Town station to take more photos and to enjoy refreshments in the cafe and some of the group took a trip on the train. Thanks are due to Stewart Weller for organising the event and to Heather and Liam, of the Kent & East Sussex Railway for giving us permission to visit the shed and the works. We were limited on numbers in our party and I know that some people were disappointed at not being able to join us - if there is sufficient demand (please liaise with Stewart Weller) I would be happy to organise another similar visit at a later date.
John Chapman - Chairman
Club Meeting Report: July 2023
Yesterday evening (Thursday, 13th July) we enjoyed a fascinating presentation by Andrew Ashton on the works of the renowned street artist Banksy whose works have appeared around the world. The works sometimes make hard-hitting social points on, for example, excessive consumerism or are simply amusing or intriguing. It was interesting to note just how prolific Banksy has been but it would appear that “Banksy” is not a single individual but a group of like-minded artists. Today Banksy’s works (if they survive being “tagged” or removed by local authorities, or stolen), fetch very high prices when they come to market - figures in excess of $10 million were mentioned - but Andrew made the point that those proceeds go to the owner of the art work - the owner of the premises on which the work has been created - and not to the artist.
We also saw a cross-section of the photographs taken during the recent photoshoot in Faversham and this month's submissions on the theme of “ball sports” and the PlusONE photographs. The theme generated interesting interpretations with a wide range of sports being featured including tennis, bowls, pelota, boules, cricket, soccer and rugby. Voting is now ‘open’ for you to choose your favourite ‘Photographs of the Month’ and votes should be cast by Sunday July 23rd.
Thanks to Roger and to James for their work in preparing the material for the meeting and to Jean and Phil for producing the refreshments.
The next theme is “Take my hand” which, I am sure, will produce some interesting interpretations.
The next photoshoot (for full club members) will take place at the Kent & East Sussex Heritage Railway.
John Chapman - Chairman
Photoshoot - Faversham and Faversham Creek, June 2023
The day started unpromisingly with thunder and torrential rain but fortunately, by 11 o’clock, it was a different world, albeit rather humid.. Six members, undaunted by the earlier deluge, attended, meeting in the Secret Garden cafe for a cup of coffee whereupon simple instructions for the visit were provided - basically, go out and take as many shots as you like. There is a wealth of subject matter available in and around the boatyard and Oare creek plus some fine Georgian architecture towards the town centre. After a couple of hours there was a good lunch to be enjoyed in the Secret Garden cafe before we set off for home. I’m sure there will be a great variety of photos to show and I would suggest that there is scope for another visit to this fascinating location at some time in the future.
A selection of photographs can be viewed by clicking on this link.
Stewart
Members' Favourite Photographs of the Month: June 2023
There was, once again, a super selection of images submitted this month and thanks to everyone who sent in their entries.
There were 66 photos relating to the topic of “Railings and Banisters” and 34 PlusONE photographs: 27 people voted.
As is usually the case, voting was pretty well “scattered” across the entries with some very close results. The most popular theme photos was :-
“Railing Tree” by Laurence Chilvers
with three joint runners up:-
“All at Sea” by Phil Heading
“Designer Banisters” by John Collins
“Railings on the top of the Leas Cliff Hall” by Ashley Judd
Two photos were voted in, jointly, as most popular PlusONE photograph :-
“Let’s Party” by Trevor Allnutt
“Lazy Sunday Morning” by Stewart Weller
Well done to Laurence, Phil, John, Ashley, Trevor and Stewart and thanks again to everyone who submitted photographs.
John Chapman - Chairman
Club Meeting Report: June 2023
Yesterday evening (8th June) the club met and we were delighted to welcome back Dirk Seyfried who took us on a virtual tour of Namibia showing us the vast open spaces, desert landscapes and vast sand dunes, some of the wildlife, including fantastic shots of desert lions and jackals and incredible night sky shots one of which included the passing space station. Namibia is, in total area, as large as the UK and France combined but with a population of only 2,500,000 so, as Dirk told us, one can travel for hundreds of miles on unsurfaced, dirt track highways without ever encountering another vehicle - a daunting prospect - and one of the photos showed, graphically, the sort of tyre damage that one can expect and why it is advisable to carry four spare tyres when travelling.
I am in the process of arranging with Dirk for him to visit us again, this time to make a presentation on Astro photography, later in the year.
After the break we reviewed the member's photographs taken during the Chatham Dockyard photoshoot and also enjoyed seeing the many and varied interpretations of this month’s project “banisters and railings” and the customary eclectic mix of subjects in the Plus One category. Voting is now ‘open’ for you to choose your favourite ‘Photographs of the Month’ and votes should be cast by Sunday June 18th.
John Chapman - Chairman
Members' Favourite Photographs of the Month: May 2023
“OMG. THAT WAS DIFFICULT”
So said one member when voting for the favourite Photographs of the Month. And so it proved with a wide range of images receiving votes, which is always a sign that the project attracted high quality images. But narrow favourites did emerge.
Project: Attracting the most votes were Roger’s “Miserable Old Bugger” and Stewart’s “Ineke”. Both very different interpretations of the “Portraits” theme, but both superbly executed. Running them close in the voting were Peter Brun (First Face of the Day) and John Taylor (Dean).
PlusONE: Phil’s “Light Waves” and Sarah’s “The Beach Huts” were well supported in the voting but failed to attract the one additional vote which would have made them favourites. This accolade was shared by John with “Miramar Beach Chapel, Porto" and Jean with “Stromboli at Twilight”. Two lovely landscapes deserving of the favourite title.
Well done to Roger, Stewart, John, and Jean on topping the poll, and thanks to all the members who submitted images of such high quality this month.
Phil Heading
Club Meeting Report: May 2023
We all enjoy travel, so it was appropriate that at the Club’s well attended meeting on Thursday, 11th May, Tom Lloyd ABIPP, ARPS, entertained the members with a very informative, enjoyable, and fully illustrated presentation on “Travel Photography”.
Tom posed the question “why take travel photographs”? To which the reply was to be able to invoke memories of visits to interesting places, by capturing the essence of the location, and thereby reliving enjoyable times. To do this requires some pre planning to understand what you might want to photograph and what equipment you will need to carry.
Tom encouraged use of observational skills to try and avoid the cliched images, but rather capture the “soul” of a place through images of the less obvious views, it’s people and its culture. The points were ably underlined by a series of sumptuous images from Tom’s travels.
The use of appropriate music to add to a ‘sense of place’ when preparing an A/V of travel photographs, was ably demonstrated by Tom.
TOM'S CHALLENGE: Members were encouraged to prepare a 10 minute A/V of their travel images, set to music, with the idea of showing some of them at a future club meeting. A/V’s are an excellent way of ensuring your best travel photographs are seen by others. So much better than leaving them to languish on a computer. Tom very generously offered to provide one-to-one tuition via Zoom, to members unsure of how to start the process of producing A/Vs. If you wish to take up his offer (and why wouldn’t you!) please contact him by email: tl515kp@icloud.com
Thank you Tom for another great presentation and your continuing support of the Club.
PROJECT REVIEW: The project for May was “Portraits” and members responded with a feast of high class images. It was noticeable how frequently the images were presented in B&W which seemed to add texture and mood to the photographs. The PlusONE photographs provided the usual mix of enjoyable subjects.
CURRENT PROJECT: The new subject is “Railings & Bannisters”. Plenty of scope there for our creative membership! Full club members should send two project images and single PlusONE by email to Roger at: project.hdpc@yahoo.com Closing date for submissions is Saturday, 3rd June. PLEASE NOTE: where possible the images should be resized to 1500 pixels on the longest side (after making a duplicate copy). If you wish to present your images with a border, you will have to apply it. Roger is only able to prepare the images as he receives them and will not alter them in any way.
NEXT MEETING: This will be held on Thursday, 8th June, when Dirk Seyfried will be making a presentation of that fascinating country “Namibia”. Spectacular images are guaranteed, so I look forward to seeing another full house on 8th June.
Thanks to Tom for his presentation, Roger for preparing the evening’s slides, Jean and the other helpers who undertook kitchen duties, the ‘man-on-the-door', Trevor, and the members who submitted the excellent images we all enjoyed.
Phil Heading
Phil Heading
Members' Favourite Photographs of the Month: April 2023
Yes folks, it’s that time again… pause for a roll on the drums:-
The most popular photograph of the month - the subject being ‘Food’, was “Cooking up a Feast” by Carol with a joint second most popular of:- “Bananas” by Tom and “Veggy Variety” by Trevor.
The most popular PlusONE photograph was “Synchronised Shovellers” by Peter.
Well done to Carol, Trevor, Tom and Peter and many thanks to everyone who contributed entries.
John Chapman - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: April 2023
In days gone by, before the advent of email, social media, the internet etc., etc., it was the norm for people to communicate by the written word and a popular alternative to the letter was the post card, especially for folk who were enjoying a holiday and wanted to tell their friends and family all about it. During the Great War soldiers on the front line were issued with picture postcards, often incorporating nostalgic messages of love and affection, to send to their families back home. A whole industry was developed of photographers taking pictures of every obscure corner of the country and vast numbers of postcards being printed, sold and posted. Latterly the collection of post cards has become a popular hobby and Stewart Weller has amassed a fine collection of cards depicting local scenes some dating back to the middle of the 19th century. On Thursday evening he took us on a fascinating journey, as seen through the eyes and lenses of those long-gone photographers, from Folkestone to Saltwood via Sandgate, Seabrook and Hythe. It was interesting to note that many scenes were instantly recognisable, having changed very little in the intervening years while other locations had been altered beyond recognition.
We also enjoyed a showing of the members’ photographs on the topic of “Food” which helped to sharpen the appetite for the issue of biscuits at half time and the customary eclectic selection of images in the ‘Plus One’ category. Thank you to everyone who contributed photographs.
John Chapman - Chairman
Members' Favourite Photographs of the Month: March 2023
Voting has now closed and I can announce that the most popular theme photo of the month was :=
“Canterbury B/W” by Ashley Judd
with joint runners up :-
“Folkestone Harbour” by Ashley Judd
“Stars over Lympne Castle" by Trevor Allnutt
The most popular Plus One photograph was :-
“Somerset Levels Murmuration” by Peter Savage
Well done Ashley, Trevor and Peter and many thanks to everyone who submitted entries and to those who voted.
The voting pattern is interesting in that votes are pretty evenly distributed across all entries which, perhaps, reflects the widely diverse tastes of the membership, with the most popular choices edging marginally ahead.
Peter Savage’s shot of the murmuration was noteworthy in that, with the 80% decline in the Starling population over the past few years, such gatherings are becoming increasingly rare.
John Chapman - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: March 2023
The March club meeting was held on the 9th when we enjoyed a very interesting presentation by Tom Lloyd. He provided a fascinating insight into his career as a professional photographer employed by the Army and latterly, by the police. He explained that the “PR” type of photography had not been entirely to his taste and he derived far more satisfaction from being involved with active operations, though that sometimes meant having to take photos of some very harrowing scenes and covert photography which he helped to pioneer with the police. In the Army he served through the Cold War and the “troubles” in Northern Ireland where the customary complexities of photography - getting the ISO, aperture, focus and speed correctly balanced - were further complicated by having bricks thrown at him by disaffected rioters or shot at by snipers. He mentioned that, on one occasion, there was some additional concern caused by the fact that his bodyguard had legged it away from a particularly tricky tactical situation leaving Tom on his own. He described the photographic equipment that he had used over the years and the move to digital photography and what a benefit it would have been to have had today’s technologically-advanced kit available back then and especially when he was working undercover. His request that we could have a whip round to help him purchase a £50,000 Hasselblad camera fell on deaf ears. He concluded by telling us about his more recent photographic activities including the Bonza tuition sessions and the 'Out and About’ group excursions.
The entries for the challenge, “Night Scenes”, produced some very interesting and attractive photos reflecting a varied approach to the subject and the “PlusONE” category generated a wide range of subject matter. These photographs can be viewed on the club website 'Project Galleries' where you can vote for their favourite 'Photographs of the Month' and please remember that you have two votes for the theme photos and one for the PlusONE category.
The evening concluded with a viewing of some of the photos taken by members during the recent photoshoot organised by Stewart in Canterbury and these can be viewed on the 'Photoshoot Galleries'.
The theme for March is “Food”.
Finally, very many thanks to Trevor and to Roger for sorting out all of the various IT issues that ensured that the meeting went according to plan and finished on time.
John Chapman - Chairman
Canterbury Photoshoot February 2023
On February 21st a group of club stalwarts met in Canterbury to take part in a photoshoot organised by Stewart. It was a grey and rather gloomy day but there was a very wide range of subject matter available from medieval architecture, to colourful street scenes, glimpses of the river winding through the city and riverside gardens. Various coffee shops were visited and one member took advantage of it being Shrove Tuesday to sample a selection of pancakes. A selection of the photographs are now in the 'Photoshoot Galleries'.
The next photoshoot will be open to full members and will take place at Walmer Castle on Friday 24th March.
John Chapman - Club Chairman
Members' Favourite Photographs of the Month: February 2023
The votes have been cast and counted and the most popular photo of the month, on the theme of “Illumination”,was Peter Brun’s excellent picture "Bus times by Torch Light” (I wonder if the bus was on time) with Trevor Allnutt’s imaginative “Plastic Fantastic” a close runner up. The most popular Plus One photo was that submitted by Ken Sinyard entitled “Bored” depicting a drummer patiently waiting to get into action with Ashley Judd’s “Morning Light” a close second.
There was a significant scatter of votes across the board reflecting the wide range of members’ tastes in photography so thank you to everyone who contributed and well done to those selected.
John Chapman - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: February 2023
This evening (9th February) a large turn out of members (and new members) enjoyed a highly illustrated talk by our own James Willmott ‘Norway - Land of Trolls, Fjords & Green Light’. As well as providing an overview about Norway, its people, culture and industry, it included an audio/visual slideshow of photographs, taken on dSLR, bridge and iPhone cameras, during two voyages that he and Sandra undertook to Norway, one inside the Arctic Circle. The photographs, including a number of the spectacular, but elusive, Northern Lights were accompanied by some very useful tips on the most effective way of obtaining good results in such an unforgiving environment. He also explained the differences between ‘fisheye’ and ‘anamorphic’ wide angle lenses, which also included a demonstration of software editing techniques to remove the distortion created by fisheye lenses. He also explained how he came ashore from a cruise ship in Dover wearing his pyjama trousers and not his jeans! Members also made voluntary donations to the Pilgrims Hospice, a charity he and Sandra support.
If you missed the meeting or would like to enjoy some of the photographs again they can be viewed at the following link: http://jalbum.net/a/1998016
After the break, a large selection of members’ photographs on the theme of 'Illumination' provided a very wide range of approaches to the subject and the ‘PlusONE' category was the customary eclectic mix of different styles, subject matter and interpretation. These can be viewed on the 'project galleries' page and if you would like to vote for your favourite photographs please follow the link on the gallery page.
The topic for February is “Night Scenes” with plenty of opportunities before the clocks are put forward.
The next event on the calendar will be the photoshoot to be held in Canterbury on Tuesday 21st February.
The next club meeting will be held on Thursday March 9th when Tom Lloyd will make a presentation entitled “The Road to Better Photography” which promises to be both interesting and informative, reflecting Tom’s extensive experience and knowledge.
I would like to express my thanks to Trevor for consolidating all the project entries and I am greatly indebted to James for stepping into the breach at the last minute and ensuring that everything was ready for the evening and ran smoothly. Thanks also to Shirley and Rose for preparing and serving the refreshments.
If you would like to become involved with these club activities please enquire via the ‘contact us’ page on the website.
John Chapman - Chairman
Members' Favourite Photographs of the Month: January 2023
The votes have all been cast and I can report that the results are as follows:-
Project (Headwear) - the runner up is Shirleys’ photograph of Frank, the dog, refusing to don his party hat, with two photographs being voted as ‘favourite’:- Johns’ photograph of Jacob (of Clockwork Orange) and Chris’ picture of a dog who was willing to wear his hat.
PlusONE - Joint runners up were Ashleys’ colourful shot of the sun setting over St Mary’s Bay and Phils’ canine portrait “Noble Head with the most popular being Sandras’ action shot of a gull in flight with the sun shining through the wings.
Congratulations to Shirley, John T, Chris, Ashley, Phil and Sandra and thanks to all those who contributed photographs and cast their votes.
John Chapman - Club Chairman
Portraiture. Workshop: January 2023
A group of 14 full members met in Burton Hall, Hythe to enjoy a workshop, led by Tom, on how to take portrait photographs using ambient and available light. It had been identified, in responses to the recent club questionnaire, that the time available for workshops that are incorporated into the monthly meetings was not long enough to gain a reasonable insight into some aspects of photography and the idea of holding separate sessions, of up to three hours in length, would enable members to get to grips with a variety of photographic topics. It was a most interesting workshop with a mix of expert tuition from Tom and the opportunity to practise techniques by taking photos of each other utilising the light available in the hall. This was the first of the proposed series of workshops and the club is indebted to Tom for sharing his not inconsiderable expertise and knowledge, to Stewart who organised the event, to Trevor who supplied the refreshments and to the 1st Hythe Scout Troop for the loan of their hall. All agreed that this, our first such event, was highly successful and we look forward to workshops on other subjects in the future - see the following page for further details.
John Chapman - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: January 2023
The club meeting, held on the 12th January, was the first of 2023 and was the club's 'Annual General Meeting'. Phil Heading presented his report on the previous year's activities and highlighted a very successful year during which the club has thrived and we have been able to take part in several local community events thereby successfully promoting our club - Phil’s Annual Report and supporting slides shown during the evening, can be viewed on the club website.
A number of committee members have stood down and a new committee was proposed and voted in unanimously, the members being:-
John Chapman - Chairman
Trevor Allnutt - Treasurer
Shirley Johnson, Vicky Norton, Roger Brown & Graham Elliott
plus (non-committee) support from:- Adam Williams, Tom Lloyd & Stewart Weller
As a token of gratitude on behalf of the club and in recognition of a great deal of service over many years gifts were presented to:- Phil Heading, James Willmott, Anne Willmott & Stewart Weller
Following the formal part of the proceedings members enjoyed an illustrated talk by Phil about his recent visit to Venice with super images of some well known Venetian scenes together with shots of some less familiar locations. I am sure that, for those like me who have never been to Venice, it whetted the appetite and acted as a strong incentive to visit the city that we have seen through the paintings of Canaletto.
After the break - and many thanks to Shirley and Rose for organising the refreshments - we viewed the members' photos relating to the theme of “Headwear” and many and varied were the types of head coverings that appeared, followed by the customary eclectic mix of subjects in the PlusONE category. The project entries can be viewed on the club website where there is a link to vote for your favourite ‘Photographs of the Month’.
The list of forthcoming monthly projects appears on the ‘Programme and Projects’ page.
We are in the process of putting together a full programme of events for the year and the first will take place on Thursday 19th January when Tom Lloyd will provide a workshop on ‘Portrait Photography’ to be held at the Burton Hall, Hythe. Details have been emailed to full members.
I would like to place on record my personal thanks - and I’m sure that all club members would concur - to Phil for his four years as chairman. The club has not just survived the upheaval of the pandemic but has actually thrived and come out in fine fettle which is a significant achievement and one to be proud of. Thanks are due too to those behind the scenes and especially to James for his professional and highly efficient technical support.
I look forward to seeing everyone at the next meeting which will take place at 7 pm on Thursday February 9th when James will make an illustrated presentation on Norway, the Land of Trolls, Fjords & Green Lights.
John Chapman - Chairman
Club Meeting Report: December 2022
Thursday, 8th December marked the last meeting of the year and, as has become the tradition, we reviewed a large selection of images submitted by members throughout 2022. We were delighted to welcome The Right Worshipful Mayor of Hythe, Councillor Jim Martin, and the Lady Mayoress. Jim has been instrumental in involving the club in many community events this year and has supported the club financially through the Mayor’s Project Fund. His presence was much appreciated. We also welcomed Dudley Shipton (and Judith) from Hythe Dementia Awareness Forum, the charity who will be benefit from the funds raised at the meeting. Hythe Ted was also present in the form of his creator, John Sinclaire-Thomas. John has proved a staunch friend of the club and always responds positively to requests for help with publicity for the club.
The review was presented by Tom Lloyd who as always provided a very entertaining A/V of 90 photographs from the members which he had whittled down from over 1500 images submitted during the year. Tom emphasised that the selection was made on the basis of including photographs that had made an impact on him, and that impact could be because of colour, composition, technical competence or subject matter. Also included were a selection of some of the images taken by members at the various community events the club supported during the year.
Tom shortlisted 6 images for his “final cut” of his favourite images of the year, from which emerged, after a tension building pause, his choice of ‘Photograph of the Year’; that accolade deservedly going to Carol Drew for “Dodging the Waves”.
I am grateful to Tom for all the hard work and expertise he put into the 2022 Image Review. It is no small task to review 1500 images and condense the choice to manageable proportions and produce an A/V. It was great fun and enjoyed by everyone, so thank you for putting it all together, Tom, and giving us the chance to reflect on so many outstanding images produced by members during the year.
After the formal part of the evening was over, we all enjoyed some mulled wine and a selection of snacks. It was good to have some time to socialise. I am grateful to the Willmott family for providing the glühwein and to Rose, Shirley and Jade for organising, so ably, the eats, no small task, especially at this time of the year.
The committee has planned a number of workshops and photoshoots for full members for 2023 and the first workshop is scheduled for 19th January at Burton Hall and is an afternoon session on “Portraiture”. The session, hosted by Tom Lloyd, will be practical and will give members a chance to learn, and put into practice, new skills. No previous experience of portraiture photography is required. Just bring whatever photo device you have and if you have a tripod and flash, bring them as well. The charge on the door is only £5 which is a ‘steal’ given you will receive excellent tuition and the services of a portraiture model. Further details will be sent via email. We hope this new initiative will be well supported.
The next club meeting is scheduled for Thursday 12th January and will include the AGM, a presentation "Four Thirds to Venice: Travels with my Olympus” and a review of the “Headwear” project. Let’s get 2023 off to a good start with as many members as possible joining the meeting.
Meanwhile I send my thanks to you all for your support of the club during 2022, and my very best wishes for a Happy Christmas and a healthy and prosperous New Year.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Members' Favourite Photographs of the Month: November 2022
The voting has closed and the results are to hand. We changed the voting arrangements this month and one member said “Thanks. Two votes! So much better”. And so it proved, with a clear favourite project image emerging.
Whilst Trevor’s “Autumn Chinese Lanterns” and Carol’s “In the Woods” were equal second favourites, it was Chris’ “Ladies Walk Bridge” that topped the poll by a margin of three votes. The image certainly reflected, literally, the theme of Autumn Colours capturing a familiar scene on a lovely autumn day. The composition including the reflections in the water, provided a very appealing photograph.
The PlusONE category was a much more fiercely fought battle. One member said “ Really needs 4 votes this time for the excellent PlusONES”. Reflecting the difficulty of picking one favourite was borne out in the outcome. There were three equal second favourites (Carol, Rose, David G) and no less than four equal favourites! The margin between first and second favourites being just 1 vote!
So take a bow Anabela “Lionel Admiring the Sunset”, Ashley “Harbour Arm at Dawn”, Peter C, “Guards Visit to High St.”, and Peter H “Great Spotted Woodpecker”. Four very different subjects but all having great appeal. They really do exemplify the breadth of talent amongst the members.
Thank you to all who voted and well done to all the members who featured in the favourites.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: November 2022
The meeting held on Thursday (10th November ) proved to be hugely enjoyable. A full house of members and guests ensured a lively meeting with good humour and lots of fun!
It kicked off with an outstanding presentation by local professional photographer, Dirk Seyfried, on the subject of ‘Exploring Photography From the Air’: and what a thrilling flight it proved to be. Dirk recounted the history of aerial photograph when the first attempts were made from balloons in the 1850’s and he showed the first recorded aerial photograph taken over Boston in 1860. Dirk explained how warfare had accelerated the development of this form of photography when the usefulness of capturing images of enemy positions improved strategic planning. Even pigeons, with miniature cameras strapped to their chests, were used to provide invaluable intelligence during the first world war. The rapid developments that followed have led to drones being used by the military not only to gather intelligence but also to deliver armaments to the enemy.
Dirk then showed some of the mesmerising images he has taken locally with his drones and they provided an entirely different perspective to scenes which are familiar to us. Many had a beautiful abstract quality, and Dirk admitted that since taking up drone photography, his view of photography had changed with an understanding of what drones can offer. The beautiful images, and explanation of the mechanics of flying drones, ensured we had a fascinating insight into a different photographic world. You can see more of Dirk’s outstanding work and subscribe to his newsletter by following this link:
https://dirkseyfriedphotography.com
From the 23rd November to at least the 6th December, Dirk will have a pop-up shop on the Old High Street, Folkestone, just across from Folkelore. Please take this opportunity to pop in and say hello.
The review of members photographs was of the project ‘Autumn Colours’ and a mouthwatering selection was on display. Some stunning images had been submitted which really showcased nature’s ability to provide a glorious background to life in Autumn. The PlusONE category where "anything goes” had a high percentage of wildlife images which was a bit of a paradox as members have often said this is the genre of photography they find most challenging. But as always there was an enjoyable selection too savour.
With the quality of images being seen regularly now, members have said they are finding it increasingly difficult to select just one favourite project image each month. So in a change of process everyone can now vote for TWO favourites from the set project. The PlusONE section remains at one vote.
The December meeting is a chance to review the images from the whole year, and once again our presenter will be Tom Lloyd, who will offer his own unique and informed view of member’s efforts during 2022. That will be fun, I promise! After that we can get into the spirit of Christmas with some eats and drinks, in the company of some “VIP” guests who have helped and supported the club during the year.
Amongst the Club Announcements made at the meeting was a provisional list of workshops and photoshoots that are being planned for 2023.
My thanks to Dirk, for a great presentation, Graham, James and Trevor for their hard work in preparing the meeting slides, and John and Jean for their hard work in the kitchen which ensured we had refreshments during the break.
I look forward to another full house at the next meeting on Thursday,8th December.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Members' Favourite Photographs of the Month: October 2022
Voting for the favourite Photographs of the Month has now closed and the votes are counted. Over 30 votes were received this month which is a welcome upward trend and demonstrates that this element of the club’s activities is still popular. Voting doesn’t get any easier though as the standards of submissions each month remains high. As one member said; “Where do I begin?”. Interestingly, both the favourites in each category garnered 7 votes which took them clear of the field.
In the ‘Wildlife' project voting, Trevor’s beautiful ‘Humming Bird Hawk Moth’ was second favourite, but favourite was Brian’s ‘Migrant Hawker 1’. This is a very pleasing image where the beauty of the insect is enhanced by the uncluttered background. A moments reflection makes one realise what an extremely accomplished image this is. The erratic movement of these insects and the small size should mitigate against any chance of capturing a sharp image of them in flight. But Brian has pulled it off in a way that shows all the intricate detail of the dragonfly whilst still imparting a sense of movement with the blurring of the wing tips. Well done Brian: a technical tour de force.
In the PlusONE section, two beautifully rendered landscapes were joint second favourites; Ashley’s ‘Royal Military Canal at Sunset’ and Tom’s ‘Waterfall, Old Mill, Cumbria’. But it was a monochrome street image which found most favour this month, with Phil’s 'Venetian Veteran’ topping the poll. This was a ‘grab shot’ taken at a canal side bistro in Venice and to remain unobtrusive the photographer used the camera at waist level and relied on the flip out LCD screen to compose and focus. Not the most reliable method to get a sharp image! But it does capture an interesting character with his take on the elixir of life; a cigar and glass of wine!
Thank you to all the members who voted this month, and of course, everyone who submitted images to the club, and made voting so difficult.
I am sure the standards will be maintained with the current project, “Autumn Colours”which will be reviewed at the next club meeting on Thursday, 10th November.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: October 2022
A very enjoyable meeting on Thursday (13th October) started with a presentation by Len Howell on “Cinque Ports”. Len provided an interesting delve into the history of the Association which was in existence centuries before the first official charter in the 13th Century. Members learned about the privileges of the ports, the main one, bizarrely, being the organising of the Yarmouth Herring Fair which in medieval times provided a major source of revenue. In return, the ports were obliged to provide to the crown a navy in times of war, and channel transport to the monarch. The Cinque ports mustered 57 boats in total and the last recorded call on the Cinque Ports fleet was 1558, after which the crown developed its own fleet of fighting ships.
The ports had their own speaker from 1337, long before the role of speaker of the House of Commons was established. This ceremonial role still exists and passes every 7 years to the mayors of the ports and Hythe witnessed Speakership Day two weeks ago when club members recorded the event for Hythe Town Council.
https://hythedistrictphotographicclub.jimdo.com/cinque-ports-speaker-day-2022/
The tradition of the Cinque Port barons attending coronations was explained by Len and whilst their role has diminished over time, there will still be a presence at the next May’s coronation of King Charles III.
Len provided a very professional and fascinating history of this ancient Association and I’m sure all the members learned something new about the Cinque Ports.
The project under review at the meeting was “Wildlife” which is one of the more challenging photographic subjects. Members managed to provide a wide variety of wildlife images from insects, birds and large mammals. The PlusONE images revealed a similar variety with an eclectic mix of landscapes and portraits from around the world, and the downright weird (thanks, Kate!). All the images have been uploaded to the website so you may now review these and vote for your favourite images of the month. Unfortunately, a technical glitch meant that Peter Brun’s three submissions were missing from the projected images at the meeting. They are however, included in the gallery page so do look out for them when you review all the member’s photographs.
The next project for members is “Autumn Colours” which by a masterstroke of planning coincides with the time of year when the trees provide a riot of colour, so there should be no shortage of opportunities.
Meanwhile, thank you to all the members for your continuing support of the club, and to Trevor and James for their tireless work in preparing images for the meeting. Also, plaudits and thanks to Rose and Shirley who once again, without being asked, took on kitchen duties to ensure we all had refreshments during the break: much appreciated!
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Members' Favourite Photographs of the Month: September 2022
Thank you to all who voted this month, where once again choosing a favourite was difficult as so many excellent images were submitted by members. “I’ll swear this gets harder every month” said one member.
However this month two clear favourites emerged. For the project ‘Water’, Peter’s charming “Add Water and Smile” was popular, but it was eclipsed by Carol’s “Waves”. Perhaps the appeal of this was best summed up by a member who said, “Wow! What a stunning image, and wonderment at how it was achieved”. It is an excellent example of thinking outside the box, for the image involves no water at all, but beautifully represents a breaking wave. Carol explained at the last meeting that it is an image of a paperweight, and all credit to her for seeing the possibilities in that object and creating such a stunning image.
The PlusONE voting also resulted in a clear favourite, although Tom’s “Steps” ran Graham’s “Fly Past” close. The image of these two iconic aircraft captured the imagination of over a third of the voters. These magnificent aircraft have a special place in the British psyche, and Graham has captured their unmistakable profile with technical prowess which has ensured the all important propeller blur is in evidence.
Well done to Carol and Graham for topping the poll and for wowing us with two outstanding images.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: September 2022
Shortly before the meeting started we heard the sad news of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. As a mark of respect the members observed a few moments of silence as we all reflected on a remarkable life of service to our nation, where her grace, wisdom and steadfast resolution provided a reassuring presence for us all through the past 70 turbulent years. We will not see her like again.
It was perhaps appropriate that the presentation at the meeting was on ‘Wildlife Photography in South Africa’ given the late Queen’s husband’s passion for, and work in, protecting wildlife and her, role as Head of the Commonwealth. The Chairman presented a wide selection of wildlife photographs taken during the years he spent living in South Africa, which presented the opportunity to travel widely to the game parks. Images from Addo Elephant Park, The Kruger National Park, The Etosha Game Park in Northern Namibia, the Pilansberg Reserve and finally the private reserves in the Kruger at Sabi Sands, bore witness to the astonishing variety of wildlife for visitors to enjoy and photograph.
Whilst land based wildlife was the predominate theme, the presentation also showed that South Africa’s marine wildlife also was capable of providing indelible memories with Southern Right Whales featuring heavily along with Dolphins and Great White Sharks. The presentation showed what any keen photographer can achieve as a regular tourist, without having special access or privileges. Hopefully the images underlined why South Africa is often referred to as “A world in one country”. Hopefully the presentation will give added inspiration for this months project which is ‘wildlife’.
Before undertaking the regular review of members images, Stewart provided a brief presentation of photographs taken by members during the events of the Hythe Venetian Fête, all of which have now been passed onto the Fête organising committee, who voted for their favourite from all those submitted. Tom Lloyd won the accolade, and a fine bottle of bubbles, for his image of a paddle boarder. All the photographs can be viewed at ‘https://hythedistrictphotographicclub.jimdo.com/hythe-venetian-fete-2022/’
Graham Elliott was also pleased to announce that one of his photographs had won a competition at the recent Folkestone Airshow with a photograph of a Chinook helicopter.
The project under review was ‘Water’ and members excelled themselves with some wonderfully creative and technically excellent images. Sorting a favourite will be tricky again this month, as will the selection of the favourite ‘PlusONE’ image, where the selection ran from fireworks, nature to landscapes, with lots of stops in between!
As always, to be able to run these meetings I am indebted to Trevor and James who do all the hard work in preparing the images and slides for us to enjoy. Thank you for all you do. Thanks also to Shirley, Jade, Anne, and Rose who manned the kitchen so that we could all enjoy refreshments at half time. Your help, as always, is much appreciated.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Members' Favourite Photographs of the Month: August 2022
The vote is closed and the members have spoken!
Project: Whilst David's “A Taste of Summer” captured the project theme, “Spirit of Summer” so well, it was pipped at the post by Shirley’s “Making a Splash”. One member wrote “Such a happy project this month. My choice was based on the exuberance and spontaneity of the group of girls splashing into the sea”. That comment sums up the appeal of the image, which so well matched the theme and proved so popular with members.
PlusONE: No clear favourite this month with no less than three images garnering the same number of votes. David’s “Man versus Machine” is a really unusual photograph, as the subject matter is somewhat unexpected. John T’s “Pano Beach Huts” is a well crafted and vibrant image and a different take on a familiar scene. Finally Chris’ “Honey Bee on Blackberry Blossom” continues the club members fascination with bees, and beautifully captures a taste of summer.
Well done to Shirley, David, John, and Chris for topping the poll with your excellent entries. Thanks to all the members who submitted images for the August review, and for those members who voted.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: August 2022
The meeting on Thursday, 8th August was held on a sweltering evening, but a good number of members braved the elements and ensured we had a very enjoyable evening.
Proceedings opened with a workshop on “Portrait Lighting” given by Tom Lloyd who once again entertained us all with a practical demonstration of the techniques involved in lighting the subject of the portrait. Stewart was coerced into the role of model, which meant the session was concerned with capturing character, not glamour! (Thank you Stewart for making yourself available). Tom demonstrated a range of techniques involving flash directed into a reflective umbrella, and continuous LED lighting, and showed how moving the light source produced different effects.
Tom pointed out that none of the equipment used was expensive or particularly sophisticated, and most of his was acquired through Amazon. When using flash the camera was used in aperture priority mode with autofocus, preferably set on the eye of the subject. Depth of field was determined by the choice of aperture. The ideal focal length for portraiture was somewhere in the range of 50mm-135mm with 85mm being probably the ideal. These focal lengths are for a full frame camera.
The images were taken at the meeting, two were using flash and one with continuous LED lighting and these give an idea of the effects that can be achieved. All in all it was a popular session and it was felt that a future workshop should be set up at a meeting next year when members can take photographs in a “studio” setting. Tom has kindly agreed to provide the lighting and expertise. Watch this space! Thank you Tom for your enthusiastic support of the club and for regularly sharing your expertise with the members.
The Project, ‘Spirit of Summer' was well supported and members had obviously been out and about in the glorious summer weather and really had captured how this year’s summer has felt. Lots of beach, sea and ice-cream images! The PlusONE section provided a wide variety of photographs to entertain the members.
For full/student members, the August project is “Water” which is somewhat ironic when we are about to enter a period of drought! But that will test your creative abilities to the full. They will be reviewed at our meeting on 8th September which will open with an image rich presentation on “Wildlife Photography in South Africa”. Hopefully the weather by then won’t be Southern African and more akin to what we are used to!
My thanks to Rose, Shirley and John for their sterling work in the kitchen and to Trevor and James for preparing the images for projection. As always your help is much appreciated and too often overlooked.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Members' Favourite Photographs of the Month: July 2022
The voting has closed and the July results are in.
Project “Action Shots”: The wide range of images this month was reflected in the voting pattern with only three photographs attracting multiple votes. In the end it was a two horse race with Tom’s “Is it Supposed to do That?” coming a close second to the overall favourite, Kate’s “Bubble Action”. This is a real fun image which perfectly captures the theme of ‘Action' whilst also providing a slightly surreal element which takes the viewer right to the heart of the action. Well seen and well captured. Well done Kate.
PlusONE: Whilst Peter H’s “Portrait of an Elderly Lady” and Graham’s “Summer” scrapped over second spot with equal votes, it was Brian’s “Greenbottle Fly” which swept the board by a huge margin. One member said “…stunningly sharp image - looks like burnished metal”. Indeed! The image displays an astonishing level of detail and given the difficulty of working with a narrow depth of field with macro images, Brian has judged that perfectly. A technical masterpiece and no surprise it was voted favourite by so many.
So the next challenge for Full/Student members is the “Spirit of Summer” project and the entries will be reviewed at our next club meeting on 11th August.
Thank you to everyone who voted and I look forward to seeing you all then.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: July 2022
The meeting on Thursday, 14th July proved to be a very enjoyable evening with a good attendance of members, and I’m pleased to say, three visitors and one new member.
We were entertained with a presentation by Nigel Scutt, who describes himself as a Marine Researcher, and who runs the 'Dover Strait Shipping - Fotoflite' facebook page. The presentation “Life in the Lanes - Forty Years of Marine Photography” provided a feast of photographs of the shipping that passes through the Straits of Dover. Nigel’s interest was ignited, when as a young boy in 1971 he remembers the explosion that followed the collision of the Texaco Caribbean and the Paracas off Folkestone, where the blast was sufficient to cause minor damage to buildings on land.
His subsequent involvement with Fotoflite, which had taken over the aerial photography business of Skyfoto, meant that he was able to fly the channel and take photographs of all the weird and wonderful vessels which pass our shores. The warships were particularly impressive and the images of a US Navy aircraft carrier taken from a small boat really did emphasise how huge these vessels are. The Dover Strait Shipping-Fotoflite operation now has an archive of over one million marine images, going back as far as 1947. Their Facebook page is well worth a look and is a valuable resource when trying to identify that weird shape on the horizon. https://www.facebook.com/doverstraitshipping/ Thank you Nigel for a very interesting presentation and the comments from members on the club Facebook page shows how much it was appreciated.
The review of members photographs also proved entertaining with plenty of good humour. The project “Action Shots” produced a wide range of excellent images, including motorsports, wildlife and water-sports There were plenty of creative images where slow shutter speeds had enhanced the effect of movement. The PlusONE images on show took us from sumptuous landscapes to insect macro shots. The meeting concluded with a review of photographs by Stewart, Peter and James showing different types of post-processing and editing.
The new project is ‘Spirit of Summer’ and opportunities should abound given the current weather forecasts. The images will be reviewed at our next meeting scheduled for Thursday, 11th August. That meeting will open with a workshop run by Tom Lloyd ARPS ABIPP entitled “Back to Basics - Portrait Lighting”. As always with Tom, it will be a fun evening with lots of learning.
The club announcements made last night contained details of a large number of upcoming events, some of which the club has committed to in order to support the Hythe Town Council. I will collate the slides detailing all these events and email them to members in the next couple of days.
My thanks again to Trevor and James for all the work they did to prepare the images for Thursday’s meeting. They carry a heavy burden to make things run so smoothly. Thanks also to Stewart who took over Trevor’s duties as cashier/ bouncer on the door.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Members' Favourite Photographs of the Month: June 2022
The votes are in and one member succinctly summed up this month’s voting with “OMG .So, so difficult!”
After the review of images at the last meeting I predicted that the voting would be close. Oh boy! Was it close! So many images received votes that the result was in doubt right up to the last minute in the project “Street” category.
In a break from tradition, I will show the full voting pattern. In third favourite spot were 13 images each attracting one vote, Second favourites, with two votes each, were Chris (“Rain on the Windscreen, Prince’s Parade) and Carol (“May I Take Your Photo?”). But with three votes each, three equal favourites emerged, from Carol, Graham, and Roger.
Carol’s “The Kiss” is one of those images you can stare at for hours. So many elements come together to make it very special, including the colour and markings of the lady’s clothes replicating the background. And the repetition of the red theme in the sunglasses and belt on the man. The great composition and fascinating Banksy style background, result in a wonderfully powerful image. It put me in mind of the iconic “Kiss by the Hotel de Ville” by Robert Doisneau taken in 1950. But that was staged and Carol’s wasn’t!
Graham captured the essence of Street photography with “Saxophonist”. Monochrome suits the genre so well, and this image provides a delightful slice of life with the street musician foremost, but the young couple enjoying a selfie moment in the background. Well spotted and captured, Graham.
Roger can always be relied upon to think outside the box. His “The Streets of Hythe” yet further testimony to his creative and technical skills. It’s another “I wish I knew how he did that” / “I wish I had thought of that” image.
Thankfully for me, the PlusONE vote was more clear cut. Second favourite was Trevor’s technically superb, and beautifully lit, “Pond Iris”. But the favourite by quite a margin was Peter’s “I Slightly Over Cooked It”.This is action photography at its best with flying rider, bike and mud all adding to the impact. The phrase “right time, right place” comes to mind but you still have to have the technical nous and reactions to capture the moment, as Peter has done here.
So a vintage month of high class images from the members who excelled themselves this month. So well done to Carol, Graham, Roger and Peter for emerging as favourites in a very strong field.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: June 2022
The club met on Thursday 9th June, for an enjoyable and full programme.
The meeting began with a poignant tribute to the club’s founder, Eddie Manly, who sadly passed away in late April. James had expertly prepared an A/V of images that Eddie had submitted to the club since its inception, which highlighted what a talented photographer, and dear friend, the club had lost. At their request, a copy of the tribute will be made available to Eddie’s family.
The club had previously enjoyed a maritime themed presentation from National Coastwatch Institution’s Peter Legg and he was invited back to present “Unfinished Voyages”. This provided a captivating and at times, chilling, look at some of the less well-known maritime disasters both in wartime and peacetime. With fascinating detail supported by newsreel footage and photographs, allied to some of the personal stories of those caught up in the disasters, it was an unsettling reminder of what can go wrong at sea, either because of accident or incompetence.
The second part of the evening was taken up with the review of member’s images submitted for the “Street” project and the PlusONE. It was a very rewarding session as there were some superb photographs on show where members had really embraced the ‘Street’ project with a range of creative and high quality photographs. And as always the PlusONE section took us around the world and back to Hythe and included travel, nature, wildlife and action shots. The standard of member’s images seems to increase each month, but you don’t need to take my word for that, just click on the 'Project Galleries' link below to see for yourselves.
Finally my thanks to John, Shirley, Anne, Rose and others who helped with kitchen duties, and a big thank you to Trevor and James who as always work throughout the month slaving over hot computers to enable us all to enjoy our meetings.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Members' Favourite Photographs of the Month: May 2022
“I had six favourites in each category!!! So difficult to choose”
This comment from a member summed up the difficulties of finding a favourite amongst all the excellent submissions for the ‘Frames’ project and the PlusONE this time. But the vote has ended and the outcome is to hand.
Voting for the project was widespread with many images getting at least a single vote. But in the end two images emerged at the head of the field and once again we have equal favourites. These were Peter’s “Antony Gormley” and Roger’s “Rebecca”. Whilst the subject matter of Peter’s image is seen regularly, the side view, and low camera angle he has selected, sets the image apart from the usual view. It captures the project theme perfectly. Roger’s creativity knows no bounds. He regularly produces images which stop you in your tracks and pose the question “How did he do that?” And so it is with the delightful and clever “Rebecca”. Two very worthy favourites.
The PlusONE produced a clear favourite. Whilst Ashley and Sandra ran the favourite close, top spot went to Peter’s “Common Bluet, Male, Damselfly”. The diagonals of the two main elements add interest but the star is the damselfly in all its intricate detail. These shots are never easy to capture but this one has nailed it and is a reminder of the beauty of nature that is all around us if we look.
Well done to all three and thanks to everyone for submitting a mouthwatering selection of images this month.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: May 2022
There was another good turnout of members and visitors at the club meeting on the 12th May where we had the pleasure of welcoming Mark Brooks, a well-known local photographer (and paddleboarder), to give an illustrated talk about ‘My Journey Through Photography’ and what a JOURNEY it was. The talk started with some family history, the family growing up and ‘capturing that moment’, through to his days with digital cameras, waterproof cameras and, more recently, drone photography. Being a keen paddleboarder Mark explained that he also has opportunities to photograph ‘marine’ locations from his board that other photographers can’t get too. What was so helpful is that Mark not only showed many stunning photographs he explained the meticulous planning that went into many of them, the location, the equipment used, exposure details, post-processing information and hints for improvements. Mark gave a never- ending list of ‘Things he had learnt on his Journey’ and these are just some of them: photograph whatever interests you, capture and keep significant events, control the camera exposure, buy good quality lenses (glass), fill the frame, try not to run before you can walk, the best way to understand is by doing, the best way to remember is to practise repeatedly, keep going back to places/subjects you know, try to do things differently each time, always look for new challenges, try to get it right in-camera, never go anywhere without a camera... Mark’s presentation was longer than usual but as he had put so much work in creating this for the club we felt it would be of interest to everyone to learn from the ‘guru’ photographer.
Remember: A moment in time is caught for ever!
Mark’s presentation material is available to full/student members to relive a most enjoyable journey and to motivate members into finding new ways of improving their photography.
Mark’s main website is: https://gurushots.com/marke.brooks/photos
Our honorary club member John Sinclaire-Thomas (aka Hythe Ted) kindly produced a poster for the event which he promoted via social media. Since the meeting he has already produced some ‘back-up’ cartoons which you can see on his Facebook page and as he left the meeting he commented that he had taken lots of notes for future social media posts: https://www.facebook.com/tedofhythe/
The second part of the evening was the project review ‘Frames’ and PlusONE and again there were a high number of entries, for quite a difficult project, spanning many different forms of ‘framing the subject’, from frames provided by nature, manmade constructions, creativity and post-processing. Photographs included: nature, wildlife, landscapes, frames within frames, sport, travel, people, opportunistic situations, art etc. Members had an opportunity to comment on their ‘frame’ entries but the PlusONE was just a short review with comments only for ‘edited’ entries. The entries included: macro, wildlife, humorous, land/seascapes, news, long exposure and many more. I would like to thank everyone for sending such a great selection of photographs this month.
Finally I would like to thank everyone for attending the meeting, Shirley & Rose for providing refreshments and Stewart for door keeping.
The next club meeting is Thursday, 9th June at 7:00pm where our guest speaker is Peter Legg from the National Coastwatch Institution with his talk ‘Unfinished Voyages’.
James Willmott
It is with great sadness that I have to tell you that our Club’s founder, Eddie Manly passed away last Saturday, 23rd April 2022.
As many of our long standing members will know, Eddie, on his own initiative, started the club as Saltwood Camera Club in 2011, as a community initiative, and then worked tirelessly as chairman to establish the club on a firm foundation before taking a well earned rest from admin duties and passing on the chairman’s baton in 2019.
He oversaw the transition of the club from Saltwood to Hythe, both in the name change and meeting venue and managed the move to our current meeting venue at the Hythe Sports Pavilion.
Eddie had a lifelong passion for photography and this shone through in all he did. Even after giving up day to day running of the club, he remained an enthusiastic and active member with regular submissions of excellent photographs, and frequent attendance at photoshoots.
It cannot have been easy for Eddie to hand over the running of the Club to a relatively new member, but I am indebted to him for his wise counsel, and for the patient and kind manner in which he mentored me and ensured his legacy remained safe. A private conversation with Eddie inevitably turned to photography, at the end of which I was always better informed, and glad to have had the chance to spend time with him.
Hythe District Photographic Club exists because of Eddie’s vision and hard work. The club owes him a great debt of gratitude for setting the template for the club which we all now enjoy. He will be greatly missed, and I know all the members will join me in offering our sincere condolences to his family, and assurance that we will treasure his memory by ensuring the club continues to thrive.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
(Messages can be sent via the 'Contact Us' page)
Members' Favourite Photographs of the Month: April 2022
The project “Still Life” proved to be challenging as this style of photography requires a different skill set to many others. It demands, patience, mastery of technique, and creativity, which probably accounts for why I don’t figure in the results!!
Despite the demands of the challenge, members provided a wide range of excellent images. “Most difficult project to vote for, to date. The standard has been incredibly high”, said one member. So as usual the outcome was close run with no less than four images receiving equal votes for second favourite. These were submissions from Ken, (“Sea Life”) Laura, (“Birthday Flowers and Sunshine”) Chris, (“Becky and Chris”) and John (“Shadows”).
Emerging as joint favourites, by one vote, were Carol’s “In the Potting Shed” and Ken’s “Dried Plants”. Carol’s image perfectly captures the theme. Beautifully lit with natural light from the window, the colourful flowers are a stark contrast to the atmospheric, dark background. The image reeks of spider’s webs and dust. Ken has given much creative thought to his image with carefully arranged subject matter, artfully set against a skyscape, through some post process wizardry. Well done to both for two excellent Still Life images.
The PlusONE favourite was much more clear cut, although there were two equal second favourites, Graham’s (“Feeling Sheepish”), and Lindsey’s (“Fading”). But to complete a very successful month for this member, the clear favourite was Carol’s “Dodging the Waves”. One member said “...it captured the rush of the sea and the excitement of a stormy day”. It certainly did, as the timing is perfect as it conveys the power of the wave and each individual’s reaction and emotion. The monochrome treatment just adds to the drama.
Thanks to everyone who contributed photographs for the project and PlusONE and to all who voted. And again, well done to those who topped the poll.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
To view all Photographs of the Month click here
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: April 2022
Another successful meeting of the club was held in the Hythe Sports Pavilion.
Barry Duffield, a professional photographer and trustee of the Battle of Britain Memorial at Capel-le-Ferne made a most interesting illustrated presentation about the battle itself and the history of the memorial. The highlight for me was the evocative photograph of a Spitfire and a Hurricane flying, in formation, above the memorial with the young airman looking wistfully towards the English Channel.
The project, ‘Still Life’ was very well supported by members despite several members having stated that they had found it quite a difficult subject. In spite of this, there were some very interesting and varied interpretations of the theme. The PlusONE review, as always, showed a wide range of styles, subject matter and locations.
James presented a number of photographs showing club members enjoying the photoshoot held at Kearsney Parks on March 22nd: other photos taken by members can be viewed on the club website. Thanks are due to Shirley for organising the event and for ensuring that the weather was fine.
The next project is “Frames” and James showed a number of photos that illustrated varied approaches to this theme.
Thanks again to Barry for his excellent presentation and to James and Trevor for preparing all the images for review: to the catering team who manned the kitchen so that we could all enjoy refreshments and finally to everyone who submitted images for the meeting and those who attended. I look forward to seeing you all again on 12th May.
John Chapman, Vice-Chairman
Members' Favourite Photographs of the Month: March 2022
A lot of votes were cast this month, but that didn’t help with a clear outcome! As a reflection of the number of quality images received this month, no clear favourite emerged in either the project “Symmetry” nor the “PlusONE”. In fact there were three voted favourites in each section!
The project votes went equally to James, “St Paul’s Church Sandgate”, Brian, “Symmetry in Art” and John, “Folkestone Beach Huts”. It must be said that there were some fairly liberal interpretations of “Symmetry” submitted this month, but pleasing to note that the three favourites met the brief perfectly. Not only did the three members ‘see’ the possibilities with these images, they also composed them expertly to highlight the symmetry.
The PlusONE honours were shared between, Lisa, “At the End of the Day”, David, “Mid-Morning Snack”, and Stewart, “The Morning News”. Impressively, Lisa’s submission was her first to the club, and its charm was perfectly summarised by one members’s comment; “The photo of a recovering gentleman was a shot taken with love by his daughter. The emotional impact of a photo makes it greater than perhaps its technical aspects”. David’s image of the monkeys also has charm as the furious concentration on their faces is so evident. One member commented on Stewart’s image; “The Morning News captures this man perfectly and monochrome makes it a timeless image”. Three very different images but all worthy of “favourite” status.
Well done to all six members for topping the poll, and thanks to everyone who voted even if you couldn’t come up with a clear favourite!
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: March 2022
There was a good turnout of members (and new members) at the March regular monthly meeting, held in the Hythe Sports Pavilion. Unfortunately, James and Anne were unable to make their scheduled presentation on smartphone photography and the club is indebted to two members who stepped in to fill that slot.
Peter Savage presented a very colourful and imaginative audio-visual piece set to the splendid music of Pink Floyd which covered a wide range of subject matter from an equally wide range of locations.
Shirley Johnson then demonstrated the use of light rings and a light tent when undertaking still life photography. This had stemmed from questions raised by members relating to her popular “cotton reel” entry in the previous month’s challenge.
Thank you to both Peter and Shirley for putting together such excellent presentations at short notice and thanks, too, to James for providing full technical back up despite having, more or less, lost his voice. We plan to re-schedule smartphone presentation for August.
The project, ‘Symmetry’ was very well supported by members where a great deal of ingenuity had evidently been employed. The PlusONE review, as always, showed a wide range of styles, subject matter and locations.
The next project is “Still Life”.
Thanks again to Peter and Shirley for their excellent presentations and to James and Trevor for preparing all the images for review: to Rose, Jean, Stewart and James who manned the kitchen so that we could all enjoy refreshments and finally to everyone who submitted images for the meeting and those who attended.
The club is planning a number of photoshoots and photo opportunities and details will be emailed to full/student members. If you would like to become a full member, please go to the ‘Contact Us’ page on the club website.
I look forward to seeing you all again on 14th April when there will be a presentation by Barry Duffield about the Battle of Britain museum at Capel-le-Ferne.
John Chapman, Vice-Chairman
Members' Favourite Photographs of the Month: February 2022
“It’s a shame we only have one vote on each projects there are so many GREAT photos” said one member. There were indeed many great images to vote for and inevitably the outcome was extremely close. 22 entries in the project received at least one vote, and no less than 5 photographs were voted equal second favourites, and these were only 1 vote behind the joint favourites which were: Sandra’s “Herne Bay Pier” which is a very atmospheric and almost delicate view of the structure in the mist, and sharing the honours was Lindsey’s “Rockpool Dawn”. The image is a great interpretation of the project theme and captures the moment when the sunrise starts to take over from the “blue hour”.
The PlusONE was equally closely fought with 15 images receiving at least one vote. Again there was a two way tie for favourite. Receiving equal votes were Chris with “Hythe Beach” and Sarah with “Beach Huts”. One member perfectly captured the appeal of Chris’s image by saying “Brilliantly captured the character of Becky from this angle”. It is indeed the low angle which gives the image so much impact. Sarah’s image has all the hallmarks of a great composition with repetition and leading lines taking the eye through the picture to the blue door at the end, all topped off with a riot of colour.
The observant amongst you will note that this was a clean sweep for the ladies this month. Well done to the four of you, and time the chaps raised their game!
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: February 2022
It was great to see so many members and potential new members attend the meeting held on 10th February at the Hythe Sports Pavilion. Close to 40 people enjoyed a lively and educational evening.
The meeting opened with a workshop on ‘Back to Basics – Composition’ given by club member Tom Lloyd ARPS. The rules of composition were discussed with a detailed explanation of the Fibonacci Golden Ratio with examples of its application. With further examples of the rule of thirds, the use of leading lines, and symmetry, Tom covered all the basic ‘rules’ which would enhance a photograph. However, Tom emphasised that rules were there to be broken and ultimately it is the photographer’s intuitive judgement which will decide the final composition. But for beginners and experts alike, time taken to consider composition will pay dividends when viewing the final image.
Thank you Tom, for again giving up your time to present to the club and help us improve our skills.
The project, ‘Shades of Blue’ was very well supported by members where considerable ingenuity was on display with many of the creative images that were seen. The PlusONE review again showed a wide range of styles and subject matter and the whole review generated plenty of comment and suggestions for enhancing the photographs.
At the close of the meeting, member, Mark Brophy outlined details of a new initiative “Out of Cinque” which will give members the opportunity to showcase their photographs taken locally.
The next meeting will open with another workshop entitled ‘Smartphone Photography - How to Get the Best from your Device’. Presented by Anne and James Willmott it will be invaluable in realising just how capable these devices have now become, and how these capabilities can produce stunning images. Not to be missed!
Thanks again to Tom for his excellent presentation, James and Trevor for preparing all the images for review, the members who manned the kitchen so we could all have refreshments, and finally to everyone who submitted images for the meeting and attended what I hope was an enjoyable session.
I look forward to seeing you all again on 10th March.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: January 2022 - AGM and Project Review
The club’s AGM took place on the second Thursday of the month via Zoom but encouragingly well over half the membership 'tuned in' for the meeting. After the formal part of the evening the members enjoyed a lively and interactive review of the latest submissions for the project and PlusONE.
As is traditional, the AGM began with a report from the Chairman, which highlighted what an exciting year 2021 had been for the club. Despite all the turmoil caused by the pandemic we were able to enjoy a full and varied programme throughout the year, increase membership to a record 50, and produce a book of members photographs which was received to universal acclaim in the town, sold out within 4 weeks and raised £1,000 for two local charities. Not a bad way to celebrate the club’s 10th Anniversary!
No club can operate without the work of a dedicated committee and the Chairman paid tribute to the work put in by John, Kate, Stewart, Anne, Trevor and James. They met all the challenges that the pandemic and ‘August in Hythe' book project threw at them. James, as always carried the heaviest burden as the ‘go to tech guru' and his unstinting support and hard work throughout the year was hugely appreciated.
The full, illustrated report is available to read at the following link . It provides a reminder of a successful year made possible by the enthusiastic support of the members, without whom the club would be unable to add new, and exciting, chapters to its story. The link will also enable you to see a recording of the AGM segment of the meeting.
The review of the latest project "Parks/ Gardens/ Woods" was a reminder of how much photographic talent resides in the club. There were some stunning images on display which demonstrated how much beauty is on our doorstep in Hythe. The PlusONE section delivered a cornucopia of creativity to enjoy. All the images generated valuable learning on technique and locations, and it was encouraging that everyone felt relaxed and confident enough to contribute to a very enjoyable session.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: December 2021 - Annual Review
£1000 RAISED FOR CHARITY!
Yes, there was much to celebrate at Thursday's (9th December.) Annual Review meeting. With an excellent attendance from members and V.I.Ps we were able to celebrate a great year for the Club and the Club’s 10th Anniversary.
This year’s Annual Review of photographs submitted by members was presented by Tom Lloyd ARPS and what an inspired choice of presenter he proved to be! Tom opened the evening with a fabulous A/V he had produced which included at least one image from every member who had submitted project or PlusONE images during 2021. Set to music and with additional soundtracks to accompany many of the individual photographs, it provided 22 minutes of pure enjoyment and was a great advert for the skill and creativity of club members and Tom’s ingenuity in pulling it all together.
The “August in Hythe” project reached its conclusion with all copies of the book sold, the loan provided by the Rotary Club of Hythe (to pay for the printing) repaid in full, and £1000 raised for our chosen charities. With the help of the Mayor of Hythe, Naomi Slade, we presented cheques to Dudley Shipton of Hythe Dementia Awareness Forum, and Louise Newman of the Pilgrims Hospices. The Chairman was able to publicly thank Hemanshu Patel, John Sinclaire-Thomas (Hythe TED) and all those in the club who had brought the project to a successful outcome. We were then entertained by a short A/V of the ‘fun and enjoyment’ the members had during the project.
The 'August in Hythe' online gallery can be viewed here.
In part 2 of Tom’s review he concentrated on a few of the photographs submitted this year and demonstrated how, with careful examination of the image, small adjustments can materially enhance the end product. It was a powerful demonstration of the benefits of being critical and objective about ones own photographs. Tom concluded his presentation with his choice of ‘Photograph of the Year’, ‘Highly Commended’ and ‘Commended’ selections (see below).
Tom put hours of work into preparing his Annual Review presentation as a result of which we were all able to enjoy a wonderfully entertaining and educational session. One V.I.P from last night has already said they are going to join the club next year, so inspired had he been by Tom’s presentation and the friendliness of the members. Thank you Tom for a splendid session: we are very fortunate that we have you in the club, and that you willingly give up your time and use your vast experience and skill to help us all improve.
If you would like to be inspired by Tom's photography please visit his website:
https://tomlloyd.photodeck.com
So after a great meeting at the end of a tumultuous year for the club it was entirely appropriate we closed the formal meeting and tucked into the party eats and mulled wine to celebrate the Club’s 10th Anniversary. It was great to be able to have time to socialise with fellow members after all the restrictions we had endured during 2021. Grateful thanks to James, Sandra, Anne and Jade for organising all the catering and for donating the Glühwein and German festive treats. The debt of gratitude we owe the Willmott family continues to grow!
I look forward to seeing you at our next Club meeting on 13th January, and in the meantime send my very best wishes to you all for the festive season and New Year, and grateful thanks for your great support for the Club during 2021.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: November 2021 - Movement
The Club held its November meeting on Thursday,11th and very enjoyable it proved to be.
Club member, Stewart took us on “A Postcard Journey from Folkestone to Hythe” using postcards from the 1850s up to the 1960s to show how the area has changed over that time. The images, and Stewart’s intimate local knowledge, ensured the members were treated to a fascinating look at how life was and the changes that have been wrought upon the area over the last 100 years. The towns strong military links were much in evidence as were the links to the railways. From images of where Alice Keppel, mistress to Edward VII, holidayed, and where Jimmy Hendrix stayed, a century of history flashed by to the evident enjoyment of the members who joined in the fun of recognising old photographs of buildings and locations.Thank you Stewart for a great presentation.
The review of the October project, “Movement” and the PlusONE photographs highlighted the creative talents of the members. The project images in particular showed much experimentation with slow shutter speeds and in the PlusONE category monochrome images were much in evidence. It is pleasing to note that that the number of submissions received this month was the second highest in the Club’s history, eclipsed only by the submissions for the recent “August in Hythe” special project. A healthy trend which I hope continues. There were some wonderful images displayed at the meeting, all of which have been uploaded to the website gallery and are available for you to review and to vote for your favourite Photograph of the Month in each section.
The new project is “Parks/ Gardens/ Woodland”. Full/ student members may submit two photographs on this theme and one PlusONE image. They will be reviewed at our meeting on 13th January 2022.
Our next Club meeting is Thursday 9th December which starts slightly earlier at 6.45 pm. This will be the always popular Annual Review of a selection of images submitted by members throughout 2021. Our reviewer will be Tom Lloyd ARPS, whose experience and skill will provide an excellent way to learn new techniques, and to gain insight into how our images can be improved. I can guarantee an entertaining session. After Tom we will have a party! We, as a Club, have much to celebrate. Not only is 2021 the 10th anniversary of its founding, it marks a record number of members, and growth during a pandemic which has so adversely affected all aspects of our lives. On top of that we have produced our first book to universal acclaim, which has raised the Club’s profile and raised a lot of money for two local charities. All good reasons to party, so I hope as many of you as possible join us on 9th December.
I look forward to seeing you then.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Book Launch - 'AUGUST IN HYTHE'
A message from the Mayor of Hythe:
Aw, thank you for your kind words. The thanks goes to yourselves and everyone in your photography group though, you have all worked so hard on this project, the least I could do was to offer my support on this exciting venture. Huge congratulations to you all on selling so many books already and I look forward to hearing the total monies raised for your charities.
You're all amazing, thank you for all you do.
Kindest Regards, Naomi
We had a successful launch of ‘August in Hythe’ on Saturday 16th October at the Town Hall in Hythe. Thanks to all the members who supported the project, the launch event and Naomi (the Mayor of Hythe) who kindly attended and signed a copy of the book, along with all the photographer’s signatures, which is destined for the town museum. The club sold 45 copies on the day, and one retail outlet had sold all their 10 copies by lunchtime! A further 74 copies were sold to club members, most being for Christmas presents. A number of outlets in Hythe and Saltwood (see poster) still have copies available. Profits from the book sales will be shared equally between Pilgrims Hospices and Hythe Dementia Awareness Forum.
In addition to the book there is an online exhibition of all the photographs.
Phil Heading, Chairman.
Photographs courtesy of Hemanshu Patel, Hythe Life Magazine and club sponsor.
Poster drawing courtesy of John Sinclaire-Thomas (Hythe TED)
Club Meeting Report: October 2021 - Wheels
The Club held it’s second face-to-face meeting of the year on Thursday 14th October and once again it was good to get together again and enjoy each other’s company. An excellent attendance ensured a lively and enjoyable evening.
Proceedings opened with an excellent A/V presentation of the member’s photographs which comprise the 'August in Hythe' book that the Club has produced. It was great to see the images on the big screen and emphasised how successful the members had been in capturing the people and spirit of Hythe in August 2021. There followed another short A/V which was an irreverent look at some of the members as they went about the task of producing photographs for the book. Entitled 'Fun,Fun,Fun' it proved to be just that.
James took us through some of the stats relating to production of the book. 37 members contributed to the 200 photographs, James received /sent 720 emails in August alone relating to the book, and produced 11 version before sending the artwork for printing. It was a huge effort from everyone, but James deserves all the plaudits for his unstinting efforts. Thanks to him, the committee, and the members we have an important historical record of Hythe in August 2021, of which the Club should be proud.
The book will be launched on Saturday 16th October at the Town Hall Undercroft between 11.00am and 3.00pm. The Mayor will join us so do come along and join the effort to promote the book to the public. The Mayor has asked each contributing club member to sign the book which is destined for the Town’s museum. If you haven’t already signed, this will be a further opportunity, and a chance to collect your pre-ordered copies.
The second part of the meeting enabled us to review members photographs submitted for the project ‘Wheels’ and the PlusONE entries. As always we saw a varied selection of excellent and creative images.
The new project is "Movement" and full/ student members may submit two images for this theme and one PlusONE image of any subject. Closing date for submissions is Sunday, 7th November.
I look forward to seeing you to review these images at our next meeting on 11th November.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: September 2021 - August in Hythe
After 18 months of virtual meetings it was great to be able to meet up again at the Hythe Sports Pavilion last night (9th September) and get back to normal. A good turnout of members ensured a lively and enjoyable meeting which started with a presentation by Russ Miles on “Life of the Hare”.
Russ had successfully presented to the club on a previous occasion, but last night exceeded our expectations with a stunning show of his wildlife images which captured the day-to-day life of hares. The presentation was full of interesting facts and warnings about the decline in numbers of these delightful animals, and the photographs were breathtaking with great wildlife photographic skills combining with artistry to produce some indelible memories. To produce pictures of this quality requires enormous skill and patience and we are grateful to Russ for so ably sharing with us his experiences and skill.
The project under review was “August in Hythe” and comprised some of the members photographs which will feature in the forthcoming book. Members have shown wholehearted support for this project and this was evidenced by the images on show. They really did capture Hythe and its people returning to a post lockdown world. The PlusONE entries also reflected that theme.
The chairman was pleased to report on progress with the “August in Hythe” book. Content, layout and proof reading are all now completed and hopefully it will go off for printing early next week, with the first print run due for distribution and sale by the beginning of October. Interest in the project from within the town has been overwhelmingly positive and it seems likely the initial print run of 250 books will sell out quickly. A second print run is already being planned.
There are a number of promotional activities planned for the book and these were outlined at the meeting. I am certain the book will be a great success thanks to the support of the club members who have embraced the project, the club’s committee for all the planning, Diana, proof reader 'extraordinaire', and most of all James who has put in a prodigious amount of work to turn the concept into reality. Quite simply, the book would not exist but for the time and technical skill he has invested in this project.
Finally, my thanks for the members who attended our first post lockdown meeting. It was great to see everyone again!
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
As I collect the votes each month I am always intrigued by the voting patterns and seeing what triggers a response to a particular image. It is such a subjective judgement, and whilst some votes are clearly based on an appreciation of technical and compositional skills, others are influenced by the emotional reaction evoked by the image, be it humour, nostalgia or appreciation of natural beauty. As an example, in this month’s PlusONE there were 30 images, of which 15 received at least one vote. Different strokes, for different folks!
This month, in an unprecedented outcome, one member emerged top of the poll in both the project and the PlusONE category. Take a bow, Chris! ‘Never to Old to be Childish’ was the voted favourite ‘Signage’ image, although it was a close run thing with Rosemary and Jacqui hot on her heels. It is a worthy favourite, being amusing and warm hearted.
'Back to the Fuchsia' emerged as the favourite PlusONE combining a clever title with a delightful, natural close up image which won a lot of member’s hearts. Nature featured strongly in the voting with Peter’s image, ‘Poppy Seed Head’ a close runner up.
Well done Chris for dominating the voting this month.
Club Meeting Report: August 2021 - Signage
Thanks to the hard work of James and Trevor, members were able to enjoy the review of 90 images during last night’s (12th August) Virtual Club meeting. We were delighted to welcome four new members to the Club and we look forward to Elaine, Mark, Laura and Andrew joining in our activities over the coming months.
The project images reviewed related to the theme of 'Signage' and the submissions, as always, showed a wide range of interesting and amusing interpretations. The PlusONE category was also well supported with an eclectic mix of subjects, although bees, flowers, and macro style work were popular. All the images have been uploaded to the website gallery so voting for your favourite Photograph of the Month can commence. Closing date for votes is Sunday 22nd August.
The August project, 'August in Hythe' is creating a lot of interest in the town, and a lot of enthusiasm amongst the members. The project, which will see the Club publish a book of some 200 member’s photographs of the people and activities in Hythe, is on schedule, and it is planned to be available for sale at the beginning of October. There are a wide range of events taking place within Hythe during the month.
We have made the decision to return to face-to-face meetings in September as we have not met together since March 2020 and I think we would all welcome the opportunity to get back to normal. The meeting is scheduled for 6.45 pm on Thursday, 9th September. Our guest presenter will be Russ Miles who will be giving an illustrated talk entitled 'Life of the Hare. Those of us who enjoyed Russ’s previous presentation on Seals, will know that his images are superb and we should be in for an inspiring and enjoyable evening.
Thanks to all the members who joined the August virtual meeting and for providing an excellent range of photographs to enjoy.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
AUGUST IN HYTHE (through the eyes of our members)
The Hythe District Photographic Club celebrates it’s 10th Anniversary in 2021 and wishes to mark the occasion by honouring the Cinque Port Town of Hythe and it’s people. So a project has been initiated to capture the people and activities of Hythe over a period of one month, through the medium of photography.
Hythe has a rich and interesting history dating back over hundreds of years. With it’s extensive coastline and promenade, bustling High Street, Royal Military Canal and Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway, it has a unique charm. The town’s name originates from the Old English word ‘Hithe’, meaning ‘Haven’, and today this still holds true, as it provides a delightful place to live and work, and a warm welcome to visitors.
As with all communities, Hythe has had to endure the havoc wreaked by the coronavirus global pandemic, but the challenges that Covid-19 presented were met with customary stoicism by it’s people. That is why the Club chose August 2021 as the month to undertake this project. August should mark the time when Hythe and it’s people can begin the long road back to normality and we wanted to capture the start of this unique journey.
The Hythe District Photographic Club believe that “a photograph stops a memory from fading away”. The plan is to produce a book and hold an online exhibition with possibly as many as 200 photographs. It is hoped that this book will not only give pleasure now, but will provide an important historical record, so that future generations can look back at how Hythe and it’s community looked in 2021, and how they coped with, and overcame the challenges presented by the pandemic.
Publication of this book represented a major challenge for our small Club and I would wish to acknowledge and thank the following for their help in making it possible.
The Rotary Club of Hythe
Hemanshu Patel / Hythe Life Magazine
Members of Hythe District Photographic Club, for taking and donating the photographs.
Any profits from the book will be given to two charities;
Pilgrims Hospices of East Kent
Hythe Dementia Awareness Forum.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Member's Photographs of the Month: July 2021
"….it’s been one of the most difficult projects so far to choose a favourite. They are all so good."
This comment from a member summed up the voting for both the Project and the PlusONE this month. As the voting deadline approached no less than three images were in equal top spot in both categories! I was envisaging that I would be writing a very long results report as I would have to review six photographs. Fortunately for me (and you!), the last vote received last night, resolved the issue and established a clear favourite in each category.
PROJECT "Beginning with the Letter S":
Deborah’s ‘Singapore Trees’, Ashley’s ‘Snowballs Anyone’ and Trevor’s ‘Snakes Head Fritilaria' were neck and neck until that final vote came in which resulted in Deborah taking top spot. This is such a striking image with a very futuristic look. The composition allows the eye to follow the overhead pathway through the image taking in the extraordinary colours. I don’t know how the rendition was achieved but the result speaks for itself.
PlusONE:
The three in contention were the submissions form Shirley, Trevor and Kate. Shirley had been threatened with the Club Chairmanship if she was voted favourite for the third month running, so will be relieved to know that the final vote nudged ‘Goldfinch Collecting Nest Material' by Trevor, to the top of the poll. We are accustomed to seeing Trevor produce high quality bird images, and this is no exception. He has captured this colourful bird with his usual technical expertise and produced a delightful, crisp and well composed image.
Well done to Deborah and Trevor for emerging as favourites, and thank you to all the members who contributed images for us to review. One member hinted that the letter ’S’ provided too many possible subjects and said ‘…maybe next time start with the letter X’. Better start getting the xylophones out of the loft!
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: July 2021 - Starting with the Letter 'S'
The Club held its monthly review meeting last night (July 8th) where a good attendance of members enjoyed a busy and lively meeting when the monthly project and PlusONE images were scrutinised and discussed.
The project theme was “Beginning With The Letter S” which resulted in a wide variety of interpretations, some of which bordered on the tenuous! One surprise was the member’s predilection for photographing snails and slugs, both of which featured strongly. Amongst the submissions were some very creative images where patience and good technique resulted in some very arresting photographs. As always with the PlusONE we were treated to a range of subjects from flowers, cityscapes, landscapes and wildlife, all of which reflected the wide interests of the members.
All the images from the meeting have been uploaded to the Club’s website so are available for you to review and vote for your favourite "Photograph of the Month". A link to the gallery and to the voting page appears below. You may also cast your vote for your favourites by email to me. The last date for voting is Sunday 18th July.
The Chairman was able to outline plans for the special project that the Club is planning for August. This exciting project is entitled “August in Hythe 2021” and has been designed to allow members to capture life in the town during the whole of that month. The intention is to record people and activities in Hythe as we emerge from lockdown so that the town has a permanent record of life returning to some sort of normal. There are a wide range of events scheduled in Hythe during the month and the Club has been able to gain special access to one of the concerts that will be promoted shortly. We will be liaising with other organisations in Hythe to promote this initiative as well as producing an online book showcasing the images taken during the month. This project is open to all full/student members.
As always, I am indebted to James and Trevor for preparing the images we enjoyed at the review meeting and for the wholehearted support of the members who submitted the photographs and joined in the discussion.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Photo Opportunity 4th July 2021 - Lydden Hill
Lydden Hill is a great venue for motorsport photography where an absence of safety fencing allows unrestricted and close viewing of the racing. The Historic race meetings provide a wealth of interesting and nostalgic subjects for those of a certain age! It is a good opportunity to practice panning skills where the use of a slowish shutter speed (some as low as 1/40th sec) should allow for a sharp race car but a blurred background, thereby imparting an impression of speed.
Weather conditions were quite damp to start with, making the track quite slippery, but improved throughout the day. This was an informal photo opportunity and not an organised photoshoot.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Photoshoot 24th June 2021
Romney Marsh Visitor Centre and Nature Reserve
After such a long period when formal Club Photoshoots had to be put on hold, because of the pandemic, it was great to be able to organise a ‘get together’ at this venue. Whilst the weather did it’s best to ‘rain (literally) on our parade’, 13 hardy members turned out to try and make the best of the dismal light and explore the 11 hectares of the reserve looking for interesting subjects. Whilst it was too cold and wet to encourage dragonflies out of hiding there were still lots of flowers and greenery to provide photo opportunities. Most of all, it was good to meet up again after so long. The excellent coffee and cake available at the Centre was an added bonus. Thanks to Rosemary for initiating this opportunity and to the Centre for opening early for us and making us all so welcome.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/nature-reserves/romney-marsh-visitor-centre-and-nature-reserve
Club Meeting Guest Speaker - June 2021
The Club held a Zoom presentation meeting last night (24th June) when Suffolk based professional photographer, Justin Minns, presented a highly illustrated talk on 'Interesting Stuff '
Justin started from the premise that "If you want to be a better photographer, stand in front of more interesting stuff". Whilst that might raise the thought that one needs to travel to exotic locations to find 'interesting stuff', Justin quickly exploded that myth with some mesmerising images taken in East Anglia, with some of the scenery reminiscent of our own Kentish coastline. As always the use of light and texture lifted Justin’s images above the ordinary, but technique featured strongly where slow shutter speeds and ICM (Intentional Camera Movement) turned the most unpromising and mundane scenes into something special.
Exotic locations were present as we taken from Yosemite, through the Rockies to Saudi Arabia via Iceland, Slovakia and Madeira. Again and again, the value of getting up early to find favourable light, was evident in the spectacular images that were presented. All in all, an inspiring and very enjoyable presentation on what is possible when with care, good technique and patience, the "stars align" and the mundane become memorable.
If you wish to see more of Justin’s work or purchase signed copies of his book, 'Photographing East Anglia', go his website at; https://www.justinminns.co.uk/books/photographing-east-anglia
Fired with enthusiasm after the evening’s presentation 13 Club members met up the next morning for our first formal photoshoot since the pandemic started. We met at the Romney Marsh Visitor Centre and Nature Reserve, where, despite dismal weather, we spent an enjoyable couple of hours exploring the reserve. Images from the morning will appear on the Club website as a separate gallery soon. Thanks to all those who turned out, on what proved a less than perfect day for photography.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
A sentiment echoed by many as they voted for their favourite project and PlusONE photograph this month. The ‘Monochrome’ project proved popular and one member commented; “A great project that basically opened my eyes to new possibilities.”
Such was the range and quality of the project entries, no less than seventeen images received at least one vote, resulting in a very close outcome. Three images emerged as second favourites: Andy’s 'Dungeness Station. All Aboard', Graham’s 'Tuscan Field and Tree', and Rosemary’s 'Early Morning Chichester'. But by 1 vote two photographs emerged as joint favourites. They could not be more different interpretations of the theme. Andy’s 'Look Into My Eyes' is a beautiful dog portrait where the viewer’s attention is drawn irresistibly to the doleful eyes of the pooch. One member described it as 'soft, tranquil, and beautifully observed'. By contrast, Ken’s 'The Explorer’s Endless Quest' is a technical tour de force. Bitingly sharp, with beautifully rendered range of tones, it captures the original sculptor’s skill perfectly.
For the PlusONE category four images tied as second favourite. Andy (again!) with 'The Warren', Ken (again!) with'Misty Morning on the Canal', James’s 'Grub's Up', and Ashley’s 'Harbour at Dawn'. But out in front by a clear margin, and proving last month’s success was no fluke, was new member Shirley’s 'Hands Up to Wash Up'. Well observed, well composed and executed it is a colourful and humorous photograph which clearly resonated with a lot of voters. So Shirley has already demonstrated expertise with pet and rubber glove photography! What’s next I wonder?
Well done to those who topped the poll, and thanks to everyone for submitting such a range of enjoyable images this month.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: June 2021 - Monochrome
Last night (10th June) the Club held its monthly review meeting via Zoom. A high attendance resulted in an enjoyable and lively meeting as we reviewed the photographs submitted by members for the project “Monochrome” and the usual PlusONE category.
Whilst there were initial fears that “Monochrome” might become too one dimensional, these proved groundless as members rose to the challenge with an array of interesting images, which explored not just black & white photography but also monochrome in the broader sense. It was pleasing that individual images evoked plenty of discussion about technique and composition as the purpose of the reviews is to learn and improve, and the comments and suggestions made last night certainly provided plenty of constructive help. The excellent images, and the broad range of PlusONE photographs highlighted how much talent is in the Club.
The new project is ‘Beginning With The Letter S’ which should give plenty of scope for thinking outside the box.
Thanks to all the members who participated in the June review meeting and as always to James and Trevor for making it possible. For this that were unable to attend a recording of the meeting will be available.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Member's Photographs of the Month - May 2021
“Ridiculously Difficult Choice”
That was the Chairman’s comment when he voted for this month's favourite photograph from the ‘Clouds/Storms’ project and the PlusONE entries. The comment reflects the quality of the submissions which made choosing favourites a tough, but pleasurable task. But with a record number of votes ensured that favourites did indeed emerge.
The 'Clouds/Storms’ project favourite was Peter's 'Sudden Rainstorm'. This image perfectly met the theme, but interestingly did so without featuring any sky, but it certainly captured a rainstorm. The use of a slowish shutter speed emphasises the driving raindrops and the intensity of the storm. But above the technical merits of the photograph, it is a quintessentially British scene that appeals. Whilst the background shows everyone scurrying for shelter, we see a stoic couple in the foreground, determined to stay put and brave it out. A great photograph which humorously captures a slice of life in Britain.
The PlusONE voting produced a runaway favourite in more ways than one! Garnering the most votes ever recorded for a favourite was Shirley's ‘Jumping for Joy’ which you could say was ‘leaps and bounds’ ahead of the other votes. There are plenty of great technical aspects to this image including sharp focus, the complimentary background colours which match the fur colour, and the prefect shadow details. But ultimately it is the subject which melts even the hardest heart with the dog showing joyous exuberance as it romps towards the camera with ears flying and paws outstretched. A beautifully captured image.
The voter’s comments certainly reinforce the high quality of member’s project entries:
“Peter's was a very close second project photograph for me, brilliant! But I love the composition of Kate’s orange glow. PlusONE was so difficult, I had three top contenders, the other two being Shirley and James, but Diana’s plumbago is so vibrant and sharp, it pipped the others to the post.”
"All so good - hard to keep it to one [vote] each time”
"Peter has a created a totally different take on the theme. I love the humour, drama and Britishness of the scene… The PlusONE was difficult to pick this month, such a wealth of skill and variety. I wanted to choose Brian's kestrel, Rosemary's sign and Shirley's flying dog but in the end I have chosen James's swan on the canal photo. The location is very special to me and he has captured it's essence in the colours and reflections. The ripples and the swan add life and drama to the image”.
"Very difficult to make a choice with so many fine photos to choose from”.
"Ridiculously difficult to select a favourite. So many technically excellent images. In the PlusONE I had 9 shortlisted for favourite!”
"Decisions, decisions...I give up [but I did vote]! Congrats to everyone”.
"Very difficult to choose a project photo, liked the one I voted for [Elaine] the composition and the light. The PlusONE [Trevor] was my favourite, very atmospheric, like a beautiful painting!"
“Colourful, charismatic, charming and hard to pick a favourite. Can't we have more votes as l had also chosen Tom’s project photograph and then Shirley’s PlusONE?"
Well done to Peter and Shirley for topping the poll and for two such high quality images. Thanks to everyone who submitted a record number of photographs for the review, and for making the choices of favourites so difficult and enjoyable.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: May 2021 - Clouds/Storms
Members enjoyed a lively online review meeting on Thursday evening (13th May) with nearly 30 in attendance. We were delighted to welcome new member, Shirley Johnson, and to confirm that to date 43 full/student members had ‘signed up’ for 2021. This will ensure another year of vibrant and enjoyable meetings, as evidenced by a record number of over 100 photographs submitted in May.
We were also delighted to have Nathalie Banaigs with us as a guest. Nathalie has been the creative force behind Folkestone 365 (A Year in the Life of Folkestone 2020) which sought local photographers to take photographs every day in the Folkestone area during 2020. Of the 366 images selected for the final gallery, 108 were taken by Club members: Chris, Tom, Kate, Andy and James, with both Chris and James featuring in a BBC South East Today news broadcast earlier this week, a recording of which we were able to see at the meeting. When the project for 2020 was first announced, no one could have predicated how everyone’s lives would be affected by Covid-19, and it is a credit to all the photographers involved that despite the difficulties, they were able to capture a unique record of an unforgettable year. All the images for the Folkestone 365 project can be viewed at: https://kentcreative.org/project-365/a-year-in-the-life-of-folkestone-2020/folkestone-2020-photos/
The project under review was ‘Clouds/ Storms’ and we certainly saw some spectacular skies and seascapes. Voting for a favourite ‘Photographs of the Month’ will be extremely difficult given the quality of the images submitted.
The PlusONE entries were a similar treat for the eyes and again choosing a favourite will be well nigh impossible, so I expect a close outcome. All the project entries can be viewed in the 'Project Galleries'. Voting (via the club website) is now open and closes on Sunday 23rd May.
The project for this month is 'Monochrome'.
My thanks to James for all the work in preparing the programme for the May meeting . Thanks also to all the members who submitted images this month and those who attended and contributed to an enjoyable meeting.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
BREAKING NEWS 28th April 2021: A Year in the Life of Folkestone 2020 (Folkestone 365)
Hythe District Photographic Club members; Chris, Kate, Tom, Andy and James had a busy 2020 supporting this project organised by Kent Creative where 70 local volunteer photographers captured; events, moments in time, developments etc., during what was an ever increasingly difficult year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It made the task of the photographers even more challenging due to Government and local restrictions during periods of lockdown and shielding and it also created an environment never experienced before and many new and unique photographic opportunities. The Club members who volunteered to support the project have seen their efforts rewarded with 108 of their photographs being selected in the 366 photographs now being displayed, some of which were taken on smartphones. You can see their selected photographs in the exhibition at:
https://kentcreative.org/project-365/a-year-in-the-life-of-folkestone-2020/folkestone-2020-photos/
There is a Facebook page showing many more project entries and even now that the project has ended photographs are still being added:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/808488959590970
Tom and James also created their own web galleries showing their complete set of project entries:
https://tomlloyd.photodeck.com/-/galleries/folkestone-2020
https://jalbum.net/en/browse/user/album/1984612
Andy also has an online gallery featuring his entire portfolio, including Folkestone 365:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/andyfsmith/
If you would like to join this vibrant photographic club please complete the details on the Club’s ‘Contact Us’ web page:
https://hythedistrictphotographicclub.jimdo.com/contact-us/
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
April 2021 - Chris Upton ~ Travels with my 'X'
Thursday’s online workshop (23rd April) was again well attended when we were treated to a presentation by Chris Upton ARPS, entitled "Travels With My X". Chris is a professional travel, landscape and social documentary photographer and also an ambassador for Fujifilm cameras.
We were presented with a portfolio of quite stunning images from around the world, from the colourful and fascinating streets of Havana, to the beauty of Venice, with stops at Berlin, Paris, Provence and Santorini amongst others. Chris explained his approach to each of the photographs including his technical and compositional considerations. The magic light of the ‘blue hour’, that period of special light just before the sun rises and just after sunset, featured strongly, giving the images an ethereal quality. Apart from the beautiful images, Chris passed on a stream of helpful hints and tips, not least the need to know your camera before you set off for the trip of a lifetime. Familiarity with the controls and menus saves time, gives confidence, and allows the photographer to concentrate on how best to capture the subject. All in all it was a very enjoyable evening, and one member commented succinctly, "The best yet'. If you wish to see more of Chris Upton’s work and learn about the photographic group tours he organises, you will find a link to his website below and the option to sign up for his newsletters.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Member's Photographs of the Month - April 2021
"A difficult choice but a very enjoyable range of images. Thanks for the presentation of the song titles, James"
So commented one member, and there certainly was a range of images which resulted in a wide spread of voting for the favourite 'Name that Tune' image. An unprecedented 17 different photographs received at least one vote, with only three receiving multiple votes! Whilst Kate’s "Banana Boat Song" and Lyn’s "Cracklin' Rosie" were tied for second favourite, Chris completed a clean sweep for the ladies with her "Don’t Rain on my Parade" which topped the poll by a good margin. One member said “ Chris’s photograph and song title matched the project theme perfectly". This was true in the literal sense, but also figuratively as development work starts on this area so appreciated by Hythe locals. A cleverly created and very engaging photograph with a topical theme.
In the PlusONE category two photographs fought for top honours, with Sandra’s "Stunning Starling" just being pipped by Ashley’s "Harbour Dawn". The gorgeous colours and composition were highlighted as reasons for voting for this image which so beautifully captures daybreak at low tide.
Well done Chris and Ashley for two outstanding images, and to all the members who contributed to an enjoyable review evening.
Club members should have received their invitation to our next online meeting on Thursday 22nd April, when Chris Upton ARPS will be presenting 'Travels With My X'. Chris is a Fuji X ambassador, and his presentation will contain travel imagery from around the world, where he will talk about how and why he took the shots. There will be lots of great pictures and hints and tips.
I look forwarding to catching up again on Thursday.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: April 2021 - Name That Tune
Thursday’s meeting comprised a review of the latest photographic challenge, 'Name That Tune '. The evening was akin to The Beach Boys back catalogue, as we had 'Fun, Fun, Fun' and all those attending seemed to have had 'Good Vibrations' by the end. Although 'God Only Knows' where some of the members found a few of the more obscure songs!
James surpassed even his standards of preparation by projecting each member’s image untitled, which gave members a chance to guess the song title. This was followed with the image and its tune and then the member and song title. Clever stuff, James, and thanks for all the work you put into the ‘show’. Inevitably the tunes selected by members to represent the photographs were wide and varied. We were treated to songs stretching from Florrie Forde, who appeared at the first Royal Command Performance in 1912, to Glastonbury favourites, 'The Killers'. We even had George Formby and Roy Rogers (yes, honestly!), in between. It was great fun and we saw many clever and creative interpretations of the theme. Thanks to all the members for your contributions to a memorable meeting.
Inevitably, the PlusONE review was a slightly less raucous affair, but we were treated to some great photographs, many of which showed that Spring is in the air and we have much to look forward to. All the images are now on the Gallery page and voting for the favourite 'Photograph of the Month' is open to all members and guests. This can be accomplished by using the voting page on the website. Closing date for votes is Sunday, 18th April.
The new project is ‘ Clouds / Storms ‘ and members may submit two images on this theme and a PlusONE. The closing date for submissions being Sunday, 9th May. The images will be reviewed at the monthly online meeting on 13th May. Remember that invitations to join the meeting will only be sent to those who have paid their membership 2021 fee.
Before that we have a further online meeting on 22nd April when Chris Upton ARPS will present 'Travels With My X', when we will have the opportunity to see some of Chris’s stunning travel photography and learn some of the secrets of his success. Members will receive invitations to join the meeting a few days beforehand.
Thanks again to everyone who contributed to the fun on Thursday evening, especially James and Trevor who made it all possible.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
March 2021 - High Dynamic Range (HDR) Photography and Post Processing
Thursday’s online workshop (25th March) was presented by James who entertained the members with an excellent explanation of the mysteries of High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography.
James explained that the camera, unlike the human eye, was unable to make instant adjustments when viewing a scene with a wide contrast between light and shadow areas. HDR photography provides a way of overcoming this by using three separate exposures which are then merged to provide a correctly exposed image where the highlights are not ‘blown out’ and the shadow areas retain detail.
Having shown us examples from his own photo library, James explained how to use the HDR settings which are now found on most phone cameras, compact/ bridge cameras and dSLRs. Whilst the merging process can be achieved in camera, the best results are achieved by using post processing software. James then proceeded to demonstrate this using Affinity Photo, ON1 Photo Raw, Aurora HDR (AI), and HDR Efex Pro 2. As always, James’s clear and concise presentational style, allied to his familiarity with the software, de-mystified what this member had always considered to be complex and beyond his capabilities! Thanks to James it is something I will now be trying.
James did make the point that to undertake HDR photography it pays dividends to thoroughly familiarise yourself with the cameras HDR controls and menus. He also warned against over use of the process as it can produce overly vibrant images unless judiciously implemented.
Thank you James for another enlightening workshop and for all you do for the Club. James has already uploaded a recording of the workshop and meeting slides to a ‘members only’ page on the Club’s website. The meeting slides now contain an additional slide which provides links to each of the software programmes used in his demonstrations.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Member's Photographs of the Month - March 2021
“Wow! Choosing my favourite this month was so hard”
This sentiment from one member was expressed by many who voted this month. The project 'Reflections' really did produce a high number of excellent and creative images for us all to enjoy.
Whilst voting for the favourite was widespread, three images emerged as popular with the voters, with Trevor’s 'Bathroom Jars ' and John’s 'Reflective Sea View' finding equal favour in runner up spot. But ‘top dog’ was Stewart with 'Who you Looking at?' This is a beautiful image of man’s best friend with lovely warm lighting. The symmetry of the Golden Retriever and the reflection is enhanced by the introduction of subtle vignetting which mirrors the oval shape of the subject and its reflection. An excellent interpretation of the project theme and a worthy favourite.
The PlusONE category was less keenly fought as a clear favourite emerged. Peter’s 'Green Bottle Feasting on Banana' was favourite by a big margin. We rarely see true macro shots submitted to the Club and this is the first such image that I can recall that has taken the favourite title. Macro photography is extremely challenging where you are working with such a narrow depth of field and mastery of technique is essential. Peter certainly nailed it with this image giving us a chance to marvel at the extraordinary array of colours that nature provides in even the smallest of insects.
So well done to Stewart and Peter for wowing the voters with your outstanding images. Thanks also to all the members who submitted images for the March review. It really was a bumper month and a visual feast for us all.
Hopefully the current project ' Name that Tune ‘ will result in a similar array from our talented members.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: March 2021
The online March review meeting held on Thursday evening (11th March) saw a record number of over 30 attendees who were rewarded with a stimulating and enjoyable opportunity to see the images submitted for the project and PlusONE sections.
The project theme was 'Reflections' and members surpassed themselves with a collection of superbly creative photographs with a wide interpretation of the subject. Many of the images showed that real thought had been applied to create distinctive photographs, which allied to excellent technique, ensued plenty of ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ moments. The PlusONE images maintained these high standards where once again we were treated to a trip around the world from Canada to Kenya with stops along the way for herons and squirrels! Thanks to all the members who submitted such an array of fine photographs.
Voting for your favourite 'Photographs of the Month' will be even more difficult than usual.
The Club Chairman was able to report that the selection of images for the 2020 Annual Review had now been completed. Grateful thanks are due to Eddie, Chris, Kate and Tom for the enormous amount of work that they have put into ensuring that every member has their own images included in the review. Uncertainty still exists as to when the review can take place at a face-to-face meeting, but all the review photographs are now available for members to view online via a private link.
There is clearly a strong desire to return to face-to-face meetings, and to get out and about together for photoshoots. As always, we have to be guided by Government policy, but there are encouraging signs that some sort of normality may return soon. The Government is scheduled to announce the roadmap to normality on 21st June and it is only at that time that we will be able to assess when it is viable and safe to resume meetings at the Hythe Sports Pavilion. The committee will continue to closely monitor the situation and do all it can to get us all back together, hopefully by July or August.
In the meantime we will continue to hold online meetings, the next of which is scheduled for Thursday 25th March when James will be presenting a workshop on 'High Dynamic Range (HDR) Photography & Post Processing'. No doubt James will demonstrate his mastery of technique and ensure we have an instructive and enjoyable meeting. I look forward to seeing you all then.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Journey to the End of the World - The Fjords of Patagonia
Thursday evening (25th February 2021) saw the Club hold a Zoom meeting when professional landscape and travel photographer, Julian Elliott, presented ‘The Fjords of Patagonia', a fully illustrated journey from Ushuaia in Argentina to Punta Arenas in Chile. More than 30 Club members joined the free meeting for what proved a memorable trip.
Julian had been commissioned to take documentary style images for the operators of the M.V. Stella Australis, a 5*, 100 cabin, cruise ship which journeys around Cape Horn, providing passengers with unforgettable excursions to the fjords and glaciers of the region. Julian combined the commercial ‘documentary’ style photographs with stunning landscape images which showed the majestic scenery of the region. Many of the images were taken with a 100-400 mm zoom lens which for many people would not be a first choice lens for landscape photography, but Julian demonstrated how by compressing the perspective, the big zoom lens added scale to the mountains and glaciers.
With an easy, conversational style of presentation, Julian delivered a thoroughly enjoyable demonstration of the pressures and rewards of being a professional photographer where there is only one chance to get the shots that will satisfy the client. With no control over the weather, which even in the southern Hemisphere summer was cold and grey, Julian had to deliver. On the evidence of last night’s images, he certainly did!
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
https://www.julianelliottphotography.com
https://www.youtube.com/c/JulianElliottPhotography/featured
Member's Photographs of the Month: February 2021
With so many excellent images submitted by members for the ‘ Texture ‘ project it was always likely that choosing a favourite would be difficult and the outcome close. And that’s how it turned out.
A record number of photographs received at least one vote, but two emerged as equal favourites. Brian’s '7 Days of Frost' was an intriguing image of frost particles on a barbed wire fence, where the strong backlighting lends an abstract element to the photograph. Equally popular was Chris’s 'Frost Patterns on Car'. This is a really simple but very striking image with just the two colours dominating, but revealing the texture in the frost perfectly. Whilst both images show everyday subjects, they do demonstrate how the observational skills of the photographer can turn the mundane into something special. Both images perfectly captured the project theme.
The PlusONE poll was not so closely run. In fact the favourite topped the poll by a huge margin. Yes, it was that man again, Brian, whose 'Going Fishing' found favour with so many of you. The image has an almost surreal quality about it, as the main subject of the cormorant and boat is represented faithfully, yet it appears as though Brian handed the photograph over to Claude Monet to paint the rest! The reflections in the water have a real French Impressionist look. The combination makes for a delightful photograph.
Amongst the comments received with the votes were;
"I thought this was the best selection yet"
"A fantastic range of ideas for both the project and PlusONE"
I think most would concur with those sentiments, so against that background, well done to Chris and Brian for emerging top of the poll.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: February 2021
The Club held its monthly online review meeting on Thursday evening (11th February) which attracted a record number of members tuning in to what proved a very enjoyable and instructive evening with some fine photographs on show and plenty of good humour. There were also some appallingly bad puns, sadly mostly emanating from the Chairman!
The project under review was ‘Texture’ which was felt to be a challenging theme. However the members rose to the occasion and produced some stunning and inventive images. It was clear that a lot of creativity and time had been employed to produce photographs that were intriguing, enigmatic, and beautiful. Many of the close up textures had members searching for faces and objects within the textures on display. Thanks to all the members who contributed to such an enjoyable project.
The PlusONE category once again showed an eclectic selection of image from sumptuous landscapes to the humorous. All the images shown last night can be viewed from this link:
The project this month is ‘Reflections' which I am sure members will embrace with their customary enthusiasm.
Before then our next online meeting will be 25th February when we have been fortunate to secure the services of award winning landscape and travel photographer, Julian Elliott, who will be presenting ‘Journey to the End of the World. The Fjords of Patagonia’. The meeting will be held via Zoom and invitations will be emailed to full members.
Thanks as always to Trevor and James for putting the images together for Thursday’s meeting, and to all the members who submitted images and joined in the fun.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Presentation: January 2021 - Wildlife Photographic Adventures in South Africa
“To sit in a Jeep in a wildlife park looking into a leopard’s eyes with just the sound of nature around you is just priceless”
It was nice to see a good turnout of members and guests yesterday (Thursday 28th January) and to be able to experience 13 years in African Game Reserves in just 90 minutes with our expert guide and photographer, Phil Heading. Not only was the meeting highly informative but included over 160 stunning photographs.
The tour included the Addo Elephant Park, Oudtshoorn Meerkat Experience, Kruger National Park, Lake Panic at Skukuza, Etosha Salt Pan, Pilansberg Reserve and Djuma Reserve. The presentation was given with passion, humour, a bit of emotion and included many breathtaking photographs of the ‘Big Five’; Lion, Rhinoceros, Elephant, Cape Buffalo and Leopard. These were his main focus but he also included many other types of wildlife. Phil included many useful tips about photographing wildlife, his own photography techniques and hints about equipment, including an empty bottle in case you get ‘caught short’ with wild animals around you, with hippos possibly being the most dangerous animals he encountered. On some of his trips he took between 500 and 700 photographs and then he reduced these down to about 150 favourites and then the final choice of 10 to 15 of the best.
To give an idea of the size of some of the reserves Phil explained that the Kruger National Park is geographically as large as Israel and sometimes finding wild animals is quite difficult as they are so widely dispersed. It took Phil six years to get his first leopard photograph by being persistent and patient. He was also quite surprised to find that leopards spend most of their time in trees. As well as frightening experiences there were a few amusing moments when Phil described looking at a baboon’s ‘rear end’ through the sunshine roof of his car, curing blocked sinuses by sniffing burning elephant dung and…
He touched briefly on conservation and poaching, especially where rhinoceros are involved. If you would like to experience the Djuma Reserve there is a live Facebook feed at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWh93l9snW90iP2ybPHikAg
Phil is certainly a master of wildlife photography and this is also confirmed when you see his whale and bird photographs.
A few examples of Phil’s wildlife photographs from last night are shown below and full Club members are able to download the recordings of the presentation and view the entire set of slides.
“Life should not be measured by the number of breaths you take but by the moments that take your breath away”
Thank you Phil for an excellent evening.
Member's Photographs of the Month - January 2021
"A very good start to our 2021 programme" - "Fantastic selection again"
These were just two of the comments received along with the votes for this month's 'Photographs of the Month' and reflected the difficulty in selecting a favourite. Inevitably the outcome was close.
The ‘Red’ project voting was widely spread with 7 images receiving support. However in a close finish, Trevor’s creative "A Red Uprising", was pipped at the post by Tom’s beautiful "Rose". This photograph is expertly lit, and the addition of water droplets and the reflective surface, highlight the beauty and texture of the subject. A deceptively simple, but exquisitely rendered image.
The PlusONE category produced a very exciting finish. When the votes started to come in Stewart’s "Flying into the Unknown" galloped off into the lead. However the later voting saw Brian’s "Blowing in the Wind" come up on the rails with a late run, resulting in a dead heat! They both left the rest of the field trailing. Brian’s image is timeless and explores, line, shape, texture, tone and pattern. Well seen and executed.
Stewart’s photograph was taken on a 300mm lens which has compressed the perspective to make a very impactful image. One member summed up the image perfectly by commenting; "He has caught a lot of dynamic movement. It also represents an image of hope, adventure and new beginnings".
Well done to Tom, Brian and Stewart for topping the poll, and for setting such a high standard for the rest of the year.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
2020 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING - January 2021
The chairman gave the traditional Chairman’s Report in an abridged version . The full illustrated report is available to members via an email link.
The report highlighted the difficulties the Club faced when Covid restrictions dramatically affected the planned 2020 programme. Despite these, the Club flourished during the year in which 46 members joined and were able to participate in 18 meetings and workshops. The traditional face-to-face meetings had to be curtailed after March because of “lockdown” after which meetings and workshops were held online via webinars.
The Annual Exhibition of members prints at Hythe Library had to be abandoned but the Club was able to present the exhibition online through the website which proved popular with over 900 page visits in September alone. The regular Photoshoots, which members have traditionally enjoyed, were also a victim of the pandemic, although the Club managed two informal sessions at Lydden Circuit and Headcorn Aerodrome in September.
The core activity of the Club is the review of project and PlusONE images submitted by members. Throughout the year members responded enthusiastically to these challenges and 964 photographs were submitted for review, which provided a lot of enjoyment, and importantly, learning of new photographic skills by shared experience.
The Chairman concluded by thanking the committee of James, Trevor, Kate, Anne and John for all their hard work and support. Without them none of the Club’s success would be possible. Grateful thanks were also extended to the members for their continuing support and infectious enthusiasm during what could have been a difficult year.
A full programme has already been mapped out for 2021 which may, inevitably, be subject to change as the Government policy on dealing with Covid is developed. It is hoped we can all return to face-to-face meetings soon. The full programme is available on the website.
The AGM also requires the ratification of a new committee. The existing committee had all confirmed their willingness to continue in their existing roles, and there were no dissenters amongst the members.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: January 2021
The project under review this month was 'Red’ and members submitted over 60 images for review. And very enjoyable they proved to be with a vast range of subject matter and some very creative thinking on display. Clearly a lot of thought had gone into creating images in the home and showed that restrictions on social mobility need not be a deterrent to taking interesting images. As usual, the PlusONE category served up an array of fine images covering birds, beaches and bucolic splendour, with much in between!
Unfortunately, Tom’s submissions got ‘lost’ as a result of some technical issues and were not shown at the meeting. These have now been retrieved and have been added to this month’s gallery where all the photographs have now been uploaded and are available for review, before you vote for your favourite Photograph Of The Month from both the project and PlusONE sections. Voting can be completed online through the voting page on the website. The closing date for votes is Sunday 24th January.
The project for this month is "Textures" which I hope gives everyone a chance to challenge themselves to produce some creative images. The photographs will be reviewed at the online meeting scheduled for 11th February. Before that the Club will be holding an online meeting on 28th January when there will be a fully illustrated presentation on "Wildlife Photographic Adventures In South Africa", when I hope as many members as possible are able to join us.
Finally, I draw your attention to recent guidelines provided by the Royal Photographic Society which explains their interpretation of what professional and amateur photographers are allowed to do under current lockdown restrictions. With the likelihood of law enforcement officers taking a stricter approach to breaches of regulations, it may be worth a look to avoid falling foul of the law!
Thanks to all the members who joined the AGM and review meeting. I look forward to catching up with you all on 28th January.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Hythe Life Magazine Announced as Club Sponsor for 2021
Whilst few of us will remember 2020 with fondness, we do look forward to 2021 in more optimistic mood. The Club celebrates its 10th Anniversary this year and the programme of events has been designed to ensure a wide range of activities to enable us to enjoy photography and learn new skills. We are delighted to welcome 'Hythe Life Magazine' as the Club sponsor and we will be developing exciting initiatives with them as 2021 unfolds.
We may still face some uncertainty as we enter 2021 but the Club will ensure a full programme to mark it's milestone anniversary and new partnership with 'Hythe Life'
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Member's Photographs of the Month - December 2020
"Decisions, Decisions, Decisions"
So said one member when reviewing the gallery for this month’s favourite photographs. It’s a phrase that has occurred throughout the year as the submissions each month have been of a very high standard and voting has always been close.
This month, despite these high standards, the voting in both the project and PlusONE was clear cut with each of the respective favourites garnering over a third of the votes cast. The project ‘Power’ revealed a wide range of interpretations, but the top spot went to Trevor’s ‘Monkey Muscle’. The image reflected all the technical expertise we regularly see from Trevor, with superb sharpness and wonderful lighting, but most of all, the image exudes ‘Power’…..and menace! The Gorilla’s eyes suggest he was not best pleased being referred to as a monkey!
Mastery of lighting again featured in the PlusONE favourite, ‘Ready for Action’ from Ashley. The iconic Spitfire in that setting is so evocative of ‘The Few’ who prepared themselves for dawn flights to take on the enemy. There are a lot of exposure challenges in that scene, but Ashley has overcome them to provide a beautiful and poignant photograph.
So that ends the 'Photograph of the Month' voting for 2020. I can think of no two finer images on which to finish the year. Thank you, and well done, Trevor and Ashley.
Thanks to all the members who submitted photographs during what has been a very challenging year. Your resourcefulness and enthusiasm has ensured a galaxy of great photographs for us all to enjoy. I am sure that whilst we still face these same challenges going into 2021, it will be another year of fabulous photos.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: December 2020
The Club’s 2020 meeting season closed on Thursday (10th December) with a review of the project ‘Power’ and the PlusONE submissions. Over half the membership joined the online meeting for what proved to be an interesting and enjoyable evening.
Whilst locomotives and the sea featured strongly in the images reviewed, there were many examples of members thinking ‘outside the box’ and presenting some very creative interpretations of the theme. I am always impressed at the skill of some members in creating arresting images through their mastery of editing, and grateful to them for sharing their skills with the less experienced amongst us.
The PlusONE images provided a broad range of subjects, as usual. Landscapes, seascapes and animals all featured and took us from rich colours to monochrome, and fabulous to funny. Thanks to all the members who submitted images and provided so much entertainment.
All project images have been uploaded onto the Club’s website and full members can now vote for their favourite Photograph of the Month through the club website. Closing date for voting is Sunday 20th December.
The new project theme is ‘RED’ which I am sure will give the members plenty of scope to use their creative skills. The photographs will be reviewed at our first online meeting of 2021 on 14th January when we will also be holding the AGM.
Thanks are due to James and Trevor for all the work they do to enable us to hold the review meetings online, and to all the members who have joined the online meetings so enthusiastically and provided so many wonderful images for us to enjoy during the year. Whilst the Club’s 2020 programme didn’t quite go as planned because of the pandemic, the Club has still prospered thanks to everyone’s support. The programme for 2021 looks full of promise and with our new sponsor, and hopefully the opportunity to return to face-to-face meetings, I am sure we can look forward to the next 12 months with optimism.
I hope you all have the best Christmas possible and wish you a much happier New Year.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Webinar Report - November 2020 - Kate Anson
“Thank you for a great talk. Amazing photos”
“A very interesting presentation, professionally delivered”
Just two of the many positive comments posted by members following Kate’s online presentation ‘An English Woman’s Travels, Through Lesser-Known Egypt’. Kate took us on a photographic journey from Luxor to Aswan, and then out west into the Libyan desert. Lesser-known it proved to be, with not a single image of a pyramid. Instead we were treated to a fascinating look at the ‘real’ Egypt and it’s people.
The difficulties of travelling through these areas was very evident but clearly worthwhile as Kate showed us around one of the most remote museums in the world at El Kharga where there is a collection of artefacts dating back to pre-history. Stories and photographs from remote, El Qasr, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, showed how life used to be there before the town was largely abandoned because malaria was rife.
The images from Aswan showed a lush area with prolific bird life, although Kate’s report of temperatures there reaching 54c suggested that long days of bird watching may not be wise!
Kate’s knowledge of, and enthusiasm for, Egypt shone through the presentation. Thank you Kate for all the hard work you put into preparing the presentation and delivering it in such an enjoyable and professional manner.
The presentation was recorded and is available to full/student Club members and is well worth another look.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Member's Photographs of the Month - November 2020
The votes are in and unlike America, I can state they are final, and no legal challenges will be considered!
“Once again, a superb cross section and a very difficult choice” was one of the comments. Another member said, “Even more difficult to choose this month as the standard continues to go up and up”
This was reflected in the close voting. Whilst the cinematic quality of Graham’s image, ‘Horsted Keynes 30583 & Porter at Night’ was widely admired, top spot went to Brian’s, ‘Nairn Sunset’. This spectacular image contains all the elements of a great sunset photograph, where the photographer has placed the horizon on the lower third of the image, thereby adding emphasis to the surreal cloud patterns, which give the sky an otherworldly look.There were many fine sunset images submitted this month, so it takes something special to top the poll. Well done Brian.
The voting was even closer in the PlusONE category and there was a tie for top spot. Monochrome images dominated the voting, with Graham’s ‘What Me’ and John’s ‘Samphire Ho’ taking top spot. Graham certainly finds some characters for his images, and this is no exception. It’s one of those photographs that leaves you wanting to know what they were discussing. There appears to be no conflict between the two subjects, yet there appears to be genuine concern on the policeman’s face. An intriguing and enigmatic image. John’s photograph of Samphire Hoe works well in monochrome, capturing the stark nature of the cliffs, which contrasts with the soft fluidity of the water and clouds. A very well executed landscape. Thank you both for setting such a high standard.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: November 2020
The club held it’s monthly project review meeting on 12th November. Once again this was an online meeting which was well attended attracting 25 members, including Sarah and Ken who we were delighted to welcome as new members to the club.
An excellent number of entries were received for the project, ‘Dusk to Dawn’ resulting in a wide spread of interpretations and many beautiful photographs. Monochrome entries featured strongly as did images taken on phone cameras, which once again proved how adept these devices have become at recording fine photographs. Apart from enabling members to enjoy seeing great photographs, the project reviews offer the opportunity to discuss techniques and camera settings so that we can improve our skill levels and experiment more. It was pleasing that there was plenty of interaction during the review where members shared the secrets of how their particular photograph was taken. This was exemplified by James showing a heavily cropped night scene and explaining the settings used, before revealing the full image, which proved how astonishingly capable modern cameras are at producing high resolution pictures……in the right hands, of course!
The PlusONE entries provided the usual eclectic mix of subjects and locations taking us from seascapes to landscapes, portraits to wildlife, and Hythe to Cyprus. Thanks to all the members who submitted photographs and for making the meeting so enjoyable.
Following a club committee meeting earlier this week, the chairman was able to outline the activities planned for next year. Inevitably, such planning is against the uncertainty of what restrictions may be placed on us over the next few months due to Covid-19. It is hoped that we can return to face-to-face meetings at the Hythe Sports Pavilion in April, after which we can resume more normal activities. Until then we will continue with online reviews each month and online monthly workshops. Workshops are scheduled for January and February, and I am delighted that for February we have arranged for a presentation by award winning landscape and travel photographer, Julian Elliott. To whet your appetite you can see his work at; https://www.julianelliottphotography.com
Full details of the 2021 programme will be released on the website, including the provisional list of projects for the year. 2021 marks the 10th Anniversary of the club which started out as Saltwood Camera Club and thanks to the careful nurturing by founder, Eddie Manly, has developed into the club we now all enjoy. We will be marking this milestone as 2021 progresses.
Meanwhile our next schedule workshop will be on 26th November when guest speaker, and club stalwart, Kate Anson will be presenting ‘ An English Women’s Travels Through Lesser-Known Egypt’.
I look forward to joining you then. Thanks to all of you who joined in for the November review evening and for the images submitted. And as always, sincere thanks to Trevor and James for all the work they put in to make such evenings possible.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Member's Photographs of the Month - October 2020
“There are many examples of technical excellence and there are many that just give pleasure to look at. It makes the choice difficult”
“Another great set of photographs and a difficult choice again”
These were just two of many similar comments received this month which reflected the really high standard of submissions for the 'Found on the Foreshore' project and the PlusOne category. So it was no surprise that voting was close for the project. Henry’s delightful and simple monochrome ‘Found Playing on the Foreshore’ was a worthy second but was pipped at the post by one vote by Tom’s ‘Disappearing Derelicts Dungeness’. This image contained all the hallmarks of Tom’s mastery of technique with front to back sharpness, a brooding sky contrasting with a bright foreground, and a composition which takes the eye through the picture via the three main elements. Well done Tom; so glad you will be sharing your skills and experience on Thursday at the webinar workshop on “Composition”.
Whilst the standard of submissions for the PlusONE were also of the same high standard, one photograph stood out, and was voted favourite by an unprecedented margin of 7 votes! It was of course, Trevor’s ‘Washed up Apple’. The image really speaks for itself, where control of lighting, superb sharpness, and careful composition turn an everyday item into a work of art. It may look a simple photograph, but a lot of creative thought went into its making, and the image clearly resonated with a large number of voters. Thanks, Trevor, for such a super photograph.
Finally, I did make a comment to James on how clever I thought the title of his PlusONE entry of the the delightful lady in the green dress, sitting on the truncated roman column (plinth). It was called ‘The Birthday Plinthcess’. James responded that perhaps this month there could have been a vote for ‘Title of the Month’. I declined, as this would be a TOTM POLL, about which I have reservations!
Enough of the bad jokes. I look forward to catching up with members at the next workshop.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Webinar Report - October 2020 - Composition
Well over 20 full Club members tuned in for the Webex webinar workshop held on 22nd October. The subject was ‘Composition’ and the presenter was Club stalwart Tom Lloyd a very experienced and accomplished photographer who is always willing to share his experience and knowledge with other members to help improve our skills.
As always with Tom, it was a very entertaining and informative session and underlined how composition is arguably the single most important skill to master in order to produce great, rather than average images. Tom covered compositional rules, point of focus, adding borders, and cropping, and supported all these points with stunning images. It was clear that a considered approach to composition elevates an image to something special. In every photograph Tom showed, there were no distracting or extraneous elements, just a perfectly composed image where the main subject grabbed the viewers attention.
Thank you Tom for giving us an excellent presentation and for your continuing help and support. The presentation was recorded and is available to full/student members and is well worth watching again and again!
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: October 2020
Members were treated to an amazing range of entries, on Thursday evening (8th October 2020), for the ‘Found on the Foreshore’ project and ‘PlusONE’, a total of 90 photographs. These ranged from; landscapes to seascapes, wildlife, still-life, humorous, creative, monochrome, colour, pop colours, solarisation and film photographs. Many of the photographs were taken locally with a few others taken in; Cyprus, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA… Members provided information about their project entries and answered questions from other members. With so many wonderful entries the first part of the meeting overran but the project review continued during the second part of the meeting which included another stunning set of ‘PlusONE’ photographs covering a very broad spectrum of photography and techniques, with several of the photographs being taken on smartphones and film cameras. As well as technical discussions there was a lot of banter between members, making this a very pleasant and informative evening.
The meeting concluded with some important club announcements regarding plans for future meetings, exhibition publicity (posters and magazines), the new ‘Useful Links’ web page and a request for project suggestions for 2021, taking into account possible government restrictions on local travel.
Phil (club chairman) was unable to attend the meeting, as he was locked in a barn without Wifi, but has since had an opportunity to review all the entries and made the following comment (via WhatsApp®) “Great to have a wide selection of subjects and skill levels represented”.
I would like to express my thanks to everyone who attended the meeting on Thursday and for sending such an excellent range of project photographs.
James Willmott
Photoshoots 2020
Opportunities for formal Club Photoshoot gatherings have been curtailed in 2020 by Covid-19 regulations, but of late we have been able to offer more informal 'photo opportunities' for small groups. Members are notified either by email or the club's WhatsApp group of upcoming photo opportunities.
Lydden Hill 13th September: Lydden is a great venue for motorsport photography where an absence of safety fencing allows unrestricted and close viewing of the racing. The Historic race meetings provide a wealth of interesting and nostalgic subjects for those of a certain age! It is a good opportunity to practice panning skills where the use of a slowish shutter speed (125th/sec) should allow for a sharp race car but a blurred background, thereby imparting an impression of speed.
Headcorn Aerodrome 19th September: James invited members to the aerodrome where brave souls went 'wing walking' to raise funds for the Pilgrims Hospice. Spectator facilities are excellent with plenty of viewing points to capture the action. As well as the wing walking there were plenty of light aircraft movements and sky diving, all of which provided lots of scope for action photos. An excellent day out and somewhere to revisit, hopefully when a bigger group of members are allowed to gather.
Photographs from both events can be viewed in the Photoshoot Gallery
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Hythe District Photographic Club goes International!
User Stories: Taking an Annual UK Photo Show Online
As with events across the world in these times, this year’s Hythe District Photographic Club Exhibition, previously scheduled for display at the local library, now has a home online. Club organizer James Willmott explains how he used ImageFramer to create a consistent, professional look: “I have been using ImageFramer for several years and recently I used it for my local photographic club. Their print exhibition this year was cancelled because of Covid-19 so the committee decided to hold an online exhibition.
"To make the photographs look good and provide the name of the photographer and title I used ImageFramer for every entry. To make it easier I just copied each file name into the ImageFramer window to create the titles.” (ImageFramer Pro users can batch frame entire folders of images automatically, using a custom template to import metadata, like date or filenames.)
View the exhibition throughout September.
Jacob, company founder.
ImageFramer (based in Canada) is a post-processing software used to apply digital frames to your photographs and digital art.
Member's Photographs of the Month - September 2020
This month’s project photographs obviously captured everyone’s interest as record numbers voted for their favourite photograph, and also provided an unprecedented number of comments. It is good to see so many people engaging with the voting process.
The comments reflected the excellent standard of submissions for the 'Weathering/Corrosion project and the PlusONE. "This is getting harder and harder to choose" said one member. "So many images that deserved to be voted for made the final decisions difficult" said another. Despite these difficulties, favourites did emerge.
Voted favourite project photograph, by a clear margin, was Sandra’s "Rust on Rust", which perfectly captured the project theme. Working on the principle that less is more, the closely cropped image and narrow depth of field focuses the viewers attention on the texture and colour of the metal bolt. An excellent composition and a very worthy favourite.
PlusONE voting was much closer, and whilst Trevor’s spectacular ‘We Have Lift Off’ was well favoured, it was pipped at the post by one vote. Favourite was John's ‘Scotney Castle’, which provided a sumptuous and quintessentially English scene is such vivid colours. The careful composition and front to back sharpness all adding to a memorable photograph.
Well done Sandra and John for topping the poll in a month of fierce competition.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Webinar Report - September 2020 - Q&A Ask the Members
The Q&A workshop held on 24th September proved to be a great success and the members who attended have given positive feedback on what proved to be a very enjoyable evening.
The questions were provided by members prior to the meeting and were answered by “expert” members who brought their experience to bear in providing comprehensive answers. These answers were supported by an excellent range of explanatory slides which were a great help in providing understanding of the answers. Thank you James, Tom, Andy and Graham for your help in putting the workshop together and helping less experienced members improve their skills and knowledge.
A wide range of subjects was covered, from questions on camera types and sensor sizes, to techniques for night time photograph, how to control depth of field, and monochrome photography. A lot of valuable knowledge was passed on and full club/student members can now access the recordings of the meeting and support material.
The Club is planning a further workshop Webinar for 22nd October and full details will be published soon.
Thanks again to all the members who participated in the Q&A workshop.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: September 2020
"The standard of photography seems to be going up each month" said one member last night ( 10th September) as the Club held its monthly Webinar meeting. "Wow! It’s going to be so difficult choosing a favourite image" said another.
These comments were an accurate reflection on the quality of the images submitted for the Project, ‘Weathering/Corrosion’ and the PlusONE category, which were reviewed during another enjoyable and good humoured online meeting, where again over 20 members joined in to review the 90 photographs submitted. The project images all reflected the theme closely but different techniques were evident in how the 'Weathering/Corrosion theme was represented. Some members concentrated on close ups to show detail and texture whereas other images showed decay in the wider context of the environment. Dungeness featured regularly in the images as it is a great location to capture weatherbeaten subjects. Whichever approach was adopted we were treated to some excellent images.
The PlusONE photographs ranged from sumptuous landscape to wildlife, portraits and some creative images concentrating on texture. Monochrome images were again a feature and highlighted how effective this treatment can be in capturing texture and subtle tones.
All the images reviewed at the meeting are on the website.
The project for this month is ‘Found on the Foreshore’ which gives members a chance to explore and capture our wonderful coastal scenery.
The next monthly Webinar meeting to review the project is scheduled for 8th October and I will advise you of any online workshops which can be developed before then.
Covid-19 continues to disrupt the club’s 2020 programme with the latest Government restrictions being a further constraint on returning to face-to-face meetings.
Thanks, as always, are due to Trevor and James whose hard work in preparing members photographs enables us to continue with the monthly online meetings and still enjoy our hobby in convivial company. And thanks to all of you who support these efforts so enthusiastically.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Webinar Report - September 2020 - How to Create an A/V
Last night’s online workshop (3rd September) was presented by James and Club members were treated to a demonstration on how to prepare an Audio/Visual presentation.
James demonstrated the techniques using iMovie software which is a free-of-charge programme included as part of the macOS and iOS operating systems. Similar software exists for Windows and Android users, and whilst the details may differ, the principles remain the same.
James showed how to select images and audio for the presentation, including inserting voiceovers and video clips. A/V’s are an excellent way of preserving your photographs and showing them in an entertaining and professional manner. Whilst at first it all seems a little daunting, using the techniques demonstrated by James will soon have you producing A/Vs of your favourite photographs.
The presentation was recorded and is available for members to download through the website, along with other support material. Members can now work through the techniques at their own pace. My thanks to James for all his work in preparing and delivering such an interesting and enjoyable workshop.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Member's Photographs of the Month - August 2020
"Some truly inspirational shots this month" was one of the many comments received from members about the "Silhouettes/Shadows" project. It was 'silhouettes' that won the day with 'shadows' being left in the, er…..shadows!
Two photographs garnered exactly half of all the votes cast, with Andy’s "Sunset Silhouettes" a close second favourite with his beautifully executed and simple image. But top of the poll was Jade’s "Leas Bandstand" which perfectly captured the interesting architecture of the bandstand against a spectacular sunset sky. The result seemingly transformed Folkestone into an exotic Eastern Mediterranean location which in itself explodes the old adage that "a photo never lies"! Well done Jade on producing a stunning image which resonated with so many of the voters.
With the PlusONE category one comment received said, "I found choosing very tricky". That person was not alone as the variety and quality of the submissions was borne out by a four way tie for favourite! So well done to Anabela "One Morning Snooze", Sandra "Sweet Pea Morning Dew", John "Room with a View", and Trevor's "Three Young Kestrels". Four very different images but all high quality examples of the work being produced by Club members.
Well done to everyone who topped the poll, and thanks to all those who submitted images and took the time to vote. I look forward to seeing another bumper crop of fine images in this months project "Weathering/Corrosion".
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: August 2020
The continuing limitations on meeting numbers caused by Covid-19 meant that this month’s meeting (Thursday 13th August) was again by online Webinar. It proved to be a very lively and enjoyable session with, again, over 20 Club members joining in.
During the meeting we reviewed the photographs submitted for the project, Silhouettes/Shadows and these represented a variety of images of a very high standard where clearly, a lot of thought had gone into the taking and editing of the photographs. Once again, monochrome was widely used, a treatment which is ideally suited to the project as texture and tone are enhanced. As always, the PlusONE images provided plenty of variety and scope for discussion. Thanks to all the members for their submissions and to those attending the meeting for contributing to the discussion and fun.
As with our everyday lives, so with the Club’s 2020 programme as the pandemic takes it’s toll on our plans. With no imminent prospect of a lifting of the limit on attendees at the Hythe Sports Pavilion (currently 20), we will hold the September review meeting scheduled for the 10th September, as an online Webinar, for which invitations to join via Webex will be emailed to members nearer the time. Regrettably this has meant the postponement of Russ Miles’s presentation on “Life of the Hare” which is now re-scheduled for 11th March 2021 when hopefully we shall be back to Face to Face meetings. It was evident from member’s comments last evening that there is a strong wish to be back to meetings at the Hythe Sports Pavilion. The committee continues to review the situation in the light of Government and local authority guidelines and restrictions and we look to return there as soon as it is possible, consistent with ensuring the safety of members.
Another online workshop is now planned for 27th August when James will be presenting on “How to Create an Audio/Visual”. Full Club members will receive the usual Webex invitation to join the meeting in due course. As always with James, we are assured of an interesting and enjoyable evening so do mark your diaries.
As previously advised the Club’s Annual Exhibition, of mounted prints, has had to be postponed because the Hythe Library is unable to make the lobby available at present. However we will launch our ‘virtual exhibition’ on the Club website on 1st September. We have already received 50+ digital images for display that look excellent on the website page.
My thanks again to James and Trevor for all the work they do to enable the club to function and prosper online. All of which would be wasted if the members didn’t support these efforts with photograph submissions and enthusiastic involvement in the Webinars. Thank you all.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: July 2020
The Club’s monthly meeting was held by webinar yesterday evening (Thursday 9th July). As a result of Webex limiting the length of meetings to 50 minutes, we held two consecutive meetings and 23 members negotiated the pitfalls of activating two invitations and were able to join for what proved a very enjoyable and good humoured get-together.
“From Your Archives” was the project under review and this produced a bumper crop of images submitted by members, many of whom took up the invitation to submit original and edited versions of their photographs. This proved to be a great success as the value of careful editing proved how a good photograph could be turned into something special by cropping, cloning and exposure adjustment or conversion to monochrome. Some members really did dig into the archive with the oldest photograph being taken in 1959! ( Given that was 61 years ago I can only assume the photographer, James, was only 3 years old at the time!). The photographs also gave us an experience of "Around the World in 50 Minutes” as I think we saw images taken on every continent.
The PlusONE photographs again showed a variety of skills and styles, and together with the Project photographs can be viewed on the website. The "straight from camera” images have also been uploaded to the website so that the benefits of editing can be clearly seen.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Member's Photographs of the Month - July 2020
Thanks to all those who registered their vote, and to the members who contributed such a wide range of photographs. As one member noted “Such a wonderfully eclectic mix of subjects and places”.
It was another month where monochrome images almost swept the board with the favourite Project photograph being Graham’s "Limehouse Man". Graham had also provided a straight from camera colour version of the image, but the final monochrome iteration showed perfectly how careful editing can transform a good photograph into something special. It is a wonderful character study where the removal of background distractions and the monochrome treatment place emphasis on the texture of the "lived in" face. The lighting has been expertly handled managing to retain all the detail in the shadow areas without "blowing out" the highlights. One member commented “Amazing transformation from colour to black and white. Brilliantly dramatic." Hot on the heels of Graham, was another monochrome image, "Dover Docks" by John. A very moody and evocative image.
In the PlusONE category two images emerged as equal favourites. Once again, Graham’s “Who’s Calling“ was a beautifully rendered monochrome photograph and a very well seen street subject. Spoiling the symmetry of monochrome favourites was Phil’s "Wall of Water" which polled the same number of votes. (Be assured that this outcome was the subject of a rigorous independent check!) This action shot captures the excitement of water skiing with the subject framed by the spectacular spray of water created by the mono ski.
Well done to those who emerged at the top of the poll. As one member commented “Difficult choice once more from a great range of subjects.”
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Webinar Report: June 2020
The Club held its third online workshop yesterday evening (Thursday 25th June) when Tom presented on “Optimising the Image”. Over 20 members tuned in to what proved a very informative and interesting workshop.
Tom used his considerable experience to show how an image straight out of the camera can be improved by careful editing. He emphasised that familiarity with the “exposure triangle” and with the controls of the camera or smartphone, are an important start point in the process, and underlined how taking a RAW image, rather than a JPEG, provided more scope for exposure adjustment. Tom also explained how careful examination of the whole image, including looking closely at the edges, is important when cropping and removing distracting elements, where awareness of compositional rules will greatly help in producing an improved photograph.
Some practical “real time” editing employing the points Tom had raised, gave a powerful demonstration of how an initially mundane image can be turned into something memorable. Thank you Tom, for preparing and delivering an excellent workshop which I know will be of great help to everyone present. The webinar was recorded and will be made available to Club members, along with Tom's presentation material.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: June 2020
Our June meeting was held online last evening (11th June) and over 20 members enthusiastically joined in for an enjoyable review of the photographs submitted over the last month. My thanks again to James for his technical expertise which enables the Club to continue to function during the current lockdown.
The level of submissions was again high and over 50 photographs submitted for the project were reviewed. The theme was “Taken on my One a Day Exercise Walk” and members once again demonstrated a keen eye for detail and creative thinking. Given that through necessity, the images were all taken locally, there was a wide range of subjects on show from sumptuous landscapes to wildlife and nature, together with human interest shots.The capacity of members to deliver such a wide range of excellent photographs under the restrictions we currently endure, never ceases to impress me.
The “PlusONE” category again featured some first class photographs across a wide range of subjects with a notable number of very creative images adding to the variety.
My impression is that over the last few months the standard of photographs has risen, and more experimentation is being undertaken by members. Perhaps lockdown has some benefits in giving us more time to “think outside the box”.
Members will know that the Club has supported the Pilgrims Hospice in the past by raising funds at the Annual Review meetings. I am pleased to say that stalwart Club member, Peter Brun is currently engaged on a fund raising campaign for this worthy cause. Good luck with the fund raising Peter.
Thanks to all who participated in yesterday’s meeting and I look forward to seeing you all again at the workshop on 25th June.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Member's Photographs of the Month - June 2020
Thanks to everyone who voted this month. Another bumper month of votes and increasingly more of you are taking advantage of the opportunity to make comments on the voting page which is an encouraging sign that more of you are engaging with the process. As one member commented: “Isn’t it encouraging that so many photographers are keen to participate in our monthly projects”. Another said “So difficult to choose this month” and a further comment was “Another month of difficult choices”
This was born out in the final tally of votes for the favourite Project photograph where the voting was spread across a large number of images, resulting in a very close outcome. But favourite was Peter’s “Dymchurch Beach”. This is a lovely composition where the foreground interest of the tent and pushchair seems to highlight the emptiness of the scene and provides a perfect metaphor for the isolation we are currently enduring. Second favourites, by the narrowest of margins were Elaine’s ‘Thank You NHS” and Mavis’s “A Timeless Scene”. Comments on the favourites included one on Peter’s image which suggested “Crop the power station off!” This didn’t prevent the commentator voting for that image! Another said “Thank you NHS” captures the lockdown perfectly”.
Whilst the voting for the Project was close, the favourite PlusONE was very clear cut with the favourite garnering an unprecedented third of all the votes. Brian’s “Photographing the Photographers” topped the poll, an outcome which was not wholly unexpected given the dramatic nature of the image. The stunning sunset sky and reflections in the lake provide the drama, with the silhouettes in the foreground being the icing on the cake. Runner up in this category was Ken’s beautifully rendered “Shades of Green”
Congratulations to Peter and Brian and to everyone for submitting such a range of quality photographs for us to enjoy.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Webinar Report: May 2020 - How to Create a Triptych
Club members enjoyed another successful online workshop last evening (May 28th) on the subject "How to Create a Triptych". Delivered with customary aplomb, and mastery of all things technical, James provided a comprehensive and interesting practical demonstration to the 20 members who joined the webinar. After a brief history of triptychs in art, and a slideshow of some member’s earlier efforts, James gave a practical demonstration of how to produce a triptych in only about 20 minutes. (My efforts have taken me about two hours!!). James emphasised the importance of first making a copy of the original photograph and also of undertaking any photo editing of the image before starting on the process of creating three panels. James used Affinity Photo software for the demonstration but pointed out that other programmes such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop Elements and Pixelmator [Mac] can also do the job using the same principles. The capability to work in 'layers' was the key requirement.
At the end of the workshop, James had produced a lovely triptych of a waterfall (see below). The demonstration was recorded and will be made available to Club members, as will a set of notes, once James has had a chance to catch his breath from all the work he doing for the Club at the moment.
Thanks to everyone who joined in last night, and once again, sincere thanks to James for preparing and delivering such an interesting and professional workshop.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Member's Photographs of the Month - May 2020
As anticipated, the volume and excellence of the submissions for the “Spring is Here” project made voting very difficult and this is reflected in the outcome.
Four photographs tied for second favourite, but the overall favourite by one vote was Sandra’s “Jackdaw and Apple Blossom”. One member commented that “Sandra’s Jackdaw and Apple Blossom took my breath away. Perfect!” That sums up this image well, as the two elements of the photograph, the bird and the blossom, would make fine studies if they were separate images, but the combination where the blossom frames the Jackdaw lends a lovely balance and serenity to the photograph, resulting in a very worthy favourite.
Hot on Sandra’s heals were the photographs submitted by Trevor (Dunnock and Daffodils), Andy (Natural Spotlight), Brian (All Aboard) and Deborah (Peekaboo). One member commented “Incredibly difficult to choose. So many beautiful flowers. Spring in the UK is beautiful”. It certainly is, and the submissions from members certainly captured all that is good about this time of year.
The PlusONE favourite was Andy’s “Tulips in the Garden”. The richness and gorgeous colours in this photograph could lead one to think it was a carefully staged studio shot. But using natural light and some red cloth as a background, it was taken in the garden. It is an object lesson is really “seeing” what is around us and being creative in capturing the subject. Again, voting for the PlusONE favourite was close with Ashley’s “Drama at the Warren” and Graham’s “Harris Storm” close behind Andy with equal votes. Well done to Sandra and Andy for topping the poll this month.
"Extremely difficult to choose as there were so many wonderful entries” commented one member. I can only agree. The “Spring is Here” project proved a very popular subject and the quality of the photographs prompted a record number of votes this year. Thank you to everyone for participating. It is heartening that you are all so actively involved at this difficult time.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Webinar Report: May 2020
The Club held its second monthly Webinar meeting last evening (14th May) and 23 members joined in to make it a successful and enjoyable occasion. Thank you to James for enabling us to use technology to keep the Club active, and to all the members who were able participate.
We reviewed the April project "Spring is Here" which generated a bumper "crop" of 56 photographs for us to enjoy. The selection really did represent the beauty of Springtime in this country. Whilst the current regulations inevitably restrict personal movement at the moment, this in no way limited the scope or quality of the submissions for this project and members were able to review a selection of beautiful photographs which captured the project theme perfectly.
The PlusONE entries provided another feast of creative and arresting photographs and I am grateful to all the members who contributed.
All of the photographs seen last night can be viewed on the club's 'PROJECT GALLERIES' PAGE.
It will be a difficult choice of ‘Photograph of the Month’ but once you have selected your favourite Project and PlusONE, please enter your choice on the ‘VOTING’ page.
The May Project is "Taken on my One a Day Exercise Walk". Club members may submit 2 photographs in this category, and 1 PlusONE (any subject of your choosing). Closing date for submissions is Sunday, 7th June. As we have seen with the "Spring is Here" project, there are lots of photographic opportunities available to us locally and this latest project is a great opportunity to capture the lives we are living in these unprecedented times.
The Club will continue to operate as fully as possible despite the restrictions placed upon us. Photography is too much fun to put on hold! Our next monthly Webinar meeting will be on 11th June and this will be followed by an online Workshop on Thursday, 25th June, where Tom will present "Optimising the Image" which I know will be an excellent opportunity to learn new skills and improve technique.
Thanks again to everyone who participated yesterday evening. The continuing support of members is much appreciated by the Club's committee, and whilst the opportunity of us all getting together at the Hythe Sports Pavilion is still some way off, it is heartening that everyone continues to enthusiastically keep the Club active in these difficult times.
As always: Take Care-Stay Safe!-Take Photographs
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: April 2020
The Club held its first webinar on the 16th April with the subject “Getting the Best From Your Smartphone and Tablet”. The workshop was prepared jointly by James and Anne and I am pleased to say 21 members participated. Thank you to those who “attended” and a huge thanks to James and Anne for preparing the workshop and presenting it in such a thorough and professional manner. To underline the difficulties involved, James presented from his car, via an ethernet cable running into Anne’s house. How fortunate we are to have someone with James’s ingenuity to enable us to continue with Club activities during these challenging times.
The workshop provided an invaluable insight into how to get the most from today’s sophisticated smartphones, where modern technology enables us to take photographs of comparable quality with up to date cameras. James provided a host of useful tips including using the phone volume control to press the shutter, rather than the button on the screen. This technique allows for much more rigid control of the phone and minimises “camera shake”. Examples were shown of using panorama mode, and turning the phone upside down to achieve a lower angle of view; a useful aid when photographing flowers.
Anne continued with examples of altering the focus point and exposure by touching the screen, and how to use the wide angle secondary lens which more and more smartphones now incorporate. Also included was a list of free apps which enhance the users ability to edit and fine tune their smartphone and tablet images.
I certainly learned new things which I can now put into practice. Having now completed two virtual meeting we have been able to show that the concept works well and I hope more members will join in the next scheduled meeting on 14th May when we will be reviewing the project “Spring is Here” and PlusONE photographs.
Again, my thanks to James and Anne for all the hard work they put in to make last night such a success.
Photographs of the Month: April 2020
Voting has now closed and the results are in!
Monochrome made a big comeback this month with both the Project and PlusONE favourites receiving this treatment. Favourite “Song Titles” photograph was Andy’s “Don’t Stand So Close To Me”. The monochromatic effect adds so much texture to this delightful photograph. Whilst a dog is not usually seen sitting on a man’s shoulder, the composition somehow emphasises the trusting relationship which exists between the two. Andy’s photograph topped the poll by just one vote from Trevor Allnutt, whose cleverly created “Mr. Blue Sky” was much admired, but proved one of the easier song titles to guess!
The PlusONE favourite, again by a margin of just one vote, was Graham’s “Buttermere Lone Tree”. Again the monochrome treatment adds to the brooding and dramatic atmosphere. This is an excellent example of where breaking the rules can produce more interesting images. The “Rule of Thirds” in composition has become ubiquitous, but rules, generally, are for guidance. Here the rule has been broken quite deliberately by placing the tree front and centre and this just lifts the drama another notch. Second favourite was Chris’s "Old Friends” which again explores the relationship between humans and dogs to great effect.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: March 2020 (updated)
It was nice to see another good turnout of members and guests for the meeting this month.
Andy Smith gave an excellent and thorough talk about ‘Getting the most from your camera’, the first of three training sessions planned for this year. With Andy’s considerable knowledge and expertise about photography techniques and composition he was able to take us step-by-step through many aspects of adjusting various settings on your camera, to improve your photographs e.g. Aperture, ISO and Shutter Speed (these settings can also be changed on most bridge & compact cameras as will as some of the newer models of smartphones. Do check your device settings as there is probably a lot more than just the ‘P’ or ‘AUTO’ settings e.g. action/sport, low light, portrait, landscape, night, sunset, snow, beach, fireworks, candlelight... By adjusting these settings, for different genres of photograph, significant benefits can be gained. Other settings Andy discussed were manual focus and manual exposure. The talk was supported with a large selection of photographs describing the specific settings for each photograph. Andy, soon after the meeting the following comments were made on the club's WhatsApp group:
Jacqueline C - Thank you Andy, I really enjoyed your presentation last night.
Sandra B - Yes so did I thanks Andy.
Paul R - Excellent presentation and lots learned by me. Thanks.
Kate A - Well done Andy. Thank you.
Phil H - Thanks Andy. Sounds like a good evening which I'm sorry I missed.
It was also pleasing to see a good number of entries (even from those unable to attend the meeting) for the ‘Gateways & Doorways’ project and the ‘PlusONE’. The range of imagination and composition was vast from; local points of interest to places further afield such as: Portugal, Madeira, Spain, France, Gran Canaria, New Mexico, Egypt… The most colourful ‘Doorways’ photographs were taken in Funchal. Several members also entered monochrome photographs which gave even more impact to their project photographs.
For the ‘PlusONE’ photographs it was also a nice range of compositions including; wildlife, seascapes/landscapes, humorous, nighttime, travel, still-life, architecture and creative.
During the review, Andy and I were also able to point out some of the photograph techniques that members had used which aligned with Andy’s recommendation that he made during his talk.
Thanks go to Andy for an excellent talk, John & Mavis for ‘kitchen duties’ at short notice, Tim for preparing the hall and Trevor for greeting members and guests.
The next club meeting (9th April) has now been 'postponed' along with the May and June meetings. It is hoped that part of these meetings will be replaced with video conference meetings. I am aware that a number of clubs in Kent have already cancelled/postponed meetings until after Easter so we will continue to monitor the situation and also take advice from the Hythe Town Council, who own the Hythe Sports Pavilion.
Photographs of the Month: March 2020
The votes have been counted and the Photographs of the Month are…
For the project ‘Gateways & Doorways’ there was a firm favourite; Ken’s - ‘House Proud’. This is a lovely colourful, well balanced composition, with a human element, perfectly matching the project title. When it was projected at the club meeting you could almost ‘feel’ the reaction of the members. Close behind with equal votes were Brian’s - ‘Please Close the Gate’, Anabela’s - ‘Hythe Canal’ and Ashley’s - ‘Room with a View’.
For the PlusONE project the voting was much closer with Trevor’s ‘Startled Starlings’ just two votes ahead of Mavis’s ‘Ghostly Figure at Sunset’. Two very different subjects and very well taken.
For the first time with the voting there was also an option to comment on the photographs and these are the comments received:
- Super photos - but difficult to choose as the overall quality was so very good this month.
- I loved the lighting in Tim’s 'Stable Gate’.
- Really gentle colours with the horse standing out in the foreground and soft tones around it in Trevor’s ‘Startled Starlings’.
- The doorway is made by the lady pouring her water away in Ken’s ‘House Proud’.
- The panorama captured by James (Scarlet Lady at Dover) is full of colour and gives a unique view of the port of Dover and the fireworks.
- Love Mavis’s image (Ghosty Figure at Sunset). Lighting so tricky but managed to light the hands and face without blowing out surreal scene through window. Very creative.
- So many excellent photographs. Voting for plusONE very difficult.
James Willmott
Club Meeting Report: FEBRUARY 2020
Last night’s meeting proved to be a very enjoyable evening. An excellent attendance of over 40 members and guests were able to enjoy a presentation of ‘1950 BRITAIN Through The Eyes of Picture Post’ given by Herne Bay based lecturer, historian and retired graphic designer, Howard Smith.
Howard, through a meticulously researched and very professional presentation, took us back to the 1950s with a series of photographs and video clips which captured the mood and appearance of that era, and evoked happy memories amongst the audience. The excellence of the photographs taken by the professional Picture Post staff underlined that great photos result from skill and creativity, not sophisticated equipment. The other striking point that emerged from the presentation was that the photographs that really captured the “ spirit of the times “ were those that included people. Their activities and clothing seemed to define the 1950s and it is perhaps worth remembering that the images we take now will best reflect the early 21st century if we include people, not just views and wildlife. Future generations will have a better idea of how we lived if they see how we looked and behaved.
The review of the “URBANSCAPES" project took us on a trip round the world from China to Canada, via The Grand Burstin Hotel in Folkestone! We enjoyed a wide selection of photographs and creative interpretations of the theme which provided a very enjoyable review. As did the PlusONE category where as usual we were able to see a very varied selection of excellent photographs.
The project for full/student members this month is “GATEWAYS/DOORWAYS” which should ‘open’ the opportunity for some creative interpretation.
The next club meeting is 12th March where Andy Smith will be using his considerable skill and experience to present “Getting The Best From Your Camera” which I am sure will provide excellent advice on how to use the creative controls on today’s sophisticated cameras to achieve even better results.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Photographs of the Month - February 2020
Congratulations to Jade and Tom who topped the poll for Photograph of the Month by a wide margin in this month’s “Urbanscapes” and “PlusONE”, respectively.
Jade’s “Folkestone Viaduct” perfectly captured the “Urbanscapes” theme, and the excellent composition leads the eye through the photograph to the viaduct. The conversion to monochrome lends a timeless quality to the photograph, yet the on street parking and satellite dishes root the photograph in the here and now. Excellent technical quality belies the fact that this was taken on a 10 year old, 12 megapixel bridge camera, which underlines the fact that what makes great photographs is not the camera but the person holding it.
Tom’s “Onwards and Upwards” is at first glance a simple photograph, but closer viewing reveals so much more. The textured, and beautifully lit background, the perfect shadows and the placement of the figures in the frame all contribute to the overall effect. Mostly, however, it is a poignant reminder of how the ageing process makes life just a little bit harder, emphasised by the male figure’s hand reaching for the handrail, and the foot raised for the next step. ‘Onwards and Upwards’ indeed! The photograph is a perfect example of the photographer being creatively aware enough to see and capture an everyday scene and turn into something special. Well done Jade and Tom. Worthy and popular favourites this month.
Phil Heading - Chairman
Club Meeting Report: JANUARY 2020
We welcomed 40 members and guests as we ushered in another year which I hope will provide an entertaining and interesting programme for everyone.
The meeting started with the formal AGM in which the Chairman outlined his report on the activities and progress of the Club during 2019. This was a good story to tell as the Club had grown through the year with 59 members signed up during the 12 months. Meeting attendances had increased, regularly attracting over 40 members and guests, which in turn had improved the Club’s finances, putting it in a strong position to provide a range of speakers and activities going forward. It also enables the Club to leave membership costs for 2020 at £15 p.a. (free for students) and meeting charges at £3.
The Chairman emphasised that in the light of the growth the Club has seen, and on the basis of "if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it", the format of meetings in 2020 would remain the same as 2019.
All the existing committee members were prepared to stand again during 2020, and their nominations were unanimously accepted. The roles of the individual committee members will remain unchanged. The Chairman expressed the hope that further volunteers to serve on the committee would come forward, where there is a specific need for someone to provide support on technical matters. Please contact me if you are able to help.
The success of the Club is the result of a team effort and the Chairman thanked the committee for their hard work and support, and also the Club members who had given up their time to prepare and deliver presentations during the year. But what sustains the Club is the enthusiasm and support of the members who have enthusiastically joined in the activities of the Club throughout 2019 providing a feast of fine photographs and special moments for us all to enjoy.
The full Chairman’s report is shown below and if any member requires a copy then please contact me through the ‘CONTACT US’ page, and I will provide a link for you to download/print the report.
After the formal part of the evening was concluded the members were given a brief presentation on the Goodwood Revival Historic Motor Racing meeting followed by an A/V presentation of images taken at the event. This unique and quintessentially British event regularly attracts 140,000 spectators over the 3 days each year and provides an opportunity to step back into the past and enjoy life when it was not quite as straight laced as it is now!
The project for January was “FIRE & ICE” which proved that although challenging, members were as always, ready to meet that challenge. We saw some very creative interpretations of the theme. The PlusONE section provided some beautiful photographs to enjoy and these, together with the project photographs are now in the 'PROJECT GALLERIES' for you to 'VOTE' for your favourite POTM in each category. Closing date for votes is 19th January 2020.
The current Project for full/student members is "URBANSCAPES" which hopefully will provide an interesting challenge. Project submissions (two photographs) and PlusONE (one photograph) [any subject] should be sent on this occasion to James no later than 8th February 2020 (details have been circulated by email).
Details were given about the Club’s new WhatsApp group, which is being set up to provide full members/students with quick and easy notifications of any Club developments and short notice Photoshoots.
The next meeting is on 13th February 2020 when we shall be taking another trip into the past with what promises to be a very interesting and professional presentation by Howard Smith on "1950 BRITAIN through the eye of Picture Post”.
I look forward to seeing you all then.
Photographs of the Month - January 2020
Voting for the Nov/Dec 2019 project, "Fire & Ice" and the “PlusONE" has closed, and I am pleased that we had more votes than in previous months. A trend I hope will continue. The “Fire & Ice" project was challenging, especially for those members who attempted to combine both elements in their photographs. The project photograph that received the most votes was Trevor’s "Leaves Locked in Ice". This did meet the brief with a creative shot combining the ice in which the fiery red leaves were trapped. Apart from showing the technical excellence that we always see in Trevor’s work, the photograph underlines that photo opportunities exist all around us if only we take the time to look.
Clear favourite in the PlusONE category was Anne's "You Can Never Have Enough Sarahs". This combined humour with an intriguing composition taken in Lanzarote in a room with just two apposing mirrors, which resulted in a memorable iPhone photograph. Well done to both Trevor and Anne.
Thanks again to those of you who took the time to vote.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: ANNUAL REVIEW - DECEMBER 2019
Thanks to all the members and guests who attended the Annual Review and it was good to see so many of you despite the foul weather and the distraction of polling day for the General election.
Sue Chapman once again did the honours and reviewed a selection of photographs she had chosen to comment on, from the 190 images we had supplied to her prior to the meeting. As an experienced and respected photographic judge, Sue brings a fresh perspective to the photographs we had seen at Club meetings throughout the year. Whilst her selection included a broad range of subjects the spread of photographs from across the Club’s membership was perhaps not as wide as we have seen at previous Annual reviews. Nonetheless, Sue’s comments provided plenty of learning and emphasised the benefit of really looking closely and critically at the photographs we take, where small adjustments can enhance the final photograph. This particularly showed in her comments on cropping the photograph carefully to improve composition and remove distracting detail. It was also made clear how adjustments to shadow or highlights in a photograph can improve the end result. It is clear that many members may not have the experience or editing software to make the adjustments that Sue was advocating, and this is something we shall try and address through the Club’s programme during 2020.
Sue concluded her review with her choice of 'Photograph of the Year', 'Highly Commended' & 'Commended'. Topping her 'personal poll' was Tom’s Sports project photograph, 'Water Polo' which had also been voted as ‘Photograph of the Month’ in September. Sue also chose photographs by Trevor, Tom, Phil & Roger as 'Highly Commended' and photographs by Ken, Tom, Phil, Keith, Stewart & Vince as 'Commended'.
The Annual Review meeting also gives the Club an opportunity to support a local charity and I am grateful to members who donated The Pilgrims Hospice. An extract from their letter of thanks is below.
"On behalf of the Pilgrims Hospices I just wanted to say a very big thank you to you and The Hythe District Photographic Club Members for your kind donation of £62 raised at last night’s Annual Review Meeting, which we were absolutely delighted to receive. Please do forward on our thanks to everyone involved”.
It remains for me to wish you a very happy Christmas and enjoyable New Year, and to thank you, sincerely, for your support during 2019.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: NOVEMBER 2019
Recent Club meetings have seen an encouraging trend of good attendances, and this continued last Thursday evening with 40 members and guests present to participate in the programme.
The advertised presentation on "Photographic Panels” was delivered by Chris Shore FRPS, which proved to be enlightening as well as enjoyable. Chris is a very experienced photographer, and is a vice president of KCPA ( Kent County Photographic Association ) as well as a Premier Judge on the Association’s judging panel. He makes no secret of his love of film photography and the process of developing and printing the resulting photographs. Chris presented a series of photographic panels comprising, in each case, a set of six mounted prints on a particular theme. The careful placing of each photograph within the panel emphasised how each can provide a cohesive sequence where the overall composition exceeds the individual images contained within the panel. Most of the panels were made up of black and white photographs which concentrated on simple shapes, texture and patterns, where the ability to see detail and creative possibility within mundane everyday scenes, can lead to striking and memorable images. This was ably illustrated by the panel depicting signage on the cloakroom doors at the Turner Gallery at Margate! I would wager that most of us wouldn’t see the creative opportunity that the signage offered. Chris emphasised that by using film, and in his case a cumbersome 5” x 4” field camera, the photographic process has to be slower and more considered, and very different to the modern approach of firing off multiple shots with digital equipment. As he so ably demonstrated, taking time to really look for the detail in the patterns and shapes around us opens up a whole new world of photographic opportunity.
The project review “Patterns in Nature“ was well supported and amongst the 50 photographs reviewed there were many examples of members who had employed Chris Shore’s approach and looked for creative opportunity in the detail and patterns which nature provides, and which are all around us if we take the time to look. The result was that we were able to see some beautiful and carefully considered photographs. The PlusONE photographs included many which demonstrated the same philosophy amongst the usual varied selection.
Finally, I would like to record my thanks to Rosemary Granthier who has decided to take a break from the committee. Her hard work, support and enthusiasm will be greatly missed. Thank you for all you have done for the Club, Rosemary. Her departure underlines the need to strengthen the committee and again I would ask for any volunteers to step forward and offer their services so that we can continue to ensure the Club goes from strength to strength.
I look forward to seeing you all at the Annual Review meeting on 12th December, when, with the help of Sue Chapman, we can reflect on, and enjoy, a wonderful selection of photographs members have submitted during the past year. This meeting is also our annual fund raising event (voluntary donations) to the Pilgrims Hospice, Ashford (see poster below for details).
Photographs of the Month: NOVEMBER 2019
The voting for Photograph of the Month was more clear cut this month with Rosemary Granthier's "A Galaxy of Colour" topping the Projects poll. This perfectly captured the theme of "Patterns in Nature" with an arresting image where the use of in camera solarisation added an abstract quality to the photograph. Trevor Allnutt's "Avocet Hunting" was voted favourite by a wide margin in the PlusONE category. The side view perfectly captured the elegance of these wading birds, with the inclusion of the mirror image reflection adding perfect balance to the photograph.
Well done to both members.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club Meeting Report: OCTOBER 2019
We enjoyed another varied and entertaining meeting last night. Thanks to all who attended and for those who submitted so many excellent photographs for review.
We were privileged to see a very enjoyable presentation from James Willmott, one of our club members, on the subject of “My Passion for Sailing & Photography”. Apart from the pleasure of seeing early photographs of a young James, we were once again reminded of his technical expertise in the way the presentation included stills, an Audio Visual, and video clips. James’s passion for sailing was very evident as was his knowledge of the subject and his skill at capturing some stunning photographs. Those whose perceptions of sailing were that it was a serene and leisurely pastime, would have had a rude awakening as the spectacular images showed how violent and brutal the sport can sometimes be.
James has an online photo gallery where you can view his sailing photographs along with photographs from Japan, Cyprus, Norway and other places and topics. To view his photo galleries click here.
The project review (SPORTS) saw a wide range of photographs with a strikingly creative approach taken by some members. Never an easy subject, especially with fast moving action, but as usual the members proved up to the challenge. PlusONE photographs provided a rich and varied selection as we have come to expect.
Previous meeting reports are available in the News Archive.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Photographs of the Month: OCTOBER 2019
Voting for ‘Photograph of the Month’ resulted in a three way tie for favourite sports project with three very different sports represented. Tim’s “Evening Light” was a carefully composed photograph where a low camera angle silhouetted the skate boarder against the evening sky, resulting in a very dramatic photograph. Tom’s “Water Polo” again showed how thoughtful composition, and this time, an unusually high camera angle, can add impact to a photograph. Finally, Stewart’s “Kent Kings Speedway Jordan Jenkins” captured the excitement and atmosphere of this sport with a technically superb rendition which takes the viewer to the heart of the action. Well done to all three members.
The PlusONE voting showed everyone loves a dolphin, with Phil’s “Jumping for Joy” gaining the most votes. Taken on a standard “kit” lens it shows that you don’t need long zoom lenses to isolate the action.
Previous 'PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE MONTH' reports are available in the NEWS ARCHIVE.
Club Meeting Report: SEPTEMBER 2019
Once again we had an attendance of over 40 members at the September club meeting, with a further two new members on the evening.
Peter Legg of the National Coastwatch Institution (https://www.nci.org.uk/folkestone) gave a very entertaining and interesting highly illustrated presentation on the "Goodwin Sands Shipwrecks". This 10 mile by 3 mile spit of sand is known as “The Great Ship Swallower” and has accounted for the loss of over 2000 vessels over the years. Peter gave details of many of the maritime disasters which have occurred on these treacherous sands, and underlined the bravery of the lifeboat crews who have attended over the years. I have already received very positive feedback on the presentation from members who clearly enjoyed Peter’s efforts.
The September project “Birds” was very well supported with over 60 photographs submitted for members to review. It was anticipated that this project would be one of the more challenging set this year. However members really "stepped up to the plate” and we were treated to some stunning photographs, which underlined how much talent lies within the Club. The same was true of the 30 PlusONE photographs where a wide range of photographic styles were on display.
Thanks to everyone for so fully supporting the Club with attendance at meetings, submission of photographs, entries in the Annual Exhibition and voting for your favourites each month.
The Club is growing thanks to your wholehearted participation.
I look forward to seeing you at the next meeting on Thursday 10th October 2019.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Photographs of the Month: SEPTEMBER 2019
As anticipated, voting was very close this month in both categories. This was the inevitable outcome of so many excellent photographs being submitted by members, making selection of a favourite so difficult.
In the Project, “Birds”, Bea’s “Nuthatch” was equal favourite with Steve's “Hobby in Flight Catching a Dragonfly at Stodmarsh”.
Bea’s photograph elevates the oft derided “bird on a stick” genre to a new level with a lovely composition, showing masterly control of depth of field which is enhanced by the unusual posture of the bird. Steve captured a “once in a lifetime” moment through great reactions and good technique.
Continuing the nature theme in the PlusONE project, Trudy's “Swallowtail Butterfly - Crete” emerged as favourite. This was a very striking photograph where the muted and out of focus background makes the main subject stand out, with the red flowers and greenery adding extra punch to a delightful photograph.
Well done to the three members that topped the poll, and thanks to all the members for submitting so many great photographs.
Club meeting report: AUGUST 8, 2019
This proved to be a very busy meeting with an excellent attendance of 48 members and guests. The membership increased by 6 which is an encouraging sign for the Club.
We were treated to an excellent presentation by Val Vile on ‘Why RSPB Dungeness Is So Unique'. Val is a passionate advocate of the work of RSPB at Dungeness, and through her experience, as an RSPB volunteer, was able to give a fascinating insight as to how the reserve developed, and the wealth of wildlife and fauna that can be seen there. Val illustrated the talk with photographs of some of the birdlife, leaches and insects which inhabit the Dungeness reserve, there being some 700 moth species and 70 different bird species breeding there. There is no doubt that we are very fortunate to be living so close to such a unique environment, and Val’s talk underlined why we should visit more often, and not take it for granted. Additional information, including how to become a volunteer, can be found at: https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/volunteering-fundraising/volunteer/
The Dungeness reserve with its bird hides offers excellent opportunities for bird photography, which is the member's next photographic project. Successful bird photography can be challenging and as shown in the brief presentation made on “Bird Photography Tips” , a familiarity with camera controls is a great help, as is patience and practice. In Val’s presentation she featured many photographs taken by local amateur photographer Graham Parry. If you wish to be inspired by seeing what can be achieved at Dungeness, you might like to see some of his work on this link: https://www.flickr.com/people/kentwildlife/
As an additional aid, here is a link to another website which explains some of the camera settings best suited to bird photography: https://expertphotography.com/camera-settings-for-bird-photography/
Good luck! Do give bird photography a try. It can be frustrating but very rewarding.
We reviewed photographs for last month's project “Faces”. This was well supported and we were treated to some very creative interpretations of the theme, together with a wide variety of PlusOne photographs. These are all uploaded onto the Club website.
The Club website has undergone a revamp and James gave a summary of the changes and improvements. Do take a look around the website as there is much more information and archive material available than before.
Finally, we were delighted to welcome and introduce Bev Saunders at the meeting. Bev has kindly taken on the role of Club sponsor through her business Edge Framing https://edgeframing.co.uk. We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship with Bev.
Photographs of the Month: AUGUST 2019
Voting for the August ‘Photographs of the Month’ was well supported with a wide spread of photographs receiving votes in both categories
Favourite in the Project “Faces” was Phil’s “Face In The Sun”. This is the second month running that a monochrome photograph has emerged as a project favourite, showing that this medium is still popular, and is ideal when texture and tone are an important element of the composition.
Steve’s “Dungeness Beach” topped the voting in the PlusONE section, where use of a low camera angle, and control of depth of field has resulted in a strong and impactful photograph which captures the unique flavour of that coast line.
Thank you to all for a high number of votes again this month.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
Club meeting report: JULY 2019
Once again, last night's meeting was well attended with over 30 members, guests, and two new members present.
We were treated to a very enjoyable presentation and workshop on “ The Art of Museum & Artefact Photography” by club stalwarts, Tom Lloyd, Peter Savage and Andy Smith. Peter began with a presentation of the work involved in photographically recording 1,000s of items on behalf of Folkestone Town Council. Peter explained the difficult working conditions and the problems involved in capturing images of a wide variety of objects including paintings behind glass, where avoiding reflections presented a real challenge.
Andy then showed how they approached the work and demonstrated the use of a light tent and two flash units for photographing small items. Finally Tom delivered a similar demonstration using two table lamps, a couple of chairs and some muslin cloth to achieve the same effect. The presentation demystified the whole process of this type of studio work and proved you don’t have to spend huge sums of money on specialised equipment to achieve professional results. The club is extremely fortunate to have members like, Peter, Tom and Andy who are not only experienced and excellent photographers, but are also willing to give up their time to prepare and present such an enjoyable workshop, and help us all improve our skills. Thank you guys: it was great fun.
The project for June, “Churches” was very well supported with over 60 photographs submitted. the standard was extremely high, with a range of shots showing the wealth of creative talent within the club. Even where the same church featured in many submissions, the use of different lighting conditions and composition showed how individual creative approaches produce such a variety of arresting images. The PlusONE images were also varied and of high quality and choosing your favourite will be challenging.
The “Churches" project and PlusONE images have been uploaded to the
Photographs of the Month: JULY 2019
Thank you to all Club and Facebook members who voted for their favourite Photograph Of The Month. The votes have been counted and Tony Dimmer (Project) and Andy Smith (PlusONE) topped the poll.
Tony’s lovely rendition of St. David’s Cathedral in B&W is a reminder how this style of photograph can lend a timeless quality to an image, and evoke memories of a time gone by.
Andy’s beautifully lit “With Poppies, Less Can Be More” shows how flawless technique combined with careful composition can result in a memorable photograph which seems to encapsulate summer.
The standard of submissions was high this month and the choice of favourite not easy.
Well done to both.
Phil Heading - Club Chairman
The project for May is “ Humour”. Hopefully that will provide an enjoyable challenge for you. This short video may be helpful:. https://youtu.be/RN_PBHBABOY
OUR FIRSY YEAR (2018)
Our first Annual General Meeting was held on Thursday, January 10, 2019. In his report of the year 2018 chairman Eddie Manly was very pleased to report that:
- Membership totalled 56
- 12 photo projects had been completed
- 3 invited speakers had given presentations linked to the projects
- 2 workshops held on knowing your camera, use of smartphones and tablets, and post-processing.
- 4 photoshoots
- 2 exhibitions held
- 90 members of our Facebook page.
Elections were held for the 2019 committee and Eddie then handed over the rest of the meeting to the new chairman, Phil Heading.
Members who were unable to attend the AGM can obtain a PDF copy of the report by using the Contact Us page.