Notes for 19th February 2010
John Miskelly ARPS - ARPS Panel

Ards Camera Club hosted a talk by John Miskelly, local professional photographer and Associate of Royal Photographic Society (ARPS). The programme secretary, Alan Reid, introduced the speaker to a small but extremely enthusiastic audience. The speaker did a synopsis of the Royal Photographic Society history and their aims. Then the next part was how he chose his theme and photographs. John explained how 72 photographs were cut down to the final 15. Then there was the discussion of colour versus black and white. The final decision was of a panel 15 black and white photos of life in the slums of India. An enthusiastic audience was invited up to look at the panel on the board. The amount of work which went into the panel was very apparent, including layout and extremely high standard of printing. The Club would like to thank John for coming along to give the talk and especially for bringing the panel of prints. It is always a joy to see prints, but more so in this digital age.

Dates for your Diary:

Friday 26th February 2010 - Round 5 'Open' Inter-Club Competition, Northern Ireland Photographic Association (NIPA)

Wednesday 3rd March 2010 - PhotoChat and Problem Solving from 8pm onwards at the clubrooms. Tea and biscuits provided.

Friday 5th March 2010 - An Evening with Colin Thompson

Friday 26th February 2010 is the Round 5 'Open' Inter-Club NIPA Competition. Please sign in your entries and hand in Projected Digital Images (PDIs) to Peter Knott. The event will start promptly at 8pm. The 'Open' competition always provides a wide variety and interesting selection of work. Please come along for a good night out. Further information is available on our website at www.ardscameraclub.co.uk and our email is ardscameraclub@yahoo.co.uk


Notes for 12th February 2010
Alan Reid - In House Practical Night 'Lighting Setup'

Ards Camera Club had an in-house speaker, Alan Reid, local photographer, with a practical night on 'Lighting Setup' last Friday 12th February 2010. Alan had a minimum of equipment to show how "easy" it could be. Alan set up the lights in different ways covering techniques of the last few speakers. One light, then two and other variations. Our models for the night Natalie and Melanie were very patient with us as we stepped up to take our turn. Backgrounds were changed along with lighting to give variety. The feedback from the members was very positive, that it was a good night and thoroughly enjoyed the chance to put the techniques into practice. Alan was on hand to sort out any problems. The Club would like to extend it's thanks to Alan for a very enjoyable night and to our models, Natalie and Melanie.

Dates for your Diary:

Friday 19th February 2010 ARPS Panel - John Miskelly, Associateship of Royal Photographic Society (ARPS) 8pm.

Friday 19th & Saturday 20th February 2010 NIPA Audio-Visual Festival 2010. See website for details and map.

Wednesday 24th February 2010 Photochat and Problem Solving - 8pm onwards. Tea and biscuits provided. Facilities for printing, etc are available.

Friday 26th February 2010 - InterClub Round 5 'Open'.

This Friday 19th February 2010 John MisKelly will bring along his panel submitted for Associateship of Royal Photographic Society (ARPS) and give a talk on the work and the standard involved. This should be an interesting night, for everyone. It is always a pleasure to see other's work. For further details, please see our website, www.ardscameraclub.co.uk and our email is ardscameraclub@yahoo.co.uk


Notes for 5th February 2010
William McClenaghan - 'Lighting Set-up'

Due to a last minute change in the programme, the talk on 'Lighting Set-up' was brought forward to Friday 5th February 2010. Our Chairman, Leslie Armour, introduced local professional fashion photographer, William McClenaghan. The night consisted of William showing us his favourite lighting set-ups, mostly with one light. He showed how easy it could be to give different effects by adding an umbrella or moving the light and so on. A barn door light was also introduced to show the effects with and without it. It was a very enjoyable evening seeing the practical side of photography and our thanks go to William and the model for the night, Rachael.

Next Friday 12th February 2010 is an in-house practical night. Please bring your cameras, including compacts. Lighting set-ups will be shown and then given a chance to try it out for yourself.

Dates for your Diary:

Tuesday 16th February 2010 Northern Ireland Photographic Association (NIPA) Inter-Club Round 4 (Macro) Carrickfergus Camera Club. See website for further details.

Wednesday 17th February 2010 Photochat and Problem Solving - 8pm onwards in the Clubrooms, tea and biscuits provided. See website for location.

Friday 19th February 2010 John Miskelly ARPS - Talk on his panel for Asccoiateship of Royal Photographic Society (ARPS) and the standards and work involved.

Friday 19th & Saturday 20th February 2010 NIPA presents Audio Visual Festival, Courtyard Theatre, Ballyearl, Newtownabbey. See NIPA website for details.

Programme of events and map to Ballyearl.

Friday will be a fun night with a chance to get practical experience of all the lighting techniques we have seen in the recent past. Please bring your camera and join us for a good night's craic. For up-to-date and further information on events and competitions, please see our website, www.ardscameraclub.co.uk and our email is ardscameraclub@yahoo.co.uk


Notes for 29th January 2010
Inter-club round 4 - 'Macro'

Ards Camera Club held round 4 of the inter-club competition on Friday 29 th January 2010. The subject this time was 'Macro'. The chairman, Leslie Armour, introduced the judge for the evening, Stanley Matchett, well respected award winning photojournalist and recent MBE recipient. The judging was split into six sections, Colour Prints General, Colour Prints Advanced, Monochrome Prints General, Monochrome Prints Advanced, Projected Digital Image (PDI) General, and PDI Advanced. The judge took the time to make comment on all entries, something that is greatly appreciated by the entrants. The results were as follows:

Colour Prints General	1st 2nd 3rd 4th	'Spider' 'Coming into Land' 'Softboard Pins' 'The Fly'	Raphael Clarke Robert Graham John Hamilton Bobby Graham
Colour Prints Advanced	1st 2nd 3rd 4th	'Red Heads' 'Pencil Sharp' 'Eye of the Needle' 'Technicolour Drip'	'Exposed' Leslie Armour Leslie Armour Alan Reid
Monochrome Prints General	1st 2nd 3rd 4th	'It Cost me 8 Quid to Win' 'Ace' 'Fork' 'Sadie & Jack'	William Stockdale Carole Watson Amy Stockdale William Stockdale
Monochrome Prints Advanced	1st 2nd 3rd 4th	'Eternal Love' 'Pencil Sharp' 'Exposed' 'Put the Needle on the Record'	Melissa Gordon Leslie Armour Alan Reid Melissa Gordon
Projected Digital Image General	1st 2nd 3rd 4th	'Hold on Tight' 'Bug's Life' 'My Little Eye' 'Straws'	Elizabeth Campbell Amy Stockdale William Stockdale Amy Stockdale
Projected Digital Image Advanced	1st 2nd 3rd 4th	'Blood Red' 'Big Pink' 'Raindrops on Rose' 'Oh I do Like to be Beside the Seaside'	Alan Reid Alan Reid Melissa Gordon Melissa Gordon

From the above winners, the entries chosen for the Northern Ireland Photographic Association (NIPA) Inter-Club Competition were as follows.

Colour Prints to NIPA Inter-club Competition	'Spider' Raphael Clarke, 'Red Heads' Alan Reid, 'Pencil Sharp' Leslie Armour, 'Eye of the Needle' Leslie Armour
Monochrome Prints to NIPA Inter-club Competition	'It Cost me 8 Quid to Win' William Stockdale, 'Fork' Amy Stockdale, 'Eternal Love' Melissa Gordon, 'Ace' Carole Watson
Digital Projected Image to NIPA Inter-club Competition	'Hold on Tight' Elizabeth Campbell, 'Bug's Life' Amy Stockdale, 'Blood Red' Alan Reid, 'Raindrops on Rose' Melissa Gordon

The Club would like to extend it's thanks to Stanley for agreeing to judge and for his courteous and constructive comments.

Next meeting (Friday 5th February 2010) is a talk by John Miskelly on his ARPS panel, (Associateship of the Royal Photographic Society). It will be an opportunity to see the work and standard involved for the panel. Everyone is welcome to come along.

Wednesday night meeting for photochat and problem solving is as usual from 8pm onwards with tea and biscuits.

Further information is available on our website, www.ardscameraclub.co.uk and our email is ardscameraclub@yahoo.co.uk. See you there.


Notes for 22nd January 2010
Chris Roberts - Off Camera Flash

Ards Camera Club would like to thank Chris Roberts for a very informative and interesting talk last Friday 22nd January 2010. Chris works as a staff photographer for the Chronicle in Coleraine and the first half was of photos taken for the paper. After tea break, he showed us on a practical level, how the shots were set up. It was a very compact kit, with two light stands and two flashguns. Canon Liveview was used to see the immediate result on screen via projector. The members got a lot out of the talk in particular the practical demonstration when one person announced they were going straight home to try out the methods shown. It was shown that professional results can be achieved with the minimum of equipment.

This Friday 29th January 2010 is the Northern Ireland Photographic Association (NIPA) Inter-Club Competition Round 4 'Macro'. All entries welcome from any level.

Dates to remember:

Friday 29th January 2010 - NIPA Inter-Club competition Round 4 'Macro' - meet at clubroom starting at 8pm sharp.

Wednesday 3 rd February 2010 - Photochat and Problem Solving - meet at clubrooms from 8pm onwards.

Friday 5th February 2010 - John Miskelly Associate of Royal Photographic Society (ARPS) - talk on ARPS panel.

Please come along and enjoy the craic. Everyone welcome. Further information is available on our website www.ardscamera.co.uk. Our email is ardscameraclub@yahoo.co.uk


Notes for 15th January 2010
Alan Cranston - Underwater Photography

Ards Camera Club welcomed Alan Cranston on Friday 15th January 2010 to give a talk on 'Underwater Photography'. Alan was introduced by our chairman Lesley Armour and the talk was split into three parts. Part one was a brief overview of the more interesting wrecks in the Red Sea area. It was shown how eventually the ships become one with the coral. There were hidden hazards such as the maximum safe depth, various things that can become entangled with the gear if the wreck had not been 'cleaned' as well as other factors such as the weather. Part two was photos of the various corals, again in the Red Sea as well as Tenerife. The corals were fascinating, showing their beauty and the perils as some can be very poisonous. The third part was on the marine life. As well as Butterfly fish, Puffer fish and Lion fish to name but a few, the highlight of the night had to be the sharks. It soon became apparent that Alan had to be part engineer, part marine biologist and part photographer, a complex combination. Alan preferred to use his Nikon on manual as well, an extra challenge. The marine shots were amazing and it was obvious that the crowd really enjoyed the talk.

The next talk Friday 22nd January 2010, is entitled 'Off Camera Flash' by Chris Roberts. This will be a practical night, so please bring your camera and flash. Please also bring the Projected Digital Image (PDI) entries for the Macro Round to be handed in to Peter Knott on this date.

Dates for your Diary:

Monday 25th January 2010 - Northern Ireland Photographic Association (NIPA) Annual Beginners Competition - Bangor Camera Club - Click for map

Wednesday 27th January 2010 - NIPA Inter-Club Round 3 (Portraiture) - Shorts Camera Club - Click for map
Photochat and Problem Solving - Meet Clubrooms, 8pm onwards. Tea and biscuits provided.

Friday 29th January 2010 - Inter-Club Round 4 - Macro
Please see our website for definition of macro and further details for entry.

Friday 22nd should be an interesting night with plenty of practical demonstrations. Please come along and join us for the craic. Further information is available on our website www.ardscameraclub.co.uk and our email is ardscameraclub@yahoo.co.uk


Notes for 8th January 2010
Annual Auction

Friday 8th January 2010, the first meeting of the New Year for Ards Camera Club, was the annual auction. Although a select few were present due to the bad weather, there was a good night's craic. The auctioneer for the evening was our Chairman, Leslie Armour, who did an excellent job of selling the most unlikely of items. The Club would like to thank everyone who gave items and also to those who bought, for helping to raise a substantial sum for the Club Funds. Despite the flooding in the kitchen, the auction gave a lot of laughs, not least when the tools for sale were pinched to fix the pipes.

On Friday 15th January 2010, Alan Cranston gives a presentation on 'Underwater Photography'. He combines his passion for photography with his love of diving to give some stunning results. This should be an interesting night, highlighting the skill of diving and the beauty of the sea.

Dates for Your Diary:

Friday 15th January 2010 - Alan Cranstion 'Underwater Photography'. Meet at 8 pm at Clubrooms (see website for map).

Saturday 16th January 2010 - CBPPU CC, Antrim Road, Belfast - Royal Photographic Society (RPS) International Projected Images Exhibition from 10am
Afternoon - RPS President and Fellows give advice on Licentiate (L) and Associate (A) panels. Places must be pre-booked. Please see our website under Events for contact details.

Wednesday 20th January 2010 - Photochat and Problem Solving. Meet from 8 pm at Clubrooms. Tea, biscuits and advice provided.

Friday 22nd January 2010 - Chris Robertson gives a presentation entitled 'Off-Camera Flash'. Please note the Projected Digital Images (PDIs) for Northern Ireland Photographic Association (NIPA) Inter-Club Macro Competition are due to be handed in on this date to Peter Knott.

The Club look forward to seeing everyone on Friday. Please come along and join us to view some amazing photos. Details of future RPS and NIPA events can be found on our website under 'Events' tab. Our website is ardscameraclub.co.uk and our email is ardscameraclub@yahoo.co.uk


Notes for January 2010

A Happy New Year from Ards Camera Club. The first meeting of the New Year is on Friday 8th January 2010. This is the annual auction, a chance to get rid of unwanted items and to raise money for the club or the owner. The items can be sold as a donation to the club or for oneself. It is a good night's craic and provides a lot of entertainment.

Dates for your diary:

Friday 8th January 2010 - Annual Auction 8pm meeting at club rooms, South Street / Circular Road. Please bring along items from 7:30pm to have them booked in.

Wednesday 13th January 2010 - Photochat and problem solving from 8 pm. Tea and biscuits provided.

Friday 15th January 2010 - Presentation on 'Underwater Photography' by Alan Cranston.

Wrap up well, please bring along your unwanted items, and join us. For more information, please refer to our website, www.ardscameraclub.co.uk and our email is ardscameraclub@yahoo.co.uk


Notes for 4th December 2009
Roy Finlay Memorial Natural History Competition

On Friday 4th December 2009, the Northern Ireland Photographic Association (NIPA) held the Roy Finlay Memorial Natural History competition in Model Primary School, Newtownards. There was a good turnout of around 40 considering how bad the weather was. Brian McKenna (NIPA president) introduced the night. There were two categories, prints and projected digital images (PDIs). The entry for the print section was approximately 160 and around 100 for PDIs. The commended and then highly commended prints were announced followed by the winners. The same format was used for the PDIs. Then an overall winner was announced. A gift from Roy Finlay's widow was presented to the winner as well as the NIPA trophy. Results will be posted when available.

Just a reminder that the Christmas dinner is in Carlitos restaurant, 96 - 98 Frances Street, Newtownards, meeting at 7:30 pm for 8 pm on Friday 11th December 2009.

Dates to remember:

Wednesday 16th December 2009 Photochat and Problem solving from 8pm with tea and biscuits. Informal chat and help meeting at clubrooms.

Friday 18th December 2009 Presentation on 'Fashion Photography' by Khara Pringle, 8pm at clubrooms.

Friday 8th January 2010 Ards Camera Club Auction 8pm at the clubrooms (see map on website). Unwanted items can be sold on behalf of the person or as a donation to the club.

The Christmas dinner should be a good night out with the chance of winning the ballot. The Club looks forward to seeing everyone there. Please see website for up-to-date details and our email is ardscameraclub@yahoo.co.uk


Notes for 26th November 2009
Inter-club round 3 - 'Portraiture'

On Friday 27th November 2009, Ards Camera Club hosted 'Portraiture' Round 3 Inter-Club competition. The guest judge was Ray Magill from Bangor Camera Club. The six sections were judged in turn, 'Colour General, Colour Advanced', 'Monochrome General', Monochrome Advanced' and Projected Digital Image (PDI) also 'General' and 'Advanced'.

The competition was well supported with a large entry in 'Colour General' and PDIs. Ray gave his comments on the entries before choosing the final four in each section. Members had the opportunity to browse the prints before the results were announced. The results were as follows:

General Colour	1st 2nd 3rd 4th	'Gareth' 'Different Stripes' 'David' 'Ann'	Lydia McCallen Ian McCormick Carole Watson Raphael Clarke
Advanced Colour	1st 2nd 3rd 4th	'All Tired Out' 'Here's Looking at You' 'Mystery' 'Emma'	Melissa Gordon Melissa Gordon Melissa Gordon Alan Reid
General Monochrome	1st 2nd 3rd 4th	'Look Away' 'Sarah' 'Bass Man' 'Simply the Best'	Ian McCormick Amy Stockdale Ian McCormick Carole Watson
Advanced Monochrome	1st 2nd 3rd 4th	'Zak' 'Sam McAughtry' 'Cher' 'Pretty as a Picture'	Alan Reid Melissa Gordon Melissa Gordon Melissa Gordon
Projected Digital Image General	1st 2nd 3rd 4th	'Sarah' 'Ann' 'Banjo Man' 'Erin'	Amy Stockdale Raphael Clarke Ian McCormick William Stockdale
Projected Digital Image Advanced	1st 2nd 3rd 4th	'Niki' 'Oliver' 'Cosmos Birth' 'Twirling'	Alan Reid Melissa Gordon David S Adair Melissa Gordon

From these winners, the entries were chosen for the Northern Ireland Photographic Association (NIPA) Inter-Club Competition.

The results were as follows:

Colour Prints to NIPA Inter-club Competition	'Gareth' Lydia McCallen, 'All Tired Out' Melissa Gordon, 'Here's Looking at You' Melissa Gordon, 'Mystry' Melissa Gordon
Monochrome Prints to NIPA Inter-club Competition	'Look Away' Ian McCormick, 'Zak' Alan Reid, ' 'Sam McAughtry' Melissa Gordon, 'Cher' Alan Reid
Digital Projected Image to NIPA Inter-club Competition	'Sarah' Amy Stockdale, 'Niki' Alan Reid, 'Oliver' Melissa Gordon, 'Cosmos Birth' David S Adair

The Club would like to extend it's thanks to Ray Magill for his constructive comments and for a most enjoyable evening.

The next item in our programme is Roy Finlay Memorial, Natural History Competition. Please note the meeting will be held on Friday 4th December 2009 at 8 pm at Model Primary School, Newtownards. Please refer to our website for directions. Everyone welcome, so come and view our exhibition.

Dates to Remember:

Wednesday 9th December 2009 Photochat and Problem Solving - 8 pm onwards at clubrooms. See website for map.

Friday 11th December 2009 Christmas Dinner at Carlitos.

There will be a Christmas break and the auction will be the first meeting back in the New Year. Please bring along any items you would like to sell either for yourself or as a donation to the Club. It is always a good night and a lot of fun. Everyone is welcome.

Further information is on our website www.ardscameraclub.co.uk and our email is ardscameraclub@yahoo.co.uk


Notes for 13th November 2009
Dr Steve Lowry - Macro Photography

Friday 13th November 2009 Ards Camera Club hosted a talk on Macro by Dr Steve Lowry, award winning macro and micro photographer. The guest speaker was introduced by our chairman, Leslie Armour. The talk was divided into two halves; the first was about the equipment needed to do Macro and the second a slide show showing the effects of different lenses on depth of field and other factors.

The equipment included a selection of lenses, flash brackets and other accessories such as reversing rings, supplementary lenses and bellows and the most appropriate tripod. It was demonstrated how the different accessories would affect the distance between the subject and the lens. Macro is a lot easier to do with film cameras but the club was shown how the accessories and methods could be adapted for use with digital cameras. The slideshow showed how depth of field was affected by choice of lens, the aperture and the shutter speed. It was also demonstrated how the different flash brackets gave different lighting effects on the subject. Therefore it was according to what effect was wanted, which type was chosen.

While Macro is an extremely difficult subject, the talk was entertaining and Steve was able to demystify a lot of it. After the talk, the members had a better understanding and grasp of Macro. There was also a renewed appreciation for nature after viewing the slides. It was delightful to see a non-digital slideshow once more and hear the click of the projector.

The club would like to extend it's thanks to Steve for coming down to give the talk especially as he had a long way to travel.

Friday 20th November, Ross McKelvey will be giving a talk on Adobe Lightroom. This should be an informative and entertaining evening. Please join us.

Dates for your Diary:

Friday 20th November  Talk on Adobe Lightroom by Ross McKelvey at 8pm meeting at the clubrooms (map on the website).

Wednesday 25th November  Photochat and Problem Solving - informal meeting from 8pm at the clubrooms with tea and biscuits.

Please refer to our website for other events which may be of interest.

Everyone is welcome of whatever level or interest, so please come along and join us. Further information is available from www.ardscameraclub.co.uk and our email is ardscamera@yahoo.co.uk


Notes for 6th November 2009
Rescheduled Inter-club round 2 - 'Open'


Ards Camera Club hosted 'Open' Round 2 of Inter-Club competition on Friday 6 th November 2009.  Jim Crone, professional photographer who is well known and respected in the fashion and beauty industry was our judge, and also gave a short talk on his work.  Jim was introduced by our chairman, Leslie Armour and the night started with the judging.  The six sections were judged in turn, 'Colour General', 'Colour Advanced', 'Monochrome General', 'Monochrome Advanced', and Projected Digital Image (PDI), both General and Advanced.

The clubrooms were filled to capacity.  The sections were well supported with a large entry in 'Colour General'.  Jim picked out his favourites, then chose the final three.  Members had a chance to browse the prints before the results were announced.  The results were as follows:

General Colour	1st 2nd 3rd	"Rillo" "Waiting for Take-Off" "Isle of Mull"	Amy Stockdale Clare Corbett Clare Corbett
Advanced Colour	1st 2nd 3rd	"Oliver" "Armagh Cathedral" "Krissi"	Melissa Gordon Leslie Armour Alan Reid
General Monochrome	1st 2nd 3rd	"One Day in Jun" "Hey You" "Old Pier"	William Stockdale Ian McCormick Carole Watson
Advanced Monochrome	1st 2nd 3rd	"Grass Fence" "Down Cathedral" "Scrabo"	Alan Reid Melissa Gordon Alan Reid
Projected Digital Image General	1st 2nd 3rd	"Globe" "Rillo" "Dismount"	Alison Evans Amy Stockdale Ian McCormick
Projected Digital Image Advanced	1st 2nd 3rd	"Always Coca Cola" "Rose on Ice" "Piece of Cake"	Melissa Gordon Melissa Gordon Melissa Gordon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then from these winners, the entries were chosen for the Northern Ireland Photographic Association (NIPA) Inter-Club Competition.  The results were as follows:

Colour Prints to NIPA Inter-club Competition	"Oliver" Mellissa Gordon, "Rillo" Amy Stockdale, "Waiting for Take-Off" Clare Corbett, "Isle of Mull" Clare Corbett
Monochrome Prints to NIPA Inter-club Competition	"Hey You" Ian McCormick, "Grass Fence" Alan Reid, "Down Cathedral" Melissa Gordon, "Scrabo" Alan Reid
Digital Projected Image to NIPA Inter-club Competition	"Globe" Alison Evans, "Dismount" Ian McCormick, "Rose on Ice" Melissa Gordon, "Always Coka Cola" Melissa Gordon

Then after the ballot, Jim gave a short talk on his work.  This was on how a shoot was lit and how the many moods were brought into the same photos.  There were before and after Photoshop photos, which were quite amazing in the differences.

The Club would like to extend it's thanks to Jim Crone for his constructive comments for the judging and an enjoyable evening.

Next on our programme is 'Macro' in good time for the Inter-Club Competition.  Please join us for what is sure to be an interesting and informative evening.  All levels are welcome.

Friday 13th November 2009
'Macro' - Steve Lowry.  Please bring your camera.

Wednesday 18th November 2009
Photochat and Problem Solving from 8pm with tea and biscuits.

Further information is on our website www.ardscameraclub.co.uk and our email is ardscameraclub@yahoo.co.uk


Notes for 30th October 2009
Inter-club round 2 - 'Open' (rescheduled to Friday 6th November)

Due to extensive flooding caused by a burst water main, the judging for Inter-club Round 2 was cancelled at short notice.  The water has now receded, and the clubroom seems to have escaped damage but this can not be said when you see the state of the car park!  It was hoped that the meeting on Friday 6th November would go ahead as planned in our programme.  This was to be a talk on fashion photography by Jim Crone, well known and respected for his work in hair, beauty and fashion.  Unfortunately this will have to be postponed to a later date as the round 2 competition will have to take place to enable the club to forward it's entry to NIPA for the forthcoming Inter-club judging.  Jim Crone will still be there with us on Friday but this time in his capacity as a judge!

Please refer to our website for up-to-date information and rescheduling of programme and other events and also members are reminded to check their emails.

Our website is www.ardscameraclub.co.uk and our email is ardscameraclub@yahoo.co.uk


Notes for 23rd October 2009
Ian Lyons - Lightroom Workflow on Location (Antarctica 2009)

Ards Camera Club guest speaker this week was Ian Lyons, professional photographer, with a special interest in Adobe products.  He gave a talk entitled 'Lightroom Workflow on Location (Antarctica 2009).'  His previous talk had shown slides of his trip and this time used photos from his latest trip to demonstrate Lightroom.  The talk was well supported with a packed room. The audience enjoyed the night and learnt a few things about Lightroom along the way.

Ards Camera Club would like to extend it's thanks to Ian Lyons for taking the time to come along and give such an enjoyable talk.

Dates for your Diary:

Wednesday 28th October 2009  This is the closing date to email Projected Digital Images for entry into Inter-Club Round 2.

Friday 30th October 2009  Closing date for entries for Roy Finlay Natural History Competition

Inter-Club Round 2 - Open (Large Print Size).  The competion will start promptly at 8 pm, meeting at the clubroom.

Wednesday 4th November 2009  Photochat and problem solving - informal meeting at 8 pm at the clubrooms.  Tea and biscuits also available.

All are welcome of any level and interest. Further information is available on our website www.ardscameraclub.co.uk and our email is ardscameraclub@yahoo.co.uk


Notes for 16th October 2009
David Foster LIPF - Black & Light

On Friday 16th October 2009, Ards Camera Club's guest speaker was David Foster, professional photographer.  His talk was entitled 'Black & Light.'  This was a slightly different way to 'see' monochrome.  The speaker was introduced by the Programme Secretary, Alan Reid.  The talk started off with a small sample of David's own photos, followed by slideshows of photos of people who had inspired him, a selection of photos by the masters from bygone days.  It was interesting to see how the same ideas were recycled with a new twist.  Even the masters copied each others' ideas.  Then David talked about how he had studied these photos in great detail to give him inspiration for his photos.  The last slideshow of the night was viewing his own photos again but with different eyes as it was now from the point of view of seeing how it corresponded to ideas and inspiration from the masters.  David pointed out how he used the "interplay of dark and light" and this was shown to great effect in his photos, particularly in one that had the 'feel' of the lighting from 'The Third Man.'

Ards Camera Club would like to extend their thanks to David Foster for an informative and enjoyable talk and, for taking the time to bring some of his prints. This was particularly appreciated by the audience.

Dates for your Diary:

Wednesday 28 th October 2009  Photochat and problem solving, from 8 pm, meeting at the clubrooms.

Friday 23 rd October 2009  Lightroom Workflow on Location (Antarctica 2009) by Ian Lyons.  Also closing date for Projected Digital Images (PDIs) for Inter-Club Round 2 - Open.  Please bring PDIs on either a labelled CD or flashdrive.  Closing date for email entries to either Peter Knott or the club email address, is Wednesday 28 th October 2009.

Everyone is welcome to come along whatever their level of interest. Further information is on our website www.ardscameraclub.co.uk and our email is ardscameraclub@yahoo.co.uk


Notes for 9th October 2009
Gerry Coe - Portrait Lighting and Set-up

Ards Camera Club's guest speaker was Gerry Coe, professional photographer, who gave a talk on portrait lighting.  The Club Chairman, Leslie Armour, introduced Gerry who gave the talk via a practical demonstration with the help of our model Natalie.  It was his goal to "take the mystery" out of studio lighting.  The first half was the demonstration of different types of lighting, using one, and then more lights, followed by a chance for everyone to take photos.  This provided a welcome opportunity for the members to try it for themselves.  It is a testament to Gerry's expertise that he made it all look so easy.  There was time at the end to view the photos on the laptop with some additional tips on how to manipulate the photos.

Ards Camera Club would like to extend its thanks to Gerry Coe for such an informative talk which did indeed take the mystery of lighting and the chance to put the knowledge gained, into practice.  Our thanks also go to Natalie, our model for the evening.

Next week Friday 16th October is a talk by David Foster, entitled 'Black and Light.'

Dates for the Diary:

Every Wednesday  Photochat and problem solving at clubrooms from 8 pm

Friday 16th October  'Black and Light' by David Foster, start at 8 pm, Clubrooms.

Everyone is welcome to come along whatever their level or interest.  Further details are on our website, www.ardscameraclub.co.uk and our email is ardscameraclub@yahoo.co.uk


Notes for 2nd October 2009
Jim Moreland FBIPP FRPS - My way with Monochrome

Ards Camera Club hosted a presentation by Jim Moreland, professional photographer, on Friday 2nd October 2009.  Jim brought along prints, the majority of which were hand printed in the darkroom.  Stories to go with the prints were recounted with great enthusiasm and humour.  The night started with our guest speaker showing some architectural shots, portraits and then environmental portraits.  It was obvious to all that he really enjoyed his 'work'.  Although semi-retired, his greatest pleasure is spending a few hours in the darkroom.

The photographs were all monochrome and the quality of the prints shone through.  It was obvious by the reaction of the audience that the fact that the prints were not on a flash drive but there to be seen up close and personal was greatly appreciated.  It was pointed out that all aspects of the portrait was thought out beforehand, from the lighting, the background through to the position of the sitter.  The speaker said there were three most important things in photography, 1 lighting, 2 lighting and 3 lighting.  This became increasingly apparent as each print was shown.  These prints truly had the 'monochrome magic'.

The Club would like to extend it's thanks to Jim Moreland for taking the time to bring the prints and giving such an enjoyable and humorous talk.

Next week is Gerry Coe with a presentation on 'Portrait Lighting and Set-up'.  Please bring your camera.  This should prove to be a good night, especially with the practical application of portrait lighting.

Dates to remember:

Wednesday 7th October 2009  Photochat and problem solving, tea and biscuits at the Clubrooms from 8 pm.

Friday 9th October 2009  Portrait Lighting and Set-up by Gerry Coe: Start 8 pm at Clubrooms.

Further information is on our website: www.ardscameraclub.co.uk and our email is ardscameraclub@yahoo.co.uk


Notes for 25th September 2009
Inter-club round 1 - 'Open'

Ards Camera Club held the 'Open' round of the club competition on Friday 25th September 2009.  All categories were well supported with an especially good entry in General Colour and Projected Digital Images (PDI).  The chairman, Leslie Armour, welcomed the guest judge, Gerry Coe, to the club and the judging began for each section, Colour General, Colour Advanced, Monochrome General, Monochrome Advanced and Projected Digital Image (PDI), both General and Advanced.

Gerry gave his views on photos that caught his eye and then gave the final three for each section.  Members had a chance to browse the prints before the results were announced.  The results were as follows:

Colour General
1st Robert Graham; 2nd Carole Watson; 3rd Bobby Graham

Colour Advanced
1st David S Adair; 2nd Melissa Gordon; 3rd Alan Reid

Monochrome General
1st Lawrence Cochrane 2nd William Stockdale 3rd Lydia McCallen

Monochrome Advanced
1st Marty Watson; 2nd Leslie Armour; 3rd Alan Reid

Projected Digital Image General
1st William Stockdale; 2nd Ian McCormick; 3rd William Stockdale

Projected Digital Image Advanced
1st David S Adair; 2nd Melissa Gordon; 3rd Alan Reid

Then from these winners, the entries were chosen for the Northern Ireland Photographic Association (NIPA) Inter Club competition.

The results were as follows:

Colour
Golden Churn (Mellissa Gordon), Stormy Weather (David S Adair), What a Mouthful (Robert Graham), Titanic Wheel (Carole Watson)

Monochrome
Apartments (Lawrence Cochrane), Pawnbroker (William Stockdale), B Boy (Marty Watson), Resting Place (Leslie Armour)

Projected Digital Image
Wild Horses (Melissa Gordon), Old Woman (William Stockdale), Window Pot (David S Adair), Field of Gold (Alan Reid)

The judge commented on the high standard and said in some cases it was very difficult to choose between entries.

The club would like to extend it's thanks to Gerry Coe for his constructive comments and an enjoyable evening.

Next on our programme is a talk on black and white entitled 'My Way with Monochrome' by Jim Moreland.  Please join us for what is going to be an interesting and informative night.  All levels are welcome.

Further information is on our website, www.ardscameraclub.co.uk and our email is ardscameraclub@yahoo.co.uk


Notes for 4th, 11th, 18th September 2009
Opening Night, Ross McKelvey - Photoshop, Vincent Dargan - Street Photography

On Friday 4th September 2009, the clubroom was packed to capacity with members both old and new.  The chairman, Leslie Armour gave a brief synopsis of the programme for the year highlighting a few of the talks in the near future.  An announcement was made by Iain McCormick of a new project.  This is to be a photo yearbook covering any photos the members would like to submit during the year as well as the exhibition prints and winners of the competitions.  This was followed by a light supper.

The following week, Friday 11th September 2009, was a talk by Ross McKelvey on Photoshop.  Both the audience and the speaker were so enthralled; tea break and the ballot were almost forgotten.  The talk was excellent as well as extremely informative, and enjoyed by everyone.

Last Friday 18th September 2009 Vincent Dargan, retired photo journalist, brought along a selection of his photos.  Each photo represented a story of a sometimes ordinary person, in extra-ordinary circumstances.  The photos were from 1970s through to recent times.  It was a fascinating view of life in those times.  The audience recognised various streets and characters from bygone days.  Again another interesting and fascinating talk.

Next week will be the Inter-Club Round 1 competition.  The subject is 'Open'.  Wednesday night will continue with the informal problem solving and photo chat from around 8 pm.

Dates for your diary:

Wednesday 23rd September 2009  Informal chat and problem solving from 8 pm.

Friday 25th September 2009  Inter-Club competition - Round 1 Open.
Meeting will begin at 8 pm and all prints must be submitted by then.  Projected digital images must be submitted to Peter Knott by end of Thursday 24th September 2009.

All are welcome, so please come along.

Further information is on our website, www.ardscameraclub.co.uk   Our email is ardscameraclub@yahoo.co.uk


Notes for September 2009

The new season of Ards Camera Club starts on Friday 4th September 2009 and a full programme of large variety of subjects has been arranged for the year.  The Chairman, Leslie Armour, will give an introduction to the programme while other speakers will give information on NIPA, the competitions and an exciting, new upcoming project.  There will be plenty of time for informal chat with some light refreshments after the short announcements.

This year will include some practical sessions and relate to the speaker previous to it and the forthcoming competition.  The programme includes such diverse topics as fashion photography, street photography as well as speakers on subjects such as 'Portrait Lighting and Setup', 'Black & Light', and 'Photoshop'.  There will be plenty of competitions during the year as well.  There are also informal meetings on a Wednesday night, officially to discuss any problems and Photoshop, as well as those who turn up for the tea and biscuits and chat.

The club also has two exhibitions starting on Tuesday 1st September 2009, one at Dundonald Library and one at Comber Library. The exhibitions show the wide range of subjects and diverse styles within the club.

The club welcomes photographers of all levels, from beginner’s right through to those who are experienced and want to enter competitions. If you are interested in coming along, please have a look at the exhibitions or our website for more information.  The Club has a wide range of activities to cater for all.  Please come along for a few weeks and then decide if you wish to join the Club.

Dates to remember:

Tuesday 1st September 2009  Exhibitions open at Comber and Dundonald Library running for one month.

Friday 4th September 2009  Opening Night, at 8 pm.  Clubhouse is at the junction of South Street and Circular Road, close to the Gateway Club.  Map is on our website.

Further information is on our website www.ardscameraclub.co.uk or email us at ardscameraclub@yahoo.co.uk

We look forward to seeing you there.


Notes for August 2009

Ards Camera Club would like to express it's thanks to the members for their support, which made the summer outings such a success.

The outings were evening and all days trips and covered a wide variety of interests. The evening outings included Titanic Dock, Samson and Goliath, Holywood, Greyabbey, Kircubbin and the Tall ships.  The day trips included Newcastle and surrounding area, Armagh, and the Zoo.  A selection of photos from these trips are shown below.  The trips were a great way to keep in touch over the summer as well as take photos in a relaxed way.  The final summer outing will take place on Sunday 30th August 2009.  Bring your camera and join us.

The start of the season is nearly upon us.  Come along for an informal chat and light supper on our opening night. All levels are welcome.

Dates for your diary are:

Sunday 30th August 2009  Meet at the clubrooms at 10am to travel to Ulster Museum, Cultra. Please bring a packed lunch.

Friday 4th September 2009  Opening night. Informal chat and light supper.

Please come along and join us whatever your interest or level.

A selection of photos from the "Summer Outings"