We were very fortunate to have Neil Scott who has had 60 years in photography and has had over 400 images accepted by International competitions to judge our monochrome print competition last night.He admitted that he was a hard marker and as such any image with a 14 plus score was a good image, with those with a lower score were still OK but needed further work on them. He gave some good guidance on how images could have been improved along with an amusing delivery.

He pointed out that a mono images is not just a converted colour print, but the picture should be taken with a mono print in mind, so as to get appropriate shadows and highlights that suite this medium. There were a number of images that could have been improved with just a slight adjustment by using ‘levels’,it is worth with all images to check the contrast by levels and see if it does improve it.

Anyone that need help here ( plus cropping and cloning)can get practical advice from 7-7.30pm prior to the meeting. To arrange, see John Napier or  me.
With one exception(mount slightly over sized) the print  mounting was excellent last night, again if anyone needs advice here this please see Charlie Briggs.

The points awarded were very close last night and the top ones were:-

Delvin Stonehill       –  57
Joe Fowler              –  52
Anita Nutter            –  52
Dougie William       –  50
Charlie Briggs        –  50
Terry May               –  49
Jennifer Davidson   – 49
Malcolm Roberts     – 48
Clive Davies            – 48
Liz Sowler               – 47

Next week we have Mark Davey from Calumet who gave us an excellent talk on wedding photography a couple of seasons ago, his subject this time
is ‘Movement in Action’ – really worth coming along to.

To those members who have not yet ‘signed up to the MCC web site please do so, Dougie will at the club from 7pm next week and will assist you to sign up if required.
My aim is to have everyone on board by the end of Feb.

See you all next week.

Clive

Welcome to Kirstie our newest member  to join us.

Fisherrow now have  Wi-Fi so Rob and Dougie were able to demonstrate the benefits of joining the the ‘Post’ facility where we can use this to communicate with all members of the club, thus keeping everyone up to date with what is going on.

Plus members can also sign up to ‘Log in’ and ”Post’ their own comments and ideas or photo opportunities which can be shared by all. But if you have not signed up to ‘Post’ then e mail your comment or idea to Rob at:-

musselburghcameraclub@hotmail.com  and he will put on for you.

Members if they wish can go further and join the Flickr group and load on their own photos and get comments from other members – usually very constructive.

My aim is to have everyone ‘signed up’ by the end of February and then I can use the ‘Post’ to send out my comments and dispense with my ‘Group’ e mail.

Members who have signed up will currently get two e mails one from me and the other via the site, I will take names off of my ‘Group’ as I am advised of those that have signed which will solve this duplication.

You can either follow the instruction as shown on web site or during the next two meeting Rob and  co will sign you up via the club’s laptop.

We then went on to discuss how the entries for the ‘Abstract’ competition were set up. Each ‘author’ described on what was involved and the effort that went in to make their creation.

One member involved the whole family, wife manipulating  the subject, daughter holding the reflector and almost a divorce owing to the never ending re-takes, but the end result which we all agreed was really remarkable.

There were many tales about the effort that went into achieving the images and illustrated the dedication and how talented we can all be when we put our mind to it, looking for pictures that most people will just ‘walk’ past and not notice.

Next week we will have the Monochrome Print Competition, which is the last comp. this season. We had a good number of entries, so it will be interesting to see what our external judge, Dr Neil Scott thinks of them.

Please make a real effort to come along.

Clive

We carried out our second ‘Image Appraisal’ evening, which had a larger entry than the earlier session, but it would be to everyone’s advantage if all members brought along a single image that could have constructive comments made, together with ‘hopefully’ some hints on general photography. Our next session will be on Thursday 15th March,
so please put aside an image which can be used for this exercise.

We are now developing the syllabus for next year and have taken into account the feed back which many members sent into me. One suggestion was to have a meeting where an image could be shown on ‘screen’ as to how the image was taken through Photoshop in order to create the final image.

Del has agreed to hold a session in September to do this, but wants to take it further, and would like to have images e mailed to him from members, where he can then take them through Photoshop and then present these (explaining the procedure)so that we can all see how, with a few ‘tweaks’  they can look so much better.

This will take quite a lot of work and time, so will you all pick out an  image as soon as possible and e mail it to   delvinstonehill@mac.com,
if we do not get the impute we will not get the benefit from this exercise.

Confirming that the meeting on 24th Jan with Midlothian CC has been cancelled.

Next week we will have a review of the excellent entries for the ‘Abstract’ Comp.

Clive

A real successful evening last where, despite my worries, we had a large submission of ‘Abstract’ prints and in Anita’s words ‘were all of a very high standard’.
All very different with a lot of thought and effort put in to create some really interesting images, many with a true ‘wow’ factor.

It was decided to have a second view of the images at our meeting on 26th Jan, where it would be interesting for the ‘authors’ to give a brief comment on how
they went about to make their creation.

The mount quality was also to a higher standard than we have had before, with only about three members putting in ‘over large’ mounts, please keep the maximum size of
mounts to 50cmx40cm – if using the max  mount size, adjust  your image to a size that will fit the mount, but leaving a suitable amount of surround in order to give it the
right balance. If you need guidance on mounts see Charlie Briggs.

Next week will everyone please bring one print for the ‘Appraisal’ evening – much can be learnt by this and it give members the opportunity to see other members work.

Midlothian Camera Club wish to postpone out inter – club comp. therefore the away match on 24th Jan will not now take place.

There are two local competitions which you may wish to enter:-

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh – http://www.rbge.org.uk/photo-comp – closing date May

Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society – http://www.rchs.co.uk/photocomp12.html#  – closing date 21sr Feb.

See you all next week.

Clive

Happy New Year to everyone – may you all have a ‘clicking’ year ahead.

Ross must be thanked for all the hard work he put into producing a very challenging ‘Fun Quiz’ for us last night, which was a well supported meeting
to kick start the second half of our programme.

Liz’s handbag has turned up, so no ‘strip searches’ next week.

Although I did not count the numbers, but it looks as though we have had a good number of entries for our ‘Abstract’ comp. – so do not miss next weeks meeting
when Anita will give her comments on them – if you did not manage to get to the meeting last night, please bring along your entry next week
and if there is time I will ask Anita if she can look at them.

The following week ( Jan 19th) we have our regular ‘Appraisal Meeting’ where there is a good opportunity for your work to be assessed.
Therefore will everyone bring along one print image (any subject) preferably mounted (but not essential) so that we have a full range of work.

Also please bring along up to three Monochrome Prints (any subject) for the Monochrome Print Competition
which will be judged by an external Judge on 2nd of Feb. The comp. rules re sizes etc does apply to this comp., so please look at syllabus or web site if you are not clear.

We have an inter club meeting with Midlothian CC on Tuesday 24th Jan, so please put your name on the list which should be up on the noticeboard
next week if you wish to go, then we can organise transport.

Hope to see you all next week

Clive

About 12 of use ‘braved’ the weather and turned up last night, it was a good excuse for a chat and Phil soon had the kettle on. It was decided to have Ross’s
‘fun quiz’, on Thursday 5th Jan, so lets hope the weather does not get in the way again.

Please will everyone get at least one ‘Abstract Print’ ready to bring along to the meeting on the 5th Jan. As I have already said it can be any subject, but just try to make it look ‘a little different’, if anyone has any problems with this then send me an e mail and I will try to help.

Christmas Dinner – Ravelston- 7pm for 7.30pm – will those who did not pay their £12 (includes tip) please pay Liz on arrival on Thursday -Please have exact amount (no change given!!).

On Wednesday morning I attended a free workshop at Jacobs on Speedlights, it was most interesting and I learnt a new way of looking at using a flash gun(s) which will be good to experiment with. I only knew about it because Dougie saw a notice in Jacobs and then put the details on our web site, which was then automatically e mailed out to all members who are ‘signed up’ to the site.

This in it self shows the real benefits of using this facility and I therefore urge everyone to sign up to web ( I sent out further instructions a couple of weeks ago).

I have now had a good number of replies to my request for the ‘Syllabus Survey’ – but I would still like to hear from more members, even if you only record that you are ‘totally happy’ with things.

To those members who will not be coming to Kirkcaldy on Monday or the Christmas Dinner, Merry Christmas and hope to see you at the next meeting on 5th Jan with your ‘Abstract Prints’ in hand.

Clive.

What an amazing meeting we had last night with the four way inter-club competition, against Haddington, Stirling and Edinburgh.
We had a good turnout of our own members and four guests from Stirling, three from Haddington but sadly only the judge came from Edinburgh, although he did say that he was not involved with the group that put in the images for competitions.

Sandy Cleland, FRPS, APIAF, was an excellent judge who said that he was very impressed with the standard of the work submitted.

The results were:-

!st   Musselburgh   268 points
2nd Stirling            253 points
3rd  Edinburgh       245 points
4th  Haddington     238 points

Afterwards we had a superb banquet, a member of Stirling CC actually took a picture of it to take back as they are hosting next years comp.
Many thanks to Liz and her team  for organising it.

Next week we have the last meeting at Fisherrow this calendar year, where Ross will put on a fun evening, so please make an effort to come along.
The following Thursday will be our Christmas Dinner to round off our first half of this season.

Abstract is the set subject and I am expecting that everyone will put in at least one image (max 3) to be handed in at our first meeting in 2012 on Thursday 5th Jan.
So please get working on it before Christmas gets in the way.

On Monday 12th Dec. we are visiting Kirkcaldy CC, we have 12 members on the list to go, owing to traffic and road works we will need to leave Fisherrow at 6pm.

Clive

Andy Bennetts gave us his insight into ‘Capturing Sport’ with an illustrated talk about the many ways that he uses to get real action images.
A long lens, high speed (1000 -1200) and an open aperture (2.8) – this freezes the action and puts the background out of focus. Using manual focus and estimating where the main subject
will be when you press the button or use tracking focus if your camera has this. Motor drive and taking dozens of shots and you just might capture that special picture.

We had a committee meeting last Tuesday and it was decided:-

1. That the presentation of Trophies will now be held on the same night as the AGM on 12th April, followed by a party. This will free up the first meeting in Sept 12 to be more interesting for existing and new members.

2. I mentioned last week about our set subject ‘Abstract’ – Anita will be doing the judging and will pick the first three places plus three runner ups, the images will be commented on by her, but points will not be awarded and this comp will not count towards  the ‘Photographer of the Year’ award.

This will leave it open to put in up to three images and give the scope to have some real fun.

I would like for everyone and I mean everyone to have a go and put at least one image in and make them as quirky, funny or what ever you like.

So think about it, use your imagination and let us have them on 5th Jan.

Next week we have the four way club comp against Haddington, Stirling and Edinburgh, we have booked the large room (room 32) at the Fisherrow Centre, so please will everyone make a real effort to come along and give your support to the club.

We will be having a party afterwards.

Joe is holding at Workshop at Southfields this Sat 10-12noon –

‘Camera Controls’ and ‘Good & Bad Portraits’ If you are interested e mail him on  fingalfowler@aol.com

I repeat -‘Please make a real effort to come along next week’.

Clive

A warm welcome to out latest member, John Fraser who joined us last night.

I  announced the sad news last night that Bill Brown’s wife died last week – we send our condolences to Bill – the funeral will take place at 2 pm on  Monday at Seafield Crematorium.

Last night we were able to see the winning entries in the Photographic Alliance of GB for 2009, we will see the 2010 version at a later date.
It was a two parter, the first one had many stunning images, all of which had the consistence element that what was needed to be in focus was and the background
was out of focus (good depth of field) with no intruding and distracting elements to take the eye off of the main subject.

The second set of images were, although good, were not up to the same standard and I am sure that we can easily compete, so please look through your images, no matter how old
and if you have some that we could use, e mail them to Dell, asap, so that he can make a selection that we can put into next years competition and get MCC firmly on the map.

Yesterday I spent an interesting time with a preview of the Portrait Gallery, which re opens to the public on 1st Dec.The improvements are very impressive and they now have a dedicated
gallery for Photography (the only one in Scotland), they also have three further small exhibition of photographs, so it is certainly worth a visit.

Future Club Competitions

The set subject ‘Abstract‘ – you can broaden out the literal meaning and include living things, but the images need to be different of quirky, so use you imagination and see what you can come up with.
But will everyone please have a go and submit up to three imaged by the meeting on 5th Jan. Anita will be the judge, so I am sure she will be ‘generous’ with her comments.

The monochrome Print submissions are required by the meeting on 19th Jan. any type of image, but monotone (no colour). You can use Photoshop to convert – if any member needs some training, this can be catered for between 7-7.30 on  club nights – see John Napier or myself to arrange. One of the exhibitions at the Portrait Gallery details Thomas Anna’s mono /sepia images of the slums of Glasgow, taken during 1868-71 – these might give you some inspiration.

Next week – we have an illustrated talk by the sports photographer, Andy Bennetts, on ‘Capturing Sport’. This should be very worthwhile and we no doubt be able to pick up many tips on the insight to this demanding subject.

Lets have a good turnout next week.

Clive

Last night Brenda Thomson gave her opinion of our entries, we may not agree with a number of her comments and points awarded, but that’s the way a judge see it, she did say that over all there was a high standard of entries and that she is not one for giving high marks unless an image is outstanding.

However, Dougie came out on top, so congratulations to him.

The top six positions re as follows:-

1.  Dougie
2. Charlie and Anita
3. Jennifer and Del
4. Rob
5. Scott
6. Joe

The real winners were everyone who put in images, a print is the end product of what we do and it is essential that everyone try to participate in showing their work on these occasions, you might not agree with the comments, although often there is a little amount of truth in some of the comments, especially as I raised before and I still fall foul of them:-

Better  cropping, burnt out highlights, distracting elements in the background and some images too large for the mount, but still nothing wrong with ‘Black’!

Next week we have a projected display of the best images for 2010 from the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain (we can 17th in the whole of GB last year,so we might have an image included)

This is the organisation that Del would like us to enter again  for this years comp.

So if you have not yet done so, please seek out up to three of your best images and e mail them to Del asap.

If you have not yet committed yourself to the Christmas Dinner, then please join us.

See you all next week.

Clive