Neil Scott really illustrated how by using one’s imagination you can create some stunning photos, all you need is black velvet, kitchen table and a life time of getting out there and taking photos.

His task is by no means simple, taking advantage of lighting, plus a certain amount additional lights, he said afterwards that he fits a toilet roll tube (black inside) and fits it over hid flash gun to  get a spot light.

Have a look at his web site ‘www.neilscottphotos.co.uk’  and you will be able to see even more of his art and his humour.

A challenge to us to take more notice of what is around us and stretch the imagination. We have our set subject competition next with entries to be in by 7th March. the subject is ‘Abstract or something Qwerky’ So will everyone start thinking about it and coming up with some good ideas.

Jim Todd has got his Tuesday’s workshops organised for the eleven members involved. We have now three members who are interested in an AV (Audio/Visual) workshop, we need three more to make it viable, so let me know if you are interested.

Next week we have a AV evening in conjunction with Beeslack Camera Club, this might give some incentive for more members to have a go.

As I have said before there are a number of benefits for  having a data base, apart from selecting competition images, it gives material for training and advice. The greater the range of ability the better.

As advised last week I am planning a Power Point presentation for the meeting on 14th Feb, but still require co operation from some members to bring in their images on the supplied DVD – please put on what you have – they do not need to be ‘perfect’. Just bring them along next week.

I would also be grateful if members who got a mark of 16 and over to bring their prints along next week so that we can make a selection of prints for the forth coming inter club competitions.

Clive

Last night Brenda Thomson gave us her judgement and opinion on our efforts in the club’s Monochrome Competition and I have put details of the winners on the web site.

Brenda commented on the fact that mono photography is more demanding than colour, where a good contrast (black to white) is essential to make the image stand out, interest in the sky is also important and to get the best quality images, the mind must see an opportunity as a mono, as opposed to having a colour image that ‘might also work as a mono’.

A number of members brought in their dvds last night and I can now start loading these on the data base, will everyone else please let me have their disc asap, but if you do not have many images in each category, don’t worry, just give me what you have.

Apart from selecting for display, we have now decided to select a good number of images and make some ‘quick’ amendments via Photoshop and then have an evening on 14th February, projecting ‘before and after’ and then discuss what was done and then open it up for comments.

So please lets have the material!

Last Saturday I visited the Scottish National Portrait Gallery and there were three exhibitions relating to photography.

Just inside the door on the left there was a display of large portrait prints by KK Dundas a threatre and portrait photographer from Glasgow. He had a commission to photograph students and past students from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

In the Photography Gallery on the first floor was a display of images by a Czechoslovakia woman Jitka Hanzlova, it consists of a great range of her work, many of which would certainly be criticised by club judges, but worth looking at.

However on the second floor (gallery 8) here is an exhibition by  Fred Bremner who was born in 1863. He spent many years in India with a dry collodion glass plate camera.

The quality and detail of these monochrome  images and the way he has framed each of them are outstanding.

I am sure that none of our club judges could find fault, certainly worth a visit.

On the 28th of February we are to have a talk by Duncan Forbes from the NPG, who will tell us about the Scottish Collection of Photography, so it would be a good idea if you are in town to go along and spend half an hour or so, as photographers we can then have a better idea of what’s on offer.

Next week we have a talk by Judge Neil Scott, so lets see what his personal angle on photography is.

I have come across an interesting web site  – http://www.slrlounge.com/ – that have some interesting articles. If you come across such sites, let me know and I can circulate.

Clive