For many years Syd Cumbus has provided a summary of the week’s meeting to the Lancaster Guardian for their increasingly irregular social scene column. We’re now very happy to be able to also present these round ups on the website.

‘Lancaster’ was the themed subject for the second Society competition of the season. The judge was Simon Ray L.R.P.S. from St. Annes.

Results as follows:-

Colour Prints – Highly Commended

• ‘Melting ice in Dalton Square’ – Sheenagh Crumley
• ‘Skerton Bridge’ – Syd Cumbus

Colour Prints – Commended

• St. Peter’s Cathedral – Syd Cumbus

Monochrome Prints – Highly Commended

• ‘Ashton Memorial Steps’ – Sheenagh Crumley
• ‘Towards Ashton Memorial’ – Allan Hartley

Monochrome Prints – Commended

• ‘Icebound at Haverbreaks’ – Syd Cumbus
• ‘Quay Reflections’ – Sheenagh Crumley
• ‘Lancaster Market Weights’ – Allan Hartley

Digital Projected Images (Colour) – Highly Commended

• ‘Fire in the Sky’ and ‘A Night in the Park’ – both John Aldred
• ‘Williamson Park Fountain’ – Sheenagh Crumley

Digital Projected Images (Colour) – Commended

• ‘Bowerham Skyline’ and ‘Waiting for the Sunset’ – both Christian Cable
• ‘Canal at Moor Lane’ – Sheenagh Crumley
• ‘Ashton Memorial’ – Nick Dagger
• ‘Skerton Bridge’ – Mandy Foreman

Digital Projected Images (Monochrome) – Highly Commended

• ‘Ashton Memorial, Williamson Park’ – Mike Atkinson
• ‘An Unhappy Bear’ – Christian Cable

Digital Projected Images (Monochrome) – Commended

• ‘Howdy, Neighbour’ – John Aldred
• ‘Lancaster Moor Hospital’ – Mike Atkinson
• ‘Prospect of Lancaster’ – Syd Cumbus
• ‘Queen Victoria’ – Mandy Foreman

The vote of thanks to the judge was proposed by Vic Crumley.

For many years Syd Cumbus has provided a summary of the week’s meeting to the Lancaster Guardian for their increasingly irregular social scene column. We’re now very happy to be able to also present these round ups on the website.

The President of the Society Christian Cable, welcomed Dave Willis from Shap, a photographer of some 20 years experience and who who specialises in outdoor sports action images.

A well travelled man, Dave has worked in Chile and Patagonia as an expedition photographer with Operation Raleigh and is also a visiting photographic tutor at Kendal College. Dave presented his lecture ‘An Eye for Adventure’ with 35mm images taken both on film cameras and with digital equipment. The opening sequence was a series of 61 images in both colour and monochrome of action shots of cyclists, mountaineers, yachting, kayaking, many with landscape features taken in the Lake District and the Cairngorms in Scotland.

Part two involved Dave explaining how each picture was taken, his technique of using ultra wide angle lenses at close distances to moving cycles and snowboarders. Dramatic images of yachts at Cowes Week and the Dolomites. He liked to include figures in many of the photographs by using people as actors and directing them into the correct position for the best image and to skilfully use flash guns to provide a different aspect to a picture. Members were able to choose an image and Dave would provide the reasons for taking it.

The vote of thanks for an interesting and informative evening was provided by Mandy Foreman.

Details about the photography courses that Dave teaches can be found on the Kendal College website.

For many years Syd Cumbus has provided a summary of the week’s meeting to the Lancaster Guardian for their increasingly irregular social scene column. We’re now very happy to be able to also present these round ups on the website.

The President of the Society, Christian Cable introduced Rod and Margaret Smith from Horton-in-Ribblesdale and who are members of Settle Photographic Society to present their lecture entitled ‘Making Images’ – the Art and Craft of Photography. Both Rod and Margaret are teachers of Photography in Skipton, Settle and many of the villages of the Yorkshire Dales.

Part 1 consided of projected digital images in colour and monochrome to illustrate the art of the medium using the construction tools of making a good picture. These included looking for lines, shapes, patterns, form, light and texture and being in control by skilful use of the lens focal length, shutter, aperture and depth of field. Rod demonstrated using Photoshop CS3 how contrast makes impact on an image, especially in black and white. Margaret then showed members how to change the perspective by firstly taking a photograph with a wide angle lens and then a second of the same image from a different viewpoint and then combining the two images using layers Photoshop.

Part 2 used members projected images and the speakers demonstrated how they could be improved and altered by various techniques in Photoshop, especially by reference to levels. Members commented upon the results and whether or not they liked the changed photograph.

Bill Wilcockson proposed a well deserved vote of thanks for a most interesting and instructive evening.

For many years Syd Cumbus has provided a summary of the week’s meeting to the Lancaster Guardian for their increasingly irregular social scene column. We’re now very happy to be able to also present these round ups on the website.

“Christian Cable, President of the Society introduced the Lancashire & Cheshire Photographic Union portfolio of monochrome prints selected from Camera Clubs and Photographic Societies within the two counties. A total of 49 prints were exhibited covering Scottish landscapes, architecture, seascapes, infra red  and composite images achieved in Photoshop. Some of the photographs had used colour toning and the HDR technique, again utilizing Photoshop. With each image the members participated in a brief discussion.

The finale of the evening was a short presentation by Christian on his method of taking good photographs of fireworks. He described the equipment used and illustrated his mini lecture with excellent photographs of fireworks taken in Britain and Germany. Members of the Society intend to record images of the Lancaster Firework Spectacular on November 5th.”

Christian’s slides can be found here.

For many years Syd Cumbus has provided a summary of the week’s meeting to the Lancaster Guardian for their increasingly irregular social scene column. We’re now very happy to be able to also present these round ups on the website.

“The Society welcomed Ron Pickering from Manchester as guest speaker for the latest meeting. Ron, a biologist by profession presented his lecture entitled ‘Photo Safari’ – Images of wildlife in Zoos.

Ron is a member of Trafford Photographic Society and an author of some 25 books, some for schools and others for general reading. The talk was accompanied by his latest volume ‘Photo Safari’  Ron explained how to take images of animals in zoos and to make the photograph appear to be in the wild. This was acheived by careful planning of the site and composition of the picture. Ron used Canon 40D/50D cameras with a 100mm – 400mm lens.

The lecture was illustrated with superb images of primates, cheetahs, giraffes and birds. Ron continued his talk by outlining the difficulties of having a book published, whether to use an established publishing house or to self publish.

John Aldred proposed the vote of thanks to Ron for his excellent photography, wide knowledge of animals and technical expertise in his chosen subject.”

Copies of Ron’s book ‘Photosafari – Images of Wildlife in Zoos’ are available at his publisher’s website and amazon.

For many years Syd Cumbus has provided a summary of the week’s meeting to the Lancaster Guardian for their increasingly irregular social scene column. We’re now very happy to be able to also present these round ups on the website.

The President of the Society, Christian Cable welcomed Christine Widdall EFIAP, DPAGB, BPE3* to present her lecture entitled ‘In my View – Colour Prints and Conversation’. Christine is President of the Lancashire & Cheshire Photographic Union and a member of Oldham Photographic Society.

An experienced photographer, authoress and national judge, Christine discussed with members each of her 65 prints, her interpretation and reasons for taking the image and then using Photoshop CS 5.5 to produce the final photograph. The lecture was divided into several sections including Landscape, Texture, Flora, Portraits of the Goth festival at Whitby and some Rustic scenes where Christine had changed the colours on the image to make a watercolour effect. Some of her images had used high dynamic range and tone wrapping by blending up to seven images together on the computer.

Sally Anderson proposed the vote of thanks to Christine for an informative and most interesting evening.

The Annual Dinner and presentation evening was the last meeting of the season for the Society. The results of all the seasons competitions had been announced at the Annual General Meeting. Members who received awards were presented with trophies by President Christian Cable as follows:-

Photographer of the Year

Annual Projected Image Competition

Syd Cumbus

For many years Syd Cumbus has provided a summary of the week’s meeting to the Lancaster Guardian for their increasingly irregular social scene column. We’re now very happy to be able to also present these round ups on the website. Our first such summary is below…

At the recent Annual General Meeting of the Society, Christian Cable was elected as the new President together with other officers to serve for the 2011/12 season as follows:-

The annual outing will be on Saturday, June 4th to Liverpool. The new season of indoor meetings will commence in September 2011.