Don’t forget the Dorothy Clive Garden this autumn

Image | | Webmaster Chester PS

If you are looking to capture the colours of autumn and enjoy nature’s blazing display you could do well to head south down the A41 to Audlem and visit the Dorothy Clive Garden in the coming weeks. It is a mere 30 miles away. Due to this year’s warm weather there is a truly glorious display from bright reds & buttery golds to deep racing greens & brassy browns.

The tearoom will be open where visitors can enjoy homemade soup, hot drinks and a selection of cakes, scones and snacks. The gift shop will also be open where visitors can stock up on Christmas presents such as candles, soaps, handmade crafts and  decorations.

Until Christmas the garden is only open from 10am-4pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays with a special discounted price of £3.50 for adults and just  £2.00 for children under 18.

Print Exhibition Visitor’s Choice

Image | | suechampionuk

Visitors to our exhibition said they found it very difficult to choose their favourite images, and all seemed impressed at the variety of subjects on display. Every author received votes which was encouraging.

The Bench 13 July 2018

Congratulations to Richard Barrett whose image  “The Bench” was voted the visitors favourite by a clear majority. Three images tied for second place – “Pelican in Flight” and “Vestrahorn with Reflections” both by Ray Groome, and “The Railway Station” by Owen Watkins. Ron Sutton’s “Flying Low” was in third  place. Many thanks to all exhibitors and helpers.

2017-18 Print Exhibition; 7th & 8th September

Image | | Webmaster Chester PS

Club members gathered to hang prints from the 2017-18 season for this weekend’s exhibition at St Mary’s Creative Space (the former church at the top of St Mary’s Hill just behind the Castle) which is open on Friday 7th and Saturday 8th September from 10am – 4pm.

Members of the club will be on hand during the exhibition so do drop in and encourage your family and friends to visit too.

4th Annual SRGB Exhibition: Southport

Image | | Webmaster Chester PS

The 4th Annual SRGB Exhibition is being held in Wayfarer’s Arcade, Lord Street, Southport from 1st – 14th September from 9am-4pm. This is part British Photographic Exhibitions series with photographers from across the UK competing for Crown Awards photographic distinctions so you can expect a high standard of entries.

Click here for further details.

 

Cambrian Photography next open day

Image | | Webmaster Chester PS

Cambrian Photography in Old Colwyn is one of the few remaining, privately owned camera shops that cater for enthusiasts and professions, selling a great range of new and used equipment.

Twice a year they have an open day, where many manufacturers set up stalls so you can try out different cameras and equipment and get advice from people in the know. They also put on a series of lectures and workshops – with free beverages including their much lauded lemon drizzle cake. For those want to make a purchase there are usually special discounts which are available only on day.

These events are usually a bit crowded and hectic, but always fun. The next one is on Saturday 24th November starting at 10 am. If you are interested, put the date in your diary and keep an eye out for booking yourself a place.

LRPS success for Richard Barrett

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Congratulations to Richard who recently gained his Licentiateship of the Royal Photographic Society. The successful panel of ten photographs is featured below, along with Richard’s summary of the whole experience:

RB's LRPS Panel

I joined the RPS back in November as it seems to be much more receptive to the type of photography I want to do than the typical camera club judge. As soon as I joined I decided to have a bash at their entry-level, licentiate distinction and quickly assembled a panel of ten prints from existing images for an advisory day I attended in Manchester in February while still hobbling around on crutches after fracturing my hip.

At that, a panel of RPS judges give you advice about your work in front of an audience of other members, telling you the good, the bad and the ugly. They also pick through the best of your spare images to make a panel that they feel would improve your chance of success. For an LRPS you need to demonstrate competence across a range of different techniques, show good control of the camera and produce finished prints. And although the panel does not need to have a theme running through it, it should be balanced and pleasing to the eye. One of the best bits of advice from that day was not to print any larger than A4 unless you want to show up your flaws.

I reworked my panel in line with their advice and entered myself for assessment at the RPS offices down in Bath in early April as soon as I could safely drive again. These are pretty stressful events as again the assessment is done by a panel of five RPS judges in front of a public audience. However although everyone can hear their commentary, the judges sit with their backs to the audience and their voting is done by discretely flashing green or red cards that only the coordinating judge can see.

Also only the names of those who the judges recommend for the distinction are announced to the audience with the majority of applicants appearing to wait for a suitable time before quietly slipping out of the auditorium to collect their rejected portfolios. I was one of the lucky ones but I suspect I scraped by on a majority rather a unanimous verdict, I’m busy writing another book at the moment but am already exploring some ideas for compiling a portfolio for the Associate distinction which requires 15 images around a theme. So I guess I’ll take a bash at that sometime in the next couple of years.

It’s not cheap – £130 annual membership, plus £20 for an advisory day and £65 for an assessment, but you do get the monthly RPS magazine which I think is exceptional, and discounted fees to courses and workshops. I also pay extra to participate in the North West Region Landscape Group and Contemporary group, where the only rule is your image has to be about something, not just of something.

Richard