Monday, May 30, 2016

MY ROYAL APPOINTMENTS

I knew it was a special evening as soon as I walked in, it was not just that Lin had turned her table round to face the hall, although that would normally get everyone excited. Then I noticed there were a lot of unusual faces in the crowd, apart from the unusual faces that belonged to our members, but member's of other clubs, I worried for a moment that it might be October, (we had a couple of hot sunny days a few weeks ago that I thought was summer) but surely autumn was not upon us and it was the Windmill Trophy, then I remembered that the invites had just gone out so it could not be that.
Another clue that something special was going to happen this evening, there were members present that were not thought to have cameras taking pictures.
I knew that our speaker must be a bit special as Sky had made a documentary about him, although I'm not sure how I would have felt if Piers Morgan had said nice things about me and to emphasis how important he was he had a county named after him. Although he did not live in that county, you can understand why, imagine people saying they were going to Kent for a day out and them all turning up at his house.
It was not until the tea break that all was revealed, yes this was in deed a special evening we had chocolate biscuits not only that but they were served on proper plates.

Our guest speaker was very good and probably the best evening we have had, with the fewest images. Although some were shown several times and I was not sure why this was, until near the end when he explained that staff photographers were being fazed out. After all, how many times does the Pope meet the Queen, we all know that she wears the same clothes several times for public engagements and the Pope always wears the same gear. So when they do meet the Daily Mirror phones up Kent and tells him they are meeting again, "We can't afford to send you to the Vatican just send us one of your old negatives and we will use that".


 David Essex once took my picture, so I sang to him


Man snapped with invisible camera


It's like being pictured with Charles & Diana all over again
(surely you mean Camilla)


Meet my new agent



Monday, May 23, 2016

MAY MONTHLY DPI

A week in which I sussed out our vice chairman's cunning plan, practicing for one of the safaris favourite subjects (a picture of a club member). Unfortunately Stephen did not get my best side, although it would have been quite dangerous driving around the M25 the wrong way round, as it was we drove around three times before he got his picture.

   Congratulations to Jeff for beating me by two points I guess youthful good looks gives way to rugged (old man) looks.

I had a chance to speak to Jeff about his laid back attitude to Photographing St Albans Live. He said he achieved his aim of coming second and admitted that with I bit of effort could have won. it was not until he and Sarah were driving home when he asked her were she was thinking of going next year, that she explained to him that it was not the same rules as the Safari.



  Sorry Stephen, got in some practice myself

Sunday, May 22, 2016

MAY PDI WINNING IMAGES

ADVANCED

1st Morning Mist
by Ping Lin

2nd Pelican Chase
by Gordon Bramham

3rd Dungeness Winch
by Stephen Deer

INTERMEDIATE


1st Ashanti
by Richard Hallam

2nd The Monument & Shard
by John Hastings

3rd RFC Ambulances on Parade
by Richard Saville

PRELIMINARY

1st I don't Want To Dance
by Sharon Brown

2nd Jack The Lad
by Steve Christie

3rd Flying High
by Sharon Brown


Monday, May 16, 2016

PHOTOGRAPH St. ALBANS LIVE.

A day when we were promised to photograph St Alban live, only to be disappointed to find that ha had died 1,700 years ago. I know these things take a long time to arrange, but surely a quick text a few days before to he if he was still available.
However, we all made our way to the cathedral as the day had a religious theme. Seeing the Light, Cathedral, Trading (money lenders thrown out of the temple) and taking a break. I took a picture of Robert Runcie's grave thinking "RESTING" in peace.  Then realised that the subject was taking a break, indicating that he would be carrying on after he had rested. So unless he believed in reincarnation he was resting.

We had two couples that decided on different tactics for the day, with Mandy and Stephen going their separate ways so they did not taking the same pictures, while Sarah and Jeff went around together, we know now which method works, so well done to Sarah better luck next time Jeff, don't give up the day job. Oh it is the day job? Never mind don't give up. I did notice that you let Sarah get on with the serious side of the day whilst you were more laid back talking to the locals and making a fuss of their dogs.

It was interesting that to most of us Taking A Break was people sitting/standing, reading/eating. Colin thinking out of the box tried knocking over an old lady with his camera bag, with the intention of breaking her leg, so that when the ambulance men carried her away it would be Taking A Break (to the Hospital).

Why did the man in Jeff's take on the theme ring Alf's wife as soon as his image appeared on screen. She soon turned it off, although I think questions need to be asked in the Ellis household about this "stranger"

When the images were shown it was soon clear that some people had better in camera control of their images than others, especially verticals, some people even managed to get theirs horizontal.
This did introduce a new skill to the club, Synchronized Neck Bending. Well done to those on the front row who got it right straight away, the row I was sitting on got it terribly wrong, well I got it wrong, everyone else went to the left while I went right, resulting in Colin needing twelve stitches and getting concussion. I have asked Sylvia if we can include training for it at our next practical evening. 

My favourite picture of the day was Andy's Taking A Break, original thinking compared to the rest of us, I think it should have got at least 20 and a half. I believe that there was some photographic jealousy from the judge as he had not thought of it himself therefore marked it down.

 
 
  

MAY 2016 MONTHLY PRINT

WINNING PICTURES

ADVANCED

1st Dhobi Girl
by Gordon Bramham

2nd Nilgi Calfs & Drongo
by Gordon Bramham

3rd Puffin & Sand Eels
by Gordon Bramham

H.C. Three's A Crowd
by Andy Taylor LRPS

INTERMEDIATE/PRELIMINARY

1st Bike Racer
by Glen Crawford

2nd Splash
by Peter Wills

3rd Old Man Of Brick Lane
by Glen Crawford

H.C. Pedro
by Martyn Addison-Smith

Sunday, May 15, 2016

Photograph St Albans Live.....14th May 2016

Upminster Camera Clubs "Photograph Live" event this year was St Albans.
The day started with the 19 participants, 5 partners and our judge arriving at "Mullberry's Cafe" at around 8.45am for a full English breakfast to set them up for the task ahead.
At 9am they were given instructions to take five photographs, one to fit each of the following themes.

1. Cathedral.
2. Circles.
3. Trading.
4. Take a break.
5. Show me the light.

They had to hand in their digital cards at 12.30pm at The Cross St Centre, with only the five images on the card.
After 3 hours of frantic photography everyone then took a well earned break while the 95 images were loaded onto the laptop and the room prepared for the afternoons judging.
At 2pm our judge "Colin Strong LRPS CPAGB" set about the task of scoring each of the pictures to arrive at a 1st, 2nd, 3rd and best overall image result.
Colin soon got into the fun atmosphere of the competition and provided us with an afternoon of entertaining judging but still managed to arrive at a serious result taking into account that all of the images were straight out of camera with no adjustment or manipulation allowed.

1st Place - Sarah Oliver


Cathedral  * Best image of the day *

Circles 
Trading

Take a break
Show me the light

2nd Place - Jeff Oliver

Show me the light

Cathedral

Take a break

Trading

Circles

3rd Place - Eric Morley

Trading

Circles

Show me the light

Cathedral

Take a break
Following the presentation everyone went home exhausted but had enjoyed a full day of photography.

 The Winners

Colin Strong LRPS-CPAGB  Sarah Oliver  Jeff Oliver  Eric Morley
Where will we photograph live next year.....????

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Congratulations Mick Ladner CPAGB

Mick says that when he first went to a PAGB Advisory day he almost gave up before he started, when he saw the type and quality of images that he was expected to submit. But with a lot of help, advice and hard work at the "Awards for Photographic Merit" weekend held in Gateshead over the week-end of 25th- 26th April Mick is now rightly entitled to put CPAGB after his name.

Congratulations Mick Ladner CPAGB.

These are the ten images that mick used to gain his award.










Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Spring Break 2016

A mixed bag of weather, a great location, good food and pleasant company made our 2016 spring break to - Warner Leisure Hotels Bodelwyddan Castle a good start to Upminster Camera Club's 2016 Outings programme.

Well done Andy, well chosen and organized trip.