Summer Newsletter 2024
William Niven Graduated 2024
It is with great pleasure that we can share with everyone in the club that William Niven has graduated from Cumbria University with a BA Hons in Photography. His graduation was on the 16 July 2024 and I am sure we all want to pass on our congratulations to William himself for his achievement. Also, to Amber and Scott his parents, for their support over the past years in assisting William to achieve his degree.
William will be undertaking a presentation to club members on the 11th December. He will be sharing his journey as fourteen-year-old picking up a camera through to his graduation. Make sure you come along as his talk will be well worth hearing.
We just need a third person to graduate from Cumbria Uni to have theTHREE Degrees
Alan McNeish Graduated 2020
The other graduate in the club is our, “founding”, member Alan McNeish.
Alan first took up photography after having to give up work as a long
distance lorry driver after sustaining a serious back injury. It was his way
of coping with the chronic pain that he was suffering from at that time.
Alan tells me that he first used a point and shoot film camera and wasted a lot of film until he got the hang of it. He then moved onto a compact digital camera with all of 1.5 pixel. This led to him getting involved with a project which is in the club history and in conjunction with others including Willie Hiddleston saw the current club being established.
In 2013 Alan enrolled on the HND Photography at Dumfries College
which I did where he says he learned a great deal.
Once he finished, he turned professional doing studio work and commercial work
with Auto trader for BMW.
In 2018 he applied for and was accepted on the Photography Degree course at
University of Cumbria and graduated with BA Hons in 2020.
Whilst doing this he became a Trustee at Shambellie House where he is now also a Tutor.
He has also gained his LRPS and ARPS distinctions with the Royal Photographic Society and is working towards more qualifications with the SWPP and the Guild of Professional Photographers
Steph Lavell
Had an image on show at the
Shambellie Exhibition
Congratulations
Shambellie House 2024 Photography Exhibition -Theme “Community”
Steph had an image displayed at the recent Shambellie Exhibition, the description for the images that were on show is noted below.
Well Done, Steph
“Join us for the annual 2024 Shambellie House Photography Exhibition as we celebrate with the theme of ‘COMMUNITY’. Book here to access the historic Shambellie House and view how both established and emerging photographers have captured the essence of ‘community’ through the lens.”
There you go Steph an ‘“emerging”, photographer.
SUMMER SHOOTS
We have had several trips out this summer starting off in Kircudbright and then Moffat (rained), then on to Polwillimont, Rowing Club on the Nith. Arbigland Gardens, Kippford, Dalbeattie Town Woods (never rained)
and then Lochmaben. Good attendance for most nights we have had up to 16 members attending and a new member coming out to walk round the Castle Loch. Small thumbnails below. No credits so you will have to guess the authors.
Syllabus & Activities Ahead
We are nearly at the time when we will say goodbye to the Summer, (when was it you ask) and return to the hall to participate in what I hope is a varied and interesting programme.
Competitions There are a number of competitions taking place this year. Some fun, some serious but the serious ones we hope help us to improve upon what we are doing as photographers.To that end the syllabus will have a review night the week after judging to allow us as individuals and as a group to self-critique our images and in turn gain some input from more experienced members as to what might have worked better taking into account the judge’s comments.The Projected Digital Image Competitions will start in September and there will be five in total. Submission Dates, Judging Nights and the Judge are noted below. Guidance on how to submit will be on the website.
In addition to the monthly club competitions there will be the 3 Way Annual competition between Stewartry, Loreburn and Abbey Camera club on 12th March 2025. There will be a sortation taking place on the 5th February 2025
Daddy’s Girl
There is also the Borders Challenge that we have not entered for a few years
but Brian Murphy won the individual prize for, “Daddy’s Girl”, the last time we
participated. No dates have been sent through yet so we can discuss our
participation at a club night and if agreed submit a club entry. From memory I
think 15 images.
Now the fun competitions which start with the creative challenge first night
back. You will all receive an email with the guidance and please participate.
There is also a prize at stake. Entries have to be in to me by the 28th
August and same guidance applies about images being no longer than 1600 pixels on the longest side.
Will explain this to newcomers.
Summer Season Photographs
Summer Season Photographs. Members are asked to submit one Colour and one Monochrome and a panel
producing a set of three images for the panel that:
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Tell a story or run a theme.
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The tonality and colour should be consistent throughout the panel.
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The panel should consist of three separate images or one image chopped into three pieces.
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These should come from the venues where the summer outings took place. These will be critiqued by
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the club members present, and scored to select Summer Competition Winner
There are other fun competitions including the best dressing up for Halloween when we host the, “Mostly Ghostly” troupe.
The phone photos being judged by Alan McNeish following on a workshop from Adrian McGarry in the New Year
Syllabus
The syllabus will be on the website after the weekend so please look out for the presentations and talks that are coming up. This year we have several members of the club presenting talks/workshops so please support them by attending and participating in the Q&A sessions. Remember to get submission dates in your diary and check the competition information on the website for the guidance notes.
In the next edition of the newsletter, we will spend a bit more time on the visiting speakers both those attending the club and the two Zoom presentations.
Looking Forward to a great winter season and meeting up with all members new and old
