Christmas Social

As our normal venue for our Christmas Social, The Cleft & Cask is closing at the end of November we have had to find another for this and future years.
This year's venue is the Benedictine Social Club. (The Bene). Glenluce Drive, Southfield Green. Cramlington. NE23 6YA.

The date has stayed the same Thursday 14th December and is free to members although you will be buying raffle tickets.....won't you?  On that note all though we have three top raffle prizes of vouchers to the value of £75, £50 & £25 contributions for further prizes will be gratefully accepted.
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Bob Finlay (President)

Tonight (23rd Nov) we welcomed as our guest speaker our very own Paul Murphy.  Paul has been a club member for many years and has served in many roles including being a past President of the club.

His talk & presentation this evening was entitled 'A Day in the Life'.  Paul, ably assisted by his wife, Leigh has made a very successful second career as a wedding photographer and his skills as such are in great demand.  'A Day in the Life' took us on a journey through the planning, preparation and 'shooting' of a wedding.

Paul describes his style as 'relaxed & storytelling' with the obligatory family group shots, grand posed shots but the majority taken in a documentary style.
Paul explained in detail how they would first meet and get to know the bride & groom to be and get a feeling for what they wanted from him as photographer on their special day. This would be followed by a pre-wedding shoot to try and relax the couple and get them used to being photographed.

 Paul explained how shooting the wedding day itself would unfold from images of the bride and groom getting ready, the ceremony, wedding breakfast & speeches and the evening 'do'.  Paul says that shooting a wedding can be both stressful and enjoyable as one has to be 'on the ball' the whole time not only to ensure they capture the images that record the events of the day but also to capture those candid, unguarded, & emotional moments, like catching the father of the bride with tears in his eyes as he sees his daughter in her wedding dress. Images that can add so much to the memories of the occasion.

Paul's talk was backed up with some beautiful images taken of weddings he and Leigh have photographed at venues including, Beamish Hall, Ellingham Hall, Jesmond Dene House, Newton Hall, Doxford Hall and even The Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh.
The end of Paul's talk was met with a rousing round of applause after which Paul & Leigh answered questions from the members before being thanked for a thoroughly enjoyable presentation.

Click (HERE) to be directed to Paul's website 'incidentlight'

Bob Finlay (President)

Those of you have scored for yourselves and the club, well done.

NCPF ANNUAL COMPETITION 2017

AWARDS & ALLIANCE ENTRY


PORTFOLIO

Highly Commended, As time goes by Lauren Clayton of Cramlington CC

Robert Chalmers Trophy Best Beginners Print, Time to Reflect by Janet Leadbitter of Cramlington CC

Highly Commended, Buttermere Reflections by Alan Carr of Cramlington CC

Highly Commended, Going For It by Jamie Welsh of Cramlington CC

Highly Commended, A Passing Wave by Jim Meikle of Cramlington CC

Highly Commended, As time goes by Lauren Clayton of Cramlington CC


SELECTORS CHOICE PORTFOLIO 2017

A modern portrait by Jamie welsh of Cramlington CC

The north tower by Jamie welsh of cramlington CC

Warm as toast by Jamie Welsh of Cramlington CC
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As time goes by Lauren Clayton of Cramlington CC

Colin

Thursday 16th November
George Ledger, ARPS, DPAGB.

This week we welcomed George Ledger of Hexham & District Photographic Society as our guest speaker.

George lives in Consett, County Durham and is a keen supporter of the university sports programme. He is a very versatile photographer shooting Sports, weddings, nature landscapes and some commercial work.

George took us on his journey through "Sports" showing us images from all aspects and levels of sport. From Ladies football, (The Wildcats, Durham WFC) possibly his favourite team after Man U. and the 2012 Olympics, Rugby, mountain biking, motor sport,  to the more obscure Lacrosse university teams. George showed his images in a sectional format taking each sport in turn with anecdotes about the men and women featured within, and how he worked hard for a number of years promoting his work on social media before he got his "Press Pass" He explained that his sports work is usually via an agency so he has deadlines at each event. George has published a great deal of work. Images of a Japanese speed skater at Manchester featured on the back page of a Japanese newspaper, Sean Rose, downhill wheelchair skier a self confessed adrenaline junkie. For TASS, a sponsorship scheme for talented paralympians. Durham CCC year book to name but a few. He talked about his enjoyment in sport and explained that even at the lower leagues the will and determination of the players shows through.
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George finished with a Q&A. and received a good variety of questions from members. Bob thanked him for his work and the club responded with their usual show of appreciation.
 
Colin Livingstone
Secretary

Thursday 9th November.     Leo Douglas.   'Vikings and all that'
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Our guest tonight was Leo Douglas, Vice President of Gateshead Camera Club and keen landscape photographer.

After being introduced Leo explained that his presentation this evening would be a talk about his passion for history and in particular the Roman invasion of Britain in 55 BC and subsequent occupation, followed in AD 793 by the marauding Vikings.
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Leo is a member of English Heritage and his presentation was supported with both digital images and prints taken at English Heritage events where re-enactors in full, correct for period costume complete with weaponry, 'fought' hand to hand to the delight of the pubic including many, like Leo, photographers.

Leo told how he engaged in conversion with a Roman re-enactment society some 100 strong plus horses that had travelled from Italy to display at Hadrian's Wall.  As they spoke little English and Leo even less Italian communication between them was a 'tad' tricky but they turned out to be a friendly and obliging group of players.

Leo spoke about and showed pictures taken at several Roman period re-enactments at various locations on Hadrian's Wall including Chesters Fort & Birdoswald followed by a Viking 'invasion' of Tynemouth  whilst giving a brief insight and history of the period concerned and information on the weaponry and clothing/armour worn by the 'warriors' and their entourage.
Leo also showed how he edited his images giving some that 'grunge' look for effect and also the need to edit to remove unwanted objects and people from the background that would spoil the desired effect of being period correct.

At the end of the evening Leo was thanked for what proved a very entertaining and informative presentation and the members showed their appreciation in the usual and time honoured way.
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Bob Finlay. (President) 

 Cramlington Camera Club 1st Open PDI competition. 2nd November 2017
 
Thursday night saw the results of the 1st Open PDI competition for the 2017/18 season and as you would expect, there were some amazing images submitted by the members, 65 images to be precise.
 
The judge for the evening was Peter Maguire, from Gosforth Camera Club.  He mentioned that it had been a very hard competition to judge and he had really enjoyed looking at the images. He went though each shot individually and explained what he liked and disliked about them. He also explained that some shots were very close to being highly commended but, as he could only pick five, he had to be ruthless.
 
The results for the competition were as follows.
 
Highly Commended 
 
Broad Horizons........Bob Finlay
Catching the Last Rays..........Ray Thompson
Oil Can..........Julia Robson
Nest Building........Pat Mole
Mid Air Collision.......Pat Mole
 
FINAL FIVE PLACINGS
5th. Call the Plumber.........Lauren Clayton
4th. Pharmacist..........Colin Livingstone
3rd. Sunset at Coniston............Lauren Clayton
2nd. Time to Shine..........Lauren Clayton
1st. Gladiolus ............Julia Robson
 
Well done to ALL the above named members, especially to Julia for winning. A MASSIVE well done to Lauren too. ALL THREE entries placed in the top five. That is an amazing achievement, and a massive well done to Pat Mole on receiving two Highly Commended.
Bob thanked Peter for judging the competition, and he received a well deserved round of applause.
 
MANY THANKS to all the members for submitting their images.
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To view the top 5 placed images please click....(HERE)
 
Alan Lockey.....PDI Secretary.