Editor - Derek Godridge and the team: PCC News :
With so much illness flying around it wasn’t a big surprise that last night’s meeting was cancelled! However, it was a pity we couldn’t help members to get more familiar with their cameras but hopefully we can do so later this season.
Some Musings:
Like many of you I’m sure, I often watch YouTube videos – especially the more instructional ones. However, I have lately discovered a chap called Alex Kilbee who presents a series entitled “The Photographic Eye”. Safe link here: https://www.youtube.com/@ThePhotographicEye/videos?view=0&sort=p&shelf_id=0
Now I normally enjoy these shows and have been introduced to several photographers whom I wouldn’t normally have come across such as Dan Winters and Alex Webb. Although somewhat opinionated, the episodes are often very well presented can be quite thought provoking. However last week I clicked on an episode where he attacked Camera Clubs for concentrating on “gear” too much and needless to say on your behalf I let him have it!
Hi Alex, I follow your videos and enjoy what you have to say most of the time, but unfortunately you've just crossed the Rubicon moaning about camera clubs! I belong to one of the friendliest in Cornwall and have been a member for over 25 years and I can assure you the LAST thing we generally talk about is gear. Yes we often ask new and established members to bring in their own cameras from time to time along with their instruction manuals in order to assist them in getting to grips with their camera's menus and settings, but it's all about getting the photos and it really doesn't matter whether it's the latest smartphone, oldest DSLR or the latest all singing/dancing mirrorless. We REALLY don't care less what cameras our members use and we never tell them what's "Wrong" with their photos but just like you, we try to educate them about the various styles and genres of photography. We also critique one another's work and enter club competitions, but we always try to emphasise that the judge is just giving a personal opinion and if you prefer your photo the way it is, that's absolutely fine. We certainly do celebrate and share one another's work and my experience is that club photographers, especially other speakers we have, are the most generous people with extending their knowledge and experience to anyone who asks.
To be fair to Alex, he replied quickly with the following:
Thank you for your comment. As you may have noticed, I prefixed it with 'in my experience'. I'm please to hear you're in a club where ppl are supportive and friendly. That's awesome to hear and I wish there were more like that out there. Like a lot of club based activities (and again in my experience, Scouting springs to mind) the club is only as good as the people who run it. Alas there are many clubs run by people who follow a doctrine if you will, and don't wish to deviate from that. It's great to hear your club is fostering and encouraging new photographers. You may want to check out a recent thought-provoking video by Alex you may want to try “Photographing Common Subjects in Unique Ways”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nGe5s1LZFk
On a lighter note, I enclose a couple of recent photos.
PCC Social Events
Thursday 12th January at 7.30pm – KF2 Hand in “Decisive Moment” o WCPF Travelling Print Show – some of the best images from last year’s WCPF Exhibition
Thursday 19th January at 7.30pm – Member’s Critique o Bring 3 images please suitably sized
Thursday 26th January at 7.30pm – Lucky Dip 2 Hand-In o Bring the images for the subject you picked
Cornwall Photographic Alliance (CPA)
Charles Hosken Competition – Hand-In completed with 11 members entered which is a record for PCC so a HUGE Thank You to everyone who entered. o 11th February Presentation at 3pm (doors open 2pm) ▪ Keay Theatre St Austell – entrance £4 on the door
Western Counties Photographic Federation (WCPF)
I’ve been looking around the WCPF website and noticed that they have a superb gallery of many images previously shown, the link is here: http://www.thepagb.org.uk/competitions/gallery/album-for-2022/
Saturday 11th March 2023 – Knightshayes Trophy Subject is “Decisive Moment” and members are allowed to enter up to 2 prints, usual competition size
2023 WCPF Member’s Exhibition and Competition o I will be forwarding the PCC Print entries to the WCPF and so please contact me if you are entering OR indeed if you want ANY ADVICE whatsoever. o Entry will be open from Monday 7th January 2023 and will close on Saturday 11th March 2023. o Display of Prints and Digital show at Bovey Tracy Golf Centre from 7th to 15th May 2023 o There are 3 classes in both the Print and Digital sections and the subjects are the same “Open Colour, Open Monochrome, Nature” o Entry Classes The entry classes have changed this year with 3 print classes (Open Colour, Open Mono, Nature) and 3 digital classes (Open Colour, Open Mono, Nature). The class definitions will be available on the website and entry system. o Images are uploaded to the web and the full competition rules are as detailed in the following safe link. https://www.thewcpf.com/copy-of-exhibition
All the best from Derek and the team