Thatcham Photographic Club
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What's On 2017 Archive

January

11 Jan: AGM and review of the year

Presented by: The Committee

A brief AGM, and the presentation of a cheque to our chosen charity Newbury and District Cancer Care Trust, where the money we have raised in 2016 will be used for everyday support to cancer patients.

This will be followed by an entertaining musical slideshow review of our photography throughout 2016.

Project vote: Reflections

Venue: Thatcham Town Football Club 7.30p.m.


25 Jan: Event Photography and Architectural Photography

Presented by: David McKibbin http://mckib.smugmug.com/

David is a professional photographer who covers a variety of subjects. As we often get immersed in local events he will spend the first half talking about Event Photography – planning, gear and what to capture. After the break he will talk about Architectural Photography – lenses, styles and light. We hope to put this knowledge into practice later in the year.

Project vote: Transport

Venue: Thatcham Town Football Club 7.30p.m.


29 Jan: Digital Photography Basics - training course

Presented by: The Committee

Modern cameras are great at getting good photos using the 'Auto' setting. However if you are not getting the results you are looking for, or maybe you would just like to have a bit more control over how the photos are being captured..... this one-day course will cover the basic operation of how a camera works, what all the buttons and switches do and how to use them to get better results.

There will be a bit of theory and lots of practical content. Presented by our own experienced members there will be plenty of opportunity to receive one-on-one guidance from the trainers during the practical sessions.

Places are strictly limited and are offered on a first come, first served basis. £20 per person, lunch and refreshements included. Contact us by email for more information at: info@thatchamphotoclub.com


February

8 Feb: The NIK Collection - photo editing software

Presented by: Paul Roberts & Ray Buckland

The Nik Collection is comprised of seven desktop plug-ins, provided free of charge by Google, that provide a powerful range of photo editing capabilities. These include: low-light digital noise reduction, color correction, retouching and creative effects, black & white processing, image sharpening and HDR processing. Paul & Ray will demonstrate how to use these plug-ins with your existing editing software and show the amazing results that can be achieved with a few easy clicks of the mouse!

Venue: Thatcham Town Football Club 7.30p.m.


22 Feb: Montage

Presented by: Colin Harrison www.colinharrisonphotography.uk

Colin became interested in photography as a teenager when he used a camera to photograph disappearing steam locomotives around the world Later he changed his photographic style producing more creative and pictorial images and started entering Photographic Competitions. Since then his career has progressed and he has won numerous prestigious awards including two in 2016. He will be speaking to us this evening about his work in montage - making a composite photograph by cropping, rearranging and overlapping two or more photographs into a new image.

Project vote: Water

Venue: Thatcham Town Football Club 7.30p.m.


26 Feb: Digital Photo Editing - training course

Presented by: The Committee

Using your skill and control of the camera to get photos right as you shoot them is a good practice to follow. However sometimes the best laid plans do not work in your favour and some tweaking of the images on your computer may be required when you get back home. Our one-day Digital Photo Editing course will show you how to greatly improve the look and quality of images after they have been taken. On your own computer you will be shown how to use Photoshop Elements 15 to make a range of adjustments to brightness, colour, contrast, sharpness to all or specific parts of a photo. You will also experiment with removing unwanted objects from an image, and even add a few in that did not exist!

Places are strictly limited and are offered on a first come, first served basis. £20 per person, lunch and refreshements included. Contact us by email for more information at: info@thatchamphotoclub.com


March

8 Mar: Practical Workshop

Presented by: The Committee

Bring your cameras along for a practical evening. Help will be available to all if needed. There will be several set-ups to photograph including still life, trigger-smart, a studio model shoot, etc.

Venue: Thatcham Town Football Club 7.30p.m.


29 Mar: 'Doing it the hard way'

Presented by: Jay Myrdal www.myrdal.com

Jay will be talking about his very interesting life in commercial photography and ‘Doing it the Hard Way’ with film cameras and darkroom equipment. A fascinating insight into a photographer’s life before digital cameras and computers. An evening of interest to young and old alike.

Project vote: Bad weather

Venue: Thatcham Town Football Club 7.30p.m.


April

12 Apr: 'Let there be Light'

Presented by: Derek Forss

A pictorial lecture for novice and experienced photographers who wish to (re)learn traditional photographic skills now lost to a click and press-button generation looking for quick and easy answers. His illustrated talk will include basic use of the buttons on your cameras and when to use them.

Venue: Thatcham Town Football Club 7.30p.m.


26 Apr: Pecha Kucha & White Balance tutorial

Presented by: The Club Members

Pecha Kucha is a presentation methodology in which 20 slides are shown for 20 seconds each (six minutes and 40 seconds in total). The format, which keeps presentations concise and fast-paced, powers multiple-speaker events called Pecha Kucha Nights.

We're giving over this evening to a number of presentations by volunteer members of the club. Expect a wide variety of subjects, and a lot of fun.

After the Pecha Kucha session, Ray Buckland will give a short tutorial on White Balance and how to get the colours in your photos looking more natural.

Project vote: Old everything

Venue: Thatcham Town Football Club 7.30p.m.


May

10 May: Newbury Walkabout Challenge

Presented by: The Club Committee

This evening will be a practical and fun session so don't forget to bring your cameras with fully charged batteries and empty memory cards. We will meet in Newbury at 7.30p.m. at the Bandstand in Victoria Park, not far from the Canal. Plenty of parking is usually available on the wharf.

You will be given a challenge for the evening and we hope to show the results at one of our later meetings. We will not tell you the challenge until the evening so be prepared to use your brains as well as your cameras. As it gets darker we will congregate, (as usual!) at one of the pubs in the Market Place.

Venue: Bandstand in Victoria Park, Newbury 7.30p.m.


21 May: Digital Photography Basics - training course

Presented by: The Club Committee

Modern cameras are great at getting good photos using the 'Auto' setting. However if you are not getting the results you are looking for, or maybe you would just like to have a bit more control over how the photos are being captured..... this one-day course will cover the basic operation of how a camera works, what all the buttons and switches do and how to use them to get better results.

There will be a bit of theory and lots of practical content. Presented by our own experienced members there will be plenty of opportunity to receive one-on-one guidance during the practical sessions.

Places are strictly limited and are offered on a first come, first served basis. £20 per person, lunch and refreshements included. Contact us by email for more information at: info@thatchamphotoclub.com



31 May: Aviation Photography

Presented by: Steve Tron

Steve is an amateur photographer with a passion for aircraft and airshows. Each year he attends most of the airshows in the UK taking photos and building a huge collection of dramatic, high quality images. He also produces stunning images from the photo shoot sessions he attends with professionally lit aircraft and actors wearing period costumes. Steve will show some of his stunning images, talk about his passion, and share some of his tips & tricks for getting good images of aircraft.

Project vote: People at work

Venue: Thatcham Town Football Club 7.30p.m.



June

14 Jun: Press and Sailing photography

Presented by: Bob Aylott

Bob will present pictures showing his career from the early days on the national newspapers in Fleet Street during the 1960's, to the regular freelance work he does today for the UK's leading magazines Yachting Monthly, Classic Boat, Sailing Today and his own YouTube channel: My Classic Boat.

Project vote: Close up

Venue: Thatcham Town Football Club 7.30p.m.


28 Jun: Canal Trip on the Rose of Hungerford

Presented by: The Club Committee

A relaxing cruise along the canal going West. If we make good time we should reach the outskirts of Savernake Forest. A chance to socialise, enjoy the views and take a few photos (don't forget to bring your camera, charged batteries etc). Meet at Hungerford Wharf at 6.00 p.m. for a prompt departure by 6.30p.m.

A snack meal will be provided and drinks will be available from the on-board bar.

Cost: £15 per head payable in advance.

Venue: Hungerford Wharf - 6.00p.m. sharp!


July

9 Jul: Winchester Walk - Architecture

Presented by: Dave McKibbon LRPS

A guided walk around the beautiful city of Winchester looking at and photographing some of the amazing architecture to be found there. The walk will be led by David McKibbon, member of the Royal Photographic Society, who talked to us about architectural photography earlier in the year.

Please sign up in advance. There will be an additional cost of £15 per person for this event.

Assembly Point: more details to follow.


12 Jul: Burghfield Sailing Club - Sports

Presented by: The Club Committee

Burghfield Sailing Club hosts a weekly pursuit race every Wednesday evening during the months of April through August. A great opportunity to follow up Bob Aylott's presentation and tips from a few weeks ago with some practice at a live sailing event.

Some of the boats will be a distance from the shore.... bring your longest lenses and consider bringing a tripod or monopod to help with stability. As we are not being charged to attend this event, we have promised to supply photos to the Sailing Club in fair exchange. If you attend this event please be prepared to share your best photos with the Sailing Club.

Venue: Burghfield Sailing Club, Theale, RG7 4AP. All members must sign in at the Sailing Club office on arrival.


26 Jul: In the fields of Albion - Landscape

Presented by: Giles Penfound

Giles will talk about his latest collection of exclusively black & white landscape photographs glorifying in the extraordinary vistas of the North Wessex Downs, one small but very beautiful corner of the British Isles. It is a personal and deliberately romantic celebration of our past and present connection with the landscape and a gentle visual reminder of how we as a species continue to shape and change the world we inhabit.

Project vote: Wildlife

Venue: Thatcham Town Football Club 7.30p.m.


August

9 Aug: Annual Barbeque

Presented by: The Club Committee

A casual evening of food provided by members, incinerated by the committee, and washed down with a glass or two of your favourite tipple. A great way for members with their partners to relax and reflect on our year so far, talk about the photos we took, the ones that got away, and the projects that we'd like to do.

An additional cost will apply to this evening. Details to follow.

Venue: Thatcham Town Football Club 7.30p.m.


13 Aug: Photo Safari

Presented by: The Club Committee

A safari in Thatcham? Don't worry, we're not going hunting for 'big game'. We're hunting for photos that challenge us.

We'll all start from the same assembly point where we'll be split into four groups of roughly equal number. Each group will be given a different destination card and sent on their way. The destinations will be local but may involve a short car journey. Car sharing will be encouraged.

On arrival at a destination, each group will find an experienced photographer waiting to challenge you with a specific photo genre. It could be landscape, sports, close-up, moving water, architectural, or something else.... you will not know until you get there, so be prepared! The experienced photographer at your destination will help you with tips & tricks to get the best shots and encourage you to have a go.

After an hour, each group will be given their next destination card, everyone moves on and the process will start again. By the end of the day you will have visited four destinations and had a chance to practice at least four different photo genres.

The fifth and final destination card will direct all groups to a local pub where we can enjoy a refreshement or two and share our experiences.

Assembly Point: More details to follow.


30 Aug: Alan's Big Picture Show

Presented by: Alan Copeland LRPS

Alan had us all entertained last year with his slide show of unusual places around England. This audio visual treat will involve film, stills and sounds in a mind-blowing presentation of aspects of his photography.

Project vote: Round Things

Venue: Thatcham Town Football Club 7.30p.m.


September

13 Sep: Black & White photography

Presented by: Dave Hammant

Dave will be talking about black & white photography, looking at the concept of what makes a potentially good b&w image, the taking of the image and the processing using both Adobe software with the NIK Silver Efex Pro plug-in.

This is not a technical talk covering the intricate details, it's aimed at people who normally shoot in colour but would be interested in looking at the option of b&w. It covers the idea of what makes for a good b&w image, why you should shoot in colour and convert, the converting process using the NIK software and using sepia and other tints.

Venue: Thatcham Town Football Club 7.30p.m.


27 Sep: Architectural & Urban photography - tips and techniques

Presented by: Alan Ainsworth

Alan is a freelance researcher, writer and photographer. He has been a photographer for over 40 years specialising in two categories: Architecture, built environment & urban themes; and jazz photography.

His archive of images of jazz musicians is one of the largest available online. He has authored several books on architecture and design (and photographed exclusively for two more) and has published articles and reviews on jazz, photography and art.

Project vote: Flora

Venue: Thatcham Town Football Club 7.30p.m.


October

6 - 8 Oct: Photographic Exhibition

Presented by: The Club Members

One of the opening events of the Thatcham Festival this year, our members will showcase the best of their work at a public gallery exhibition.

Enjoy photographs of the natural world, architecture, portrait, sports and more. Refreshments will be available and if the mood takes you, prints will be on sale at reasonable prices too!

The exhibition will be open at the following times:
6 Oct - 6p.m. until 9p.m.
7 Oct - 10a.m. until 5p.m.
8 Oct - 10a.m. until 4p.m.

Venue: Old Bluecoat School, Bath Road, Thatcham


11 Oct: Thatcham Festival Event - Mix & Match Competition

Presented by: Thatcham Photographic Club & Burghfield Camera Club

In celebration of the Thatcham Festival, we open our doors to the public to join us for a fun evening of light-hearted competition with our friends at Burghfield Camera Club.

The Mix & Match competition is a game where each club team is restricted to bring only 35 photos to play with. Teams take turns to display a photo on one projector whilst the other team tries to match it in some way on the other projector. With only 35 photos to choose from the teams have to think and play tactically.

As well as enjoying the inevitable banter between the teams, the audience get to see some great photos. An independent judge will declare how well (or not) the photos match, awarding points accordingly. What does the winning team get at the end of the evening? Respect and bragging rights!

Venue: Thatcham Town Football Club 7.30p.m.


25 Oct: Photographic Studio (part 1)

Presented by: Dan Newberry

Tonight we welcome back a real friend of our club, local professional photographer, Dan Newberry.

Dan will take us through the process of setting up studio lights to achieve different results with varying poses and lighting effects. He will ask for volunteers to be photographed and will conduct a live, tethered shoot to show the subtle differences available when using studio lighting.

This is a great opportunity to learn about lighting. Even if you rarely use studio lights you will benefit from Dan€™'s experience and your photographic skills will be enhanced.

Project vote: Sunrise / Sunset

Venue: Thatcham Town Football Club 7.30p.m.


November

8 Nov: Landscape - Searching for Infinity

Presented by: Derek Forss

After his informative and entertaining presentation earlier this year about the basics of using a camera, Derek returns with an engaging talk about his main professional life as a Landscape photographer. With beautiful images, innovative presentation techniques and a witty commentary, Derek will share with us some of his top tips & tricks to get the best out of your Lansdscape photos.

Venue: Thatcham Town Football Club 7.30p.m.


29 Nov: Photographic Studio (part 2)

Presented by: The Club Committee

Following on from Dan Newberry’s visit a month ago, this is your opportunity to “have a go” in a real studio situation. With three different studios set-up and at your disposal, the positioning of lights and the pose of models (fellow members) will be in your hands as we seek to emulate Dan’s results and also create a library of images of all club members.

Project vote: Events

Venue: Thatcham Town Football Club 7.30p.m.


December

13 Dec: Christmas Party

Presented by: The Club Committee

A light-hearted end to the year with an evening of fun activities including skittles, quizzes, good food and friendship for all members and their partners.

An additional cost will apply to this evening. Details to follow.

Project vote: Chairman's Cup - the best of this year's 1st place winners.

Venue: Thatcham Town Football Club 7.30p.m.