Club Night News: 29th March

Dianne Owen FRPS

Following Dianne Owen’s outstanding presentation, members may like to take up her kind offer to answer questions by email or even offer advice on images. You can contact her via her website, remembering to enter as “subject” the one she suggested. http://dianneowen.info/contact-me

Botanic Garden Exhibition

Last chance to see! Closes Friday afternoon, 30^th March. Take down starts at 3.30. It’s been a very good show – thanks to team leader Don Bennett and everyone involved.

Durham Hospital Exhibition

There may still be one or two places left for the first exhibition. The plan is to put on four each year. Contact organiser Barry Armitage if you would like to take part (via Tony G if you don’t have his email address). The printed area on the paper needs to be 15.5x10.5 inches, landscape format

Nomad Boxes

Last chance to order. Email Ian Stafford by Sunday night if you would like to take advantage of bulk order discount.

Next Digital Night

Wednesday 4^th April, County Hall, 7.00 to 9.00 pm

Bristol International

Early results are coming through. So far five members have confirmed they have acceptances. Full listing to follow

2^nd Progress Prints

Bring in between now and the closing date, Thursday 19^th April

http://www.ncpf.org.uk/index.php?id=annual-competitions

Assignment Barford Raceway

Sunday 22^nd April. Racing starts 1.30 pm. Meantime, a gallery of fabulous Assignment Stockton images will appear on line soon.

Annual Exhibition 2012, Galilee Chapel

Set up day and opening night is 1^st June, Details to follow

Members Digital AV Night 26^th July

If you would like to take part, please sign up now with Mavis Ord who is the organiser. Mavis can offer technical support if required

BikeWise Easter Egg Run 8^th April

If you would like to help out by photographing this spectacular event,contact John Attle

Club Night Preview: 29th March

Don’t miss!

Dianne Owen FRPS, Creative Consciousness

The renowned photographic artist Dianne Owen FRPS first came to the attention of many in the Society when the great Keith Suddaby FRPS MPAGB EFIAP sang her praises during his presentation to the club in 2011. At last Dianne will be with us! And with a print talk. Creative Consciousness is a mix of creative images covering a wide range of subjects and themes including many of her accepted exhibition images.

Dianne is from Southport and a member of Southport PS. An early influence was the legendary Rikki O’Neil FRPS MPAGB who became a mentor for her RPS panels.

More information about Dianne and her work are on her website, which includes galleries of both her Associateship and Fellowship of the Royal Photographic Society panels here:

http://dianneowen.info/about/fellowship-of-the-royal-photographic-society

News: Steetley Magnasite Demolition

The former Steetley Magnasite works near Hartlepool, derelict for many years and a magnet for photographers the world over, will soon be no more. The site is fenced off and demolition has started. There is still access to view points all around the large acreage of the area, and to the magnificent coalfield coast beach, for instance via the right of way through the pedestrian tunnel under the railway.

Follow this link for some history or Google to find more information:

http://www.neolithicsea.co.uk/steetleymagnesite/index.html

News: DLI Museum and Art Gallery comes up trumps

The April to October season of the DLI Museum Art Gallery has just been announced with not one but two top flight photography exhibitions. Zed Nelson’s “Love Me”, about the global obsession with youth and beauty is on from 5^th May to 24^th June.

Followed up by Julian Germain’s “Big Meetings” from 30^th June to 9^th September. Julian was commissioned to photograph the 2011 Durham Miners’ Gala and the wider community. There will be a free preview Friday 29^th June 6.00 to 10.00 pm

http://county.durham.gov.uk/sites/dli/Pages/Exhibitions.aspx

Internationals News: Another DPS Member Strikes Gold

9^th Tropical Image International Exhibition 2012

The results are in and two Durham PS members have had great success. They are in good company – over 8000 entrants from 68 countries took part. There were three sections: General (or Open), Creative (Altered reality) and Monochrome. There is no requirement for images to be tropical!

Joe Grabham had five acceptances across all the categories: Rhesus, The West Wall, Home Sweet Home, Courtyard and Isaac’s Field.

          

 

Neil Maughan had seven acceptances, also across all categories: Different World, Christina, Surveillance TV, Trees in Winter, Vampire Bride, There’s Always One and Going Down.

There’s Always One was awarded the distinction of a PSA (Photographic Society of America) Gold Medal for Neil. This is the second Internationals Gold Medal for a DPS member so far in 2012, the other being Angy’s FIAP Gold Medal for Kestrel in the Danish International.

There were other UK successes including those of Paula and Guy Davies from Stokesley CC who are guest speakers at Durham PS later in the year. The full results are here: http://www.bembrit.com/tropical2012/

e-news from the PAGB issue 63

Issue 63 of e-news from the PAGB is an Awards for Photographic Merit "Statistics Special".

There are tables showing how many CPAGB, DPAGB and MPAGB awards have been made from inception in 1994 to 2011. This is listed by Federation and there is a separate table showing the top clubs in each. Dumfries CC has the most APMs (48). In our Federation, NCPF, the top club is Northallerton CC with 27.

Read the whole story here:

http://www.pagbnews.co.uk/e-news/en63250312APMspecial.pdf

Register to receive e-news from the PAGB by email here: www.pagbnews.co.uk

Pictured, Don Bennett DPAGB, Durham PS

Competition Countdown

2nd Progress Slides and Digital

Closing date for slides and CDs with digital images is Thursday 29^th March. However, it helps Roger if you email them to him ahead of time. Remember to re-size to the new standard of 1400x1050 px so they can be projected in all their HD glory on our fabulous new projector/laptop combo.

Trio Prints Results Night

Three more trophies to be won 12^th April, Judged by Peter Yearnshire LRPS. Will the photography match up to the stunning Trio Projected Images we saw on Thursday?!

Hon Members Cup, Iris and Fillingham

Three more trophies will be one in these exciting and challenging competitions. Entries into the first two are sets of 5 or 6 (prints and digital respectively). The Fillingham has a subject traditionally set by the President - this year, “This Sporting Life”

Closing date is Thursday 17^th May. Please check the rules in your programme carefully, including general competition rules (note Rule 4 has changes from last year). There is also a downloadable how to prepare images guide and a quick guide to competitions in Downloads from the home page of the DPS website.

Web Site Update: 2 more “Story Behind ...” Posted

Michael Watson and Ian Stafford reveal the inside stories behind two of their most successful pictures, Wild Kestrel Eats Road Kill and Happiness is ... respectively. Check out in the Story Behind the Picture from the home page of the DPS Web Site or follow the link: http://www.d-p-s.org.uk/pic&story.htm

All additions to the Web Site are listed in Latest Updates

Sports Relief Mile: 25th March

There are 10 Sports Relief Mile events in the North East on Sunday 25^th March. Please check them out on the link, choose one and go along to support this incredible cause. As a bonus, this could be your opportunity to capture a winning This Sporting Life photo to enter the Fillingham Trophy competition in May

http://my.sportrelief.com/search/event/results?location=durham

Results Trio Projected Images

Judge John Williams DPAGB EFIAP EPSA

Leazes Bowl

Ist Place: Edwardian Schoolmaster. David Trout

2^nd Place: First Day at School, Neil Maughan

3^rd Place: A Man with Determination, Angy Ellis

          

Dunelm Trophy

Ist Place: Winter Light, David Trout

2^nd Place: Smile Please, John Attle

3^rd Place: Architectural Miscellany, Robin Wallace

Sterling Award, Digital

Ist Place: Surveillance TV, Neil Maughan

2^nd Place: Through the Window, Michael Watson

3^rd Place: Fish Food, Angy Ellis

In addition, there were 31 Highly Commended awards.

Club Night News: 22nd March

Trio PDI Results

We experienced a truly fabulous night of stunning photography, with entries from the newest members right through to Robin Wallace, now in his 54^th year as a member. John Williams DPAGB EFIAP EPSA, from Penrith CC and West Cumbria Group did a great job in commentating and judging that was much appreciated by the members. John said, “The portraits were a really strong section in particular”. The top 9 images will appear on the Blog soon.

More success for members!

What a great week for our Internationals Guru Neil Maughan! Neil was awarded his Associateship of the Royal Photographic Society, and a PSA Gold Medal and multiple acceptances in the 9^th Tropical Image International Salon of Photography. Joe Grabham also had multiple acceptances in the Tropical Image. Well done Neil and Joe. Details will be blogged soon.

With Angy Ellis’s Gold in the recent Danish, that makes two Gold Medals for DPS members in two months, more than the previous ten years. Keep them coming!

NCPF Annual Competitions

All the print entries are in, colour and mono, and the PDI. Our team of selectors will choose from these a selection to represent the club. All will go through as individual entries as well. The 2012 Annual Competitions will be held over the weekend 4th/6th May 2012.

http://www.ncpf.org.uk/index.php?id=annual-competitions

Assignment Stockton

Review night is Wednesday 28^th March, 7.00 County Hall. A4 prints including your challenge shot. You can bring in your 8 images on CD for the on-line gallery or email to David Forster. We hope to display the prints also on a club night

Next Digital Night

Wednesday 4^th April, County Hall, 7.00 to 9.00 pm

Botanic Garden Exhibition

Last chance to see! Closes Friday afternoon, 30^th March

Annual Exhibition 2012, Galilee Chapel

Set up day and opening night is 1^st June, Details to follow

Club Night Preview: 22nd March

Results Trio Projected images

Judged by John Williams PAGB PSA 3* there are three trophies to be won: The Dunelm for images of Durham, Leazes Bowl for portraits and Sterling for imagination, innovation. Always an enjoyable night.

This is also the closing day for print and PDI entries into the 2012 NCPF Annual Competitions. Joe Grabham will collate the entries and deliver to the NCPF.

You can also bring in your entries into the 2^nd Progress slides and Digital Image competitions with a closing date of 29^th March

News: St Cuthbert’s Banner Returns

The annual St Cuthbert’s Day walk from Chester le Street to Durham was spectacularly different this year. The pilgrims arrived at the Town Hall for their first sighting of a new St Cuthbert’s Banner that replaces an earlier one, carried into the 1346 Battle of Neville’s Cross, and destroyed during the Reformation. The new banner was commissioned by The Northumbria Association and created by a team of North-East artisans.

The banner is an exquisite work of craftsmanship involving 800 hours of embroidery and has a frame made of oiled oak and silver. There are silver bells on the banner too and there is a carrying harness in white leather.

Durham Photographic Society members organised by John Attle were on hand to photograph the Walk and the banner being carried by Northumbria Association President, the appropriately named John Cuthbert, from the Market Place, along the Bailey to be formally received in the Cathedral by the Rev Michael Sadgrove, Dean of Durham.

The banner, by any standard a labour of love, can now be viewed in the glorious setting of St Cuthbert’s Chapel, no doubt for the next 1000 years and beyond.

 

 

              

            

 

 

 

DPS Web Site Update: John Cogan Latest

DPS member John Cogan, writer and photographer, has produced elegant appreciations of Eve Arnold and Don McCullin and now an eloquent review of the Hunter Kennedy RPS lecture given recently to the Society. John writes, “An evening with Hunter Kennedy is one of the most thought-provoking couple of hours you could spend”. Read all three articles in Downloads from the home page.

A profile of John Cogan, with some of his photography, is now on line in Member Profiles from the home page. It makes riveting reading!

Fillingham – 60 days to go

Set Subject: This Sporting Life

Only 60 days left to turn your ideas into reality. Only one person can lift the Fillingham Trophy in 2012. It could be you! Yet everyone who enters is a winner by virtue of contributing to the sheer enjoyment of results night in May. Astound us with your stellar imagination and/or stunning photography! You can be a hero ...

The image does not have to be of actual sport! Yet sport opportunities abound. Don’t forget, the Sports Relief Mile is this Sunday 25^th March and many more sporting events can be found on Stephen Bell’s Hot Dates on this Blog (latest is in the March Archive and there will be an update early April).

From the Front Line of Assignment Stockton

A large gathering of DPS members blended seamlessly with the friendly folk of Stockton street market on the day before Mam’s Day, Saturday 17^th March. I say seamlessly, though they could be considered odd as most were gazing skyward in search of a killer special challenge shot of roofs or chimneys. Once again, Colin (I see Faces) Armitstead has chosen a winning location with wonderful photography opportunities all around. After meeting at the monument at the appointed hour at the town hall (which definitely has a roof and eight chimneys, dutifully photographed ) and enjoying the conviviality of the moment, the intrepid photographers dispersed into the colourful market, ablaze with Mam’s Day flowers and gifts, the nearby, but very different, enclosed Flea Market, the streets around and the riverside.

As always, there were plenty of opportunities for socialising, both with fellow members and local characters (and a dog), and a very good time was had by all. Your blogger can hardly contain him (or her) self in eager anticipation of the follow up gathering when prints are proudly (or nervously) produced to wild acclaim. He (or she) can see it now ...

         

         

DPS Web Site Latest: John Cogan on Don McCullin

Read John Cogan’s eloquent review of Shaped by War: Photographs by Don McCullin, an exhibition now on at the Imperial War Museum, Lambeth until 15^th April – you can find it in Downloads on the Durham PS website.

John writes, “The shell-shocked soldier is printed in A2 size. Over the surface of this A2 version are affixed post-it stickers instructing the printer how to dodge one part and burn another, timings are crucial and given in very precise seconds. The shadows cast by the neb of the helmet are particularly crucial. Next to this “rough” A2 version is a larger-than-life sized final print. Only look into the soldier’s eyes if you feel strong enough to be exposed to the shock of his pain”.

The full article is here: http://www.d-p-s.org.uk/pdf_docs/Don_McCullin.pdf

Pictured, John Cogan LRPS

EXHIBITION AT U.H.N.D.

There are strict rules for this exhibition in accordance with the U.H.N.D. request for conformity of size and colour of mounts and frames

Prints to be of any subject representing the north east of England.

All prints to be printed15.5 inches x 10.5 inches

Landscape format only and UNMOUNTED

If you wish to put a very fine stroke border around the photo this would be preferred but not essential, If you are not sure how to do it and wish to, please email or phone me

Prints must have a label securely attached to the back with the title and your name (legible)

Remember your photograph represents the club, so quality counts

The prints will be changed every 3 month when a further request for prints will be made

The exhibition will be able to be viewed at Dryburn Hospital (U.H.N.D.) on the first floor corridor next to the E.N.T. dept

Any questions contact Barry Armitage

Armitage.barry(at)yahoo.co.uk

Tel 3841865

Club Night News: 15th March

Assignment Stockton

Saturday 17^th March, meeting at 10.00 am at the momument in front of the town hall in the centre of High Street. There will be a follow up session to look at photographs taken during the day. Colin’s Challenge this time is, “Roofs or chimneys”. Enjoy!

Next Week – 22^nd March

Last call for entries in the NCPF Annual Competitions. After our success in the NCPF Club Championships (1^st in the PDI and 3^rd in the prints), it’s time to pull out all the stops and bring in your very best photographs.

Also, results night for the fabulous Trio PDI competition. Three trophies will be won and it should be an enjoyable and exciting night.

Opportunities to Sign Up!

There are lists at the club:

AV Night 26^th July: this is a members’ night and you can be part of the show.

UNDH exhibition: organised by Barry Armitage, this is your chance to have a print on three month display in the hospital for the enjoyment of patients, visitors and staff.

Nomad print boxes: take advantage of bulk buy discount and savings on carriage. If you’d like one (or more) see Ian Stafford who is organising.

Tea Break Duty: it’s fun, it’s convivial – what’s not to like?

Member Profiles: you too can appear on the popular DPS website feature.

BALTIC: to receive “how to” instructions.

Annual Exhibition, Galilee Chapel

John Attle needs a couple of images to appear in Durham Cathedral promotions. He has asked for B section members to supply. Choose one you plan to show in the exhibition and email to John – 2000 pixels longest side. First landscape and first portrait format to arrive will be chosen

e-news from the PAGB issue 62

Click on this link to see Issue 62 of e-news from the PAGB:

http://www.pagbnews.co.uk/e-news/en62150312FIAPnatBiFocus.pdf

IN ISSUE 62

16th FIAP Nature Biennial

PAGB at Focus on Imaging report

Featured photographer: Jane Blease ARPS

And more ...

You can receive e-news from the PAGB by email. Join the 10000 (and rapidly growing) club world enthusiast subscribers and register for free at www.pagbnews.co.uk

The PAGB website, full of good information and photographs, is here: http://www.pagb-photography-uk.co.uk/

News: Focus on Focus

Large crowds of enthusiasts and pros descended on the NEC Birmingham for the 2012 Focus on Imaging show, including sizeable contingents from Durham Photographic Society and other North East clubs. Traders reported good sales and the stands of most exhibitors were packed with eager enthusiasts. Times may be tough but the interest in photography is as buoyant as ever.

           

Here is an extract from the blog of DPS member and pro photographer Jed Wee:

“In contrast to the hullabaloo last year over Canon’s last minute withdrawal, this year the noise was of a more positive nature. Although already previously announced, there were several as yet unavailable major new cameras for punters to get their hands on. Both Nikon and Canon had brand new top of the line and one-down camera bodies. In a sector of the market with an average three to four year upgrade cycle for each model, this is a not insignificant watershed, even if the majority of these four models are evolutionary rather than revolutionary.

Of course it wasn’t all about the two “main” manufacturers even if it does sometimes feel that way. Olympus clearly decided to have a bit of a presence at the show this year, with the bags from the show carrying their marketing. They also drew a big crowd at several points during the day to push their new OM-D system and the E-M5 camera, with Strictly Come Dancing stars Ola and James Jordan roped in to… erm… do their thing.”

Read Jed’s full account, complete with some of his images, here: http://jedwee.com/

Exclusive! Durham PS favourite Will Cheung FRPS is to return to the North East in Jan 2013 to deliver an RPS Northern Region lecture in January 2013. You heard it here first!