Next Wednesday we welcome members of Taunton Camera Club who will be showing us their work. Visit their websitete to get a taster of what we might see.

On Wednesday 17 February we were due to have a talk by Linda Bembridge, unfortunately Linda has to fly off to Singapore for her work (I suppose someone has to do it!), so instead we will be treated to one of the recorded CDs from NEMPF (North & East Midlands Photographic Federation) showing images from a recent NEMPF Exhibition, narrated as usual by the extremely professional Ashley Franklin - always an entertaining evening.

27 January is the closing date for Round 3 of the Print Competition when the judge will be David Lingham FRPS. Please put your prints in the box beneath the Presidents' board at the front of the clubrooms. Full competition rules can be found in your BPS Handbook on pages 22 et seq.

Not everybody who entered the last round has collected their prints, these are still in the box and could well be heading for that great shredder in the sky if not collected!

Any queries, as usual, to David Aldersion (printcompetitions@bristolphoto.org.uk)

A reminder that DPIC will be held at the Corn Exchange, Market Street, Exeter, EX1 1BW on Sunday 7 February from 10:30am to 4:30pm. Doors open from 9:30am for refreshments.
Tickets are available from the Corn Exchange ticket office telephone 01392 665 938 or online at www.exetergov.uk/cornexchange. The hall has tiered seating with good viewing from all positions. There is a coffee lounge, an induction loop system and disabled access.
This is a competition between all clubs in the Western Counties (WCPF) region and BPS usually does well, the top clubs go forward to represent WCPF at the national PAGB Championship at Warwick in July. It would be great to see a large contingent of BPS members travelling down the M5 on the 7th to support the club.
To buy tickets, go to the Corn Exchange website.

Entry to the WCPF Knightshayes Trophy is open. This is a print competition open to members of all WCPF affiliated clubs (BPS is one) - This year's subject is the letter "T", full details can be seen by following this link. Several club members will be going to the DPIC Competition at Exeter on 7 February and I'm sure one of them will be able to deliver your entry - have a word with Danny Heaton.

Members of camera clubs affiliated to the WCPF can now submit entries for this year’s exhibition. Entry is online via the WCPF website.
The Exhibition entry system will be open from 20th January 2016 until 5th March 2016. There are the same 3 print classes (Mono, Colour & Nature) and 4 PDI classes (Open, Creative, Nature & Travel) as last year. The exhibition has PAGB Patronage (17-2016) and PAGB Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals plus Selectors Ribbons will be awarded in each class. New ‘Best Wildlife’ awards will be given in the Nature classes and the Margaret Aven Trophy for the entrant with the most acceptances will be presented for the first time. Full details of the class requirements can be found on the entry system website.
The Exhibition is one the highlights of the WCPF Year, where 100 + of the best print images, and a showing of all accepted images are on display to the public for two weeks in May. They are once again returning to Buckfast Abbey where the last 3 Exhibitions were shown and positively commented on by many visitors.
Please support the federation by entering and helping to ensure the exhibition is a success and that it maintains the high standards we have seen in previous years.

For full entry details, please go to the WCPF website where you will be able submit your PDI entries & digital versions of your prints, your actual print entries can go via Danny Heaton when he goes to the WCPF Council Meeting on 5 March.

Several members took up new member Andy Hoang's offer to join him in a studio session at the clubrooms this week. Some of the kit Andy used was more akin to the giant telescope at Jodrell Bank than our studio. Below are some shots of the day.

Lighting by Broncolor - Heels by Manfrotto!

 

If you haven't already entered the Salon, you had better get your skates on! Entrants can submit up to 16 images across 4 sections (Open, Monochrome, Photo Travel and Nature) which are put before a panel of selectors who pick the top 25% or so to be accepted. Entry for BPS members is free as long as we receive your entry before 24 January, after that you will have to pay the full fee.
 
To help you with your entry I've prepared a small tutorial that can be downloaded by following this link. When entering, be sure to tick the box on the first page of the entry system to say that you are a BPS member and fill in your BPS membership number which you will find at the top of this email; when you get to the payment page at the end, click ALREADY PAID. Your Confirmation email will still show what fee would be due (if you were not a BPS member), but as long as you click ALREADY PAID you will not be receiving a knock on the door from a debt collection heavy!
 
Here's hoping that we see a rush of entries, but in the meantime if you have any queries, feel free to email me at chairman@bristolsalon.co.uk
 
Full details can found on the BPS website http://www.bristolphoto.org.uk/.
 
All the best
 
Pete Howell & the Salon Team

The Photography Show is again taking place at NEC Birmingham in 2016. The dates are from 19-22 March. The organisers have confirmed the line-up for The Live Stage and Behind the Lens, both of which are included in the entry price.
The Live Stage will host a range of experts, demonstrating the techniques behind taking unique images in a variety of environments, from posing new-borns to capturing the illusion of magic and fun at the circus. Food Photographer, William Reavell, will appear, presenting styling tips for beautiful food photography. Other speakers will include Street Photographer, Matt Hart, on photography as therapy, Fashion Photographer, Steve Howdle, on syncing flash at high speed and Vicki Churchill, on turning the everyday into the spectacular. Melanie East will share her tips about photographing babies.
Behind the Lens will see a range of professionals leading sessions covering everything from wildlife to travel to landscape and more. Ram Shergill, known for photographing public figures such as Amy Winehouse and Dame Judi Dench, will give insight into working with designers in the world of fashion. Paul Colley will reveal the art of successful underwater photography, and Ian Cook will look at sports photography in the modern era. Tom Stoddart is a photojournalist whose work includes poignant images of situation of crisis, who will tell audiences about his own photography.
The Photography Show offers something for everyone. The exhibitor line-up includes Canon, Nikon, Panasonic, Olympus, Fujifilm, Sony, Leica, Manfrotto, Blackmagic, Epson, Ricoh Imaging, Serif and many more.
Book your tickets here and remember to use promotion code PAGBTPS16 to claim a special PAGB discount. (Choose your tickets and enter the promotion code just before you pay).

Lacock Abbey - ‘Iceland, an Uneasy Calm’ is a series of photographs taken in Iceland over the last eight years by Tim Rudman who is acknowledged as one of the very finest landscape photographers working today. This stunning collection will be exhibited at the Fox Talbot Museum in Lacock, Britain’s birthplace of photography, from 9 January to 10 July.

 

Barry Mead has recently gained an HM in PCA Circuit Romania with his image called Wingtip Touch.

 

Contrary to popular belief, I do not possess psychic powers and need you to tell me if you've had successes. If you want to blow your own trumpet (or someone else's), then this is the place to do it. Please let me know and I'll include details in a future issue.

 

 

 

If you have any problems getting into the Members' Area, please contact Carol, either by email: membership@bristolphoto.org.uk or by telephone: 0117 924 1338