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We start the New Year with our very own John Chamberlin FRPS MFIAP, who will be presenting his talk, Thru the Lens. John says the following about his talk:
When I first started taking serious images in the 1970’s it was, of course, on film. I used colour film with an ISO rating below 100 ISO and Black and White film only rated a little higher. I looked through the viewfinder, composed and pressed the shutter. What I saw at that point was crucial and only relatively limited modifications could be made in the darkroom, especially with colour.
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My talk will contain a variety of images, mostly recent but some from a while ago, though now taken digitally. I use the same process as I did with film, seeing the image in the viewfinder and seeking to capture the best moment to press the shutter. You can decide how successful I was.
I have sought to be a photographer rather than a digital artist because frankly the technicalities of Photoshop, Colour management etc. etc. bore me stiff. Sorry!! Over the years I have managed to gain various distinctions and awards, for what their worth, but still remain true to the principle above.
I plan to show a wide variety of images, because for me that is what photography is about. I promise to only mention technique where I feel it is needed to explain how an image was created. As for whether an image was liked by judges I shall be absolutely ‘mum’, because first and foremost I take images for my pleasure and not for a judge.
Here are a few images from the talk:
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ZOOM
Login details:
- Wednesday 7 January @ 19.30hrs
- Log in: Click HERE
- Meeting ID: 880 7104 5639
- Password: 862301
Back to Top |
| Date |
Speaker |
Subject |
| 7 January |
Closing Date - PDI Comp R3 |
Theme: A Line from a Poem |
| 7 January |
John Chamberlin |
Thro' the Lens |
| 14 January |
Leigh Woolford |
Mostly Motor Racing |
| 21 January |
PDI Competition R3 |
Judge: Steve Field |
| 28 January |
Closing Date - Print Comp R3 |
Theme: Animal(s) |
| 28 January |
Ross McKelvey |
Zoom meeting |
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Programme: January - August 2026 |
We have now almost completed the programme for the period until the end of August. If you would like to download a pdf copy, please click HERE. This file also includes all closing dates, prescribed topics and judges for the current competition year. |
Entry to the 2026 Bristol Salon closes 1 February, now is the time to be getting your images together ready to make your entry. Remember that, with the exception of distance & temporary members, entry is free.
When making your entry you need to use the same email address that we have recorded against your membership. If you use a different email address the entry system will not recognise you and calculate an entry fee. Should this happen, do not pay but contact me ( chairman@bristolsalon.co.uk) and I will remove the entry fee.
If you are entering prints then:
- There will be a box on the stage at Unit 13 to collect your entries.
- The entry system will ask what to do with your prints after selection is complete. The options will be:
- Forward them to the Midland Salon (no postage charge),
- Destroy them
- Hold for collection
- Return by post (for which there is a charge)
- Any prints that are not accepted where you have selected to ‘Hold’ or ‘Return’ will be available for collection at Unit 13 soon after the selection takes place. Accepted prints will be retained for display at Unit 13 and possibly other venues. These will be available to pick up at Unit 13 later in the year.
- If you marked them to be destroyed by mistake then I will try to pick them out and return them, but it is possible that some may be missed.
- Any prints marked to be forwarded to the Midland Salon will not be returned to Unit 13 unless you contact me to ask for them.
Remember prints should be on A3 or A4 paper. Do not trim the paper to the size of the actual image.
Looking forward to collecting your entries in the New Year.
Ralph Snook
Salon Chairman
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PDI Comp R3 - Closing Date |
The closing date for the next round of the PDI Competition is 7 January, when the prescribed topic will be A Line from a Poem. The judge is Steve Field EFIAP/b ARPS BPE3* AWPF AIPF ADPS.
To enter, you will need to first log in to your PhotoEntry account. Once you have logged in to PhotoEntry, you can upload, title and prioritise your entries for the competition. Instructions can be found by following this link: https://photoentry.uk/faq/faq.html
Prescribed Topic
A few words to aid you in producing an image to suit the prescribed topic:
You may want to use your image to illustrate the line directly. So, “Zebra crossing puddles in dips of the dark stripes” from Adrian Mitchell’s poem “Watch Your Step – I’m Drenched” may well be a picture of puddles on a zebra crossing.
Alternatively, your chosen line may invite a less literal image. “Life, what is it but a dream?” from Lewis Carroll’s “A Boat Beneath a Sunny Sky” doesn’t have to include either a boat or a sunny sky.
Indeed, it’s perfectly permissible to take a line quite out of its context. As your photo title, it doesn’t have to refer to the whole poem it’s from. If, say, you use Wordsworth’s “Ne’er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!” as your title, it needn’t have anything to do with Westminster Bridge or a river. It could be used for a picture of a sweetly sleeping elephant.
Whatever you choose, when you upload your image, please title it in this format, including the poet’s name: Ne’er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep! Wordsworth.
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Mike Hall has very kindly donated a Datacolor Spyder 5 Pro monitor calibrator to the Society. For those of you who are serious about the quality of images that you produce, especially that the images you create match the colours you see on your monitor, then you need to have a calibrated monitor.
The Datacolor Spyder 5 Pro is an advanced, interactive colour calibration tool for photographers and designers, using a hardware colorimeter and software to create custom display profiles, ensuring your screen accurately shows colours for consistent editing and printing by adjusting for ambient light, offering features like "Before & After" evaluation, display analysis, and fast calibration for laptops and desktops. It helps achieve predictable colour across devices, allowing you to trust your screen to match your final output, a crucial step for professional-level colour management.
If you'd like to borrow the calibrator, then please speak to Pete Howell at any Wednesday meeting.
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Monday 5 January 2026
10am – 1pm - This will be an opportunity for members to showcase any images you want to share from any of the Studio sessions in 2025. Email copies to Mike Martin or bring on a USB stick on the day. It’s also an opportunity to discuss what members want from these sessions going forward so come along and support it.
Mike Martin
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Amateur Photographer of the Year - Round 9 |
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ROUND 9 - URBAN LIFE
Round 9 of the APOY competition is now open for entry, the subject this round is Urban Life.
The closing date is 5 January - NEXT MONDAY
Why not enter an image, its entirely free using the entry code APOY98977399
Go to https://amateurphotographer.com/apoy/ for full details. |
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NEW to this section, why not download the latest edition of FIAP News - click HERE
Download Issue 396 PAGB eNews HERE
Download Issue 124 of Photography News HERE.
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Wildlife Photographer of the Year |
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Step into the breath-taking beauty and raw power of nature with Wildlife Photographer of the Year – the world’s most prestigious photography exhibition, now celebrating its sixty-first year.
This globally acclaimed showcase features 100 awe-inspiring images that reveal the hidden stories of our planet’s wildlife and comes to Bristol from the Natural History Museum in London.
Selected from over 60,000 entries submitted by photographers of all ages and backgrounds from 113 countries and territories, these photographs are more than just stunning visuals – they are windows into the complex, fragile, and magnificent ecosystems we share. From intimate glimpses of rarely seen animal behaviour to sweeping landscapes that stir the soul, each image invites you to reflect on your connection to the natural world.
This year’s exhibition is a powerful call to action. Through the lens of the world’s finest nature photographers, it highlights the urgency of conservation and the beauty worth protecting.
Whether you’re a photography enthusiast, a nature lover, or simply curious, Wildlife Photographer of the Year promises to inspire, provoke, and ignite a deeper appreciation for the planet we all call home.
Don’t miss this unforgettable journey into the wild. Open until 26 April.
Tickets
Tickets start from £5
Discounted Family ticket for £20 – Either 2 adults (16+) and 2 children (4-16); Or 1 adult (16+) and 3 children (4-16)
Children 3 and under, go free
Click HERE to purchase tickets
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Vale of Evesham
National Exhibition
Closing: 28 February
4 PDI Sections
Open Colour
Open Mono
Natural History
Experimental/Creative
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Closing: 1 February
3 PDI Sections
Open Colour
Open Mono
Nature
3 Print Sections
Open Colour
Open Mono
Nature
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Closing - 1 February
3 PDI Sections:
Open Colour
Monochrome
Nature
3 Print Sections:
Open Colour
Monochrome
Nature
Entry is free to BPS members*
* Not available to distance members, temporary members.
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Closing - 1 February
5 PDI Sections:
Open Colour
Monochrome
Nature
Creative
Scapes
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Salon acceptances: 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.
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If you have any photographic items for sale, drop me a line and I'll include them in the next newsletter. Please make sure that you provide contact details, price and full description of the sale items (pictures always help).
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IMPORTANT: Personal Detail Changes |
Please don't forget that if you change your
address (home or email), or gain additional photographic distinctions,
it would be appreciated if you could let the Membership Secretary know
so that she can keep her records up to date, this will also ensure that
you continue to receive your newsletters - please email all changes to membership@bristolphoto.org.uk.
The distinctions we have on record are those
shown at the top of this newsletter, please remember, if you don't tell
us we can't possibly know!
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For those of you who aren't sure what MPAGB, EFIAP/s and many more such
seemingly random collections of letters mean, just click here to see the list.
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To view past editions of this Newsletter, please click on the following link and then select the date(s) you are looking for - BPS Newsletter Archive |
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To enter the Members' Portal of the BPS website you will need the following:
Username - Your Membership Number
Password - Created by you
If you have any problems getting into the Members' Portal, please contact Matt by email:
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Bristol Photographic Society,
Unit 13, Montpelier Central, Station Rd, Bristol, BS6 5EE
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