Almark
addict
Reged: 15/11/2006
Posts: 492
Loc: Northern Ireland
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Hi Folks,
I have learnt more from my local camera club than I have from books, or erm... on-line courses. If you haven't joined your local camera club then I think you may be missing the opportunity to get lots of feedback.
I would be interested to know how many of you are a member of local camera club?
for example
Please take some time to have a look, not just at the images, but consider the whole 'club' approach.
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All the best
Mark
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APchris
veteran
Reged: 06/05/2006
Posts: 1463
Loc: Lincolnshire
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Hi Mark, I'm not a member of a club, not that I haven't thought about it though. I know there is a local club - Grantham Photographic Society - but unlike your club, it has no web site  so it's difficult to judge what they are like.
Most of my photographs are taken with a digital compact and I don't have, nor plan to buy a DSLR. I often wonder just how welcome I'd be in a club full of DSLR users  !
I'd be interested to know if there are any compact only members in your club and how seriously they are taken
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Chris 
Better a bad day on the water than a good day at the office 
My Flickr sets
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lisadb
veteran
Reged: 05/09/2006
Posts: 1502
Loc: Staffs
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I've thought about joining a club as well Mark - I think there's one in Leek. Problem is there's not enough hours in the day and I'd rather concentrate on other things at the moment.  Lisa.
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wollemi - 'look around you, keep your eyes open and watch out' (Australian aboriginal word)
My Flickr page
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matts3
journeyman
Reged: 21/09/2006
Posts: 80
Loc: Bristol, UK
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I've been a member of a camera club in Bristol for a couple of years now and find it really enjoyable.
We have competitions each year which are categorized as mono prints, colour prints and projected images. It get's you out there taking pictures for a purpose (other than for a course!) and you receive good critique (well most of the time) from a judge who scores each print with prizes for highly commended and then 3rd, 2nd and then 1st.
I won best newcomer last year and projected images and 2nd in mono.
I'm hoping my new found techniques will give my photos even more zing to claim a few more bits of silverware this year, fingers crossed!
If you're not a member of a club why pop along to your local CC and give it a go?
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Almark
addict
Reged: 15/11/2006
Posts: 492
Loc: Northern Ireland
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Chris, I don't know if my camera club is reperesenative, but I suspect they will all be roughly similar. We have about 18 members who use film cameras, some of whom only take slides, while others only go for mono prints. Some of these people have compact digital cameras. We would have about another 12 or so that have only compact or bridge cameras. The rest (about 20) have DSLR's, many of whom also have compacts or bridge cameras.
There are makes and models, icluding folk who swaer by their (older) Nikon D100, Canon 300D or 10D. Of course we do have some folk who have all the latest kit as well!
I find my camera club to be a 'little community', and the web site haelps with that. People are so freindly and willing to help. For example we had a beginner who just joined with us in Septmeber and in his first competition came second overal in Colour and his print was to entered in the Regional level competition. However in order to enter his print had to be properly 'mounted'. As he was just new to the club and didn't know what to do some members arranged to show and teach him how to mount the image for the competition. Needless to say the new member was most impressed!
I must admit I did visit two other local camera clubs before I joined the third. The first two left me standing about like an eejett, largely ignored me and left me feeling rather unwelcome. After just a few minutes in the third camera club I knew it was the one for me.
I agree with matts that the club competitions can be good fun. Simply looking at other peoples' photos and then listening to the judges comments can be veru informative.
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All the best
Mark
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PeteE
enthusiast
Reged: 23/08/2005
Posts: 377
Loc: BRENTWOOD,Essex
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I am the President of Brentwood & District Photographic club. I joined my first club at East Ham Grammar School Photo-Soc in 1951; then joined my first 'adult'club the South Essex Camera Club in 1952- I was the youngest member but I didn't think they were all older,only 'fellow Photo Enthusiasts'. One of the members, George Crosby FRPS used to teach me B/W printing at home in Woodford, Essex. I would cycle all the way there from East Ham! After the darkroom work his wife would make me Marmalade Toast!
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Got COMPUTERISED at last and now Digitised but FILM still RULES!
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APchris
veteran
Reged: 06/05/2006
Posts: 1463
Loc: Lincolnshire
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Hi Mark, thanks for your comments. It seems you have found a great club. I guess the only way I'll find out about my 'local' is to get on down there and see...!
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Chris
Better a bad day on the water than a good day at the office
My Flickr sets
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Almark
addict
Reged: 15/11/2006
Posts: 492
Loc: Northern Ireland
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That's it - just go see!
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All the best
Mark
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Hotblack
Dead Horse Flogger
Reged: 07/03/2006
Posts: 6984
Loc: Upstairs in the spare room.
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If you've got several in the area it may be an idea to try them all out. Camera clubs usually allow you to visit several times before you have to make up your mind whether to join or not and the nearest one to you may not suit you. I know my nearest club wasn't my cup of tea but the one 20 minutes drive away is great.
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Cheers
David
David J White Photography
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APchris
veteran
Reged: 06/05/2006
Posts: 1463
Loc: Lincolnshire
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Quote:
If you've got several in the area...
Nah... just the one I can find, but 20-30 minutes drive includes several nearby towns and I travel to Nottingham most days to work. Hmmm... worth a bit more research, thanks
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Chris
Better a bad day on the water than a good day at the office
My Flickr sets
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fred333
newbie
Reged: 15/01/2008
Posts: 15
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I love being apart of camera clubs. I have actually joined a couple through the internet. Since I do a lot of traveling I get to meet up with some of the members around the country.
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Always looking for digital camera acessories.
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Almark
addict
Reged: 15/11/2006
Posts: 492
Loc: Northern Ireland
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Fred, The on-line variety of camera clubs can be addictive, www.photoblink.com and www.imagecreative.nl to name just two.
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All the best
Mark
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lisadb
veteran
Reged: 05/09/2006
Posts: 1502
Loc: Staffs
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Hi Mark,
nice to hear from you - sounds like you had a good time on your journey in December. I took the plunge the last couple of weeks and went to the camera club meeting on Thursday night in Leek. Last week was the Natural History Print competition and very good it was too. They seem like a very nice bunch of people and are very welcoming and I think I'm going to join.  Lisa.
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wollemi - 'look around you, keep your eyes open and watch out' (Australian aboriginal word)
My Flickr page
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Almark
addict
Reged: 15/11/2006
Posts: 492
Loc: Northern Ireland
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Good for you Lisa, I am sure you will enjoy it. The advice and guidance I have received from club members has been great. I have been so impressed with their warmth and genuine feedback.
Sometimes you have to take it on the chin, especially in the competitions! But when feedback is delivered in a frank and honest manner - backed up with reasoning - you cannot help but learn. I certainly have.
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All the best
Mark
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lisadb
veteran
Reged: 05/09/2006
Posts: 1502
Loc: Staffs
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I joined a couple of weeks ago Mark and it's certainly very entertaining. I can't enter any comps yet as I've joined 'mid-season' but that OK as I'm still sussing it all out. Hope you are OK as haven't heard from you in ages. Lisa.
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wollemi - 'look around you, keep your eyes open and watch out' (Australian aboriginal word)
My Flickr page
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Almark
addict
Reged: 15/11/2006
Posts: 492
Loc: Northern Ireland
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Hi Lisa,
I just wanted to share with you my good news. My 'Norway' AV was awarded 1st place (Novice) in the 2008 Northern Ireland Photographic Association, Audio Visual Festival.
If you have time, and a broadband connection, then I think you will enjoy the show:
http://www.almark.net/photos/norway.zip
Best Regards
Mark
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All the best
Mark
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Fen
BAD WOLF
Reged: 12/03/2002
Posts: 19392
Loc: Currently Unknown!
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Quote:
I can't enter any comps yet as I've joined 'mid-season'
That's a bit of an annoyance. Never seen that in a club before, every one I've been to has allowed people to enter prints no matter what part of the season they joined.
It's doubtful that that person would win the trophy, but at they'd get experience of the judges and other club members looking at their prints!
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Fen.
- Fen's Flickr Fotos -
"One good photograph does not a photographer make."
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Paul_R
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 16/06/2006
Posts: 1872
Loc: Middlesbrough, England.
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Quote:
Hi Lisa,
I just wanted to share with you my good news. My 'Norway' AV was awarded 1st place (Novice) in the 2008 Northern Ireland Photographic Association, Audio Visual Festival.
If you have time, and a broadband connection, then I think you will enjoy the show:
http://www.almark.net/photos/norway.zip
Best Regards
Mark
Hi Mark
Firstly, well done on being awarded 1st place (Novice) in the 2008 Northern Ireland Photographic Association, Audio Visual Festival.
Secondly, well done on putting together a great AV presentation.
I downloaded the AV a few weeks ago now and enjoyed it then. However, you have now added commentary which I enjoyed too. Did you write it yourself and whose voice was it....yours?
Its something I really fancy having a go at and having watched your AV (again) its inspired me to get on with it!
I understand Vista has an improved video editing facility. Have you had any dealings with it or would you recommend some other dedicated software such as Pro Show Gold etc?
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Regards, Paul CRIPN
http://www.pbase.com/exposethelight
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SG1_Fan
newbie
Reged: 10/05/2007
Posts: 1
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Hi Mark, like many others i'm relevantly new to dslr photography and also like many others was very worried about joining a camera club mainly due to my lack of experience and knowledge. I moved to a different department at work and met alot of nice people. One person in particular was a member of NIPA camera club and invited me along to see what it was all about. That was last November and since then i try not to miss a single week. All the members made me feel very welcome and i feel that i can learn a great deal from them. I hope you don't mind but i also downloaded your Norway av and thought it was brilliant. Well done!!!!!!!
AJ.
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Almark
addict
Reged: 15/11/2006
Posts: 492
Loc: Northern Ireland
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Paul,
I found doing a narration really difficult. I started by writing the script. But when i recorded it, it was 12 mins long and the show was only 6 mins. So I had to cut a lot out. then i realised that 6 mins of photos and 6 mins of narration was too much, so I cut it down again, and again until there was only a very small bit left!
then getting rid of the hiss from my narration and blending it with the music was another challenge!
And yes, that's me talking... I thought I sounded awful, but from the feedback I have received maybe i don't sound all that bad after all!
AJ,
be warned, camera clubs can become addictive! It all depends on how you are initially received and then how much you want to contribute. I have found that sharing my knowledge, skills and experience in things like Photoshop and Capture NX to be repaid many, many times over in tips and advice from people who have been there done that, etc.
For example, I was enjoying my photography so much (and having some success in competitions and so on) that I decided to buy myself a Nikon D300 and sold my D80. A club member asked me to bring my D300 along so she could have a look at it. I brought it in and then she sat me down and showed me how it was similar to the D200 (that she had) and did I know that ...
Well, in 5 mins I was quickly shown how to set up shooting banks - 'A' for 14 bit raw, 'B' for 12 bit raw, 'C' for jpgs and 'D' for jpgs in bracketing mode. What an eye-opener! Then I was shown how to use the '3 kings' and the control wheels. The Nikon manual simply explains what each function does, it does not offer advice and guidance on how to tweak the settings for real life.
Thank you for taking the time to download and watch my AV.
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All the best
Mark
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