In Conversation With ....
Last night’s camera club meeting offered a refreshing change of pace, centred around an engaging ‘In Conversation with…’ session. David, as host, set a warm and welcoming tone, skilfully guiding the evening and introducing our three guest members: Jon, Brenda, and Damien. Their collective experiences and photographic journeys brought new perspectives and a diverse range of images to the spotlight, many of which can be explored further in the club’s webpage ‘Our Galleries’ .
Jon opened the evening with a nostalgic and informative look at the former shipbuilding industry in Sunderland, treating us to images of colossal ships from the 1980s. His chat highlighted both the industrial scale of the era and the challenges posed by the River Wear’s (and Tyne’s) modest proportions. Jon’s portfolio then shifted to evocative mountain landscapes and, more recently, intriguing drone shots of ancient hill forts. One observation from Jon (I paraphrase) resonated: ‘Taking photos makes you think more about taking photos’—a sentiment many of us can appreciate.
Brenda, a longstanding member and gifted all-round creative, shared her experiences as a lighthouse keeper’s daughter. Brenda’s images included vibrant scenes from Botswana, with lions and zebra in their element, before concluding with a truly beautiful photograph of Loch Tummel, aglow with autumn colour on a still day (which is this post's featured image).
After the break, Damien entertained us with stories from his youth in France and Africa and his discovery of Perthshire, and the impenetrable Fife accent! His portfolio captured snowboarding, sheep, and engaging macro work, showcasing real breadth.
Many thanks to Jon, Brenda, Damien for sharing, and especially to David for his thoughtful preparation. The next two meetings are on Zoom, being the competitions on the themes of ‘Weather’ and the Jubilee Competition ‘Long Exposure and ICM’.