Operating from his studio in Bridge of Weir, Renfrewshire, Andy Stark lives and breathes photography. He first visited our club in November 2022 delivering an inspiring and interactive presentation on portraiture. Andy is a member of Gryffe Camera Club in Houston, Renfrewshire, and also the Royal Photographic Society and is often found delivering informative talks around the photographic community circuit as well as to interested groups from further afield. He also runs well attended courses aimed at photographers from beginners to the more experienced.
His topic at our club last week was Still Life. This subject became of wider interest when travel was restricted during lockdown and it’s popularity has not waned. Changes in technology over the past 20 years has made it an easier subject to tackle too with LED lighting joining electronic flash as a suitable light source.
We had three Still Life tables assembled. Andy brought two of them himself. The third was bequeathed to our club by former member Joan Clarke, who passed away in March last year. During the first half of the evening Andy demonstrated how either dark or light coloured surrounds caused different effects when photographing glass objects and lit by electronic flash. He then moved on to how the positioning of LED lighting altered the effect of light and shade on solid objects.
During the second half of the evening club members moved between the three tables, trying out the different layouts with advice from Andy. This was a highly interactive, informative and enjoyable evening.
Below are some Still Life photographs, taken by Falkirk C.C. photographers over the past few years.
Next week brings 3 From 6. Club members were given 6 topics last year and asked to provide a photograph of up to 3 of them. The event is not a competition, but an opportunity for club members to try photographing something different from our usual individual favourite subjects.
Looking further ahead, on February 15th we welcome Campbell Skinner who will adjudicate Monthly Competition No. 4. That night is also the final PhotoEntry hand-in date for both Monthly Competition No.5 and for the annual Williamson competition between ourselves, Kirkintilloch C.C. and Stirling & District C.C. who are this year’s hosts.
The annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition is now open at the National Museum of Scotland, Chambers St., Edinburgh. It is one of the most prestigious events in the photographic calendar and presents remarkable photographs of the natural world, photographed by people of all ages. Tickets can be booked through the N.M.S. website and the exhibition is free to N.M.S. members.
You will have seen the poster on the Notice Board page with details of this season’s Glasgow & District Photographic Union league final, and last year’s winning image from David Jones of Falkirk C.C.
Further information on attending the event will be issued to F.C.C. members nearer the time.
Take care, and thanks for looking in.
Fairy Dust, by Charles Woodford
Screw York, by Stuart Pearson
Santana In Miniature, by Debra Duncan
TLR’s, by Jim Falconer
Forked, by Elaine Woodford
Colourful Spectrum, by Catherine Anderson