Author Archives: Wallace Gilbraith

The season draws to a close already, and we meet at the library for the last time until October. It’s also the last chance for the News Team’s photographers to look for new compositions, new images, in the familiar environment of the Soutar Theatre.

AGM first, with a number of office-bearers summarising the season (minor issues with powerpoint notwithstanding), the appointment of the new committee, and an outline of next years programme of speakers (looks great – details will be on our Programme page before long).

To follow – a critique night, for which several members brought in images to discuss, and we gathered in small groups to do just that. Some prints, some digitals; on laptops, tablets and phones. For some groups, it was a chance for the photographer author to talk about their image and what it means to them; for others, it’s chance to put the image up and let the viewers talk about what it means to them. Either way, there’s lots of good learning to be had.

Next week we’ll be dining out and doing prizegiving, so we’ll take a break from accepting new members, and will re-open our membership form in time for the start of next season.

In the meantime, our Facebook Group at Perth Photo Forum will continue over the summer as ‘an online place to learn from discussion of photography, by and for the people of Perth, Perthshire, Perth and Kinross, and surroundings’. So, not just for PPS members. And not just online – we also arrange a series of sociable photo walks. We’ll hope to see you out with your camera over the summer. Bon Voyages!

It’s our last meet of the year at the AK Bell Library, and it’s time for our AGM. This is an important formality in the calendar, as we get to hear something of the work that goes on to keep the club functioning smoothly. And it doesn’t take all night – we’re planning to complement this with a ‘critique evening’, where we can all bring in images we’ve taken (digital or prints), and can gather in small groups to discuss them. What works, what could we do better. It’s a great opportunity for some feedback on images we’re thinking of for the SPF Portfolio competition, and for the Festival of the Arts exhibition, over the coming months.
https://www.perthshirephotographicsociety.org.uk/2023/07/programme-2023-24/#week25

See what we were up to last week: https://www.perthshirephotographicsociety.org.uk/2024/03/last-night-members-night-the-novices-progress/ 

Well, we don’t have so many novices any more! Through this season’s expanded Cultivating Novice Photographers programme, we now have many more confident photographers, speaking with ease about their progress through the year.

Away from the main club nights on Wednesdays we’ve had two main groups meeting regularly in person – John’s group have been getting together in Aberfeldy; Ian’s group in Scone – plus a number of one-off special-interest gatherings elsewhere.

The experience of the members of the two groups prior to joining PPS has varied enormously, with interests in wildlife, travel, macro, family portraiture. And they’ve been learning on the job, as they meet the various photographic challenges they’ve been set – high-key, low-key, shallow depth of field, movement, and so on.

Lizzie, Nicole, Lynn and Alastair talked us through some of what they’ve been working on through the year, and Ian spoke on behalf of the group he’s been helping. We heard how they’ve all improved in camera-handling, in composition, and in processing the images to bring out what they saw in the first place when they took each photo.

John wrapped up with some thoughts on the mono work he’s been developing over the last year.

We’ve had 20 brand-new members this season, and it’s lovely to see so many of them making such progress in their first year, both in the images they take, and in their willingness to stand up and speak about them. Congratulations!

As our season gets into its final month, it’s time to celebrate the progress of some of our newer members who have been taking advantage of our grandly-titled Cultivating Novice Photographers programme. Three small groups have been meeting regularly with experienced members. Some of this cohort will be sharing what they’ve been up to, showing their images and speaking about their growing confidence.
https://www.perthshirephotographicsociety.org.uk/2023/07/programme-2023-24/#week24

See what we were up to last week: https://www.perthshirephotographicsociety.org.uk/2024/03/last-night-dall-cup-selfies-simpson-cup-audio-visual/ 

Newcomers are still welcome to register online, and come along to meet us for a couple of weeks, with no commitment. That gives you the chance to decide if you like what you see.
Or you can jump straight in with new or renewed membership.
Either way, go to the online form on our Membership page to register.
https://www.perthshirephotographicsociety.org.uk/membership/ 

Selfie night is always fun, and last night was as much fun as ever. 24 Selfies from 10 photographers, and hugely inventive and entertaining.
The in-house event photography did it’s best to keep up with the selfie theme.

Not just selfies but also a second half of audio-visual presentations – no less than 9 of these to savour.

At the end of each showing, everyone gets to go on their phones for the vote-casting.

Worthy Winners are in the winners galleries, for
– Dall Cup Selfies and
– Simpson Cup AVs

One evening, two competitions, and these are judged by us the members, so it’s a lot of fun as well as a chance to show the prodigious talent of our members in two quite diverse fields of photography. Watch out for details in the members’ mailing.
https://www.perthshirephotographicsociety.org.uk/2023/07/programme-2023-24/#week23

See what we were up to last week: https://www.perthshirephotographicsociety.org.uk/2024/02/last-night-omar-shamma-polar-regions-the-last-wilderness/ 

Newcomers are still welcome to register online, and come along to meet us for a couple of weeks, with no commitment. That gives you the chance to decide if you like what you see.
Or you can jump straight in with new or renewed membership.
Either way, go to the online form on our Membership page to register.
https://www.perthshirephotographicsociety.org.uk/membership/

Firstly, congratulations to PPS’s Vicky McNamara for her Commended placing in the recent Scottish Photograhic Federation SPF Print Championships, for her mono, ‘Do you have to?’.

It was lovely to welcome Omar Shamma to the library speak to us again. He’d previously delighted us on Zoom, when he told us about his street photography in London, back when we were meeting online during the time of covid.

This time, in person, we heard about his photographic travels in the north and south – Svalbard and the Antarctic Peninsula. After a brief and colourful moment to set up, he told us of the archipelago formerly known as Spitzbergen, where the best way to get around is on a photography cruise, on a small/medium-sized ship, with options for zodiac excursions and landings.

The zodiac trips have their own characteristics – photographers packed shoulder to shoulder, facing each other across the boat, and all trying for that bucket-list shot, as the boat bounces around beneath them. To come back from such trips with a worthwhile image is an achievement – Omar had scores of them. And he told us his tips for getting the shot that are often just as relevant on a cold day in Scotland as they are at the ends of the earth.

The talk was sub-titled ‘the last wilderness’. Sadly, the ends of the earth are nearer than they’ve ever been. Omar’s closest polar bear sighting was, we heard, made more poignant when it was noted that the object the bear seemed to be playing with was not seaweed or a piece of seal, but a carrier bag. Legislation being introduced for future seasons will increase the distance to be kept between tourists and the bears, and frame-filling photos will be even harder to come by.

Legislation has reached Antarctica, too. To minimise the spread of bird flu, those going ashore have their feet disinfected before and after, and tripods are deprecated. Even dropping an un-sterilised knee into the snow to get your lens down to penguin-level incurs a prompt correction from the guides.

Omar talked us with good humour through image after memorable image, with wonderful framing through ice formations, and light ranging from brilliant and clear to threatening and stormy.

The cruises run photography competitions for various genres: landscape, wildlife, abstract, people, and so on. Suffice to say, Omar cleaned up. It’s been a delight to hear his story.

This week we have another visiting speaker. Omar Shamma will tell of his recent visits to polar opposites – Spitzbergen and Antarctica. Omar has presented to PPS before, about his generous and friendly approach to street photography. See now what he brings back from those parts of the world where the names have no streets.
https://www.perthshirephotographicsociety.org.uk/2023/07/programme-2023-24/#week22

See what we were up to last week: https://www.perthshirephotographicsociety.org.uk/2024/02/last-night-colour-rosebowl-print-competition/

Newcomers are still welcome to register online, and come along to meet us for a couple of weeks, with no commitment. That gives you the chance to decide if you like what you see.
Or you can jump straight in with new or renewed membership.
Either way, go to the online form on our Membership page to register.
https://www.perthshirephotographicsociety.org.uk/membership/

Our third print competition evening of the season is for the Colour Rosebowl, which allows members to enter up to three colour prints. It’s also our third evening of the season adjudicated by an SPF-accredited judge, and last night we welcomed Piers Hemy, long-time member of Cromarty Camera Club, for his first outing of judging in Perth.

Piers started the evening by sharing a few of his own images, confessing to a love of textures and patterns. He also showed a few landscapes that appeared to be treated to excessive polarisation, but which were in fact shot in infra-red, to illustrate how easy it is to jump to conclusions. However an image was made, he said, whatever challenges were overcome, the judge can only go by the result – guided by the title, and coloured by their own preferences, or prejudices. He noted that overall, the standard of entries for this competition were more uniformly high than he had seen before.

With a field of 36 prints, we were able to view all entries with commentary before the tea break. This allowed time during the break to view all the prints, on the stands around the room. What impresses in a print can vary between being viewed from the back of a lecture theatre and viewed close up.

After tea, the results, and an opportunity to discuss some of the prints further, with the author and amongst the membership. This is where we can learn more of how an image was made, and what challenges were overcome – or perhaps what ingenious techniques were employed. There’s no simple formula for success, but clearly perseverence pays. Lots of opportunities for learning.

Our final externally-judged competition of the season is for the Colour Rosebowl; it’s for up to three colour prints per entrant, and the choice of subject is open. It’s another opportunity to hear constructive critique of our work, and this time our SPF-accredited judge is Piers Hemy. He’s been based for many years at Cromarty Camera Club and is doing the honours in Perth for the first time.

https://www.perthshirephotographicsociety.org.uk/2023/07/programme-2023-24/#week21

See what we were up to last week: https://www.perthshirephotographicsociety.org.uk/2024/02/last-night-members-night-three-topics/

Newcomers are still welcome to register online, and come along to meet us for a couple of weeks, with no commitment. That gives you the chance to decide if you like what you see.
Or you can jump straight in with new or renewed membership.
Either way, go to the online form on our Membership page to register.
https://www.perthshirephotographicsociety.org.uk/membership