Written by Last night’s meeting at Dunchurch Photographic Society offered a perfect mix of creativity, humour and inspiration, making it one to remember.
The first half of the evening was given over to the 50 Shades of Bray competition — a format that’s very much not the norm for us. Instead of members submitting their own images, our long-suffering club secretary David Bray provided a selection of five unedited photographs from his own archive and invited everyone to edit them however they saw fit.
The results were as varied as they were entertaining. From subtle enhancements to bold reinterpretations, it was fascinating to see just how differently the same images could be approached. David then showed commendable bravery by critiquing the edits of his own work before taking on the unenviable task of selecting an overall winner. The competition sparked plenty of discussion, laughter, and the odd sharp intake of breath — all in good spirit, of course. It is quite amazing how different artists can produce such varied work from the same starting point.
Well done to everyone who took part and congratulations to Mark Ellis for taking the win!
After the tea break, we changed pace completely as Simon Coates treated us to a whistle-stop tour of Antarctica, marking the 20th anniversary of his trip to the frozen continent. Simon shared a superb selection of images that captured the stark beauty, scale and atmosphere of the place, proving that great photographs really do stand the test of time.
While Simon was the first to admit that the images had aged better than his awful jokes, the audience thoroughly enjoyed both. It was a fascinating glimpse into an extraordinary journey and a reminder of the power of photography to preserve experiences long after the moment has passed.
All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable evening — creative, informative, and full of good humour — and exactly the kind of night that makes our club such a pleasure to be part of.