{"id":8870,"date":"2026-09-03T12:51:52","date_gmt":"2026-09-03T11:51:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dunchurchps.com\/dps-wp\/?p=8870"},"modified":"2026-09-03T12:51:56","modified_gmt":"2026-09-03T11:51:56","slug":"a-golden-start-to-our-50th-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dunchurchps.com\/dps-wp\/2026\/09\/03\/a-golden-start-to-our-50th-year\/","title":{"rendered":"A Golden Start to our 50th Year"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Last night saw Dunchurch Photographic Society open the doors on a very special new season. Not only was it our first meeting back after the summer break, it was also the first meeting of our 50th year<\/strong> \u2014 a milestone that gives us an excellent excuse to celebrate everything the Society has achieved over the past five decades while, more importantly, looking forward to what comes next.<\/p>

To help us mark the occasion, we were delighted to welcome two very special guests: Councillor Nooria Sayani, Mayor of Rugby<\/strong>, and Ralph Duckett, President of the Midland Counties Photographic Federation (MCPF)<\/strong>. It was a real pleasure to have them both with us for the evening and a fitting way to begin what promises to be a memorable anniversary season.<\/p>

There was a tremendous atmosphere in the room from the outset. Alongside familiar faces returning after the summer, we were particularly pleased to see such a wonderful number of visitors and potential new members. Starting a new season always brings with it a sense of anticipation, but there was definitely something extra in the air this year.<\/p>

Looking Back Before Looking Forward<\/h2>

The evening began with a chance to remind ourselves just how much photography had been produced by members during the previous season.<\/p>

David Bray<\/strong> had expertly curated a series of impressive audio-visual sequences showcasing the work of the membership, bringing together a wide variety of subjects, styles and approaches. From landscapes and wildlife to sport, travel, creative photography and everything in between, the sequences provided an excellent snapshot of the breadth of photography that exists within the Society.<\/p>

Seeing the images presented together in this way also served as a timely reminder that a photographic society is about far more than competitions. Every photographer sees the world slightly differently, and one of the great pleasures of being part of a club is being exposed to photographs, ideas and subjects that we might never otherwise encounter.<\/p>

The AVs were a great way to celebrate the achievements of the previous year while setting the tone for the season ahead.<\/p>

Welcome to the New Season<\/h2>

With the AV presentation complete, the Society’s Chair, Mark Ellis<\/strong>, took to the floor to formally welcome everyone.<\/p>

Mark extended a particularly warm welcome to Mayor of Rugby Nooria Sayani<\/strong>, MCPF President Ralph Duckett<\/strong>, and to the many visitors who had come along to find out what Dunchurch Photographic Society is all about.<\/p>

He then gave a brief outline of what members can expect from the coming season \u2014 and there is certainly plenty to look forward to.<\/p>

Our 50th year will feature the familiar mixture of competitions, visiting speakers, practical evenings, inter-club battles and member-led events, alongside some special occasions designed to celebrate five decades of photography at Dunchurch.<\/p>

While reaching 50 years inevitably encourages a little nostalgia, the emphasis throughout the evening was very much on the future. The Society continues to evolve, new members continue to join us and photography itself continues to change. Cameras, software and techniques may be very different from those being used when the club was founded in 1976, but the enthusiasm for making, sharing and talking about photographs remains exactly the same.<\/p>

The Summer Challenge<\/h2>

Of course, no first meeting of the season would be complete without one of our longest-standing traditions \u2014 the Summer Challenge<\/strong>.<\/p>

Throughout the Society’s closed season, members are challenged to keep their cameras busy and produce an image worthy of bringing back for the opening meeting.<\/p>

It is deliberately a fun and relaxed competition and, unlike the majority of our competitions during the year, there is no visiting photographic judge sitting at the front of the room offering critiques and awarding marks.<\/p>

Instead, the audience becomes the judge<\/strong>.<\/p>

Every person in the room gets the opportunity to decide which photographs they like the most, making the Summer Challenge rather different from almost anything else on our competition calendar.<\/p>

In some respects, that makes winning it particularly satisfying.<\/p>

Photography judging will always contain an element of personal opinion. A photograph that delights one judge might leave another completely unmoved. With the Summer Challenge, however, an image has to appeal to a much broader cross-section of people.<\/p>

To come out on top means knowing that your photograph hasn’t simply impressed one individual sitting in the judge’s chair \u2014 it has connected with a room full of photographers and visitors, all with their own tastes, interests and ideas about what makes a successful image.<\/p>

That makes the competition great fun, occasionally unpredictable and always interesting.<\/p>

It also produces plenty of conversation afterwards, particularly when members discover that images they expected to do well may not have attracted the votes they anticipated, while something completely different has caught everyone’s imagination.<\/p>

And that is surely part of what makes photography so fascinating.<\/p>

Fifty Years \u2014 and Still Going Strong<\/h2>

Perhaps the most encouraging aspect of the evening was simply seeing the room so busy.<\/p>

Celebrating a 50th anniversary is undoubtedly something to be proud of, but longevity alone isn’t what makes a photographic society successful. A club survives because people continue to want to be part of it.<\/p>

They come along to learn something new, to share their knowledge, to show their photographs, to be inspired by the work of others and, just as importantly, to spend an evening in good company with people who share the same enthusiasm.<\/p>

We have always tried to make Dunchurch Photographic Society a place where photographers of every level feel welcome. Whether somebody has decades of experience and a cupboard full of cameras or has only recently started taking photography more seriously, there should always be something to enjoy and something new to discover.<\/p>

Judging by the number of new faces who joined us last night, that philosophy continues to resonate.<\/p>

As we begin our golden anniversary year, it feels appropriate to celebrate the people who have helped build the Society over the past half-century. Countless committee members, speakers, judges, competition secretaries, tea makers, print handlers and ordinary members have all played their part in keeping the club thriving.<\/p>

But the best way we can honour those 50 years is by making sure that the Society remains just as enthusiastic, welcoming and relevant for the photographers who walk through our doors today.<\/p>

Last night’s meeting was an excellent beginning.<\/p>

Our thanks go to Councillor Nooria Sayani, Mayor of Rugby<\/strong>, and Ralph Duckett<\/strong> for joining us for such an important evening, to David Bray<\/strong> for putting together the superb AV presentations, to Mark Ellis<\/strong> for getting our anniversary season officially underway, and of course to everyone \u2014 members old and new \u2014 who helped create such a wonderful atmosphere.<\/p>

If the first meeting is anything to go by, our 50th year is going to be a very enjoyable one.<\/p>

Thinking of Joining Us?<\/h2>

If you are interested in photography and have been wondering what a photographic society is really like, we would be delighted to welcome you to one of our meetings.<\/p>

You do not need to be an expert photographer, own expensive equipment or have any previous club experience. Whether you are just starting out, returning to photography after a break, or have been taking photographs for years, you will find a friendly group of people who share the same enthusiasm for images, ideas and learning.<\/p>

Visitors are always welcome to come along, meet the members, see what we do and get a feel for the Society before deciding whether to join. With our 50th anniversary season now underway, there could hardly be a better time to discover Dunchurch Photographic Society.<\/p>

So if last night\u2019s opening meeting sounds like your kind of evening, come and join us at a future meeting. Bring your curiosity, your questions and, if you like, a few photographs to talk about. We would be very pleased to see you.<\/p>

Here’s to another season of great photography, friendly competition, plenty of learning, plenty of laughter \u2014 and the beginning of a celebration that has been fifty years in the making.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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