OPS Weekly Newsletter 4 October 2025
- Our first print competition is three weeks away so please start printing your entries. Maximum of two colour and two monochrome prints.
- Last week’s meeting Tues 30 Sept: Take 5
We had a tremendous showing of superb images to choose from, and the worthy winner was Alan Lewis. Many thanks to everyone who put in their images and special thanks to Jill for her rapid totting up of the scores and ensuring those who unfortunately could not attend were scored the same way as all entries. Please see final totals.
| Dave Atkinson | 495 |
| Jill Bain | 225 |
| Simon Beirne | 233 |
| Dave Belcher | 491 |
| John Boteler | 405 |
| Ian Bray | 357 |
| Kevin Burrell | 239 |
| Carla Campanero | 301 |
| Adrian Cubitt | 327 |
| Sandra Devaney | 448 |
| Rob Farrands | 307 |
| Steve Field | 409 |
| Sheila Frankum | 247 |
| Les Gordon | 406 |
| William Hall | 375 |
| Philip Joyce | 442 |
| Habip Kocak | 451 |
| Alan Lewis | 497 |
| Mathew Lodge | 411 |
| Dave McKay | 444 |
| Sandra Newton | 345 |
| Ron Perkins | 378 |
| Helen Stewart | 391 |
| Dave Stroud | 323 |
| Peter Warrington | 415 |
| Phil Warrington | 351 |
| Keith Worthington | 465 |
- Next meeting 19.30, Tues 7 October: Projects, Zines and Photobooks with Stewart Wall
Initially trained as a press photographer, he later pursued academic studies and obtained both a degree and an MA. His academic pursuits led him to develop a keen interest in sociology, which he now employs in conjunction with photography to explore and investigate various aspects of social life, social change, and the underlying societal factors influencing human behaviour.
Photography becomes a whole new and exciting experience when you start to work on projects and/or photobooks, a journey which also helps to expand your creative skills. This engaging talk offers an introduction to the core techniques essential for project photography and photobook creation. During the talk we will also look at a selection of the projects and photobooks Stewart has completed over the last decade, and some of his favourite photobooks created by others.
The talk will explore five key areas:
- Creating Photography for Photobooks
Discover advanced techniques for capturing diverse landscapes and subjects to create visually compelling images, tailored specifically for photobooks. Learn how to optimise exposure and composition for this specialised medium.
- Project and Photo-Essay Development
Learn how to conceptualise, structure, and organise photographs into cohesive projects and photo-essays, essential skills for creating meaningful narratives in your photobooks.
- The Power of Photo-Haiku
Uncover the magic of combining images with haiku poetry. This concise, mindful form of expression enhances project photography by adding layers of emotion and meaning, bridging the visual and written word for a poetic storytelling approach.
- Integration of Text and Images
Develop the confidence to pair photographs with text, enriching your photo-essays and enhancing the storytelling potential of your work.
- Collaborative Photobook Projects
Since 2015 Stewart has run collaborative photobook projects, which could be an ideal activity for your club.
- Upcoming meetings/events in October
- 8 Oct at 10.00: Street Photography Workshop with Stewart (fully booked)
- 14 Oct: Exploring Creative Perspectives: My Photographic Journey, Tim Simmons plus show and tell
- 18 Oct at 11.00: OPS meet up – Matriculation Day in Oxford
- 21 Oct: Print Competition no. 1. Judge Kevin Day
- 28 Oct: On These Magic Shores, Tamsyn Warde
You can see the programme up to the end of the year here and download it: https://oxfordphotosociety.co.uk/programme-download/
- Photographic events in and around Oxford
Bikes, Boats and Bridges; photographs by Wendy Stone at the Paper Boat Café
This series of darkroom photographs was created for the Paper Boat Café, on Folly Bridge in Oxford. The images celebrate nearby places as well as other boats, bridges and crossings that carry us over and along the River Thames.
The Thames is as important to Oxford as the iconic stone facades, walls and arches that attract visitors. The river predates our many generations of history. It shapes the city and, despite our best efforts, occasionally reasserts its ancient course.
The Paper Boat Café is located at a key point in the city’s history. It was the toll-house when Folly Bridge was built, replacing the wide shallow fording point and wooden bridges that carried people, goods and animals across the Thames until 1827.
The photographs will be on display until November 11 2025
https://stoneandco.bigcartel.com/
Photo Oxford
Photo Oxford opens in a month’s time and we are delighted to announce the full programme for the Opening Day, 25 October.
See details below:
https://mailchi.mp/photooxford/zsu8u7h122-12867158?e=591e9fec01
A Photographic Life ‘Live’ 2025!
Oxford Brookes University
Sunday 26th October
A new episode of the A Photographic Life podcast has been posted every Wednesday by Grant Scott without fail since 13th June 2018 and now we would like to invite all of our listeners and readers to a special day of all new photography related conversation, discussion and chat! We hope it will be an opportunity to meet fellow photographic travellers, share opinions, ideas and make new friends. All the conversations will be recorded so if you are unable to attend no problem, you will be able to catch up on these at a later date wherever you get your podcasts.
The event will take place at Oxford Brookes University, Oxford on Sunday 26th October 2025 in the NHBB Building on the Headington Campus. Admission is free but registration is required https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-photographic-live-live-2025-tickets-1693780716719?aff=oddtdtcreator
Artist Aliki Braine In Conversation – a Photo Oxford event
Explore Dutch and Flemish still-life painting through dialogue with contemporary photography.
Ashmolean Museum
Sat 25th October 2-3pm £20
https://www.ashmolean.org/event/artist-aliki-braine-in-conversation
Camera and Photography family drop in History of Science Museum
Discover the history of photography in this drop-in family event at the History of Science Museum.
1-3pm/Free/Wed 29th Oct
History of Science Museum
Old Ashmolean Building
Broad Street Oxford
- General photographic interest
Lee Miller review – a dazzling, daring career from war photographer to surrealist pioneer via Hitler’s bathtub
Tate Britain, London
An overdue showcase of Miller’s remarkable work follows its many frenzied twists – from her unrecognised work with Man Ray to unseen gems of the Egyptian desert and unflinching glimpses of Dachau
Street success – international winners revealed in annual photo contest
As well as its awards for best photographic kit of the year, the Expert Imaging and Sound Association (EISA) runs EISA Maestro – its annual photo competition. Open to amateur and semi-professional photographers, this year’s theme was Street Life. Entrants could submit a Single picture or a Series of 5-8 pictures. The winning images from the 15 EISA countries were judged together and the winners of the International contest are as follows.
Supernovas, satellites and solar sprites: 2025 David Malin astrophotography awards – in pictures
Amateur astronomers and photographers from around Australia were invited to submit their out of this world photos for Central West Astronomical Society’s annual astrophotography competition, the David Malin awards. The winning images are now showing at the CSIRO’s Parkes Observatory visitors centre
Jem Cresswell’s striking whale images – in pictures
Photographer Jem Cresswell spent five years documenting the southern hemisphere’s humpback whales in the waters surrounding the Tonga Trench for his new book Giants, out now
From the Swiss Alps to a solar eclipse: the 2025 Bird Photographer of the Year – in pictures
An image of a magnificent frigatebird silhouetted against a total solar eclipse by Canadian photographer Liron Gertsman was chosen from more than 25,000 images as the grand prize-winner in 2025’s largest bird photography competition. Young bird photographer of the year was awarded to Tomasz Michalski
