OPS Weekly Newsletter 15 September 2024
- Please start selecting your entries for Take 5 which takes place on 1 October
- Bring your print, or prints, for Ivor’s fundraising exhibition
- And don’t forget to pay your subscriptions for the coming season
- Last week’s meeting Tues 10 September: Roger Hance FRPS – People, Portraits and Photojournalism (via Zoom)
Roger showed a great array of his portraits of strangers. For many of us taking portraits of strangers can be daunting and he gave some very handy tips about how to approach it and where it is fairly easy to do it.
He started off with images from Blist Hill Village near Ironbridge. This is an open air museum where people dress up in Victorian clothes and demonstrate the work activities of the character they represent. They are used to being photographed.
Given the environment the people are in Roger prefers shooting with a wide angled zoom lens. He will invariably convert his image into black and white saying that they are usually much better than the colour version. He does not like the harsh sunlight and will always try to get his subject in softer light. He will spend a whole morning at the site waiting for his subjects ‘down time’ so they are not busy and can direct them to where he wants them.
He will do what he calls ‘door stepping’. He will find what he thinks is the best background/area to have his subject in front of, then ask the subject to move to that place and direct them from there.
One thing that is important is to learn how to chat to people and to relax them. He has a particular patter – “My name is so and so and I am from this or that camera club and we have a portrait competition coming up in a couple of weeks and I’d like to…” Then he starts the shooting process.
He then went on to showing photos of live rock concerts he took without being hurled out by security for not having a ‘photo pass’. Key to his success was a small camera and small lens (he shoots on an Olympus camera) and choosing the right moment to shoot without disturbing anyone around him. Sitting in ‘the gods’ at an ex-Genesis Steve Hackett concert he had spoken to people around him if they minded him taking a few photos during the concert, telling them that it would only be a few shots and he wouldn’t be using flash. They were all fine and he got the shots. He did similar shots at other venues.
Next you were Tough Guy and Tough Mudder events. These are where people team up and take on an obstacle race through mud, water, over obstacles etc usually for charity. He uses either a long telephoto lens to avoid the splashes from the mud and water and/or a wide angle which does not get splashed. The camera needs to be kept in a plastic bag. He had some great shots of mud soaked people in agony. On a couple of occasions, he had asked some participants to go through the obstacles again to get the shot he wanted and they agreed.
Roger then showed shots of some studio photography with a ballerina which he and a friend had hired. They had done some google imaging searches on ballerinas to equip them with the poses they needed. However the ballerina in question came up with her own ideas of poses and they turned out much better.
If you can’t afford to hire a model in a studio then he said a cheaper option is to go to the NEC Photography Show where there will be opportunities to practice your studio model shots. He also mentioned Fine Art Beauty sessions where you can take part in studio sessions with models.
He then went into photojournalism and street photography saying the street is what he enjoys most. His shooting technique is from the hip, flipping the camera’s screen and composing his shot by looking down rather than at eye level and looking at the subject. Doing it like this and with a small camera means he doesn’t look like a photographer.
His advice to take street portraits is to find a spot which has a good background and wait for someone who might be an interesting subject. He will not approach a young woman on her own but if there were two together that would be fine. He uses is usual patter: “My name is so and so and I am from (this or that) camera club and we have a portrait competition coming up in a couple of weeks and I’d like to…” If they agree then he will have to shoot both people, the one he wanted to shoot and then shoot her friend, it would be churlish not to. Invariably the friend is filming the shoot on her phone to upload to Tik Tok or whatever. He has cards with his contact details so that they can contact him for a copy of the photo.
Roger then ran through various other places that are good for portraits; Tate Modern, Speaker’s Corner, Protest Rallies, Re-enactments such as The Victory Show which does WWII re-enactments, and the Black Country Museum (slogan: Awlroight, ow’ bist?) . The latter he said was great for portraits.
All in all a good evening with very good practical tips to overcome the fear of photographing strangers. Roger also said that by using his ‘codes’ we could get 20 percent off photo paper at the Permajet website ROGERHANCE20 and 10 percent off at the OM Systems website using the code RHVIP10.
- Next Tuesday’s meeting 10 September at 19.30: Projected Digital Image competition No. 1
Judge is Chris Forster.
If you ever wondered what goes through the mind of a camera club judge here are some interesting thoughts from various judges about how they approach the task. It is from a special e-news from the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain. Chris, our judge for the evening, has an article titled ‘Judging Poor Pictures’. I am sure he will not have to refer to it during our competition this Tuesday.
- Upcoming meetings
Tues 24 September 19.30: Camera Gear with Gareth manager of Oxford branch of the London Camera Exchange
Gareth will bring along various camera gear and talk through what they do and how to use them. Members will have the chance to have a go at using the gear
Tues 1 October 19.30: Take 5.
Upload your favourite five images you have recently taken, in the last three or four months say, and on the night everyone in the hall will enjoy the images and vote on them. Who’s gonna win it this year?
Tues 8 October 19.30: Ivor’s Wildlife Photos
A must watch. Ivor will be showing his excellent portfolio of wildlife images
Tues 15 October 19.30: Tabletop Photography led by Ian Bray
A practical evening when you use your cameras and shoot anything on the tabletop you fancy having a go at. There will be continuous lights provided, background material, reflectors, diffusers and things to shoot. Bring your camera, a flash, small items to shoot, and most importantly, your photographic creativity.
Tues 22 October 19.30: Print Competition No. 1
Judge will be Peter Cox.
Tues 29 October 19.30: Inter-Club Competition, Bicester and Oxford
Competition consists of 40 images from each club. OPS members to judge Bicester images, and Bicester club members to judge OPS images
- Annual Subscriptions
You would have received an email from Keith on 8 August giving details about your annual subscription. In case you’ve mislaid it here it is again:
Hello,
I trust everyone is getting out and about and looking forward to the new OPS season in the Silver Band Hall.
With the programme starting on 3rd September, we would appreciate your commitment by paying your annual subscription.
You can do this via the website at https://oxfordphotosociety.co.uk/annual-subsciption/ or directly to our bank account using the details below.
Subscription details for the coming season reflect changes that were proposed and accepted at the AGM and are as follows: –
- Full annual membership £55.00
- Joint membership £100.00
For those of you who are associate members because you have moved away from the area, please email me if you wish to continue. The annual cost is £30. Please note if you are an associate you can attend three meetings per year for which you will be required to pay the visitors fee. . This year’s “visitors fee” will be £5.
Early membership payment is appreciated and will be accepted now. This can be done in the following ways.
- Payment directly to the club’s bank account for online bankers is always appreciated. The details for this are:
Bank. – Barclays
Account Name. – Oxford Photographic Society
Account Number – 60707872
Sort Code – 20-65-18
Please include your name as a reference.
- For those wishing to pay via debit or credit cards, this will be available via “stripe” using the following link under “Store”
- Payment can also be made directly to the above bank account via “the high street banks”.
Confirmation of receipt will be made by email.
Remember Fully Paid up membership is a prerequisite for entering club competitions, for entering the annual exhibition, £2 attendance at band hall and joining in with special interest groups etc.
Where your renewal has not been completed by 30th September, members’ details will be deleted from the web site and their email addresses will be removed from the members’ circulation list.
Associate members and visitors will be required to pay the visitor fee, of £5, prior to the meeting.
I look forward to catching up with you at the band hall .
If any of you have any questions or would like to comment, please let me know. Also if any of you are considering not re-joining it would be good and useful to know your reasons.
Best Regards
Keith Worthington
Treasurer and Webmaster
- Programme Secretary vacancy
We have a full and varied programme for you this season thanks to the hard work and excellent choices by Les. Unfortunately, due to unexpected changes in Les’s work commitments he cannot continue in the role and we need someone to step forward to start the planning and booking of speakers for next season’s programme. Please do contact me or any other committee member if you are interested in taking on the role.
- Events photographic in Oxford
Paul Kilsby: The Pensive Image – exhibition
These photographs, in their different ways, allude to the complex ways in which art and science co-exist, sometimes sharing a single vision while at others occupying a much more ambivalent and uncertain dialogue.
The North Wall Arts Centre
South Parade
Summertown
Oxford OX2 7JN
2 October – 19 October 2024
Free
https://www.thenorthwall.com/whats-on/paul-kilsby-the-pensive-image/
- General photographic interest
Lee review – Kate Winslet is remarkable as model turned war photographer Lee Miller
Winslet powerfully conveys Miller’s tough-broad magnetism in this sobering, visually striking drama by cinematographer turned director Ellen Kuras
Week in wildlife in pictures: a rebellious kingfisher, golfing bobcats and a sex-mad marsupial
The best of this week’s wildlife photographs from around the world
Sights of London’s bus route 66 – in pictures
The street photographer Henrik Knudsen’s project Route 66 focuses on the bus route that runs between Leytonstone and Romford in London’s East End. Its famous American namesake symbolised mobility and pursuit of the American dream. The historic bus route 66, which has served London since 1934, offers up a parallel snapshot of diverse communities and British identity. Knudsen is a finalist in this year’s AOP awards
Striking image of a whale feeding wins photo award
A striking photo of a rare Bryde’s whale about to consume a heart-shaped bait ball, by photographer Rafael Fernández Caballero, has won the Ocean Photographer of the Year award.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clylwv22j9zo
World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Tenderstem® Bimi® Broccolini now open
The greatest food photography competition is back, and with a name change
Upcoming Creativity Hub Events – themed photography days to test your skills
Since 2017 The Creativity Hub have been hosting immersive, fashion-forward, creative and themed model-based photography events designed to teach, guide and give all photographers the opportunity to expand their portfolio – specifically in portrait photography.
