OPS Weekly Newsletter 2 March 2025
Ivor’s funeral will be at 4pm on Tuesday 4th March at North Oxford Crematorium, Tackley. Refreshments afterwards at Sturdys Castle nearby if you would like to attend. Ivor’s nephew, Mark, says that one of Ivor’s specific requests was that those attending his funeral wear “normal” clothes as opposed to funereal black.
- Last week’s meeting Tues 25 February: Members’ memories of Ivor (first half) then images from Helen Stewart
Several members shared their memories of Ivor. Steve F shared his fond recollection of many trips with Ivor. He showed images of Ivor on photo visits to Huddersfield, Scotland, Chesil Beach, Mull, Skye and Mallaig. The visits were mainly landscapes so there were no shots of Ivor in his famous laying down low to the ground pose. In the photos of years ago it doesn’t look as though Ivor had aged at all.
Dave A said Ivor helped him enormously in developing his wildlife photography. Like Steve, Dave went on many trips with Ivor – puffins on Skomer, butterflies at Stratford Butterfly Farm, birds at the Owl and Bird of Prey Sanctuary. Ivor used to take large cards with ‘out of focus’ backgrounds to act as backdrops. Ivor went the extra mile by having a large wooden farm gate to act as a prop and Dave showed an image of an owl perched on Ivor’s farm gate with a telltale prop holding it up. Dave also had shots of birds in Ivor’s garden where he fed the birds every day and he had built a reflection pool.
Jill B had been on visits Ivor had organised to Iffley Meadows to photograph the snake head fritillaries. Ivor was always helpful, encouraging and generous with his time. Jill had spent some time in a car journey listening to Ivor talking about his experience living in Oxfordshire over many years.
Les G said that when he first joined the club he was not interested in wildlife photography. However he wanted to achieve the same quality of images that Ivor produced. He went on a tour of Namibia with Ivor, Helen W and Keith W. He and Ivor shared the same car, the same room close to three weeks and he got to know Ivor very well.
Pete W went on a trip to Canada with Ivor in 2007. Pete was not a wildlife photographer and had quite a few photos of the backsides of deer. Pete became the ‘butt’ of many jokes over his attempts at wildlife photography and his overriding memory of the trip was the banter. Later, back in Eynsham, Ivor had done a loft conversion and asked Pete if he could plaster the walls. Pete duly did and on inspection Ivor said that the wall was ‘not bad’ and he will hang his coat on it – covering up Pete’s handywork.
Dave Mac met Ivor over 20 years ago and they both were drawn to wildlife photography. Patience is a virtue in wildlife photography. He and Ivor waited a whole day for wildebeest to cross a river once. They had visited countries in Africa many times. Ivor was very pleased to get a shot of a civet cat which are usually nocturnal. On a visit to Etosha in Namibia the rule was that you had to back at camp before sundown. While out in the reserve Ivor and Dave had seen some shots they had to get and stopped the vehicle they were in. This would mean that they would not get back in time. When they made it to the camp there was a stern guard asking them explain what dire emergency they had that prevented them getting back on time. Instead of spinning a yarn Ivor came clean and explained how they could not miss such a sight and the guard smiled and let them in. What a charmer. Dave also visited Canada with Ivor to photograph the snow geese and the white-tailed eagles. They also visited Yellowstone Park, Ivor’s favourite place, and the Florida Keys.
Tim S, who had come especially to share his memories, showed some of Ivor’s photographs he had found on his computer. Ivor had sent them to Tim asking if he would print some for him. Tim had many memories of Ivor, a dear friend and a real friend. He said he will miss him and found it very difficult to get to grips with it. When Ivor’s wife died it knocked him for six. Tim had asked Ivor about going to North Yorkshire where Joe Cornish was running a photo workshop. Ivor said he would join him. It wasn’t all that good a trip as Ivor was sick nearly all the time as he had a bad reaction to some vaccinations he had been given to prepare him for a trip to Africa.
Helen S said that in no other walk of life would their paths have ever crossed. She had been on lots of trips with Ivor. Ospreys and squirrels in Scotland, Otmoor, Iffley Meadows, and a trip to Yellowstone which was very cold but absolutely fantastic. Throughout the time she had known Ivor he was always generous and inclusive.
In the second half Helen showed images from a visit to Masai Mara in Kenya. She started the presentation with a stunning sunset. The day after the sunset it was up early to catch the morning light. Helen was on a mission to take photographs that were different to the norm. She said that everyone knows what a giraffe or an elephant looks like. How can you take a photo that is a bit different? She showed black and white photos of a giraffe, taken in camera not in post-production, to be a bit more distinct which had an eerie feel to it, very different to the usual giraffe shot. She also tried intentional camera movement and over exposing shots. An over exposed shot of a giraffe was very successful. She also tried catching animals doing something different.
She was there during the wildebeest migration and witnessed the crossing of the river and noticed at one area there was a disturbance close to the river’s edge – it was due to crocodiles coming in for the kill. All this happened within eight seconds but it didn’t seem like that, it was so exciting and exhausting.
Helen showed shots of elephants just after the rain, the rain brings out their hides very well. They also counter the wetness by covering themselves in soil, which looks a bit like talcum powder.
The evening was a moving tribute to a dearly departed friend. Rest in peace Ivor, rest in peace.
- Next meeting Tues 4 March 19.30: Panel Competition
An evening where we breakaway from the tyranny of the single image. Our judge is Phil Joyce who will be seeing if our panels successfully explore and represent a theme, as explained or referred to in the title, so please think about how you title your panels.
- Upcoming meetings
Tuesday 11 March: Janteloven – ‘No one is better than the other’ with Michele Peters
Janteloven is an unofficial Danish Law that has a key role in Danish culture and mentality. Everyone is accepted and equal. In the first half of the evening, Michele will talk about trips to Denmark, including the Faroe Islands. In the second half, she will re-visit her project on diversity, with pictures from across her travels.
18 March: Best Use of Light competition
Best Use of Light competition was set up to commemorate Peter Upton who, back in the day, was a leading member of the club and had a very distinctive style, powerful use of colour and light. Phil Joyce will be our judge and asking:
Is it a good photograph?
Does it use light appropriate to the subject?
Has the light been exploited to make the image standout?
25 March: Images of Zimanga plus ‘show and tell’ Dave Belcher and Dave Atkinson
The two Daves will show their images from a trip to Zimanga, South Africa. The second half will be a ‘show and tell’ by club members
1 April: Still – Mindful Photography with Paul Sanders
Former Picture Editor of The Times Paul Sanders left the toxic pressure of Fleet Street and stumbled upon a secret path: landscape photography. In the silent embrace of nature, he learned to breathe again, to find solace in the sunrise symphony and strength in the stoic gaze of mountains.
As he slowly learnt the value in solitude, and the magic that unfolds when he uses my camera as a tool for self-expression, he traded noise and materialism for something far more precious: peace.
“Still” is a bridge, built from my own journey of discovery, to guide you on yours. Here, you’ll find more than just photographs. You’ll find a portal to self-expression, a lens through which to rediscover the wonder of simply being. Let go of the clamour. Step into stillness, and paint your own story with light and wonder.
- 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 and around Oxford
Lions and Tigers and Bears with Gordon Buchanan
Live at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre
Wed 19 Mar 2025
Award winning wildlife photographer and filmmaker Gordon Buchanan will hit the road in 2025 with his biggest ever live tour – Lions and Tigers and Bears.
Join Gordon as he recounts thrilling encounters with pandas, grizzlies, tigers, jaguars and more. Learn about the heart-stopping moments, the mud, sweat, and tears, and the tender interactions that have shaped his extraordinary career.
Photo Oxford Workshops
Join us for an exciting series of alternative photography workshops in March and April to explore the art of cyanotypes, anthotypes, phytograms, botanicograms, chemigrams, caffenol film development, pinhole cameras, photography as performance, and psychogeography.
https://www.photooxford.org/workshops
Bettina von Zwehl: The Flood
This exhibition will feature photographs by London-based artist, Bettina von Zwehl (b. 1971). Von Zwehl’s aim is to rekindle wonder and curiosity as critical tools for exploring new ideas and practices.
18 Oct 2024 – 11 May 2025
https://www.ashmolean.org/exhibition/ashmolean-now-bettina-von-zwehl
Don McCullin talks to Richard Ovenden
The Bodley Lecture and Award of the Bodley Medal: Life and Work
Thursday, 3 April 2025
6:00pm-7.00pm Sheldonian Theatre
£8 – £20
- General photographic interest
From leaping mudskippers to volcanic eruptions: the World Nature Photography awards 2025 – in pictures
The World Nature Photography awards have announced their winners for 2025. From white-cheeked terns to a blue-tailed damselfly peeking through a daisy, the photographs are a stark reminder of the beauty and chaos of the natural world. The top award went to Maruša Puhek’s image of two deers running through a Slovenian vineyard
Society of the Spectacle: the shock and prescience of Weegee’s photography
The photographer, whose work captured and critiqued our lurid interest in crime, remains grimly relevant
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2025/feb/27/wegee-photographer-exhibit-society-spectacle
Exclusive Mount Everest photography and archive tour – book your place
We are pleased to announce our next event will be hosted in collaboration with Royal Geographical Society! Join Jamie Owen FRGS, Photographic Curator at the RGS, for an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the archives and current Everest Through the Lens exhibition, which presents documentation of the early attempts to summit Mount Everest. There is a very limited number of spaces at this event so we recommend booking now to avoid disappointment! Full details below…
RPS Workshops
Here you will find workshops run by professional photographers and educators. We keep the participant numbers low to ensure individual attention and offer something for all skill levels and interests.