OPS Weekly Newsletter 8 September 2024
- Do start selecting your entries to our first Projected Digital Image competition which takes place on 17 September
- Also do start selecting your entries for Take 5 which takes place on 1 October
- And don’t forget to pay your subscriptions for the coming season
- Last week’s meeting Tues 3 September at 19.30: Juliana Cassab Life in Brazil’s Amazon Forest.
Juliana took us on a journey into the Amazon Forest, to see the beauty of this remarkable ecosystem, its people, its wildlife and its buildings. Juliana visited the area in 2005 with her husband and was very moved by the experience.
Before we began our journey Juliana told us about Brazil. It is the fifth largest country in the world and 35 times larger than the UK, it is one of the most unequal countries in the world with just five men owning more wealth than half the population. It is country rich in influences from its Amerindian, African and European cultures. It is also bedevilled by corruption.
She started with an image of the Amazon taken from the air. A lush green landscape with a brown coloured river serpentining its way through the forest. Then we got closer and met Raimundo who was to be our guide through the Uakari Lodge, a sustainable reserve on the banks of the river.
Juliana showed us photographs of the children of the riverside community, either in the river, on its banks, being washed by their mothers or paddling canoes to school – the only way to get around. She had some great portraits of the children with catch lights in the eyes. She also had photographs of the children – all painted with symbols on their bodies – as a local indigenous tribe’s village she visited.
We were then taken to the European city of Manaus, the capital of the Amazonas state. Juliana first impression was that this was a very European city. There were colourful shots of the food market, the building, especially the Manaus Theatre. This amazing building was built using materials imported from Europe, Italian marble, French tiles, steel from Glasgow etc. It was built on money made during the ‘rubber boom’. It is a splendid piece of architecture and a huge symbol of inequality.
Juliana then showed us images of the spectacular wildlife and flora: colourful parrots in flight, huge water lilies that will hold a person standing on the large leaf – don’t try this at the Oxford Botanical Garden – monkeys, spectacular sunsets, Caymen, snakes, turtles, lizards, long necked birds, exotic fruits, unique plants and more.
It was an amazing journey and so glad that Juilana took us along with her.
In the second half there was a ‘Show and Tell’
Sandra D showed some of her images from the recent Cowley Carnival, excellent street portraits and there was a vivid splash of orange in the colourful outfits people were wearing. She had some wonderful images of people just out there enjoying themselves
Rob F showed us his images taken on film (yes, the real stuff). He has been shooting both black and white and colour. Using film makes him slow down. He was doing street portraits and there was a bit of a Joel Meyerowitz thing going on with the images.
Dave B revved up the gears and showed us images of the Speedway racing and had quite a spectacular crash to show us. The images were very good, capturing the strange way the motorbikes are ridden. He then had images from the practice day at Thruxton with the more conventional motorbikes.
Les then showed us his images of the colourful Cowley Carnival. In contrast he also showed panning shots of cormorants on Farmoor reservoir. He then continued the panning theme with images he had also took of the motorbikes at Thruxton.
A very enjoyable evening and many thanks to all out presenters.
- Next Tuesday’s meeting 10 September at 19.30: Roger Hance FRPS – People, Portraits and Photojournalism (via Zoom)
In this talk Roger show a range of ‘People Pictures’. The images will cover candid’s, photojournalism, as well as studio and available light portraits. He explains, as well as giving examples, why some subjects can work in colour, while others can be considerably improved by converting to monochrome.
Rodger shows some of the best places in the UK to go for ‘people pictures’: Speakers Corner, Brick Lane, Tate Modern, Blist Hill Victorian Village, The Black Country Museum, The Beamish Museum, 1940’s weekends, Tough Guy event, and the Victory Show. He also covers working in a studio with flash and show how to take pictures at Live Rock events and explain how to take candid pictures without people noticing you.
- Upcoming meeting in September
Tues 17 September 19.30: Projected Digital Image Competition No. 1 – judge will be Chris Forster FBPE DPAGB MFIAP ARPS
Our first Projected Digital Image (PDI) competition of the season. Upload your entries at the Photo Contest Pro website. Details about are here https://oxfordphotosociety.co.uk/dpi-competition-entries/
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
- 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
St Giles’ Fair, 9-10 September 11.00-23.00
St Giles’ Fair 2024 will take place on Monday 09 and Tuesday 10 September, from 11.00am to 11.00pm on both days.
St Giles’ Fair is one of the greatest and most prestigious in the country. The fair dates back to 1625 when it was a parish festival to celebrate the feast of the patron saint, St Giles, and is held on the Monday and Tuesday following the first Sunday after St Giles’ Day (01 September).
Oxford Open Doors 14-15 September
Please see Oxford Preservation Trust website about Open Doors and which Oxford buildings will be opening their doors https://www.oxfordpreservation.org.uk/
- General photographic interest
Cabaret, circus and acrobatics: behind the scenes with Limbo – in pictures
Photographer Jamila Filippone went behind the scenes to witness Strut & Fret’s circus cabaret show at the West End Electric for the Brisbane festival
Women behind the lens: a journey into the dream world of the Sápara people of Ecuador
A community project reflects the hopes and hardships of the Sápara, a dwindling Indigenous people guided by their dreams and connection to nature
Strange reflections: how the streets bring us together – in pictures
During lockdown, Teri Vershel revisited her vibrant street images and realised pairing them with others revealed fascinating connections between strangers
Renaissance inspired portraits win Minimalist Photographer of the Year
Now in its sixth edition, Minimalist Photography Awards have revealed the Minimalist Photographer of the Year winner! Selected from more than 3,400 submissions, Eva Chuplikova has won this year’s competition with her series of minimal portraits entitled Anna, which draws inspiration from the Renaissance.
Challenge Accepted: SheClicks Exhibition and Charity Print Sale On Now!
From 2nd September until 17th October, SheClicks presents Challenge Accepted: A SheClicks Collection. A new photography exhibition and charity print sale, on at the Fujifilm House of Photography, and in aid of the Disabled Photographers’ Society.
Rare dragonfly and bird photos in awards final
Photographs of dragonflies using a technique which has taken a decade to perfect have been shortlisted in the finals of a prestigious award.
Rare images of light refracting through the wings of birds taken by Andrew Fusek Peters have also made the final of the British Wildlife Photography Awards 2024.
