This week we had talks from representatives of the Landscape and Portrait Special Interest Groups (SIGs). In a change to the planned schedule, the Nature SIG did not present this week and their presentation has been rescheduled for early 2023.
The SIGs were formed in 2020 at the height of the COVID restrictions and meet for 1 meeting per month, separate to regular scheduled club meetings. They take the form of a video call rather than face to face and are focussing solely on a single topic, with the aim of developing members' skills. They're open to all and run the gamut from the truly novice members who have never shown their work before, to seasoned 'pros' who compete nationally and internationally with their work. Members submit work and discuss approaches, processing tips and offer advice and different perspectives on how to shoot and process.
Firstly, Chris Rogers kicked off the presentation of the Landscape group, describing how it has evolved to become a well-rounded 2 year course. This is accompanied by a variety of 'homework' challenges for members to complete at their own pace to build their skills and challenge their techniques. Chris was followed by member presentations from George Fewster, Tony Renshaw and Susan Murray, who shared some of the work they've produced as members of the group, how they've progressed and how they approached the various shots.
The second half of the evening was given over to the Portrait group, lead by Graham Sykes. His presentation attempted to show work by every active member of the SIG and showed what a diverse range of approaches people take, even when shooting the same models and set ups.
It was a fascinating insight for those of us who haven't been able to attend SIGs and shows what a wealth of knowledge and talent exists within the club. It's great to see members supporting each other and collaborating to bring up the standard of photography. We look forward to the forthcoming Nature SIG presentation - the bar has certainly been set very high!