Photonews Winter 2016 by PPC Photonews

Photonews Winter 2016

OPENING SHOT Leucate Hidden Moon - Allan Bate entered this image into an IC7 folio in July 2016 and not surprisingly took top spot that month. “The early morning start was not the only challenge I faced, to get the shot I wanted. I was looking for a reasonably clear morning, with just enough cloud cover to compliment the sunrise (might have wished for a little more) and a sea that had just enough movement.” Image © Allan Bate - turn to page 11 for a behind-the-scenes look at this image.

WINTER 2016 The journal of the Postal Photographic Club 6. The first in Jon Allanson’s Photoshop Notes series.

36. Notes from the Gulf

8. The concluding part of Brian Viercant’s travel-related article.

40. A Year in the Life profiles IC8

46. Into the darkroom, Tony Marlow bravely goes …

12. A Year in the Life profiles IC1

16. The Denis J Whenham Memorial Trophy Winner for 2015/2016 is revealed.

52. Eric’s Corner this issue looks at …. BLAH

20. The Pop Weatherall Cup Winner for 2015/2016 is revealed.

22. Eric Ladbury’s pictorial guide to photographing public buildings

Elsewhere this issue Club Matters p4, 29, 37 Book Review p15 Opening Shot - Behind the Scenes p11 Classic Cameras p38 From the Master of the Web p45 The Forum Manager Speaks p50

On the cover 30. Gary Barton gets the 20 Questions treatment

A Misty Dawn from IC5 member Jane Clark graces our front cover this issue. It caught my eye when I was reviewing the folios within IC5 and not surprisingly it won folio 6 in March 2016.

Photonews is published four times a year. All rights reserved. All materials copyright The Postal Photographic Club and/or the authors. Any opinion or statement expressed by the author of any article published in this magazine does not necessarily reflect the views of The Postal Photographic Club, the editor, or its members.

John Kay, General Secretary

Club Matters Rally Weekend and Committee Meeting

The annual meeting of the PPC committee members took place on the Sunday morning and there are no major changes to report this year. There had been a very good response to the Online Survey that Dave Whenham had sent out a few days before the rally weekend and Dave had produced an interim report for the meeting. The article by Dave in the recent Photonews Rally Special summarised the survey findings so you are already aware of the actions that are planned. I can however update on a couple of items; preparations to launch the trial A4 Print Circle in January are well in hand by Jon Allanson and I can confirm that Sally Anderson will be running a pilot ‘non scoring’ Internet Circle early in the New Year. Contact me if you are interesting in participating in either of them. We don’t intend to regularly send out surveys but on occasion they will be a useful way of gauging members’ opinions and I thank everyone who replied. Out of interest, the traditional chain of communication in the PPC is quite straightforward; use the Circle Notebook to air your views, contact your Circle Secretary and / or the General Secretary with suggestions or grievances. My own report to the committee advised that I will be stepping down as General Secretary at the year-end – so this will be my last Club Matters update. Perhaps I should call it retiring, rather than stepping down, as after 20 years it will feel rather like leaving work. I took over from Michael King (sadly he died in 2014) because “he was finishing work and didn’t have a computer”. It’s hard to believe now but most people did not have a PC at home and if they did have an email address it was a company one. Digital photography meant scanning film - and it was frowned upon - it was another 3 years before our first digital print circle was set up. The possibility of having a club website was just starting to be thought about and one of my first tasks was to look into the club’s name change. I recall organising the postal poll when we decided to change the club’s name; it took weeks. NOTICE FROM THE AUTUMN 1996 PHOTONEWS THE NAME GAME What is in a name? Well it seems that in recent times some have expressed concern as to whether our club name might in fact be conjuring up the wrong image in people’s minds. What do you think? Could it be that prospective members see us as a group of photographers taking pictures with mahogany and brass cameras with black hoods and then printing their glass plate negs! Maybe we should call ourselves the 5x7 group or even the 125mm x 178mm club. What about the A5 society after the paper size, not the road! Or perhaps we should simply be known as the HPPC club or possibly the Postal club. What do you think? Your comments and suggestions are invited. The committee would seriously like to know what you think so please if you have any thoughts direct them to the editor and all will be published in our next issue.

Club Matters

John Kay, General Secretary

Yes, I have probably overseen more changes and developments than all of my Gen Sec predecessors combined. However the credit for these changes is shared with the talented and enthusiastic Circle Secretaries and committee members that I am pleased to know as friends. The roll of PPC General Secretary has grown over the years and the meeting agreed that some of the responsibilities should be shared by other committee members. I am pleased (relieved?) to tell you that Dave Whenham is taking over as our Gen Sec. I will continue to organise the Annual Rallies and look after the Club Archive. It is fitting that Dave take up the baton, as my knowledge of Internet matters is limited and so much of our communications - and circles – now depend upon the Internet. I am confident that the club will be in safe hands. Ancient Ruins In Canyon De Chelly © John Kay

Committee Changes We are without a Publicity Officer. Promoting the club to recruit new members is very important, especially in these days where there are so many ways to share your photographs with others. Dave Williams did an excellent job over the last year and was very active in promoting the club on social media sites like Facebook etc. and also got us mentioned in the PAGB enews online magazine. Get in touch with me if you would like to give it a try. On the subject of publicity and enrolling new members, personal recommendation is the best and most efficient method of recruitment. If you are in a print circle why not show your folio envopak to an interested friend or if you are an Internet circle member give someone a quick IC demo. Joining another circle It was good to see so many Internet circle members entering prints into this year’s TE Annual Print Competition. The members of our print circles have the pleasure of receiving their monthly folios from the postman, so get in touch with me if you fancy adding a postal print circle to your membership; the club website gives details about all of our circles – postal and Internet. There is no additional membership fee for being in more than one PPC circle; postal circle members receive one free pack of print folders and have to pay for the postage to send the folio to the next member on the rota. The postal costs for the trial A4 print circle will be the same as for the traditional 5” x 7” circles, currently £2.85 for second class mail. The A4 prints will be circulated in special packs and won’t use folders. Welcome to New Members I would like to extend a very warm welcome to three new members - John Copleston (IC1), Vanessa Counter (IC7) and Kieran Metcalfe (IC7 and IC3). New members are vital to ensure the Club continues into the future and I’d encourage all of you to look at your Circle of photographic friends and perhaps nudge them in our direction. 5

Jon C Allanson’s Photoshop Notes The first in an occasional series of extracts from Jon’s Photoshop Notes which were written using Photoshop and Elements for PC so if you use a Mac you will need to bear in mind that the ALT, CMD and CTRL keys work slightly differently. These notes are not meant to be prescriptive, giving exact details of how to achieve the final results, but rather are intended as a set of basic ideas and techniques that can be adapted and applied to your taste. You will need to experiment with them to find the best ways of applying them and the settings that work best for you. A modicum of existing knowledge is assumed. Basic Principles: It is a sensible idea before starting any complex work on an image to copy the background layer and to work on or above the copy layer. This means that you always have an original layer available if you need it –this is important if you are using layer masks with Elements or using High Pass sharpening. On completion of the image unused layers layer can be deleted. Whenever possible use adjustment layers and layer masks –to allow modifications at a later stage. It is possible to ‘feather’ layer masks by applying Gaussian Blur to the mask To make a layer mask in Elements prior to versions 10 - create an adjustment layer without an adjustment - copy the layer to be masked above it - then ALT click on the line between that layer and the adjustment layer to group the layers together - then paint on the adjustment layer mask. On the layer mask icon in the layers palette – ALT-click brings up a full size’ version of the mask which can be edited by painting on with black or white. – clicking another layer returns you to the main image. CTRL-click brings up the marching ants to show your selection. Copying layer masks between layers or adjustment layers can be done in a number of ways: Use CTRL-click on the mask to bring up the marching ants (select inverse if required) and -then apply an adjustment layer to the selection. To apply the layer mask to an already existing adjustment layer the easiest method is to CRTL-click the wanted mask, then click the ‘new’ adjustment layer, then EDIT FILL the selection with BLACK (You may have to invert the new layer mask ‘CTR I’)

Enhancing the Main Subject: Carefully select the main subject –Invert the selection, then slightly darken and/or slightly desaturate the background - Using Hue and Saturation (this allows the brightness and saturation levels to be controlled in one process) or Curves or Levels to get the desired effect. Make the background appear slightly out of focus by using either Gaussian Blur or Lens Blur – but be careful as colours can bleed into and 6

out of the main subject. Using ‘inverted High Pass’ (explained in the next instalment) does not have this problem with bleeding. Modify the selection so it is a few pixels inside the outline of the main subject then apply un-sharp mask sharpening – this technique prevents fringing allowing higher level sharpening to be applied without being obvious. Selective use of High Pass sharpening on the main subject is also very effective. Enhancing Detail: Copy the layer – DESATURATE – change blending mode to MULTIPLY, go to LEVELS and move the right hand slider until the desired effect is achieved. To apply multiple versions of this to an image – make selections then new layers from the selections (CTRL+J), then change blend mode to MULTIPLY then apply the LEVELS adjustment. Another similar technique involves copying the layer then applying the MULTIPLY blend. This considerably darkens the image, which can be controlled by adjusting the opacity. Application of a layer mask plus the use of opacity can be used to selectively increase detail on parts of the image. The previous method enhanced detail by darkening, however there are times when we want to enhance detail by lightening. Make a copy layer and DESATURATE it then using the MAGIC WAND select where you want to enhance detail in the dark areas. Then CUT the rest of the layer, INVERT the layer (so the dark areas become light), then apply OVERLAY blend and adjust the opacity as required. Feather and fur detail can often be best enhanced at the raw conversion stage - in Lightroom or ACR use the ‘Adjustment Brush’ to paint Clarity over the area requiring enhancing, further sharpening can then be applied later if required.

As you will appreciate this is not a Photoshop tutorial but we hope you’re finding these thoughts useful. In the next part Jon shares some thoughts on sharpening and the cloning out of small details.

Have camera - will travel

Brian Viercant

In the third part of Brian’s article we take a quick look at the kit he uses but in reality it’s just an excuse for a few more images from his travels! Don’t forget that Brian has also kindly offered to answer any questions that may arise from these articles so if you have anything to ask you can contact him ℅ editor@postalphotoclub.org.uk.

I like most members of PPC and any other photographic club or indeed the General Public, use computers to fiddle and sort the rubbish images out from the better attempts and believe me I am good at the Rubbish bit, especially when the “Minister of Finance” wants a picture of this plant or that tree, or that pot etc. Despite a past as a professional photographer I am a fully blown member of the Snappers Photo Club now and proud to be so. I use a Mac and as our Editor knows too well I’ve had one or two interesting episodes in recent months - in fact the machine I am using now is not the one I was using when we started this small series of articles. I use Xrite calibration software/eye with two monitors, both colour calibrated, one for the tools, and one for the working images, as my eyes aren’t that good anymore due to some ill health problems a while ago. Anyway, it works for me, and isn’t any different I suspect than what many others in the PPC use. After all, its just kit. I use both LightRoom, Photoshop, and occasionally Aperture and Photomatix Pro…. because I love to fiddle, and see what I can create, although some of it leaves me wondering why I bothered? I am known for my heavy-handed use of some of the sliders as long-suffering members of those Circles I am a member of will testify. I use an old Epson R1800 with a RIP and CIS supply, but, don’t print too much these days as it’s easier to send it to a good Pro Lab to get serious images printed. I also use an Epson 48bit film/flat scanner for 35mm film/slide stuff, and for any flat art work. The latter is mainly as requested by “She Who Must Be Obeyed” for her seeds library (by the way, no questions please as I know nothing about gardening, except grass is green) I use 6 Terabytes of Hard drives (External) with a 4.7TB internal drive on the Mac to store stuff. I also take my iPad when I go away, and the small Apple USB adaptor, so I can plug my SD card into it to look at what I have taken, and get rid of the really bad rubbish before getting back home … I seem to get the really bad rubbish a lot as well!!!. When travelling I also take a set of power adaptors, plus a solar-powered Powermonkey Extreme to charge things, as even this year we had a few power outs. Yes, it’s bulky, but, it will charge absolutely anything; from iPhone, iPad, iPod, and Nikon Batteries…even the rechargeable batteries I take for emergencies…Just stick it in the sun and it will charge, and even on grey dull days It will still work,. 8

As you can see my set-up is nothing out of the ordinary, I am sure that many of you have a far better system, but this suits my purpose. To be honest I would rather spend the money on a Nikon FX, which I am thinking about for our trip this year but please don’t tell the “Minister of Finance” just yet! I expect many of you will will already know the majority of what we have covered in this small series of articles but I hope you have found something useful or interesting along the way. It’s not the only way, or even the correct or best way, far from it, but it’s the way I choose to do it and have done for sometime, having had some hard lessons to learn in the past. Nothing however is set in stone, as adjustments are always looming and learning from others is always a pleasure, and I truly believe that knowledge is best used when it is shared.

Finally, I really need to say a "HUGE THANK YOU" to Dave for turning my Gibberish Meanderings into something legible and understandable, and I promise to annoy him with even more images when we get back from our next adventure later this year. Thanks Dave.

Brian

Four images from Brian’s most recent trip he is most certainly “have camera, will travel”! Previous page: Man from Panama (top, left) and Street Trader Granada Nicaragua (bottom, right). This page: Bobadila Volcano Nicaragua and Such a Poser (Cockerel, Arenal Costa Rica)

umm S e

It is also a great time for street photography with relaxed people enjoying the sunshine and freedom of the holiday season.

T h

We all have our own motivation but family photographs to remember the good times over the summer holiday are an obvious subject. It's the perfect time for getting fantastic photos of summer landscapes and defying the naysayers who claim you cannot take a decent landscape in the Summer.

mpe t i Co

Juggling the needs of the photographer with those of the family can be a challenge but with some thought it can be a very creative time of the year.

o v C e r r e

n tio

For a lot of people, summer is a time to relax and enjoy some well-earned downtime. The kids are on their school holidays and for many families it is the ideal time to go away together.

The WINNER will have their image on the front cover of the Summer 2017 issue of Photonews and we will publish a selection of runners-up inside the magazine too. The judges this year will be the Forum Manager, Clive Piggott along with Photonews Editor Dave Whenham. We reserve the right to add a third guest judge should we fail to reach agreement on the winner! The judges decision will be final and no discussions will be entered into following the announcement of the result.

Following the success of last years Cover competition we have decided to do it again! This time we have a theme for you but have left it broad and open to interpretation so have fun and be as creative as you can. Straight, manipulated or composited images, colour or mono are all welcome so EVERYONE can be involved. The theme is: SUMMER. Nice and simple to say but gives tons of scope. As we are now nearing Winter you may need to raid the archives although as you all know we may well get an Indian Summer at any time in the UK. Plus of course Summer comes at different times of the year depending on where you are in the world. You have a little time to get your entries ready so there is absolutely NO excuse for anyone - let’s see how many entries we can get from across the whole membership. Associate and Honorary members are also welcome to enter. For some of you Summer is a time for getting out in the garden …

CLOSING DATE: 28th February 2017 Entries should be sent to editor@postalphotoclub.org.uk please.

… whilst for others it’s time to laze in the sun! 10

OPENING SHOT Behind the scenes Leucate Hidden Moon - Allan Bate entered this image into an IC7 folio in July 2016 and not surprisingly took top spot that month. Here are a few more details relating to how he captured and then post-processed the image.

Leucate is a costal village in the Region of Languedoc Roussillon Midi Pyrenées. The beach, on which sits this interesting Pier faces east, from the western Mediterranean. The locals call the pier “The Oil Rig” because of the rig type structure (not seen in the shot) at its far end.

“The early morning start was not the only challenge I faced, to get the shot I wanted. I was looking for a reasonably clear morning, with just enough cloud cover to compliment the sunrise (might have wished for a little more) and a sea that had just enough movement.” I started taking shots before sunrise from the left of the pier and created, what I thought was quite a pleasing image, that included a crescent moon. For this shot (under the pier - thus hidden moon) I needed to wait for a little more light as it was very dark under there. However, once the sun appears I was going to be in danger of having a pier in silhouette or a blown out sky. I wanted to record the sunrise on the horizon and some of its light reaching towards the pier, yet capture as much detail in the pier as I could whilst keeping noise to a minimum. I wanted to capture some movement in the sea and timed my shots to ensure that the water was flowing back to the waves around the near columns. I decided to take three exposures, at a constant aperture of f16 and an ISO 100, at 1/8, 1/2 and 2 seconds. I was shooting at 18mm with my Canon 18-55 kit lens . Once in Lightroom I applied a lens correction to the three images and merged to HDR before sending this into Photoshop. I think that at that time I was still applying some raw sharpening in Lightroom (whereas I tend to do that in Photoshop these days). In Photoshop, I went through my usual routine of cleaning the image on a blank layer and applying tonal adjustments using curves. On a stamped copy I cropped, straightened and corrected perspective, ensuring the columns on both sides were vertical. I applied a small amount of dodging and burning, using luminosity masks. I enjoyed taking this image and will probably revisit it again, having now gained a lot more knowledge and acquired a little bit more photographic equipment.

Discover a sea-resort where everything is planned for families and where your comfort is the most important. http://uk.tourisme-leucate.fr

A Year in the life … the top-scoring images in IC1 from the 2015/2016 season. Circle Secretary Graham Harvey

There was certainly a very diverse range of genres on display in IC1, the longest-established of the internet circles, during the 2015/2016 season. Along with founder members such as Mike Atkinson who’s image of a Greenbottle (above, right) hit the number ten spot of top-scoring IC! images we also had new members such as Francesca Shearcroft taking centre stage. Francesca in fact took the number one slot with a beautiful still life image entitled Remembrance (above left). Francesca topped the March 2016 folio with this image which was inspired by the various events taking place to commemorate 100 years since WW1. IC1 members gave it a unanimous thumbs-up. One member wrote “A very well thought out image which for me works well. The colours in the frame all compliment each other and your composition and placing of the petals is spot on. I think this would certainly look great hanging on the wall.”

All images © the authors 12

With natural history photographers such as Mike Atkinson and Bob Rawlinson in IC1 however it would be no surprise to know that birdlife featured heavily in their submissions. It seems to have gone down well however with members scoring six of these images into the Top 12.

Left, top: Kestrel at Nest Site with Vole, Bob Rawlinson (#7) Left, middle: Black Crowned Night Heron, BR (#3) Left bottom: Barn Owl, BR (#9) Right top: Great Tit, Mike Atkinson (#4) Right middle: Blue Tits on Blackthorn, MA (#8) Right bottom: Redshank Striding Out, MA (#11) All images ÂŠ the authors 13

The bold use of negative space and placing the figure to the right of the frame paid off for Michael Freeman, another IC1 newcomer and his image (top left) called Mellow Cello was the second-highest scoring image of the season taking top spot in the April 2016 folio. Francesca scored another number one in June 2016 when her image Sandstone Arch (top right) took the honours and securing the number six spot in the season’s best standings too.

All images © the authors

The evocative image of Eilean Donan (above) gave Steve Terry his only number one spot of the year but it secured him the fifth highest scoring image of the season. Not surprisingly there were plenty of members who wished they had been there - “This is one of those scenes where I really wish I had been there and you have captured it very well indeed. Fantastic image!” Bob Rawlinson completes this retrospective (bottom right) with X Marks the Spot which comes in at number twelve in the season’s rankings. As reported elsewhere in this issue, Bob took the IC1 crown for 2015/2016 narrowly pipping Francesca to the Denis J Whenham Memorial Trophy. 14

EDGELANDS - journeys into Englandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s true wilderness.

Book Review by Dave Whenham

Originally published in 2011, although this review is based on the 2012 Kindle version, this is not a book about photography per se, it has no images for one thing, but the words conjure images in my head just as easily as if these were illustrated pages. My imagination stirs and memories are awakened as the authors words mix with my own memories and nascent creativity to generate half-formed ideas for future projects. Open College for the Arts tutor Michele Whiting says that: "When we go to a landscape ... we don't see the landscape objectively, we take our memories, our feelings, we take historical fact, we take fiction ..." The same could be said about this book which blends with my own recollections and experiences to create a very engaging read. By way of an example, the pictures that just two of the chapters created in my mind (Wire and Power) when I read them as a PDF prior to buying the book, led me directly to the subject and contextual approach for an ultimately very successful assignment when studying for my HND. They also caused me to purchase the book and now having read the full book I have ideas for personal projects aplenty although as yet no idea when I will find time to see them into fruition. I found a lot of the topics they discuss echo strikingly with my own experiences. At one point they encapsulate very succinctly what I have often told my children about my childhood albeit I tell it in a less elegant fashion: "Children were widely encouraged to get out from under parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; feet and play outdoors without too great a perceived fear of danger from predatory adults, and this coincided with shifts in social housing policy, the clearance of inner-city dwellings and the construction of huge new housing-estate developments ... " I lived and grew up on one of these new housing estates, in Swindon which ironically is mentioned several times within the book. I have been back many times over the years and change is the only constant; just as the estate changed and morphed around us as we grew up there so it has continued to change over the years. It is perhaps a truism that the only constant is change but revisiting my childhood certainly reinforces the cliche. It is also the so-called edgelands of my childhood that have changed the most. Where discarded waste pipes formed a den for the local children for many years (and dens are covered in the book) the small patch of wasteland which for all of my remembered childhood was one of our hide-outs is now occupied by a small clutch of boxy, uniform infill housing. Screenshot of cover on the amazon.co.uk website

"The edgelands are a complex landscape, a debatable zone, constantly reinventing themselves as economic and social tides come in ..." The book has 28 chapters, relating to 28 areas of interest ranging from piers to paths and woodland to weather. Along the way the authors highlight artists and photographers exploring these topics which is how I found the work of Simon Denison. Pinhole images of the footings of pylons may not sound very interesting but the Becher-like thumbnails on his web page are fascinating and really illustrate the "invisible" qualities of the edgelands. Some of these images have also been paired with poems from other artists. But Denison has much more than pinhole images of pylons in his galleries and inspired by this book I shall be returning to look at his work in more detail at another time. The authors of this book are poets - and it shows, their use of words is what makes the book such a joy to read. I have returned to the topics and indeed the book many times since first reading the book and never tire of the images it creates in my mind. Sources Farley, P. and Roberts, M. 2012. Edgelands. London: Vintage. OCA Meet the Tutor - Michele Whiting at vimeo.com/55935932 http://www.simondenison.co.uk/landscape.html

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m pleased to announce that Bob Rawlinson has won the Denis J Whenham Memorial Trophy for IC1 in 2015/16 season. Bob has been very consistent with his images this season his number of stickers amount to eight. Bob has shown the circle a broad range of subjects from pictorial, landscape and his best subject is wildlife. Images have been of a high standard. Graham Harvey IC1 Secretary

A selection of images from Bobâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s IC1 portfolio for 2015/16. Above: Quays Sunset Opposite page, clockwise from top left: Robin Reflection, Barn Owl, The Night Heron, Sheep in the Valley and Boats on Windermere

All images ÂŠ Bob Rawlinson

Ribbleshead A tale of two artists A friend of mine (Roger Harvey) a retired professional photographer and artist recently sold a painting for ÂŁ1200 that was taken from one of my images. The image is of "The Fellsman" excursion train crossing Ribbleshead Viaduct in North Yorkshire. During the summer months the train runs every Wednesday and is advertised frequently throughout the North West. Roger had asked me to send a few images to paint and this was the one he chose. The image itself has been edited in Photoshop to remove other photographers and railway enthusiasts, but I decided to leave the lady with the dog in to give "scale" and human interest. Roger went a step further and omitted her altogether which I suppose is artists licence! And, no, I did not get any commission, but neither did I expect any! I am just pleased for my friend and colleague

Peter Jarvis

Above: the original photograph ÂŠ Peter Jarvis Top: ÂŠ Roger Harvey, photograph of painting kindly supplied by Roger.

Nearing Salterhebble

Dave Whenham LRPS

Recently, I was re-reading Eric’s notes in the Summer 2015 issue about his approach to black and white and it got me thinking that there are probably as many approaches to digital B&W processing and workflow as there are members in the club. Digitally, I shoot exclusively in RAW these days although whenever the camera allows I will sometimes shoot BOTH RAW and jpegs, keeping the jpegs as a back-up. Shooting RAW means more time at the computer but I figure it's worth it to give me maximum data in each file - but RAW versus jpeg is another debate entirely. Over the last few years I have evolved a fairly consistent workflow and all files are immediately renamed and transferred to folders on an external hard drive upon my return home from a day out with the camera. Even if I am away I back them up to a portable external storage device. Once on my main computer at home they are then automatically copied by the system to a back up drive so I have two copies of the RAW files. If I have been taking pictures for a specific purpose, for example a family portrait session, I then undertake a technical edit whereby the out of focus, badly composed or downright awful are immediately deleted - no room for sentiment here especially when the images are destined for someone else. Those files that survive the cull are then opened in Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) for the initial conversion and then transferred, still as an RGB colour file to Photoshop (PS). I often use the batch processing facility in ACR to quickly apply a set of basic adjustments to files which are then taken into PS for finishing. With the image shown I immediately transferred it from PS into the Silver Efex Pro (SEP) plug-in for the initial black and white conversion. I start by applying one of the presets to get close to what I want and then tweak the sliders to fine tune the result. Care has to be taken though not to introduce noise or artefacts and I try to err on the side of less-is-more. Once I am happy with the basic conversion the file is returned to PS for final tweaks. In this case there were two very bright patches that I felt needed "calming" down. To make localised, and fully readjustable, tweaks I selected the first area, feathering the selection to around 50px, and created a Levels adjustment layer. I was then able to tweak the brightness of the area without affecting the whole of the image. I repeated the process for the other patch, creating another Levels adjustment layer as shown on the screen shot above right. The two impacted areas have been picked out in red for convenience (above right). The final adjustment was a shallow S-Curve, which as can be seen above was very gentle but just enough to add a little more contrast to the final result shown below. This method of using selections to create a sequence of adjustment layers was a tip I picked up from Paul Gallagher a year or two ago on a workshop with him in the Lake District. I have found that it enables quite fine control and as each adjustment has its own layer they can be tweaked or have their opacity lowered if required prior to flattening the image ahead of saving it. Finally, I use a similar method with finished files as I do RAW files. The completed file is saved as a TIFF to one external hard drive which is then automatically backed up to a second drive. Unlike the RAW files though I back up the "finished" drive to a cloud storage as well so my completed work is saved on two hard drives at home and also remotely via cloud storage.

All images © Dave Whenham LRPS

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m pleased to announce that Dave Whenham Has won the Pop Weatheral Cup in C1 for the second year in a row. I think the only other person that has won the PW Cup several times is Dennis Parker who won it 3/4 times in succession. Dave has been very consistent with his images this season increasing his number of stickers to ten. Dave has shown the circle a broad range of subjects from portraits, landscape and architecture. Print quality has been of a high standard. Graham Harvey C1 Secretary

Above: Goit Stock falls Top Right: Marlborough Downs Bottom Right: View from the Dam Wall All images ÂŠ Dave Whenham

Top Left: Edie and her Da’ Top Right: Barry Bottom Left: Summer All images © Dave Whenham

Public buildings:

a pictorial approach (2)

Continuing from the Autumn issue a personal look at photographing public buildings with the emphasis on places of worship - and on pictures not words. We concluded the first part of this article with a look at stained glass. The inclusion of windows and other features of the ecclesiastical buildings is an obvious choice and when inside a large imposing place it can be overwhelming at first to decide just which view is the best for capture so we start this second part with a consideration of these aspects. One important point to remember is these buildings cost a lot in upkeep including heating, lighting and maintenance, so often there is a collection box for offerings from visitors. Even in the smallest of village churches I proffer a small contribution to the running of the site, a small cost for the privilege of obtaining a few pictures, also, after all, you have the atmosphere the history the architecture and beauty of the many varied and wonderful historic places. In larger buildings such as Cathedrals, Abbeys and Minster’s etcetera, they usually have a standard charge for a permit to allow one to take photographs inside the building, this can be reasonably low, or rather extortionate in some of the more well known and high profile places such as Saint Paul’s London, or Durham Cathedral. Even at these higher charges, for the amount of time I usually spent in the higher churches (the best part of a full day), relatively speaking the cost is still reasonable. When no charge is requested or expected I still place an offering relative to the importance of the edifice I’m enjoying.

Lincoln Cathedral Interior © Dave Whenham

The Aisle

Defn: a passage between rows of seats in a building such as a church …

The main aisle of the church is a classic view often incorporating the nave, chancel and choir (or quire) and the High Altar. A wide or semi-wide angle lens, or even a “shift lens” (rising front), which will allow control of the converging verticals in an image, is a boon here.

Great Malvern Priory, again converging verticals can be a problem in such a relatively confined space. Norwich Cathedral - note the converging verticals.

St Philip, the Cathedral of Birmingham (above), being only a small building I chose to show more intimate detail from the nave in these two images.. The sepia toned view of the main part of the round (circular) church in Cambridge the Holy Sepulchre (right) displays the circular design of the nave, a unique problem photographically as the view from any point of the compass will only allow limited vision of the whole nave even here with the 10mm end of a wide angle zoom.

All images © Eric Ladbury

Looking upwards To my mind a better and further, a less usual view, is to capture the roof. As with the Holy Sepulchre (facing page) such views often fit nicely into a square format. The problem being, to allow for the entire circular subject to register in one frame; even with 10mm of lens. The method employed here was to place the camera on its back in the centre of the nave; this took four or five attempts to correctly align the shot, and care is needed to check for both the safety of members of the public and your valued equipment. Speaking of roof detail there are many ecclesiastical properties with astonishing and breathtaking decorations. Starting with the simple square taken at Great Malvern Priory at the crossing looking straight up, the roof detail holds some rich golden tones with beautiful bosses adorning each junction. These can also make interesting black and white images. The sepia toned picture was taken in Bourton-on-the-Water’s Baptist Church St Lawrence. This is well worth a visit as it has a painted ceiling worthy of a cathedral. Whereas the roof of the Tewkesbury Abbey has an unusual shaped display above the choir again with elaborate bosses and fan vaulting. At this location plenty of floor space and a reasonably high ceiling meant a tripod was engaged. The Italian chapel at Lamb Holm on Orkney (off the north coast of Scotland), has a hand painted ceiling and walls created by the Italian POW’s during their captivity in world war two. Even more amazing is that it was completed with begged and salvaged scrap materials from around the building of the causeway between the small Islands.

Top far left: Great Malvern Priory Middle: Italian Chapel, Lamb Holm Above, top: St Lawrence Baptist Church Above:Tewkesbury Abbey Bottom far left: Great Malvern Priory All images © Eric Ladbury

The Italian Chapel is a highly ornate Catholic chapel on Lamb Holm in the Orkney Islands. It was built during World War II by Italian prisoners of war, who were housed on the previously uninhabited island while they constructed the Churchill Barriers to the east of Scapa Flow. Only the concrete foundations of the other buildings of the prisoner-of-war camp survive. It was not completed until after the end of the war, and was restored in the 1960s and again in the 1990s. It is now a popular tourist attraction, and a category A listed building. http://businesses.orkney.com/b/italian_chapel1 24

Holy Sepulchre Â© Eric Ladbury

For our last image of the upward variety one majestic vision cannot be ignored when entering Ely Cathedral, namely the Lantern above the octagonal crossing of the Transepts. This is truly an amazing sight and was taken with a 15-30 mm wide angle lens which just wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enough angle to cope successfully with the immense vista Clearly this location needs a re-visit with my current equipment even if just to do this view more justice.

Ely Cathedral, has its origins in AD 672 when St Etheldreda built an Abbey Church. The present building dates back to 1083, and cathedral status was granted it in 1109. Until the reformation it was the Church of St Etheldreda and St Peter, at which point it was refounded as the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Ely. http://www.elycathedral.org

ÂŠ Eric Ladbury

Fix>?res & FiAings

Now let’s take a look at furnishings and fittings, these can take many forms and vary in size from a palm size carving to a full array of organ pipes. Staying in Ely cathedral, there are often attractive sculptures and adornments around the interiors, here the modern wall sculpture in metal (far left) and the wooden statue “Our Lady and Child” (left) are among the many visually interesting finds in Ely.

Below: around the walls and arches where there are junctions these are often covered by a boss of either wood or of stone.

I have spent many hours hunting Misericords; these are ledges of carvings on the underside of the tip-up choir stalls and clergy seats which are for resting against during longer periods of sermons etcetera, as with the Welsh Dragon in St David’s Cathedral Wales (left). Some bench ends are more easily spotted like this one found in St Mary’s Scarborough (left, middle) and this wonderfully carved font panel at Ilkley Moor All Saints Church (far right).

All images © Eric Ladbury

Fix>?res & FiAings

Other items to watch out for include; small statues of painted wood, organ pipes which are often decorated with complicated patterns and bright colours, associated with organs are Trumpets (pipes) and angels particularly in the East Anglia churches.

There are an enormous number of items to locate in any church including pulpits, fonts, font covers, paintings, processional items, candle sticks, candle shields, candelabrum - the list goes on. Then to move back outside the building a further treasure trove awaits, to include doors, door handles, door knockers (sanctuary knockers), selective close-ups of exterior roof details, pinnacles, buttresses, flying buttresses, door arches, cloisters, quadrangles … … the subject matter is limited only by your imagination. All images © Eric Ladbury

Housekeeping

John Kay, General Secretary

Subscriptions The annual subscription for 2017 will remain at £13.00, rising to £14.00 if payment is not received by the end of March. Late-payers also forfeit their free pack of print folders. An e-mail reminder will be sent out to all members in early December, but in these Internet days you may prefer to use the subscription renewal form on the club website and pay via PayPal. The facility to order extra folders is also on the form. Cheques should be sent to the General Secretary and made payable to THE POSTAL PHOTOGRAPHIC CLUB. We can now accept payments by direct transfer to our Nat West account, but please e-mail Stuart if you use it to make payment. It would help if you attach a reference consisting of your initials and Circle (for me it would be JK.CP2). The PPC bank details will be shown on the emailed renewal form. Print Folders The print folders will continue to be issued in packs of 12 but please note that the folders will be sent out in batches on a monthly basis. If your subscription is received before the end of I’m Working in the Allotment © John Kay this December you will receive your folders early in January. The next batch of folders will be sent out by the end of January and another two batches will follow in February and March. The last batch will be posted during April. If you need some extra folders at some other time in the year they can be ordered using the form on the PPC website, paying by PayPal - the cost is £4.50 a pack, including postage. If you want to pay by cheque send it to the Treasurer, Stuart Carr or to the General Secretary. Club website and the PPC Forum (Now called Photonews+) Graham Dean looks after and updates the club website. Don’t forget that we would be pleased to feature your photographs in the Members Galleries section and also arrange two-way links to PPC members own websites, as well as other photographic society websites. The website has a link to the PPC page on Facebook. Graham’s regular update is on page 45 of this issue Clive Piggott is our Forum Administrator, if you are not registered on the Forum you can e-mail Clive from a link on the website or using the contact details found on his update on page 50.

20 QUESTIONS (or less!)

with Gary Barton

Tell us a little about yourself: I was born in Liverpool in November 1961 and lived in Merseyside all through my school years. Twelve days after my 17th Birthday I left home to join the RAF working in Air Defence. It was a very interesting job due to the activity from Russian recognisance aircraft during the Cold War. During my RAF career, I had a 5 month posting to the Falkland Islands in 1983 / 84 and it was a fantastic experience (a place I would love to return to with all my camera gear). After returning from the Falklands I met my wife to be Sharon who is from Lancaster. We got married while I was still in the RAF in May 1985 and on leaving the RAF in November 1985, we settled in Lancaster. We have two children – Jack (28) and Jessica (22) and they live in Manchester and Leeds respectively. My current job is a Security Team Leader at the nearby twin nuclear power station at Heysham where I’ve worked since April 1986.

How long have you been a photographer? When in the Falklands in 1983, I owned a 110 film camera that looked like a letter box. My mate had an Olympus OM10 SLR and I was really impressed with the photographs it produced (It was over a two week wait from him sending the negatives off for processing and them returning for us all to peruse over). © Mike Atkinson

Once I returned back to the UK, I just had to have an Olympus OM10 and bought one in Liverpool second hand with a Vivitar Zoom lens with a macro function. I think I only used it for half a dozen rolls of film before I left it at my parents’ house when home on leave and never used it again. Not long after digital arrived, I bought a Canon 2mp point and shoot which I used quite a lot but then in June 2010, I purchased a Panasonic Lumix 10mp point and shoot with a Leica lens to use on our first cruise to celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary and I thought it was the bees knees. I was that impressed with the images I was hooked and in November 2011, I treated myself for my 50th - a Nikon D5000 DSLR. My wife Sharon said at the time that I would be wasting my money as I would never use it. Here I am 5 years later with a better camera (Nikon D7100) with various lenses etc. and she gets fed up hanging around while I’m trying to do my photography. I would really only class myself as a photographer since November 2011 when I bought the D5000 though.

Gondolas All images © Gary Barton unless stated

20 QUESTIONS (or less!)

with Gary Barton How long have you been a member of the PCC? I am not sure exactly but I think I joined in December 2012. I was press-ganged into it by Graham Harvey with assistance from Sally Anderson. It was a typical press-gang – dragged into the pub after a camera club evening, forced to drink real ale until my situational awareness had left me and before I knew it I was in IC2. I left IC2 after approximately 6 months and Joined IC5 when it was set up.

Do you specialise in any genres of photography? As I have enjoyed the outdoors and walking for most of my life, I have always enjoyed looking at a beautiful scene so I mostly photograph landscapes and architecture. I also like to photograph waterfalls on long exposures and would like to do a bit of low light photography. At the start of the year I purchased a Sigma 50-500mm lens which I’m really impressed with so I have been having a go at wildlife / natural history (mainly birds). I’m certainly not into portraiture and I don’t know much about using flash.

Best photographic Achievement? When I was in IC2, my image called ‘I’ve Got My Eye On You’ of a Barbary Macaques taken on the Rock of Gibraltar made it to the Founders Cup in 2015 (I was in IC5 by then) and it was awarded ‘Best Portrait’. I was totally shocked especially as I am not into portraiture.

Great Belt Bridge, Copenhagen 31

20 QUESTIONS (or less!)

with Gary Barton

Are there any fads or fashions you like or dislike? I do like the milky water effect from long exposure photography that you see a lot of these days. There’s something about the look but it’s not everybody’s cup of tea. I’m not a great lover of heavily manipulated post processed images however. HDR is OK but I prefer it to be done conservatively. Also images that are almost like paintings or pieces of art I am not fond of. (One well known camera club from the North West of England springs to mind).

Film or Digital? For me it has to be digital even though my first quality camera was a film camera (Olympus OM10). I had no idea how to develop images in the dark room and getting them processed at the lab turned out to be very expensive per image as the amount of ‘keepers’ was a lot less with film. I have to take my hat off to people who worked with and still work with film as they have to get it right in camera as there is no instant feedback as there is with digital. I’m sure the experience with film cameras has made them better photographers.

What has been your favourite camera over the years? I have to say my current Nikon D7100. It has great dynamic range and due to no Low Pass Filter, is very sharp straight out of the camera. I got lucky when I bought it as Nikon were doing a promotion of a free battery grip and I leave it on the camera practically all of the time. The battery life is great too so not too much time spent charging batteries when we’re on our travels. Top: Barn Owl on the hunt Bottom Evening Sunshine on the Norwegian Sea 32

20 QUESTIONS (or less!)

with Gary Barton

What is your favourite aspect of the hobby? I find my job very stressful so photography helps me switch off. It also gets me out and about and if I’m on my own or with other photographers, it slows me down and makes me think about the challenges, i.e. subject, lighting, DOF, camera settings etc. it keeps my brain active. It also enables me to meet other people especially when we’re on a cruise. Most days at sea or in the evenings, the photographers will gather on the Promenade or upper decks, swapping ideas, experiences, places to purchase photography equipment and even trying out each other’s lenses. I do enjoy the social side of it too, attending the Lancaster Photographic Society evenings and having a couple of pints afterwards with other members. When I first started in photography, I gained a lot of knowledge from fellow society members in the pub after the club night.

In the Bag. I still have my Nikon D5000 DSLR just in case I have a problem with my current camera, a Nikon D7100. Also it saves having to change lenses – I can have a wide angle lens on one camera and a different lens on the other camera when I’m out and about. It also saves time so keeps me in the good books with the Missus! Lenses; Nikkor 18 – 55mm kit lens, Nikkor 55 – 200mm kit lens Nikkor 35mm f/1.8 prime, Nikkor 16 – 85mm, Sigma 10 – 20mm and the Sigma 50 – 500mm (left)

Four tripods – heavy, travel and two mini tripods (table top type) a Monopod and a bean bag for the big lens Various ND Grads, a Big Stopper, Polariser and UV Filter

This page: High Force Waterfall Previous page: Giants Causeway, Little Egret, I’ve Got my Eye on You and Nuthatch 34

20 QUESTIONS (or less!)

with Gary Barton

If you could go anywhere in the world to take pictures where would you go? I would love to go back to the Falkland Islands and get the photographs I was unable to get in 1983 / 84. A place I would love to go where I have never been before would be New Zealand. The landscape in places looks amazing.

If you could pass on just one tip about photography to a newcomer what would it be? When I first started out in photography (November 2011), I read magazine after magazine and watched hours of tutorials on You Tube. I gained a lot of theory over a lot of subjects but I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go out and practice what I had learned. In fact I had read and watched too much without trying it out. By the time I did get round to putting some of the knowledge gained into practice, I had forgotten some of it and I made many mistakes, i.e. leaving the image stabilisation on when mounted on a tripod (I also did that twice last week â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Duh!), forgetting to focus before applying a strong neutral density filter, etc. etc. So my tip is, learn about the exposure triangle (shutter speed, aperture and ISO) and then go out and try it before venturing too deep into the other elements of photography and practice it until it is second nature.

What are your plans for the next five years? I would love to be able to retire early and to make a little bit of money from my photography to supplement my pension which is very difficult these days. In order to go on that journey I will need to continue to improve and also apply some of the things below.

Post processing is part of the photography journey and this is my weak point. I want to be able to use post processing to enhance my images further and by learning how to use it more efficiently to reduce my time spent on a PC. To get the best out of my camera, it needs to be partnered with better quality glass so instead of thinking of upgrading my camera next year, I hope to invest in quality lenses. Having contacts in the industry will also help me with getting noticed. I will also continue to be part of the Lancaster Photographic Society and PPC as they play a part in becoming a better photographer. Top: St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh Right: Spiral Staircase

! Thank you

Notes from the Gulf

John Pattison

Are we as Club members too critical of photographs submitted in the Circle monthly rounds? This question sprang to mind as I have recently been looking for some commercial art to hang on the wall at our home. Looking at various prints available in home furnishing stores here in Doha it occurred to me that many are soft focussed. They can in no way be considered sharp anywhere. The advent of canvas block prints has worsened this as those images are very often not sharp at all. So, when we comment and judge submissions of the club members to the Circles each month should we be looking only at the aesthetic qualities of the image and let go of the technical exactitude that so often dominates comments, at least in the Circles to which I contribute? Similarly, do our external competition judges bring to the table ‘old fashioned’ ideals for what a photograph should be?

Essence of Summer © Dave Whenham Certificate of Merit (PDI) 2013 Travelling Exhibition

Photography, is not just a technical skill, it is an art form although there is continuing disdain from some quarters of the art world that photography is not true art and we have all been there before probably many times over. But is this entirely the case anymore with the advent of digital processing that enables one with appropriate skills in digital manipulation to render even the most mundane photograph into something one would be proud to hang on the wall? I would go further and suggest that if one didn’t know any better, would one even notice the digital manipulation if it was not obvious.

My wife is by far the fiercest critic of my photography. She likes what she likes and rejects anything else no matter what the image is, good bad or indifferent. Her view is that the image should be appealing and as such technical exactness of the image is of little or no interest to her. If the image is not of a subject that appeals nothing else matters. Whilst, many will consider this anathema it does hold a certain appeal. What images excite us and that we find interesting? I venture that it is the subject of the image and not the technical aspects that attract us to an image. Therefore, should we in judging others work within the Club concentrate on the subject no matter what our personal bias may be? I believe there has to be a balance but that the scales should be are rigged to the aesthetic side foremost. In my last piece for Photonews I discussed the use of smartphone cameras and their limitations but with the release of the new iPhone 7 and 7 plus with their respective advertised improvements to camera, lenses and post processing (RAW) and the imminent release of the Galaxy 8 also rumoured to have improvements to the in-built camera it begs the question that these and similar phone cams are the ones that by far are used by the populace at large. I saw a figure quoted on Instagram recently that some 30 million images were posted to their site every day. Let’s just reflect upon that number – 30, 000, 000 every 24 hours, 7 days a week. That is an awfully large number of images with most being ‘snapshots’, which to be fair are only of interest to those to whom they are directed be they family members or friends of the photographer. However there are also many excellent and memorable images posted to Instagram and also to other on-line social media sites and as enthusiasts and for those making a living from their photography it is ever increasingly becoming accepted that one needs to have a social media identity but is anyone interested in the technicalities of those images? There will be some who will be but by far the majority in my opinion will only view the image on its appeal. So, returning to my original question is the Club at risk of falling into the trap of photography for the elite, the technical exactness being the pinnacle of what is considered a ‘good’ photograph all other constraints being equal. Or should there be a paradigm shift in what a photograph is so that the aesthetic is given weight over all else? The question in a general sense is open and the views of the Club members are welcomed.

Morning Glow © Dave Whenham Sometimes it's about mood not technical excellence (iPhone 5S) Thanks to Dave Whenham for the use of his images to illustrate this article

John Kay, General Secretary

Housekeeping Print Exhibition Secretary

David James is our Print Exhibition Secretary and the club contact for The Travelling Exhibition. It is well worth seeing if you cannot make it to the Annual Rally and we really do need to show it to a wider audience as it is a great advertisement for the Club. The TE has the top 80 prints from the Annual Print Competition, plus a PictureToExe presentation showing the judge’s selection of prints and projected images competition from both the Founders Cup and Annual Competitions. The best way to view the prints is to organise the audience into small groups and get individual members in the groups to give short critiques; just like they would expect from a visiting judge.

The 2016/17 TE has started its tour of the UK; does your Camera Club / U3A group / Photo Group take the TE? Why don’t you ask the Programme Secretary at your club to get in touch with David?

Annual Rally 2017 Next year’s Rally will be held at Rydal Hall in the Lake District, over the weekend 29th September to 1st October. The cost for the weekend including meals from Friday evening to Sunday lunch (Saturday lunch NOT included) is £160 per person. For regular attendees please be aware that another organisation is booked in from the Sunday afternoon - so extending your stay at Rydal Hall after the rally won't be possible. However, rooms will be available on the Wednesday & Thursday before the rally weekend. A booking form and more details will go out with the subscription renewal email in December. We have stayed there several times; details of the venue and nearby places to visit can be seen on their website www.rydalhall.org There will also be a “Places to Visit” feature in a forthcoming issue of Photonews – if you need some inspiration to visit this lovely part of the country! Concentrating © John Kay

Classic Cameras -

The Nikon F

Geoff Leah

First introduced in 1959, the F was Nikons first SLR camera. It was, and still is, very advanced and versatile. A huge range of lenses and accessories was available (see bottom, left) because the camera was aimed at professional and press cameramen.

The whole camera was built to “bullet-proof” standards (endorsed by war-time cameraman Don McCullin, whose life was saved when an enemy bullet hit his Nikon F, but remained wedged inside). Each gear wheel was hardened and precision cut, the shutter runs on ball bearings, whilst the body is machined from an alloy casting. The viewfinder system in inter-changeable, with several different types to choose from. The most famous of these being the Photomic head (as fitted in the picture, right). This incorporates a Cd meter which is mechanically coupled to the aperture ring and shutter speeds knob, and uses a “matchthe-needles” system actuated by moving either the aperture ring or shutter speed dial. Unfortunately, it is almost un-heard of for one of these meters still to work. The problem is a small carbon contact that wears out, and for which spares are completely unobtainable. Imagine my delight when I discovered that my Photomic head still had an operating meter! It uses two of the old 625 mercury cells, long banned for the terrible risk they pose to the World. However, Wein air cells produce an alternative of the correct 1.35 volts. They are readily obtainable but cost around £7 each on-line.

Finding old batteries can be tricky at times but as ever the internet can usually help. One source of replacement 625s is the Small Battery Company at: http://www.smallbattery.company.org.uk

The camera back is easily removed so that a large back holding enough film for 250 exposures can be fitted. Two types of battery powered motor winders can be fitted, plus two long distance shutter releases using either cable or radio, plus an interval timer. Lenses from 21mm. to 1000mm. were available, and these couple to the Photomic head mechanically, using the small metal “rabbit ears” situated on the top of each lens. These engage with a peg which protrudes from the base of the Photomic head. The shutter is synchronised for both bulbs and electronic flash. The flash guns require an accessory shoe as none is fitted as standard. This takes the form of a moulding that clips over the re-wind knob (see photo). The camera is solid and heavy (no nasty plastic used in the construction), the controls work smoothly making the camera feel like a “proper” professional bit of kit. There is very little that this camera cannot do, even today. They are unlikely to fail mechanically, which is why they were a firm favourite amongst the professionals. Used models are available, as are most of the accessories. Regrettably, the collectors still want them, and fight over some of the more rare accessories. This means that you can expect to pay a premium over the cost of other SLRs. Nevertheless, they remain a very useable camera, and an investment for the future. If you want to find out more then, again, the internet is the place to go. A Google search for “Nikon F” will leave you spoilt for choice. Try https://www.cameraquest.com/fhistory.htm as a starting point, it’s not a very modern looking site but has a lot of information.

f f o e G

A Year in the life of our newest internet circle â&#x20AC;Ś IC8. Circle Secretary Eric Ladbury Whilst IC1 (see page nn) was the first of the internet circles the newest circle is IC8. Our second specialist monochrome circle IC8 was created when IC3, the original monochrome circle, became too large. Established in April 2016 with a core of members from the original IC3 the circle now has eight members and is the natural home for anyone wanting to add a monochrome internet circle to their membership. As the person responsible for overseeing our online activities I have the privilege of being able to view all of the folios every month and there have been some superb monos on show in this first season. Circle Secretary Eric Ladbury topped the table in this inaugural season (no fix - honest!) but everyone else was nipping at his heels so I am looking forward to some more great images in the 2016/2017 season. In the meantime here are the top-scoring images from each member for the current season with a few words from each member.

Bodnant Hall - Eric Ladbury (above) Top scoring image May 2016 Having visited Bodnant Gardens in North Wales on many previous trips to the principality, I knew it o ff e r e d h u g e p h o t o g r a p h i c opportunities. I had also expanded my interest in infrared photography recently so planned mainly to shoot both false colour IR, and black & white IR imagery. I decided on this view of the Hall, and felt that a monochrome conversion would show the clouds, sky and spring foliage to great effect with the lighting available. A very productive day all told as the weather and light was perfect for general infrared photography.

Dogs (mono) - Frank Kent Top three image April 2016 (IC8s first folio) This image is one of my favourites too. Both dogs belong to the man who cuts my lawn, who is also a member of a shooting syndicate based on the moors near where I live. These dogs, a mother and her daughter, are used for retrieving the shot birds. I simply asked if I could photograph them, which he was happy for me to do. He wound the van window down and they appeared and posed exactly as you see them here.

HMS Warrior - Mike Walker Top scoring image June 2016 My company paid for us to spend a day at the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and we had to prepare a presentation on a theme. This was the image I took to open that presentation as it contrasted the old (Warrior), middle aged ( high rise flats) and fairly new (the Navy destroyer merging into the middle ground). The theme was on how our perception can influence what we see and how we process and react to that as a result - an important principle to teach air traffic controllers. The composition was fairly easy, using Warrior on one side, the the spit of land on the other side, with the flats in the middle ground linking it together. I saw this as a mono image all along and did the processing in LR 5. I enhanced the sky a little as I could also use the image in my Meteorological lessons at the college.

Flying Scotsman - Mandy Foreman Top three image August 2016 Mandy got nicely poetical on us â&#x20AC;Ś

Camera settings sorted, Elbows tucked in, Excitement is mounting, Goosebumps on the skin. Toot toot goes the whistle, Letting off some steam, All the crowds a watching, Woooo! They shout and scream. Rumbling and a chugging, The engines on my spot, Fingers on the shutter, And what a cracking shot. WOOOooooOOOH.

Two Sisters - Brian Viercant Top three image June 2016 The Two Sisters as they are called by some locals are two very old ancient light houses situated on the Dovercourt Bay Beach area in Essex, they were part of the guard to the entrance to Harwich Harbour to stop ships from grounding. Both have been photographed many times and still are in all weathers and at every time of the day imaginable. So, it was nice to shoot it in mono for a change with some drama in the skyâ&#x20AC;Ś.Maybe in Colour next time? Also called, High & Low Lighthouses, now with a preservation status.

Old Church Entrance - Sally Anderson Top image August 2016 This picture was taken at St Gregoryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s church in Kirknewton, Northumberland. I had visited this church before but the weather was not great, so when I returned to Northumberland for a second holiday I went back and this time took my converted IR camera. Having walked all around the church outside looking for possible viewpoints, I quite liked the idea of the church through the open gate. I took quite a few more in the overgrown churchyard and on the far side of the church but this one seemed to work well. I used my Canon EOS 20D with 17-40mm lens on and the following settings f11, ISO 100, 1/125 sec at 25mm focal length. A little cropping and adjustment of levels and the removal of telephone wiresâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; going across the sky was all that was done. The image was taken in RAW and converted to black and white in Lightroom.

Marsco and River Sligachan - Steve Terry Top three image July 2016 A walk up the river at Sligachan is a must for any landscape photographer visiting Skye. There are a number of good viewpoints, but this is possibly my favourite and I have several versions of this shot. I like the way the line of boulders leads you into the picture and then the curve of the river takes you on into the distance and towards Marsco. I just wish there were fewer boulders in the water! I like to shoot on a bright but overcast day in order to get some interesting clouds and some brightness in the water.

Trent Riverside - Vic Crumley Top image June 2016 I was photographing autumn colours on the banks of the River Trent in Burton. In addition to good colour, I liked the enclosing nature of the canopy and the lead-in line of the path. A low viewpoint seemed to work best. The elderly couple wandered into the scene as I was sizing it up, and I waited until they were in the right spot. I thought the composition, and the range of tones, strong enough to try in black and white. On reflection, the image seems a bit soft, but I still like it and will have another try this year.

Blaenavon Iron Works - Bill Stace

Bill will be joining IC8 for the 2016/2017 season having previously been a member of IC1. Bill submitted several interesting monos to IC1, which is a general circle, and his monochromatic take on the world will be well suited to to the specialist world of IC8. This image was his final entry in IC1 and attracted a perfect 10 from one member which was a great way to end the season. Welcome Bill!

I am fascinated with the lasting effect the industrial revolution has had on the landscape of South Wales, where we have lived for the past 10 years. I keep returning to the Eastern Valley several times a year, but have never really managed to produce satisfactory images. Three years ago, my wife Alison (who is also interested in photography) and I decided to book a dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s workshop with Leigh Preston who had been to our photo club and we were very impressed by him. We took him to Blaenavon, had a brilliant day and saw the place through the eyes of an expert photographer, which was quite different from how I had been photographing it. I returned the following day to try to put what he had told us into action and this is one of the many images I produced.

With thanks to everyone in IC8 for their support in producing this review. All images ÂŠ the authors 44

Graham Dean

The Postal Photographic Club Website

Your website needs you! Caption Competition - and the winner is …

WEB MATTERS From the Master of the Web

“in your own time….. Oh just move!!”

After constantly pleading for photographs for the monthly galleries, I suddenly have a choice, and more than enough quality images to last for the next few months. Many thanks to the Circle Secretaries who have sent in images, I won’t need to press anyone into submitting their own images for a while – but volunteers would still be very welcome. It’s now two years since I took on the role of managing the club’s website – a good time to ask the question, “What is, or should be, the function of the website?” • Is it to attract new members? We do have a trickle of new members through the website. • Is it to provide a convenient way for members to pay their subscriptions? Thirty nine members either renewed or purchased additional folders via the renewal form. • Is it to showcase the work of members? Members who wish to have a presence on the web to showcase their work often have their own websites or blogs – our website does link to a few of these. It’s in order to promote members’ own websites, blogs, etc that an additional question has been added to the renewal form, asking for the address(es) of members’ websites. Two years ago I said that I intended to update the links page – a statement I repeated 12 months ago. This year I’m going to go for something more achievable: updating and (I hope) adding to the page which has links to the assorted sites, blogs, flickr pages, etc that our members have set up, so if you do have a “web presence,” please do complete that additional question on the renewal form.

Just what was Tony Marlow saying under his breath here? Well, he hasn’t owned up to anything althoughI’m sure he would never have made the comment one member tried to attribute to him :-) I nearly went with Stuart Carr’s suggestion of “" Oi! You in the red anorak! get out of my picture!”” but then looked at the picture of our webmaster here on this page and decided against that. In the end, I plumped for Richard Walliker’s suggestion - who amongst us hasn’t been in that position? Well done Richard - I will be in touch!

Into the Darkroom - part one It’s not just for the Oldies - there’s a growing following amongst young photographers.

Tony Marlow

I am a little wary about writing an article on darkroom printing as I am sure many of you who might read this started your photographic journey in the darkroom. If so then please forgive me if it seems as if I am teaching you to suck eggs. However, our esteemed (or perhaps deranged) Editor was quite insistent at the 2015 Rally so here I am! Although many digital workers believe analogue photography is dead and irrelevant their still remains enough of us traditionalists left to keep the manufacturers of materials and equipment in business and indeed to develop new products. The major one is Ilford but others include Adox, Foma, Fotospeed, Tetenal, Slavich, Moersch, Kaiser, Patterson and even Kodak. The appeal of a silver print still exists as the process is attracting not just us Oldies but a good number of younger people as well as those who have converted to the digital process but seek an escape from the computer. A browse of the analogue website FADU (see panel below) will confirm this. The processes I describe in these two articles are confined to monochrome film and printing on resincoated variable contrast paper. The Darkroom

The interior of Tony’s purpose-built darkroom in his garden. A novel twist on the classic garden shed.

The darkroom can be anything from a cupboard under the stairs to the bathroom , spare bedroom, loft, back of the garage or a shed in the garden. The minimum space required is a bench about three feet long by two feet deep to take an enlarger, a tray of chemicals a few plastic jugs and space underneath to store paper and a few other bits. The other essentials are a power supply, for the enlarger, a safe light and means to keep the room temperature at around 20C to 25C. Access to water is required for washing the prints which is usually the bathroom or even a couple of buckets of water. If space is available then many more facilities can be introduced such as a sink with running water, work benches, storage cupboards and shelves. There are many books available which give excellent plans and advise on setting up a darkroom.

Film and Darkroom User Forum (FADU) FADU is the natural home for anyone with an interest in the use of film and the darkroom, whether you are an amateur or professional. Here you can show your work, exchange tips and techniques, and correspond with many like minded individuals. The forum has been specifically created to cater for the film and darkroom user so why not drop in and say ‘hello’ - you can be assured of a very warm welcome. http://www.film-and-darkroom-user.org.uk 46

Equipment The main item of equipment is the enlarger. There are many well known makes available, some new like Kaiser and LPL others second hand like Meopta, Durst, DeVere and Leitze. When choosing there are several points to consider as follows. Negative size: Even if you only use 35mm film it is worthwhile getting an enlarger that can take 120 film up to 6x7 frame size. The size and construction of a 120 enlarger is very similar to 35mm and if you move up to medium format at a later date you will have all the equipment you need. However there is a big jump to 4”x5” format and these enlargers are big beasts and are in a different league to medium format. Colour head or monochrome head: For monochrome work either type will produce good results; the only difference is with a colour head you have two filter dials to set for selecting the printing grade instead of one dial with a monochrome head. The single dial on a monochrome head is much easier to change grades in the middle of exposing a print. The alternative to using built in filters is to use a set of loose Ilford multigrade filters giving grades from 00 to 5 in half grade steps. With one type they can be placed in a draw above the negative the other type can be hung below the lens in a supplied bracket. Condenser or Diffuser head: The condenser head has a set of large lenses above the negative which in simplistic terms sends direct illumination through the negative whereas a diffuser head sends the light through a mixing box giving scattered light. Both types give good results. The condenser gives a more contrasty print than a diffuser but this can be balanced out by adjusting the contrast filters. The diffuser head tends to make dust or small blemishes on the neg less obvious but you still need a clean negative. The differences between the two often get exaggerated but both types are equally capable. Whatever type of enlarger is used it is worthwhile clamping the top of the column to the wall to reduce the risk of movement during exposure. Enlarger timer: A transformer is required to get the correct voltage usually 240v down to 12v or 24v. Coupled with this is a timer to control the length of exposure. This can be dispensed with by counting elephants between switching on and off the power supply but some sort of electronic timer is easier. Most enlargers are supplied with a simple countdown clock timer from 0 to 60 seconds where you set the required exposure time, switch it on and it turns itself off after the set time.

Top: The heart of any darkroom - the enlarger, in this case a …… Above left: Various traditional timing methods Above Right: A modern, integrated electronic timing set-up which links directly to the enlarger and acts as a transformer too.

A more logical approach is have a timer where you can alter the times in f stops instead of only seconds. RH Designs make f stop timers where you can alter the time in f stops in steps between one twelfth of a stop to half a stop. Thinking in f stops instead of seconds makes the whole exposure process more logical and controllable. An alternative is to use a chart which converts seconds into f stops and vica versa. Enlarger lenses: The lens should be the best you can find and many top quality lenses are available very cheaply second hand. A five or six element pre-set type does make things easier. Schneider, Rodagon, Nikon and Meagon all produce top quality lenses as well as cheaper versions. The lens needs to be matched to the negative size, 50mm for 35mm film, 80mm for 120 film. A wide angle lens is useful if you run out of column height or you can’t reach the focussing knob using a short focus finder. Focusing aids: These are optical devices placed on the paper easel through which you can focus on the negative in the enlarger head. They magnify the image so you can see the grain in the film emulsion and it this you should bring into sharp focus. Typical focus scopes are made by Patterson with a short version and a tall version which makes it easier to reach the focusing knob when the head is further up the column (see comment above. Scoponet make one with a higher magnification which makes it easier to see the grain and Peak make very expensive ones but all of them do the job. Focusing should be done with the lens aperture wide open and no filters in place. Sundry items: there are a few other essentials and some that make life easier • An easel is required to hold the paper in place when on the enlarger base board. They have adjustable arms which are set to the paper side so they overlap the edge of the paper tp hold it in place and make a white border. There are two types, one with two adjustable arms and one with four adjustable arms. The four bladed type is more versatile. • If you are short of space then you can manage with one tray for the chemicals emptying the tray of developer, stop bath and fixer into their respective jugs in turn after their allotted time. With more space three or four trays for the chemicals is far more convenient and saves having to keep on emptying and filling the single tray. Another option is a Nova vertical slot tank which has a thermostatically controlled water jacket that keeps the temperature constant. • A paper safe is a box with a light tight lid which makes it easily accessible to get a sheet of unexposed paper out in the dark. • A minute timer is useful to time the paper processing times. One that has a range up to 60 minutes is suitable either clockwork or electronic. Be careful of electronic devices like mobile phones, they light like a flood light and will fog the unfixed paper. • A few I litre plastic measuring jugs, graduates for measuring out chemical concentrate, stirring rods and a thermometer should complete the essentials. Over time many extra bits are accumulated such as paper clips and wall hooks for hanging prints, a car windscreen wiper for squeegying wet prints, a sheet of toughened glass, hair dryer for drying test strips, electric kettle, cutting mat with a knife and straightedge, bluetac (other makes are available) and wire for dodgers, thick card for shading when burning in, anti-static brush for cleaning negatives, print tongs or plastic gloves for handling wet prints and finally a large waste bin. Ex Blue Peter fans should excel here. Materials: The key materials needed are the processing chemicals and the paper. Most of the papers used today are variable contrast or multigrade. With these a full range of contrasts from grade 00 to grade 5 can be can achieved on one sheet of paper. There still a few graded papers available which can only produce a single fixed contrast meaning if you want to change grade you have to change the paper.

Top: Print easel Middle: Paper safes Bottom: Various home made tools for dodging and burning (yes - many Photoshop tools have their basis in traditional darkroom tools and practices)

Papers have two types of base onto which the light sensitive emulsion is applied. It is either a resin base or a fibre base. The resin base is far easier to work with, it lies flat and dries flat, the time in the chemicals is shorter and the washing time is short, no more than five minutes. Fibre based papers usually have a curl and dry curled so they need flattening in a press or under weights. They are more expensive than resin, need longer in the chemicals and longer in the wash, up to an hour. So why use fibre paper? Fibre paper tones better than resin and the finished print has more depth and feel to it which makes many of us willing to cope with the disadvantages. Papers also have a variety of characteristics which affect the appearance of the finished print. The surface can be either matte, semi-matte (pearl), or glossy. The surface can be smooth or textured. The tone can be either cool, neutral or warmtone. These characteristics vary with each manufacturer so there is plenty of choice to suite most peoples tastes. The major supplier of papers is probably Ilford but others are Adox, Foma, Fotospeed, Tetenal, Slavich and another coating plant is being built in Europe. In common with film development the three essential chemicals for developing prints are developer, stop bath and fixer, although the stop bath can be replaced by a rinse in water. There are several chemical manufacturers the main one again being Ilford but others include Kodak, Moersh, Fotospeed, Tetenal and Champion. All of these products work fine but newcomers may be wise perhaps to start with Ilfordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Multigrade or PQ paper developer. As with paper there are different types of developers which affect the appearance of the finished print. They include cooltone, neutral tone and warmtone but their effect on appearance of the print is small, it is the paper emulsion and the colour base of the paper which has the major influence on the printâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appearance. A comment I often hear is that darkroom work means handling smelly toxic chemicals. In all my years in the darkroom I have not found them smelly and they are less dangerous than the bottles of cleaners and polishes in your kitchen cupboards or the insecticides and herbicides in the garden shed or the petrol, oil diesel, antifreeze and other fluids in your garage. To my mind, a modicum of common sense is all that is required in the same way as cooking in the kitchen.

Top: various focusing aids - remember these enable the printer to focus on the film grain for even greater accuracy. Bottom: trays, jugs, tongs and measuring cyclinders. The unglamorous yet vital elements of any darkroom.

In this article we covered the basics of the darkroom and its associated equipment and materials. The second and final part of the series will appear in the next issue and will cover the far more exciting process of making your first print. About the Author Tony Marlow LRPS, is a long-standing PPC member whose work will be very familiar to members of C8. Tonyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first brush with photography was a Box Brownie which, together with a contact printing set, he was given when he was nine or ten. A Praktika Nova followed which was later upgraded to a Pentax ME Super. It was when Tony joined a local camera club though and saw some of the stunning monochrome darkroom prints being produced that he set about buying an enlarger and setting up a darkroom in the spare bedroom. When Tony retired the digital onslaught was just getting underway but after some careful thought he decided that not only would he continue with film but that he would construct a purpose-built darkroom in his garden. To complete the upgrade he complemented his 35mm cameras with a medium format Bronica system. He is currently one of a very small handful of darkroom workers in the PPC. 49

Clive Piggott

The Postal Photographic Club Forum - the "Virtual Clubhouse of the PPC" http://forum.postalphotoclub.org.uk Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all. It is now over two years since the forum was launched and its organisation has evolved steadily over that time - we now have around sixty members registered on the forum. However, there have been quite a few changes since I last described its structure in detail, so in this month's column I thought it was time for an update. The largest section of the forum is currently organised into Notebooks. This forms basically the Reference Section. Each Notebook is assigned to a particular PPC official and contains news and information pertaining to the responsibilities of that named person. The easiest way to explain this is to list the notebooks by name and the type of information contained in each one. So here I go: Dave Whenham - Photonews Editor, ICs Manager and 'Secret' Facebook Pages Manager Links to online copies of Photonews from Winter 2014 to date. Downloadable and printable Periodicals Index of all issues of Photonews Magazine. Other miscellaneous items e.g. on Club Survey Results, Photonews competitions etc. David James - Print Exhibition Secretary and Circle Secretary DP Downloadable and printable rota of clubs receiving and displaying the TE Exhibition throughout the year. David also uses his notebook in connection with circle DP. Graham Dean - Website Editor Graham maintains a monthly website update bulletin plus links to latest developments and galleries on the website, together with website statistics and news. Graham Harvey - Circle Secretary C1 Graham uses his notebook in connection with aspects of operating circle C1. John Kay - General Secretary, Rally Organiser and Club Archivist Downloadable and printable committee and contact details, including circle secretaries. Full texts of John's 'Club Matters' columns in Photonews. Downloadable and printable document containing extracts from John's column. Downloadable and printable copies of the PPC Constitution and Rules, updated January 2016 to cover online activities. Annual Subscription Renewal form & Annual Rally booking form. Links to online subscription renewal service on the club website. Jon Allanson - Competition Secretary Details of all the PPC Trophies and awards, including circle awards. Updated annual print competition rules. Founders Cup results. Summer competition results. Competition result records are available from 2014. Also information on viewing the TE through Dropbox, a recent option. As you can see there is a broad range of useful and interesting news and information (both current and archived) which is easily accessible on the forum and this is gradually forming a permanent picture of the 'culture' of the PPC as it develops over time.

The forum is completely private and the only way to join is by emailing your details to us at: forum@postalphotoclub.org.uk

The other section of the forum is the 'Photonews Feedback' area. This offers PPC members the 'Right to Reply'. Here there is the opportunity to raise any aspect of the PPC for discussion with fellow members and key committee members. Topics have ranged over 'Guidelines for Marking', 'PPC Distinctions', digital manipulation, TE and DPI Competitions, and many others. Members may also request and offer each other help and advice.

Best Wishes Clive

Signs & Portents Business Hours contributed by David Ridley who told me it was “Spotted on the entrance of a fishing tackle shop in Usk, Monmouthshire which is probably understood by regular patrons, but passing trade?” Fort Lift Trucks spotted by Alan Phillips Obviously military engineering here … The Queue is Closed contributed by Alan Phillips who wonders if the artist ran out of paint. Finally Earth without ART - I personally love the fact that it is from “Winsor DEEP” - very deep indeed methinks. Spotted by Alan Phillips whose Facebook page inspired this occasional offering. 51

Preparing the Way … I decided to do a little preparation for my forthcoming holiday in North Wales, a place I love and have visited many times over the years. Alas now as age and lack of mobility creep up I need to think and concentrate on lower altitude rambles in the valleys and coastal paths rather than the peaks and high level skyline ridge transitions of yore. Deciding on an early morning start, on a very sound mission, and in fact starting from my front door and heading for the nearest active canal, the Trent and Mersey, on the borders of Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire I set off. This is one of my favourite areas for gathering pictures, offering a variety of subjects and styles of photography with differing equipment over the years, and generally a good days walking to boot (pun intended). The trip should be easy and with few obstacles in fact the first hour was over uninspiring low farmland in the shape of fields, and following footpaths and bridleways towards Shardlow, my goal for the mornings wander. After crossing two bridges one over the East Midlands Railway track and a second footbridge to span the river Derwent I entered the real start for my undertaking, “to photograph a series of landscapes containing water”. This included two small ponds near Great Wilne, used by local fishing clubs for their members, which were hidden amongst a group of small thickets. So, following the most southerly section of the long distance footpath in Derbyshire, the “Derwent Valley Heritage Way” I emerge from a modest wood at the final lock of the Trent and Mersey canal before it joins the river Trent at its confluence with the river Derwent.

The Fishing Pond Panasonic Lumix G1 Lens Lumix Vario 12-32mm zoom @ 12mm. Exposure ISO 100 f11 @ 1/50th sec. Filter external Lifepixel’s Super Blue filter.

The main object of the excursion was to checkout some upgrades in my filters and their use with my Panasonic Lumix micro four/thirds gear. This included two special infrared filters, one a variable “nm” range filter and the second a “LifepixeL ~ ‘Super Blue’”. The variable has a scale range from 530nm to 750nm wave lengths working by utilising two thin filters rotating against each other similar to a modern neutral density “fader” filter which employ “polariser” technology; giving the equivalent of from the lower end IR with full false colour options to the higher end, just past the “standard 720nm” wavelength and mainly used for creating monochrome conversions. That amazing range allows from very close to “normal” colour filtration, right through to black and white. The super blue also has two built in layers but this time fixed, again one similar to a 720nm and the second layer a specially developed blue filter from LifepixeL’s in the USA. This allows anything blue within the frame, particularly skies and their reflections, to record as blue and can be altered to various shades of that tone in post processing, plus the remainder of the image is given a classic IR look, showing the well used creams to grey/whites of the more normal infrared work on foliage.

The Chattering Panasonic Lumix G1 Lens Lumix Vario 12-32mm zoom @ 12mm. Exposure ISO 100 f11 @ 1/100th sec. Filter external Lifepixel’s Super Blue filter.

Along the Cut Panasonic Lumix G1 Lens Lumix Vario 12-32mm zoom @ 25mm. Exposure ISO 100 f14 @ 1/60th sec. Filter external Lifepixelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Super Blue filter.

Bargee, One and Two Panasonic Lumix G1 Lens Lumix Vario 14-140mm @ 70mm. Exposure ISO 200 1/200th @ f11. Filter external Fogta Fader NDIR 530nm to 750nm set at approx 650nm.

Barging Around the Bend. Panasonic Lumix G1. Lens Lumix Vario 14-140mm @ 41mm. Exposure ISO 200 1/250th @ f11. Filter external Fogta Fader NDIR 530nm to 750nm set at approx 590nm.

After crossing the lock gates I followed a westerly route along the towpath to reach the outskirts of Shardlow village. This area was once the very centre of canal trading, the activity being a fully operating inland port with goods coming and going to all parts of the country. Being out now for around four hours, and walking a measured four miles, although probably nearer five were covered with the deviations and demands of photography, I decided to follow the canal to my final morning’s destination the minor road B5010, yet of major importance by being the route for the East Midlands Airport to Derby City bus, thus making the return home by public transport. A good mornings’ work, with the fruitful pleasure of taking over seven hundred images, yet to be sifted through and vetted during the afternoon… Bye for now…

see you round the corner soon. 54

For membership information please head to http://www.postalphotoclub.org.uk

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