Essex/Suffolk Discusion Group, Barry Freeman

BY BARRY FREEMAN ARPS

The Essex/Suffolk area discussion group is the only area group still operating, within the Creative Eye Special Interest Group. It has been running for over 20 years and in the beginning it was known as the East Anglian Area Group, one of many such groups. I joined the EA area group in 2003 when its organiser was the then Creative Group Chair Joy Hancock FRPS. I have been a keen member right up to the present date. Shortly after I joined Joy’s husband Mike took over as the organiser and in 2008 I became the discussion group’s organiser, which is still my pleasant task.

Our membership stands at 14, with usually around 10/12 attending meetings. We have set a limit of 14 so that all members attending can show a reasonable number of images with time for hands-on viewing and discussion. Up to the Covid 19 Shutdown in March we met once every two months for a daylong meeting, looking at and commenting on each other’s pictures. The meetings were held in member’s homes (those with a large enough sitting room) or, in the summer months, at a local Art Gallery. All the present members are very keen photographers and love showing their work to others.

Covid19 gave us all a problem, how can we continue with our photography and share our work with others of the group? What we decided was to each send 3 JPEG mages to all the members at up to one issue per week. This was not mandatory and some members take part when they have time and the urge to do so. We started the group’s email distribution in the first week of April so we are now in week 18. A selection of photographs, which have been shown around the group since the start of shutdown, are in this Creative Eye Magazine.

The Group is now at the next stage when we held our first Zoom meeting, on Friday 7th August.

Perhaps other CE SIG members may like to form a discussion group along similar lines I can give you advice – email: bazfree.photo@gmail.com

Arrangements for Covid 19 Shutdown

We each send, by email attachment, up to three images each week, to all the other group members. Together with a small comment about each image. If you can't manage to take part every week we will forgive you!

Images must fit within 1920 x 1200 and be HQ jpeg, with sRGB colour space. If possible, send brief comments back to the author and copy the rest of us. Not everyone is on social media, so email and attachments ensures that everyone can participate.